Well, here we are....the final stretch...the final last days of HLOCK DO-ING Greece....AS of right now...I have exactly 7 days, 2 final exams, 1 term paper, 2 multimedia projects, 1 response, an entire life to pack, last minute shopping, picture taking, and sight seeing before I leave on the 13th. WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE!?
However, as I am writing this and NOT writing my term paper which I desperately need to work on....I decided a list is in order.....I think I'll do few lists between now and the 13th...hmm not really sure...yes I think that would be a great idea...in which case let's do a Food List for madre...JUST so that she's ready!
Food Items that I miss more than life and cannot wait to come home to:
CHICKEN (normal...untouched.....unfried, olive-oiled, easy to get, make, buy, chicken)
BROCCOLI (GOOD grief these people don't know the MEANING of nutritional value)
SKIM MILK
VEGETABLES...ALL OF THEM IN MASS QUANTITIES
SALAD
SALAD DRESSING
SUSHI
Pancakes
Special K strawberries
SUN CHIPS
Baked Lays
CRYSTAL LIGHT PEACH ICE TEA
PROVOLONE CHEESE
Green beans
Mashed potatoes
Pretzels
Grape Jelly
PEANUT BUTTER (does not exist in Greece)
POPCORN (I will never live without again)
CHERRY COKE ZERO
MEXICAN FOOD
CHINEESE FOOD
THAI FOOD
POKEY STICKS
Shooters from Tots
Shooters from Sharkey's
Brushetta from costco
Brushetta chips also from costco
I want Thanksgiving the remix
and Ice that is easily accesible.
OK let's take a moment...NO I don't think about food all the time....umm lies...OF COURSE I DO...however...I started this List a long time ago....and now...now is the time for posting.....that is all madre....there may be other things.....and by may I mean duh/yes.
SO sports fans....my days are numbered......until next time....
<3 Hlo
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:
Some random list making, packing worries, other things that need to be said/mentioned before my departure...its going to get serious.....Stay Tuned....and get ready.....It's go time
Friday, December 5, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
KBOO DOES GREECE
AND THERE I WAS…
ALL ALONE in Panepistemou Pente….WAITING…..just waiting, for time to happen. After an amazing Thursday with Kaci (AS USUAL) I was left to myself just contemplating how excited I was for Saturday to get here…..no really. YOU HAVE no idea. IT was ONLY Friday when I woke up, I still had a LOT of waiting to go, UGH! HOWEVER, around noon I got the best email EVER.
REMEMBER that one time when Madre sent a package with a TON of awesome things inside, including my FAVORITE discontinued pair of Jeans…yeah…well A.C.T. LOST IT!? WHAT!? THEY LOST IT. OF COURSE they would lose MY package……but I was pretty adamant about it and was compensated for the contents inside the box. Three weeks later, aka when I’m playing the waiting game on a lonesome Friday, I get an email…keep in mind that I waited 2/3 weeks for the box to get here….and it was KATE the Study Abroad Coordinator, with news….great news….THEY FOUND MY PACKAGE!!! SO EXCITING! In which case, Kaci and I were off to campus to obtain my box (AND she had class, while I had NO intention of going to campus because I didn’t have class…right then) I had to pay back my compensation so that was a downer, but my box was AWESOME!
BUT, where was my box this whole time?
WELL they had thought that someone had stolen my box, which is just ridiculous but plausible since their system of mail and package retrieval is RIDICULOUS! AND the woman that is in charge of it all is not a nice person….in fact she is anything and everything but nice. Not cool….NOT COOL at all. AND SO my missing box was taken to the WRONG post office because the ACT people picked a random package up for someone that had an “American sounding name” and this person was completely GREEK. Meanwhile his package had been hanging out in the ACT package room at the tip top of campus and LET ME TELL YOU those stairs are NOT forgiving! While my package was just hanging out where his should have been…..ok Greeks…you need to LOCK IT UP. I’m getting really agitated with your unintelligent behavior. THIS IS NOTHING NEW….so why is this still a problem…HMMM….??
SO THE BOX came and made my life and my Friday move SO Much faster than anticipated. Kaci left for her weekend with family friends and then I really was all alone in Panepistemou Pente. First time….actually ever….I CANNOT remember the last time I had alone time. SAB-ers are around 24/7. We literally have no choice. I mean we hangout, live, learn, eat, EVERYTHING together….there isn’t room or time anyone to really be alone, so I’ll be honest I really enjoyed some quite time….it was SO NEEDED. I cleaned, did laundry, did some school work, finally wrote my Athens blog…AND finished my Berlin Blog….holy smokes THAT took forever! SHEEEESH!!!! No there aren’t any pictures yet, but there will be eventually, promise promise.
AND THEN, THEN It was Saturday.
I tried to sleep in, but that didn’t really happen. I was too excited…THE COUNTDOWN has reached ZERO. Basically I spent the majority of my morning/day trying not to cry because I couldn’t believe she was actually going to be here….NO REALLY. SHE just needed to get here….AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. JUST knowing that she was closer to me than anyone else made me feel so relieved and pumped….
AND THEN the taxi ride to the airport seemed to take forever. WHY DID TIME MOVE SO SLOWLY….time goes by….so slowly…time goes by….so slowly….annnnd thank you Madonna.
SO I just waited, and paced….and waited, and paced….and I looked on the monitor of the arrivals screen and I saw that her plane had landed, I was literally WIGGING OUT LIKE IT WAS NOBODY’S BUISNESS on the inside…now I know how Kathleen felt when I went to go see her in Mississippi….but this was really really extreme because she got to talk to us whenever she wanted…and I well…..we all do our best….makes me sad….I cannot WAIT for constant interaction between myself and WHOEVER I want! IT’S GOING TO BE SO FUN! YAY ENGLISH!!! I’LL HEAR YOU SOOOOO SOOON!!!!!
AND SO I looked and waited and stood in front of everyone else waiting for people….I had my tp rolled up in my purse ready to go…..because I knew I Was going to be a complete disaster…I tried so hard to look cute, and then I went and messed it all up. AND THERE SHE WAS……ALIVE AND BEAUTIUL! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH INSERT UNCONTROLABLE TEARS and UNCOMPREHENSIBLE WORDS HERE! For several minutes, 15-20 to be exact….give or take 30 more minutes…..perhaps an hour/ rest of the evening.
GOOD GRIEF I HAD TO WAIT FOREVER FOR HER TO GET HERE. The countdown started 38 days ago….38 DAYS and NOW IT WAS FINALLY OVER!? ARE YOU JOKING ME! AHHHHH WE MADE IT!!! WE DID IT!!!!! SO KATHLEEN WAS FINALLY IN GREECE. …it was SO awesome to hear her go off immediately about her trip, and school , and life, and boys, as if I had been there every step of the way because I have been just telecommuting….aka….not cool.
So we went back to Penepistimou Pente......and she got to see how life really was in Thess…the view from my room and everything. SEE MY PICTURES ARE REAL!!! NOW you know! I think she liked it….my favorite line from Kathleen in the first 2 hours….. “SO…..you like…..actually live like in a CITY!? It’s not a third world country!? AND YOU CAN SHOWER whenever you want!” haha ok so that wasn’t what she said verbatim….but that basically sums it up…..haha I WAS SO EXCITED FOR HER TO BE HERE!!! AHHHH
AND SO we decided to go out for dinner at a taverna….the chicken taverna to be exact….DUH! Of course I Would take her here….it is my favorite one…though I am getting tired of it, and they knew me which was super nice and they took great care of us…Kathleen was so confused but excited to just DO GREECE…..FINALLY KBOO DOES GREECE….
Serious Side note: Readers, please expect notes from Kathleen in the future to be placed in this blog or in compensation around the blog post. Once this occurs the blog will be complete. Thank you, Management.
LITERALLY Kathleen had been in Greece for about oh 2 hours….and Appostoli moved us inside because we were sitting outside WHICH floored Kathleen….haha THIS was awesome…yes we sit outside…ALL THE TIME….especially in the cold…these people live for space heaters/lamps and being outside…..and so outside furniture is ALWAYS out….pretttty cool huh? We were sitting outside, but I was glad to be moved inside…the music was inside tonight and I like to be entertained…not that kboo wasn’t entertaining enough!
SO we moved inside and literally not long after we had sit down the boys next to us started talking with us and bought us wine and wine, and more wine. KATHLEEN WAS SO FUNNY with those Greeks…she knew absolutely NO GREEK and they were giving her the hardest time…..to her “oh-he” was “oh-mah” which means “NO” in Greek…it was HISTERICAL….oh Kathleen….she did great though for her first night ANNNNDDD eventually those boys asked us to go to a club with them and I was game for whatever…..luckily…SO Was Kathleen……it’s a good thing she was too excited to notice how tired she really was…but…ohh I KNEW….I had been there.
Side Note for Madre:
Please plan on me sleeping for 4 to 5 days straight. I love you, we will talk A LOT and I will show you my life….but I will be passing out and sleeping-in because my body is going to hate me when I return. Oh Jet-lag you are inappropriate. Love you mean it <3
BUT SERIOUSLY….Kathleen was in Greece for 2 hours and boys were already making moves on her….ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW….if Kathleen had been here since day one…we would have done a lot of damage….yep….a ton….haha maybe it is a better idea that she only did come for a week…hmmm…..
They took us to a really awesome music club that had a huge marble winding staircase. It was like my fair lady meets Hollywood meets the killers meets pink. It was awesome inside…..there were chandeliers with pearls streaming down them and mirrors of all different shapes and sizes. The music was way too loud…but it was good music. And so we just hung out and talked and it was really fun. I couldn’t have asked for a better night out with Kathleen…first night in Greece…and she did it up right! SO PROUD KBOO….SO PROUD! Best part about the night was that those boys wanted to see us again and they were fun and you never know…new people are always fun…..annnd thus ended Kathleen’s FIRST NIGHT IN GREECE!!!!!
HOLY BAKLAVA EVERYBODY!!! (because Kathleen thought this was Greek...and meant something other than what it really is which is....just goofy....and me being well...me...haha BLESS HER HEART!)
To be continued…..
ALL ALONE in Panepistemou Pente….WAITING…..just waiting, for time to happen. After an amazing Thursday with Kaci (AS USUAL) I was left to myself just contemplating how excited I was for Saturday to get here…..no really. YOU HAVE no idea. IT was ONLY Friday when I woke up, I still had a LOT of waiting to go, UGH! HOWEVER, around noon I got the best email EVER.
REMEMBER that one time when Madre sent a package with a TON of awesome things inside, including my FAVORITE discontinued pair of Jeans…yeah…well A.C.T. LOST IT!? WHAT!? THEY LOST IT. OF COURSE they would lose MY package……but I was pretty adamant about it and was compensated for the contents inside the box. Three weeks later, aka when I’m playing the waiting game on a lonesome Friday, I get an email…keep in mind that I waited 2/3 weeks for the box to get here….and it was KATE the Study Abroad Coordinator, with news….great news….THEY FOUND MY PACKAGE!!! SO EXCITING! In which case, Kaci and I were off to campus to obtain my box (AND she had class, while I had NO intention of going to campus because I didn’t have class…right then) I had to pay back my compensation so that was a downer, but my box was AWESOME!
BUT, where was my box this whole time?
WELL they had thought that someone had stolen my box, which is just ridiculous but plausible since their system of mail and package retrieval is RIDICULOUS! AND the woman that is in charge of it all is not a nice person….in fact she is anything and everything but nice. Not cool….NOT COOL at all. AND SO my missing box was taken to the WRONG post office because the ACT people picked a random package up for someone that had an “American sounding name” and this person was completely GREEK. Meanwhile his package had been hanging out in the ACT package room at the tip top of campus and LET ME TELL YOU those stairs are NOT forgiving! While my package was just hanging out where his should have been…..ok Greeks…you need to LOCK IT UP. I’m getting really agitated with your unintelligent behavior. THIS IS NOTHING NEW….so why is this still a problem…HMMM….??
SO THE BOX came and made my life and my Friday move SO Much faster than anticipated. Kaci left for her weekend with family friends and then I really was all alone in Panepistemou Pente. First time….actually ever….I CANNOT remember the last time I had alone time. SAB-ers are around 24/7. We literally have no choice. I mean we hangout, live, learn, eat, EVERYTHING together….there isn’t room or time anyone to really be alone, so I’ll be honest I really enjoyed some quite time….it was SO NEEDED. I cleaned, did laundry, did some school work, finally wrote my Athens blog…AND finished my Berlin Blog….holy smokes THAT took forever! SHEEEESH!!!! No there aren’t any pictures yet, but there will be eventually, promise promise.
AND THEN, THEN It was Saturday.
I tried to sleep in, but that didn’t really happen. I was too excited…THE COUNTDOWN has reached ZERO. Basically I spent the majority of my morning/day trying not to cry because I couldn’t believe she was actually going to be here….NO REALLY. SHE just needed to get here….AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. JUST knowing that she was closer to me than anyone else made me feel so relieved and pumped….
AND THEN the taxi ride to the airport seemed to take forever. WHY DID TIME MOVE SO SLOWLY….time goes by….so slowly…time goes by….so slowly….annnnd thank you Madonna.
SO I just waited, and paced….and waited, and paced….and I looked on the monitor of the arrivals screen and I saw that her plane had landed, I was literally WIGGING OUT LIKE IT WAS NOBODY’S BUISNESS on the inside…now I know how Kathleen felt when I went to go see her in Mississippi….but this was really really extreme because she got to talk to us whenever she wanted…and I well…..we all do our best….makes me sad….I cannot WAIT for constant interaction between myself and WHOEVER I want! IT’S GOING TO BE SO FUN! YAY ENGLISH!!! I’LL HEAR YOU SOOOOO SOOON!!!!!
AND SO I looked and waited and stood in front of everyone else waiting for people….I had my tp rolled up in my purse ready to go…..because I knew I Was going to be a complete disaster…I tried so hard to look cute, and then I went and messed it all up. AND THERE SHE WAS……ALIVE AND BEAUTIUL! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH INSERT UNCONTROLABLE TEARS and UNCOMPREHENSIBLE WORDS HERE! For several minutes, 15-20 to be exact….give or take 30 more minutes…..perhaps an hour/ rest of the evening.
GOOD GRIEF I HAD TO WAIT FOREVER FOR HER TO GET HERE. The countdown started 38 days ago….38 DAYS and NOW IT WAS FINALLY OVER!? ARE YOU JOKING ME! AHHHHH WE MADE IT!!! WE DID IT!!!!! SO KATHLEEN WAS FINALLY IN GREECE. …it was SO awesome to hear her go off immediately about her trip, and school , and life, and boys, as if I had been there every step of the way because I have been just telecommuting….aka….not cool.
So we went back to Penepistimou Pente......and she got to see how life really was in Thess…the view from my room and everything. SEE MY PICTURES ARE REAL!!! NOW you know! I think she liked it….my favorite line from Kathleen in the first 2 hours….. “SO…..you like…..actually live like in a CITY!? It’s not a third world country!? AND YOU CAN SHOWER whenever you want!” haha ok so that wasn’t what she said verbatim….but that basically sums it up…..haha I WAS SO EXCITED FOR HER TO BE HERE!!! AHHHH
AND SO we decided to go out for dinner at a taverna….the chicken taverna to be exact….DUH! Of course I Would take her here….it is my favorite one…though I am getting tired of it, and they knew me which was super nice and they took great care of us…Kathleen was so confused but excited to just DO GREECE…..FINALLY KBOO DOES GREECE….
Serious Side note: Readers, please expect notes from Kathleen in the future to be placed in this blog or in compensation around the blog post. Once this occurs the blog will be complete. Thank you, Management.
LITERALLY Kathleen had been in Greece for about oh 2 hours….and Appostoli moved us inside because we were sitting outside WHICH floored Kathleen….haha THIS was awesome…yes we sit outside…ALL THE TIME….especially in the cold…these people live for space heaters/lamps and being outside…..and so outside furniture is ALWAYS out….pretttty cool huh? We were sitting outside, but I was glad to be moved inside…the music was inside tonight and I like to be entertained…not that kboo wasn’t entertaining enough!
SO we moved inside and literally not long after we had sit down the boys next to us started talking with us and bought us wine and wine, and more wine. KATHLEEN WAS SO FUNNY with those Greeks…she knew absolutely NO GREEK and they were giving her the hardest time…..to her “oh-he” was “oh-mah” which means “NO” in Greek…it was HISTERICAL….oh Kathleen….she did great though for her first night ANNNNDDD eventually those boys asked us to go to a club with them and I was game for whatever…..luckily…SO Was Kathleen……it’s a good thing she was too excited to notice how tired she really was…but…ohh I KNEW….I had been there.
Side Note for Madre:
Please plan on me sleeping for 4 to 5 days straight. I love you, we will talk A LOT and I will show you my life….but I will be passing out and sleeping-in because my body is going to hate me when I return. Oh Jet-lag you are inappropriate. Love you mean it <3
BUT SERIOUSLY….Kathleen was in Greece for 2 hours and boys were already making moves on her….ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW….if Kathleen had been here since day one…we would have done a lot of damage….yep….a ton….haha maybe it is a better idea that she only did come for a week…hmmm…..
They took us to a really awesome music club that had a huge marble winding staircase. It was like my fair lady meets Hollywood meets the killers meets pink. It was awesome inside…..there were chandeliers with pearls streaming down them and mirrors of all different shapes and sizes. The music was way too loud…but it was good music. And so we just hung out and talked and it was really fun. I couldn’t have asked for a better night out with Kathleen…first night in Greece…and she did it up right! SO PROUD KBOO….SO PROUD! Best part about the night was that those boys wanted to see us again and they were fun and you never know…new people are always fun…..annnd thus ended Kathleen’s FIRST NIGHT IN GREECE!!!!!
HOLY BAKLAVA EVERYBODY!!! (because Kathleen thought this was Greek...and meant something other than what it really is which is....just goofy....and me being well...me...haha BLESS HER HEART!)
To be continued…..
KBOO really DID do GREECE
SO REALLY, this whole week has been one of the BEST WEEKS IN GREECE EVER. KBOO Loved Greece…and more importantly, Greece loved Kboo. The next few days were a series of awesomeness, twinness, and me FINALLY being with my bestfriend. On a scale from one to ten I LOVED IT!!! Sunday rolled around pretty quickly and nothing is really open on Sundays SO Kboo and I pulled a lazy-esque morning and walked around in the afternoon. She got to see everything from my little street with the Fruit man to the water with the white tower. IT was BEAUTIFUL outside and I was just happy to be with her….It was Kboo’s Vacation and it was MY Staycation…..it was awesome for both parties involved. I’m so glad Kathleen was all about being a tourist…..we walked all the way down to the white tower and the water. It was a PERFECT day and we took GREAT pictures….we just walked along the water, talking and taking advantage of the awesome photo opportunities we had. We decided to get a delicious treat at the desert/café place right near the water, Parfait. NORMALLY I would have been ALL about getting some gelato BUT it was kind-of chilly out so we opted for actual delicious treats….which was great because we got to split them….and it was as much her vacation as it was mine…I have NO guilt WHATSOEVER…..I think Kathleen and I talked so much we could have blown up over 23,000 balloons in the first 2 or 3 days with all our constant talking and hot air….SO MUCH to say….I missed it SO MUCH! After our delicious treats we walked more of Thessaloniki and I showed Kathleen a ton of the important things that I pass by often, like the arch and a ton of the ruins that are just randomly put everywhere. We had a great day just walking around the city….KATHLEEN WAS floored to discover that I was in a city….even though I had told her and EVERYONE else that hey….I’m legit, living in a city….and then it clicked to her that Thessaloniki is a lot like a mini-New York….just the feel of it….yep…I’m in a city with a ton of people and everything is just a five-minute walk away….she didn’t hate it!
When we got back to my apartment all the Istanbulers came home and COMPLETELY bombarded us with everything they bought and stories and it was just a whirlwind of sooooo many girls in one place at one time….it was so intense haha….I’m not sure how Kboo took it all but it was fun for me because everyone was SO EXCITED to finally meet her because I was seriously getting annoying with all my counting-down and constant conversation about her…..good grief Kathleen you are a HUGE DEAL in my book!
Things really didn’t die down until about 1 when I decided to go to bed…LUCKILY there was an empty bed downstairs that I confiscated for the week…..um awesome…there were a ton of visitors this week…and I was smart enough to find a place to sleep…..look at me go! Anyway, I did decide to go to class on Monday, but JUST Greek and Tutoring. I finished as quickly as possible and took a cab STRAIGHT HOME to Kboo….who has JUST greeted the day when I had returned around 2:30/3ish…..haha OH jet-lag you kill us Lockwood girls…..we were BOTH hungry and SO I took Kathleen to meet NIKKOS!!!! OK so Kboo didn’t like the Crepe but I certainly did….I ALWAYS DO….but I’ll be honest…Nikko was NOT on his a-game that day…..total disappointment….if only kboo had gotten a sweet crepe….THEN her life would be different…PROMISE PROMISE….so Kathleen and I ventured out and I took her to the Arch where she saw a ton of FAT pigeons…I TOLD YOU they were huge…and NOW I have another witness…these birds are really abnormally huge….they are the size of small, full-grown adult cats….NOTE….this is NOT an exaggeration!! Kathleen discovered Bershka and Zara…Europe’s signature stores most closely related to an American Eagle/Express/Limited and so on….so naturally we had a field day…it was so fun to see Kathleen SO excited about it all. We kept making our way down the whole road and it was SO fun to be with her and show her where I have been living……..IN A CITY….which is Crazy! I KNOW! Well for other people it’s not crazy, but for me…and us….it was intense, cool, and very different. I actually really like living in a city….not for the rest of my life, but I wouldn’t mind it while I’m trying to start my life and my career….it’s actually perfect and good for me because there is SO much to do and life is NEVER closed….except for Sundays…..they aren’t so fun…..right then.
AND SO we had a blast looking at everything and walking the streets just talking and having fun…..eventually we found ourselves at Aristotle Plataea…..so it was Aristotle Square…..well right before it…but I could CLEARLY see it from where I was…..but we were at an out-door mall/type thing that I pass often but never really venture into…and then all of a sudden Kathleen and I were in an elevator going to see a movie in GREECE! I had wanted to see a movie ALL semester and it was REALLY fun. We got free soda’s with our tickets and we saw an American film…..with Greek Subtitles……which was really awesome because I followed along with it and tried to figure things out…..
NATURALLY after the film we were hungry and I WAS CRAVING Chicken….AMERICAN Chicken and SINCE Kaci and I had American Thursday last week and had discovered FRIDAY’S IN GREECE….I apologized to kboo for making her go to Friday’s with me…but I was KILLER FOR REAL FOOD….and FRIDAY’S was awesome……FINALLY CHICKEN……that wasn’t on a stick or was pretend…..it was real and normal….
Dear Chicken,
I Love you more than life itself.
Love, me.
That pretty much ended our night….we just went back to my apartment and it wasn’t early by any means. So we watched a film and continued our girl time which I loved. I HAD tons of Snacks for kboo at my apartment too. I got a ton of things together in a bag for her Arrival and I think she liked it a lot….and by liked it she loved the Greek cookies, the chocolate…and most importantly, the HAPPY HIPPO’S! Don’t you worry Kathleen I’ll be bringing BOXES of those things back for you….I understand your love for them because I love them….DEARLY!
TUESDAY MORNING was a bright and EARLY one. I made Kboo wake up and go to school with me haha muahaha mean of me? Maybe BUT I wanted her to see where I went to school….and I wanted her to meet my gender studies professor….because she is SO AWESOME and has been so great to all of us this whole semester. She is an absolutely amazing lady. BUT, she wasn’t in class! We still had class and had to watch a movie…but prior to it….Kathleen, Kaci, myself, and Heather ALL decided to get a chocolate milk to enjoy while we watched a film….in which case….spilling things is H-jay’s forte….and well it happened before in the class on one of the firsts days and Agili, our professor, was up in arms about it…..but WE did it anyway and literally as we are sitting down…Kathleen’s drink hits the floor like NOBODY’S business…..I died….I was laughing hysterically and she was so mortified……annnnnnd moments later….MY DRINK GOES DOWN…..um figures….GOOD thing she wasn’t there AGILI would have killed me…..haha goes to show you….sister like sister…..Bless her heart.
I made Kboo come to my next class in multimedia which was great because she got to check her email and things while I did multimedia things….and then THEN we met up with Kaci and WE WERE OFF to the COSMOS MEDITERRANEAN…..SO FUN!
I LOVE SHOPPING! I don’t buy things all the time…but I really like going…it’s just fun to do and help other people if they are on missions….KACI is a GREAT accomplice for this….I LOVE THURSDAYS….I spend the majority of my weeks WAITING for Thursdays….AHHHHhhhhh!!!! SO we got food and Kathleen got her FIRST gyro…..she didn’t hate it….they weren’t the best but they weren’t the worst either…..and then we were OFF again looking around watching all the people and Kathleen was having a field day…NOW we were planning on going to Athens on Wednesday BUT it’s not the cheapest to go and we just decided that spending time with each other was enough…I mean she flew thousands of miles, spending thousands of dollars just to see me….if that’s not love, I don’t know what is….so just doing the Thessaloniki thing and seeing everything that we could was great. There was even live music playing in the mall which was really cool and neat AND those boys we had met on Saturday night called me and we decided to meet up with them around 10 that night wooo…THIS was going to be VERY FUN.
IN WHICH case we got ready and Kathleen, Kaci, Myself and ALEXA all went to meet the boys we had met and we ended up at a Taverna just hanging out, eating, drinking, and getting to know each other. OH WINE how you always make things so much more interesting. WE HAD a blast…it seriously was so much fun and they were SO fun….it was a GREAT night….we were going to go to a hookah bar to finish the night off but on Tuesdays things don’t stay open past 3 really, unless you go to the water, than that is different….but the hookah bar was closing and so we also decided to close our night……oh Tuesday you were super fun…minus some sketchy encounters of sketchy guys that Kathleen and Alexa had to run away from…but mostly Tuesday you were a good day!
BECAUSE we decided NOT to go to Athens Kathleen and I slept in a bit. WEDNESDAY was a historical day. We walked all around, in and out…..up and down Thessaloniki. Kboo was so impressed that there were just random ruins chilling in Thessaloniki. Um Random…..today was a chill-esque day nothing to bumping happened just walking again….EVERYWHERE and AS we were walking around Thessaloniki we went to the water again and walked up from there….I took Kathleen to the HONDOS center because I had found one in Thess. I know they are other places but I was pumped that I had found one that wasn’t too terribly far away. We went in and it was just so neat to see her reaction…I wasn’t joking when I explained the Hondos Center when I went to Athens….this thing is MASSIVE, INTENSE….and KATHLEEN was super excited about it……on our way back to my apartment we saw some shady action going on which NEVER Happens in Thessaloniki…….well it might but I never see it…..I’m not sure what was going on but there was a Guy down….and blood…a mass amount of it leaking from his stomach….I’m pretty sure he was Albanian…and there were Gypsies around him too….hmm interesting……sure when Kboo comes these things happen…..giving her a bad impression! NOT GOOD! We came across MORE ruins which was originally a roman marketplace. The columns were still up and I love this area…it is so cool. THEN we went to the LARGEST CHURCH IN GREECE….THIS THING IS HUGE…..inside is beautiful and I have seen a TON of churches in Europe but this one was really neat. I’m so glad Kathleen got an opportunity to see it…..yay for Greek culture….and my tour-guideness……
and then we were on our way walking back to my apartment… we got some treats from ideal….the bakery down the way and Kathleen got to experience Baklava and things….I LOVE Greek pastry’s…..too bad Kboo isn’t into the flakiness because that’s all they got here….haha NOTICE how our days really centered around food….SHEESH! This day we DID get Kathleen a SUPER cute Jacket….I happen to own and wear the same Jacket religiously…..and she loved it so much that we went and got it for her…she looked SUPER styling….but most importantly this jacket is the most functional jacket ever…it GOES with everything and it’s at JUST the right length….it’s good for winter, spring, AND fall….so perfect all the way around and WELL WORTH IT! TRUST ME! WE watched movies again this night….gorged on CORNER PIZZA good grief I love corner pizza AND our delicious treats….don’t judge us we were on Vacation….and it was again really fun…We watched PRIME which was a GREAT film….I might be purchasing that for the near future….
THURSDAY was a HUGE DAY for us! WE HAD SOME SERIOUS PLANS! I LOVE THURSDAYS!!!! ALWAYS!!! SO this was a HUGE deal for me because I was going to spend my favorite day with KBOO! SO EXCITING!!!!!! YESSSSS and I skipped class all together again…because it was Thursday…which should be a national Holiday for me….even when I go home…however……my spring schedule for me is a combination of ONLY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY CLASSES….DONE DEAL…I AM SO PUMPED for this to happen! ANYWAY! WE were off to an Early start…I had been wanting to go to Saturday’s market ALL semester and THIS was when I was going to go…to the market and BOOT wonderland where the boots or outrageously cheap. SO EXCITING! AND SO we went to the square and met up with Alexa and the four of us made our way into the market which had tons of fish…hanging pigs (UM EW) flowers and tons of people trying to get us to buy things….it was so different and fun. We found boot wonderland and looked around here and there but boot wonderland wasn’t so much of a wonderland as we had anticipated….ugh…bummer to the max. BUT that didn’t stop us from having a good time…and we found GREAT carry-on bags which was EXACTLY what I needed!!!! SO we bargained them down and bit and got really awesome bags for the plane. YAY for us! AND SO then we walked around a bit and found some more shopping places which was really fun and Kathleen found some great Christmas gifts…AHH SOOOO fun…it was just really fun, I enjoyed spending so much time with her I just didn’t care what we did……and then we got some beverages and Kathleen had her FIRST FRAPPE….a seriously big deal to in the Greek Culture…..these people live for their coffee and Frappes….I had a tea which was wonderful and of course….OF COURSE Kaci had Hot cocoa……GO FIGURE…..and Alexa is just straight up a Coffee kind of a girl. We found this place on a Thursday one time and we just thought it was the cutest place…madre would LOVE It if she had come here….I think that’s why I liked going so much….because Madre would have liked it….it was just nice, cute, and very chic.
SOON after we took Kathleen to the Greek Candy store we also found one Thursday….I LOVE the Greek Candy store…and we got some things while looking for some KILLER boots for Kathleen….the downside….all the shops close at 3 and don’t open up again till 6…..UGH! SO DUMB! IN which case, Kaci and Alexa were off to get ready for Thanksgiving festivities….haha and I BASICALLY forgot it was Thanksgiving…..haha TURKEY DAY….minus the Turkey…..and so Kboo and I stopped back to my apartment to drop off our huge bags that we had gotten and walked to the top of Thessaloniki to the Castle……she got to see everything and walking up was like walking through Santorini…it was amazing and awesome….THIS was the Greece she thought I was living in…and I am…just this was the old town….and I’m in the new town…..the top of the City was beautiful….it was so warm out and it was the perfect day…..I was so excited that she was here and enjoying herself and got see what I get to see everyday! We walked through the small separate neighborhood at the top of the city and finally made our way down RIGHT to where we were going to find boots. WE FOUND them in no-time and Kathleen was officially completely GREEKED OUT and ready for action….she got AMAZING boots….so cute…..and MERRY CHRISTMAS KATHLEEN….even though it was Thanksgiving those boots were for her from me….because she was wonderful and awesome and I couldn’t ask for a better Thanksgiving….well…all things considered….of course we missed Madre, Brosef, Anna, and Padre. WE skyped them and Talked their ears off…it was almost as if we were with them….except there were eating normal food and we were haha well eating everything bad for you as possible! AND then we were of the ACT thanksgiving dinner but by the time we got there….ALL THE FOOD WAS GONE!!!! WHAT!?!!!!! So we opted for Gyros and we had REALLY AMAZING gyros….happy thanksgiving kboo! GREEK style…..haha I suppose I’ll never forget this Thanksgiving….how can I right? We spent most of the night talking and packing all of my stuff and kboo’s things up…..making sure she had everything….I hated it….I wanted her to stay for the rest of my studying at school…..LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER with her! UGH! But we woke up early and took a taxi to the airport. I hated this. I had SO MUCH FUN….LIES….WE HAD SO MUCH FUN! Her leaving put a serious DAMPER on my mood….way to go Kathleen…yeah….way to go….
IT took us about oh I don’t know 20-30 minutes to say goodbye…I just stood there as she was going through security…haha WALKING with her as she zigzagged through the ropes like that guy with the huge head in Shrek One…….
And then she was off and I was in the Taxi heading back to the apartment to do some school work before I got on the bus to campus….which sucked…BUT the cutest old man really made my life SO much easier because he helped me and was so cute….he didn’t know a WORD of English so I tried my Greek on him…and it was fun…..SEE there are nice people in GREECE annnnnd then I was off to a weekend of relaxation at KazmaIhavenocluehowtopronoucethis with Student government……..hmmm…..until next time….
You stay classy you blog readers.
<3 Hlo
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE: KAZMAHHUH? Ski resort weekend!!!!!! STAY TUNED, you won’t want to miss it……
When we got back to my apartment all the Istanbulers came home and COMPLETELY bombarded us with everything they bought and stories and it was just a whirlwind of sooooo many girls in one place at one time….it was so intense haha….I’m not sure how Kboo took it all but it was fun for me because everyone was SO EXCITED to finally meet her because I was seriously getting annoying with all my counting-down and constant conversation about her…..good grief Kathleen you are a HUGE DEAL in my book!
Things really didn’t die down until about 1 when I decided to go to bed…LUCKILY there was an empty bed downstairs that I confiscated for the week…..um awesome…there were a ton of visitors this week…and I was smart enough to find a place to sleep…..look at me go! Anyway, I did decide to go to class on Monday, but JUST Greek and Tutoring. I finished as quickly as possible and took a cab STRAIGHT HOME to Kboo….who has JUST greeted the day when I had returned around 2:30/3ish…..haha OH jet-lag you kill us Lockwood girls…..we were BOTH hungry and SO I took Kathleen to meet NIKKOS!!!! OK so Kboo didn’t like the Crepe but I certainly did….I ALWAYS DO….but I’ll be honest…Nikko was NOT on his a-game that day…..total disappointment….if only kboo had gotten a sweet crepe….THEN her life would be different…PROMISE PROMISE….so Kathleen and I ventured out and I took her to the Arch where she saw a ton of FAT pigeons…I TOLD YOU they were huge…and NOW I have another witness…these birds are really abnormally huge….they are the size of small, full-grown adult cats….NOTE….this is NOT an exaggeration!! Kathleen discovered Bershka and Zara…Europe’s signature stores most closely related to an American Eagle/Express/Limited and so on….so naturally we had a field day…it was so fun to see Kathleen SO excited about it all. We kept making our way down the whole road and it was SO fun to be with her and show her where I have been living……..IN A CITY….which is Crazy! I KNOW! Well for other people it’s not crazy, but for me…and us….it was intense, cool, and very different. I actually really like living in a city….not for the rest of my life, but I wouldn’t mind it while I’m trying to start my life and my career….it’s actually perfect and good for me because there is SO much to do and life is NEVER closed….except for Sundays…..they aren’t so fun…..right then.
AND SO we had a blast looking at everything and walking the streets just talking and having fun…..eventually we found ourselves at Aristotle Plataea…..so it was Aristotle Square…..well right before it…but I could CLEARLY see it from where I was…..but we were at an out-door mall/type thing that I pass often but never really venture into…and then all of a sudden Kathleen and I were in an elevator going to see a movie in GREECE! I had wanted to see a movie ALL semester and it was REALLY fun. We got free soda’s with our tickets and we saw an American film…..with Greek Subtitles……which was really awesome because I followed along with it and tried to figure things out…..
NATURALLY after the film we were hungry and I WAS CRAVING Chicken….AMERICAN Chicken and SINCE Kaci and I had American Thursday last week and had discovered FRIDAY’S IN GREECE….I apologized to kboo for making her go to Friday’s with me…but I was KILLER FOR REAL FOOD….and FRIDAY’S was awesome……FINALLY CHICKEN……that wasn’t on a stick or was pretend…..it was real and normal….
Dear Chicken,
I Love you more than life itself.
Love, me.
That pretty much ended our night….we just went back to my apartment and it wasn’t early by any means. So we watched a film and continued our girl time which I loved. I HAD tons of Snacks for kboo at my apartment too. I got a ton of things together in a bag for her Arrival and I think she liked it a lot….and by liked it she loved the Greek cookies, the chocolate…and most importantly, the HAPPY HIPPO’S! Don’t you worry Kathleen I’ll be bringing BOXES of those things back for you….I understand your love for them because I love them….DEARLY!
TUESDAY MORNING was a bright and EARLY one. I made Kboo wake up and go to school with me haha muahaha mean of me? Maybe BUT I wanted her to see where I went to school….and I wanted her to meet my gender studies professor….because she is SO AWESOME and has been so great to all of us this whole semester. She is an absolutely amazing lady. BUT, she wasn’t in class! We still had class and had to watch a movie…but prior to it….Kathleen, Kaci, myself, and Heather ALL decided to get a chocolate milk to enjoy while we watched a film….in which case….spilling things is H-jay’s forte….and well it happened before in the class on one of the firsts days and Agili, our professor, was up in arms about it…..but WE did it anyway and literally as we are sitting down…Kathleen’s drink hits the floor like NOBODY’S business…..I died….I was laughing hysterically and she was so mortified……annnnnnd moments later….MY DRINK GOES DOWN…..um figures….GOOD thing she wasn’t there AGILI would have killed me…..haha goes to show you….sister like sister…..Bless her heart.
I made Kboo come to my next class in multimedia which was great because she got to check her email and things while I did multimedia things….and then THEN we met up with Kaci and WE WERE OFF to the COSMOS MEDITERRANEAN…..SO FUN!
I LOVE SHOPPING! I don’t buy things all the time…but I really like going…it’s just fun to do and help other people if they are on missions….KACI is a GREAT accomplice for this….I LOVE THURSDAYS….I spend the majority of my weeks WAITING for Thursdays….AHHHHhhhhh!!!! SO we got food and Kathleen got her FIRST gyro…..she didn’t hate it….they weren’t the best but they weren’t the worst either…..and then we were OFF again looking around watching all the people and Kathleen was having a field day…NOW we were planning on going to Athens on Wednesday BUT it’s not the cheapest to go and we just decided that spending time with each other was enough…I mean she flew thousands of miles, spending thousands of dollars just to see me….if that’s not love, I don’t know what is….so just doing the Thessaloniki thing and seeing everything that we could was great. There was even live music playing in the mall which was really cool and neat AND those boys we had met on Saturday night called me and we decided to meet up with them around 10 that night wooo…THIS was going to be VERY FUN.
IN WHICH case we got ready and Kathleen, Kaci, Myself and ALEXA all went to meet the boys we had met and we ended up at a Taverna just hanging out, eating, drinking, and getting to know each other. OH WINE how you always make things so much more interesting. WE HAD a blast…it seriously was so much fun and they were SO fun….it was a GREAT night….we were going to go to a hookah bar to finish the night off but on Tuesdays things don’t stay open past 3 really, unless you go to the water, than that is different….but the hookah bar was closing and so we also decided to close our night……oh Tuesday you were super fun…minus some sketchy encounters of sketchy guys that Kathleen and Alexa had to run away from…but mostly Tuesday you were a good day!
BECAUSE we decided NOT to go to Athens Kathleen and I slept in a bit. WEDNESDAY was a historical day. We walked all around, in and out…..up and down Thessaloniki. Kboo was so impressed that there were just random ruins chilling in Thessaloniki. Um Random…..today was a chill-esque day nothing to bumping happened just walking again….EVERYWHERE and AS we were walking around Thessaloniki we went to the water again and walked up from there….I took Kathleen to the HONDOS center because I had found one in Thess. I know they are other places but I was pumped that I had found one that wasn’t too terribly far away. We went in and it was just so neat to see her reaction…I wasn’t joking when I explained the Hondos Center when I went to Athens….this thing is MASSIVE, INTENSE….and KATHLEEN was super excited about it……on our way back to my apartment we saw some shady action going on which NEVER Happens in Thessaloniki…….well it might but I never see it…..I’m not sure what was going on but there was a Guy down….and blood…a mass amount of it leaking from his stomach….I’m pretty sure he was Albanian…and there were Gypsies around him too….hmm interesting……sure when Kboo comes these things happen…..giving her a bad impression! NOT GOOD! We came across MORE ruins which was originally a roman marketplace. The columns were still up and I love this area…it is so cool. THEN we went to the LARGEST CHURCH IN GREECE….THIS THING IS HUGE…..inside is beautiful and I have seen a TON of churches in Europe but this one was really neat. I’m so glad Kathleen got an opportunity to see it…..yay for Greek culture….and my tour-guideness……
and then we were on our way walking back to my apartment… we got some treats from ideal….the bakery down the way and Kathleen got to experience Baklava and things….I LOVE Greek pastry’s…..too bad Kboo isn’t into the flakiness because that’s all they got here….haha NOTICE how our days really centered around food….SHEESH! This day we DID get Kathleen a SUPER cute Jacket….I happen to own and wear the same Jacket religiously…..and she loved it so much that we went and got it for her…she looked SUPER styling….but most importantly this jacket is the most functional jacket ever…it GOES with everything and it’s at JUST the right length….it’s good for winter, spring, AND fall….so perfect all the way around and WELL WORTH IT! TRUST ME! WE watched movies again this night….gorged on CORNER PIZZA good grief I love corner pizza AND our delicious treats….don’t judge us we were on Vacation….and it was again really fun…We watched PRIME which was a GREAT film….I might be purchasing that for the near future….
THURSDAY was a HUGE DAY for us! WE HAD SOME SERIOUS PLANS! I LOVE THURSDAYS!!!! ALWAYS!!! SO this was a HUGE deal for me because I was going to spend my favorite day with KBOO! SO EXCITING!!!!!! YESSSSS and I skipped class all together again…because it was Thursday…which should be a national Holiday for me….even when I go home…however……my spring schedule for me is a combination of ONLY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY CLASSES….DONE DEAL…I AM SO PUMPED for this to happen! ANYWAY! WE were off to an Early start…I had been wanting to go to Saturday’s market ALL semester and THIS was when I was going to go…to the market and BOOT wonderland where the boots or outrageously cheap. SO EXCITING! AND SO we went to the square and met up with Alexa and the four of us made our way into the market which had tons of fish…hanging pigs (UM EW) flowers and tons of people trying to get us to buy things….it was so different and fun. We found boot wonderland and looked around here and there but boot wonderland wasn’t so much of a wonderland as we had anticipated….ugh…bummer to the max. BUT that didn’t stop us from having a good time…and we found GREAT carry-on bags which was EXACTLY what I needed!!!! SO we bargained them down and bit and got really awesome bags for the plane. YAY for us! AND SO then we walked around a bit and found some more shopping places which was really fun and Kathleen found some great Christmas gifts…AHH SOOOO fun…it was just really fun, I enjoyed spending so much time with her I just didn’t care what we did……and then we got some beverages and Kathleen had her FIRST FRAPPE….a seriously big deal to in the Greek Culture…..these people live for their coffee and Frappes….I had a tea which was wonderful and of course….OF COURSE Kaci had Hot cocoa……GO FIGURE…..and Alexa is just straight up a Coffee kind of a girl. We found this place on a Thursday one time and we just thought it was the cutest place…madre would LOVE It if she had come here….I think that’s why I liked going so much….because Madre would have liked it….it was just nice, cute, and very chic.
SOON after we took Kathleen to the Greek Candy store we also found one Thursday….I LOVE the Greek Candy store…and we got some things while looking for some KILLER boots for Kathleen….the downside….all the shops close at 3 and don’t open up again till 6…..UGH! SO DUMB! IN which case, Kaci and Alexa were off to get ready for Thanksgiving festivities….haha and I BASICALLY forgot it was Thanksgiving…..haha TURKEY DAY….minus the Turkey…..and so Kboo and I stopped back to my apartment to drop off our huge bags that we had gotten and walked to the top of Thessaloniki to the Castle……she got to see everything and walking up was like walking through Santorini…it was amazing and awesome….THIS was the Greece she thought I was living in…and I am…just this was the old town….and I’m in the new town…..the top of the City was beautiful….it was so warm out and it was the perfect day…..I was so excited that she was here and enjoying herself and got see what I get to see everyday! We walked through the small separate neighborhood at the top of the city and finally made our way down RIGHT to where we were going to find boots. WE FOUND them in no-time and Kathleen was officially completely GREEKED OUT and ready for action….she got AMAZING boots….so cute…..and MERRY CHRISTMAS KATHLEEN….even though it was Thanksgiving those boots were for her from me….because she was wonderful and awesome and I couldn’t ask for a better Thanksgiving….well…all things considered….of course we missed Madre, Brosef, Anna, and Padre. WE skyped them and Talked their ears off…it was almost as if we were with them….except there were eating normal food and we were haha well eating everything bad for you as possible! AND then we were of the ACT thanksgiving dinner but by the time we got there….ALL THE FOOD WAS GONE!!!! WHAT!?!!!!! So we opted for Gyros and we had REALLY AMAZING gyros….happy thanksgiving kboo! GREEK style…..haha I suppose I’ll never forget this Thanksgiving….how can I right? We spent most of the night talking and packing all of my stuff and kboo’s things up…..making sure she had everything….I hated it….I wanted her to stay for the rest of my studying at school…..LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER with her! UGH! But we woke up early and took a taxi to the airport. I hated this. I had SO MUCH FUN….LIES….WE HAD SO MUCH FUN! Her leaving put a serious DAMPER on my mood….way to go Kathleen…yeah….way to go….
IT took us about oh I don’t know 20-30 minutes to say goodbye…I just stood there as she was going through security…haha WALKING with her as she zigzagged through the ropes like that guy with the huge head in Shrek One…….
And then she was off and I was in the Taxi heading back to the apartment to do some school work before I got on the bus to campus….which sucked…BUT the cutest old man really made my life SO much easier because he helped me and was so cute….he didn’t know a WORD of English so I tried my Greek on him…and it was fun…..SEE there are nice people in GREECE annnnnd then I was off to a weekend of relaxation at KazmaIhavenocluehowtopronoucethis with Student government……..hmmm…..until next time….
You stay classy you blog readers.
<3 Hlo
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE: KAZMAHHUH? Ski resort weekend!!!!!! STAY TUNED, you won’t want to miss it……
Friday, November 21, 2008
my name is Heather Lockwood and I LIVE FOR THURSDAYS
NO REALLY! MY NAME IS Heather LOCKWOOD and I LIVE….LIVE for THURSDAYS!
WHY!? I’ll tell you….because Thursday is my me day….my ME day with Kaci….it works…trust me…..every Thursday we leave school at 3:30 and do something amazing and awesome the rest of the day….this usually involves a LOT of walking, tea, snacks, or just amazing fun. I LOVE THURSDAYS……I don’t know what it is…..I spend most of my week just waiting….anticipating for either a. an awesome weekend or b. THURSDAYS….usually both happen simultaneously….in which case…THURSDAY always starts my weekend off right…..NICE!
I LOVE going for tea, hot cocoa, random walking, errands, just EVERYTHING….we accomplish SO much on Thursdays…and that’s all we need to remember…..ESPECIALLY on AMERICAN Thursday…greatest THURSDAY ever….Kaci and I did EVERYTHING American that we possibly could this past Thursday….INCLUDING a FABULOUS trip to FRIDAY’S which was SO AMAZING and baller…and we talked for hours next to this guy who we had no clue was American or at least knew English…let’s just say our dinner conversation wasn’t really suitable for the dinner table….it was awesome…..THURSDAYS make my life….they put me in the BEST moods ever and they really make my weeks here EVEN better than they were…….this THURSDAY thing will not end here….I plan on making my Thursday’s at home my “ME” days as well….its important to take time for yourself and Thursday is just a PERFECT day to do it!
Anyway…sorry for the random tid-bit but.....
My Name is Heather Lockwood and I approve this Message.
WHY!? I’ll tell you….because Thursday is my me day….my ME day with Kaci….it works…trust me…..every Thursday we leave school at 3:30 and do something amazing and awesome the rest of the day….this usually involves a LOT of walking, tea, snacks, or just amazing fun. I LOVE THURSDAYS……I don’t know what it is…..I spend most of my week just waiting….anticipating for either a. an awesome weekend or b. THURSDAYS….usually both happen simultaneously….in which case…THURSDAY always starts my weekend off right…..NICE!
I LOVE going for tea, hot cocoa, random walking, errands, just EVERYTHING….we accomplish SO much on Thursdays…and that’s all we need to remember…..ESPECIALLY on AMERICAN Thursday…greatest THURSDAY ever….Kaci and I did EVERYTHING American that we possibly could this past Thursday….INCLUDING a FABULOUS trip to FRIDAY’S which was SO AMAZING and baller…and we talked for hours next to this guy who we had no clue was American or at least knew English…let’s just say our dinner conversation wasn’t really suitable for the dinner table….it was awesome…..THURSDAYS make my life….they put me in the BEST moods ever and they really make my weeks here EVEN better than they were…….this THURSDAY thing will not end here….I plan on making my Thursday’s at home my “ME” days as well….its important to take time for yourself and Thursday is just a PERFECT day to do it!
Anyway…sorry for the random tid-bit but.....
My Name is Heather Lockwood and I approve this Message.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
But I did Acropol-this...and now I'm gonna Acropol-THAT
BACK to Athena: Oh yes. So after a good night’s rest I was up and on my way down to breakfast….which was really good. This hotel did fairly well on the breakfast-end of everything thing….we all ate entirely TOO much, but we did not mind at all. SOON after we ate it was BUS TOUR time. SWEET! Ok Let’s have an A & B real quick, if you’re not interested just C your way pass the side-note, but who loves side notes? I LOVE side notes…ERGO!!
Walking:
-I love walking everywhere
-I don’t’ love being tired
-I love seeing everything and getting lost
-I don’t love my feet filling me from days on end, no seriouslyà my feet have become flat from walking too much. You think I’m joking? BAHAHA not at all! I don’t get it either but it has happened. Either way, walking=exercise=eating badly really isn’t so bad=winner=me. Math equations without numbers have never made so much sense!
The bust tour around the city of Athens was good. Athens was not what I was expecting. Even though I had been there before…briefly, but I had been there. From what I had experienced which was Athens in the dark in the late, late evening complete exhausted and uncaring about what was around me. I was pleasantly surprised that it was what it was. I do like Athens, I don’t love it, I am really thankful that I live in Thessaloniki because I think it is way better, but Athens isn’t so bad. Especially since we got to see so many things in a short amount of time. The bus tour took us to the Olympic Stadium which was cool I had been here before. Our friends we met from the Santorini trip/ put us up for a few hours before catching our train home live right past here…which is really neat. The stadium was being set up for the Athens Marathon for Sunday. The stadium is officially called the Kallimarmaro stadium. Athens obviously built a new stadium for the more recent Olympics, but this stadium is the site where the original panathenaic stadium was built in 330-329 BC…UM HOLY OLD! They said on the tour that it was reconstructed for the gladiator events and then rebuilt again for the panathenaic Games in 144 AD….woah. Really intense right? AND THEN in 1895 they completely restored the stadium for the first modern Olympics…and THAT is exactly what we saw. They start the fire thing every year for the Olympics right here…and then they just run with it….so cool. The bus tour took us to see more of Athens…not too much more because we were headed toward the ACROPOLIS. I WAS SO excited for this……not just the acropolis or this…but ACROPOTHIS…clever? Haha. SO WE walk up to the acropolis, and actually there are a ton of other important Grecian structures in this general area. We entered the area through the Propylaia which was basically the formal entrance to the Acropolis, the Beule Gate was the first entrance into the Acropolis but they had it blocked off. Which made sense…especially if the Propylaia was a perfectly fine entrance…. and surrounding that was the Temple of Athena Nike. I thought this was really neat. As we were walking our guide gave us a lot of really interesting information…I mean what is up with the whole Olive tree thing anyway? WELL obviously Athens was named after the Goddess Athena. What happened was that when the people were going to name their city two Olympian Gods wanted dibs and to be the ultimate protector. So there you have Poseidon vs. Athena. The people decided and by the people I mean their king, I think his name was Cecrops? Or something like it…but he made a competition for the God’s and who ever offered the most valuable gift to the city would be the winner. Poseidon did something with his trident or something powerful and “God”-like and he created a spring. BUT THEN Athena gave the people of Athens an Olive tree to be planted there…ergo, she won the competition. AND the very first olive tree is still chilling and hanging out on the Acropolis. It’s right next to the Porch of the Caryatids ohh I don’t’ know, if you want to know more about it…just google it…it’s hard for me to remember EVERYTHING. So the guide started to bore me so I decided to go off on my own…OH LOOK…it’s the Parthenon….hmm…so cool. I also saw the Theatre of Herodes Atticus…they kind of restored it and I’m pretty sure they still use it for performances. This was SO COOL….to actually see what I have learned in too many of my classes. I just really appreciated the history that I was walking on…….clearly haha I appreciated it with every hop, skip, and JUMP. We had a lot of fun at the Acropolis….AND it was crazy hot out…I don’t get it!
Soon after we AcropolTHAT ok that was a weak attempt….meh…anyway haha we walked through Ancient Agora to get to the central plaka. Ancient Agora was SO cool, and really beautiful and heavily supervised. They had old women EVERYWHERE telling us not to do things…listen, photo opportunities cannot be missed….they are old stones…and things we understand that but seriously….even the grass cannot be touched? REALLY!? However, walking through ancient agora was so cool. It was originally a market-place which was the center of ancient Athens. This is where the philosophers hung out and were philosophical….and were also executed here….poor Socrates…we was indicted and executed in the state prison…which is one of the buildings in this area…couldn’t even begin to tell you which one….but this area also housed the schools…so hey Plato…you walked here….and Aristotle…you walked here too….WHAT!? I think the coolest part of Ancient Agora was definitely the Hephaisteion. This was a really awesome temple was known as the Theseion…we didn’t get much information on it other than it is the best preserved building in ancient agora….I thought it was really cool anyway….hmm
ENTER Central Plaka…SOO many people, too many people....the streets were SO busy and filled with little stands, shops, and tavernas. They shuffled ALL of us into a taverna to the tip-top floor and gave us gyros….ok this whole part of the afternoon was a confusion and just a ton of turmoil….they really need to separate the SAB students from Nu-in students…there were just too many of us....they were stressed, the taverna people were stressed…and I’m over immature freshman who need to be in an actual college there first semester to learn what is up….being abroad is NOT SMART. Anyway we all just kind of wanted to get out of there….so us peaced-out and proceeded to get lost. I just love hanging with Kaci, Alexa, and H-jay….so fun…slash never a dull moment…..and we all just are interested in the same things…I didn’t hate it…..woo…in which case we found some GREAT scarves for a GREAT deal…not to mention some other great things. We found all these great things from this Aussie-Greek guy. Ok please, think about this. Australia…and Greece….Australian accent….Greek accent….WHAT!? HE spoke awesomely. Basically it was the best one-two combo of hey I know English and talk awesome by default and hey I’m Greek so let’s just infuse them together.
Athens was crazy American-ized….everyone knew some sort of English…this was really different for us…at least for me it was…I’ve been trying so hard to get this Greek thing down because they just don’t understand English here….so I’ve been doing well…but coming here it was like…you huh…you understand me? I don’t think I would have liked studying in Athens…I really like the fact that I had to learn a language to get around here….I don’t know it makes my experience that much more….intense? Memorable? I’m not sure…one of the two maybe….but then again I have yet to visit an English speaking country abroad…so when that happens…I wonder if my perceptions will change about being in a non-English speaking country…hmm….we will see…Ireland is NEXT Weekend….so exciting….But yes, YAY Greece American-style….
Dear English language and American people,
I miss you. Save your breath…I can’t wait to talk to you
<3 Heather
Right then, so we found even more to look, see, and DO. BUT we were starting to get tired….however we did not head back until we of course found some more shopping. THIS was really fun. ALEXA just had to find some new make-up. So we went into the body shop and the next thing we knew, she was getting a full-blown make-over by some dude….he was having a FIELD day…umà awesome…just to check make-up out…you don’t even have to get it…and they don’t just half of your face, you get the whole thing for free…DONE! It was really fun to see her get a whole new face...ha-ha ohhh GREECE you are funny sometimes…so after that stop we went into this little shop area and Kaci fel in love with a store that screamed her first, last, and middle names….vintage is for lovers and Kaci is vintage beyond words…she’s timeless really haha…BUT REALLY this store had SERIOUSLY fabulous accessories that were BLINGING and ringing…and well we had to leave her in there for a few minutes..maybe an hour…haha…this store really was cool…and so while Kaci had a conniption H-jay, Alexa, and I went into the Hondos center…HOLY MOTHER OF PRODUCTS…no really…it’s like 5 or 6 floors….HUGE floors with isles among isles, shelves among shelves just filled with hair products, sprays, brushes, make-up, nail stuff…no literally, EVERYTHING was here in MASS quantities! MEANING kboo is going to FLIP when she sees this….so awesome….To be honest, I spent more of my time in Athens analyzing what Kathleen and I were going to do when she got here…I have a countdown. It is very impressive you know. I’m more excited for her than IRELAND at this point. WHAT? It’s like get the motherland trip out of the way and get her into my life RIGHT NOW!!! Not Joking. I am excited for Ireland, but you have no idea how excited I am for her to get here. Everyone…and I mean EVERYONE is anticipating her arrival. I’ve made it a point to address this EVERDAY…no Really…My Greek Class can’t wait…or maybe it’s just me…hmm…either way…Kaci has been counting down for me…in fact she’s been beating me to the chase everyday….taking my countdown thunder….She’s pumped…I can tell….OK so after the Hondos center it was time to depart. Kaci and Alexa had a date with Athens Marathon registration and Hjay and I had a date with naptime. SO my favorite partner in crime/avid blog reader/ creeper extraordinaire/ drama analyzer/mostly a creeper/ name stealer/ name borrower/name sharer/reading this RIGHT NOW…you get the point…so we went head on back and run into to Veronica and Joana and they were heading back to the hotel as well. So together we found the tram that ran straight to our hotel area. BUT of course we didn’t hop on until we met some Carolinians…GOOD GRIEF….AMERICANS are EVERYWHERE….I don’t hate it though….there accents made me think of how utterly ridiculous CHRISTMAS family vaycay is going to be…YES! SO AWESOME! BRING on the south!
After naptime happened Hjay and I dated. I was debating going out-out but I was feeling a little on the sick-side…more or less I felt like I Was about to come down with something so staying in was a good idea. SO we went to dinner at Goody’s
Dear Goody’s,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating a fabulous CEASAR SALAD
<3 Hlo
NO REALLY, the Caesar salad is so good…it’s now a new 4.60 euro favorite….DONE and done! AND there was a gelato place RIGHT next door…um HELLO! ICE CREAM it was and then lights out Athens….YOU EXHAUST me.
Sunday SUNDAY Sunday!
Florida, Alexa, and Kaci left bright and early b/c it was race-time…very cool of them to go for the gold and run in the Athens Marathon…SUCH athletic buffs…on my heart, I was truly running with them…no really. BUT breakfast sounded too good to miss….so I opted for toast and things instead of the Athens Marathon…bless your hearts girls….bless your hearts.
Today we had the option of free-time for the morning OR the National Archaeological Museum. THIS was awesome…and I took entirely TOO MANY pictures…but….this museum was FILLED to the walls with all the things they have found not only in Athens but all over Greece….HELLO….Greek and Roman Mythology independent study….YOU ARE NOW OWNED…I got lost by myself and literally snapped every God and Goddess thing I could…and I read and read and READ and read my little heart out…HOW COOL is this museum…ok I could take this class in school and just read a book and look at power point slides OR I could literally go to where they are showing us pictures and lecturing us…I really feel like I made out in this situation…SOOO much information about the Gods this weekend! Joann is going to be so proud when I put this all together…SMELLS like a winner…right here…RIGHT NOW! CHA-CHING! Whoop. THIS museum really was cool…and kboo is going to like this a lot too…we are definitely going to come here….since I half-assessed everything we could do together in Athens…I AM SO EXCITED FOR HER TO GET HERE however…since I decided to go on my own in the museum…I got really lost…I started to freak out because I couldn’t find anyone for a really long time….and then I see Kate….(study abroad coordinator) she told me to head back to the bus….and that she was on the search for the rest of everyone…so I took a hike and got to the bus where the coach driver continued to talk at me very agitatedly because no one was back yet….I’m not in charge I don’t know what to tell you…so I said signomi for about 5 minutes and that just to wait they were coming…OY VEY…I can’t do anything about a ton of missing persons…not my job…!
EVERYONE finally made it back to the bus and we were off to meet everyone else for taverna fun….there was live music AND way too much foodà INSERT food coma here…no really….it must be inserted. AND soon enough we were back on the coach ready for an intense journey home. Nothing really significant happened on the ride home…Just me doing work in the rowdy-half of the bus. To be honest I love long bus rides I haven’t a clue why. BUT Athens was a fun weekend and I cannot WAIT to do it again with Kboo…but until then…stay Greece-y
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:-HEARTS, stars, and horseshoes! CLOVERS and BLUE moons! POTS of gold and RAINBOWS…and me RED BALLONS! So basically I’m going to my people, finding my husband, and finding the true meaning of being green. Oh Ireland…get ready….I’m coming....
Walking:
-I love walking everywhere
-I don’t’ love being tired
-I love seeing everything and getting lost
-I don’t love my feet filling me from days on end, no seriouslyà my feet have become flat from walking too much. You think I’m joking? BAHAHA not at all! I don’t get it either but it has happened. Either way, walking=exercise=eating badly really isn’t so bad=winner=me. Math equations without numbers have never made so much sense!
The bust tour around the city of Athens was good. Athens was not what I was expecting. Even though I had been there before…briefly, but I had been there. From what I had experienced which was Athens in the dark in the late, late evening complete exhausted and uncaring about what was around me. I was pleasantly surprised that it was what it was. I do like Athens, I don’t love it, I am really thankful that I live in Thessaloniki because I think it is way better, but Athens isn’t so bad. Especially since we got to see so many things in a short amount of time. The bus tour took us to the Olympic Stadium which was cool I had been here before. Our friends we met from the Santorini trip/ put us up for a few hours before catching our train home live right past here…which is really neat. The stadium was being set up for the Athens Marathon for Sunday. The stadium is officially called the Kallimarmaro stadium. Athens obviously built a new stadium for the more recent Olympics, but this stadium is the site where the original panathenaic stadium was built in 330-329 BC…UM HOLY OLD! They said on the tour that it was reconstructed for the gladiator events and then rebuilt again for the panathenaic Games in 144 AD….woah. Really intense right? AND THEN in 1895 they completely restored the stadium for the first modern Olympics…and THAT is exactly what we saw. They start the fire thing every year for the Olympics right here…and then they just run with it….so cool. The bus tour took us to see more of Athens…not too much more because we were headed toward the ACROPOLIS. I WAS SO excited for this……not just the acropolis or this…but ACROPOTHIS…clever? Haha. SO WE walk up to the acropolis, and actually there are a ton of other important Grecian structures in this general area. We entered the area through the Propylaia which was basically the formal entrance to the Acropolis, the Beule Gate was the first entrance into the Acropolis but they had it blocked off. Which made sense…especially if the Propylaia was a perfectly fine entrance…. and surrounding that was the Temple of Athena Nike. I thought this was really neat. As we were walking our guide gave us a lot of really interesting information…I mean what is up with the whole Olive tree thing anyway? WELL obviously Athens was named after the Goddess Athena. What happened was that when the people were going to name their city two Olympian Gods wanted dibs and to be the ultimate protector. So there you have Poseidon vs. Athena. The people decided and by the people I mean their king, I think his name was Cecrops? Or something like it…but he made a competition for the God’s and who ever offered the most valuable gift to the city would be the winner. Poseidon did something with his trident or something powerful and “God”-like and he created a spring. BUT THEN Athena gave the people of Athens an Olive tree to be planted there…ergo, she won the competition. AND the very first olive tree is still chilling and hanging out on the Acropolis. It’s right next to the Porch of the Caryatids ohh I don’t’ know, if you want to know more about it…just google it…it’s hard for me to remember EVERYTHING. So the guide started to bore me so I decided to go off on my own…OH LOOK…it’s the Parthenon….hmm…so cool. I also saw the Theatre of Herodes Atticus…they kind of restored it and I’m pretty sure they still use it for performances. This was SO COOL….to actually see what I have learned in too many of my classes. I just really appreciated the history that I was walking on…….clearly haha I appreciated it with every hop, skip, and JUMP. We had a lot of fun at the Acropolis….AND it was crazy hot out…I don’t get it!
Soon after we AcropolTHAT ok that was a weak attempt….meh…anyway haha we walked through Ancient Agora to get to the central plaka. Ancient Agora was SO cool, and really beautiful and heavily supervised. They had old women EVERYWHERE telling us not to do things…listen, photo opportunities cannot be missed….they are old stones…and things we understand that but seriously….even the grass cannot be touched? REALLY!? However, walking through ancient agora was so cool. It was originally a market-place which was the center of ancient Athens. This is where the philosophers hung out and were philosophical….and were also executed here….poor Socrates…we was indicted and executed in the state prison…which is one of the buildings in this area…couldn’t even begin to tell you which one….but this area also housed the schools…so hey Plato…you walked here….and Aristotle…you walked here too….WHAT!? I think the coolest part of Ancient Agora was definitely the Hephaisteion. This was a really awesome temple was known as the Theseion…we didn’t get much information on it other than it is the best preserved building in ancient agora….I thought it was really cool anyway….hmm
ENTER Central Plaka…SOO many people, too many people....the streets were SO busy and filled with little stands, shops, and tavernas. They shuffled ALL of us into a taverna to the tip-top floor and gave us gyros….ok this whole part of the afternoon was a confusion and just a ton of turmoil….they really need to separate the SAB students from Nu-in students…there were just too many of us....they were stressed, the taverna people were stressed…and I’m over immature freshman who need to be in an actual college there first semester to learn what is up….being abroad is NOT SMART. Anyway we all just kind of wanted to get out of there….so us peaced-out and proceeded to get lost. I just love hanging with Kaci, Alexa, and H-jay….so fun…slash never a dull moment…..and we all just are interested in the same things…I didn’t hate it…..woo…in which case we found some GREAT scarves for a GREAT deal…not to mention some other great things. We found all these great things from this Aussie-Greek guy. Ok please, think about this. Australia…and Greece….Australian accent….Greek accent….WHAT!? HE spoke awesomely. Basically it was the best one-two combo of hey I know English and talk awesome by default and hey I’m Greek so let’s just infuse them together.
Athens was crazy American-ized….everyone knew some sort of English…this was really different for us…at least for me it was…I’ve been trying so hard to get this Greek thing down because they just don’t understand English here….so I’ve been doing well…but coming here it was like…you huh…you understand me? I don’t think I would have liked studying in Athens…I really like the fact that I had to learn a language to get around here….I don’t know it makes my experience that much more….intense? Memorable? I’m not sure…one of the two maybe….but then again I have yet to visit an English speaking country abroad…so when that happens…I wonder if my perceptions will change about being in a non-English speaking country…hmm….we will see…Ireland is NEXT Weekend….so exciting….But yes, YAY Greece American-style….
Dear English language and American people,
I miss you. Save your breath…I can’t wait to talk to you
<3 Heather
Right then, so we found even more to look, see, and DO. BUT we were starting to get tired….however we did not head back until we of course found some more shopping. THIS was really fun. ALEXA just had to find some new make-up. So we went into the body shop and the next thing we knew, she was getting a full-blown make-over by some dude….he was having a FIELD day…umà awesome…just to check make-up out…you don’t even have to get it…and they don’t just half of your face, you get the whole thing for free…DONE! It was really fun to see her get a whole new face...ha-ha ohhh GREECE you are funny sometimes…so after that stop we went into this little shop area and Kaci fel in love with a store that screamed her first, last, and middle names….vintage is for lovers and Kaci is vintage beyond words…she’s timeless really haha…BUT REALLY this store had SERIOUSLY fabulous accessories that were BLINGING and ringing…and well we had to leave her in there for a few minutes..maybe an hour…haha…this store really was cool…and so while Kaci had a conniption H-jay, Alexa, and I went into the Hondos center…HOLY MOTHER OF PRODUCTS…no really…it’s like 5 or 6 floors….HUGE floors with isles among isles, shelves among shelves just filled with hair products, sprays, brushes, make-up, nail stuff…no literally, EVERYTHING was here in MASS quantities! MEANING kboo is going to FLIP when she sees this….so awesome….To be honest, I spent more of my time in Athens analyzing what Kathleen and I were going to do when she got here…I have a countdown. It is very impressive you know. I’m more excited for her than IRELAND at this point. WHAT? It’s like get the motherland trip out of the way and get her into my life RIGHT NOW!!! Not Joking. I am excited for Ireland, but you have no idea how excited I am for her to get here. Everyone…and I mean EVERYONE is anticipating her arrival. I’ve made it a point to address this EVERDAY…no Really…My Greek Class can’t wait…or maybe it’s just me…hmm…either way…Kaci has been counting down for me…in fact she’s been beating me to the chase everyday….taking my countdown thunder….She’s pumped…I can tell….OK so after the Hondos center it was time to depart. Kaci and Alexa had a date with Athens Marathon registration and Hjay and I had a date with naptime. SO my favorite partner in crime/avid blog reader/ creeper extraordinaire/ drama analyzer/mostly a creeper/ name stealer/ name borrower/name sharer/reading this RIGHT NOW…you get the point…so we went head on back and run into to Veronica and Joana and they were heading back to the hotel as well. So together we found the tram that ran straight to our hotel area. BUT of course we didn’t hop on until we met some Carolinians…GOOD GRIEF….AMERICANS are EVERYWHERE….I don’t hate it though….there accents made me think of how utterly ridiculous CHRISTMAS family vaycay is going to be…YES! SO AWESOME! BRING on the south!
After naptime happened Hjay and I dated. I was debating going out-out but I was feeling a little on the sick-side…more or less I felt like I Was about to come down with something so staying in was a good idea. SO we went to dinner at Goody’s
Dear Goody’s,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for creating a fabulous CEASAR SALAD
<3 Hlo
NO REALLY, the Caesar salad is so good…it’s now a new 4.60 euro favorite….DONE and done! AND there was a gelato place RIGHT next door…um HELLO! ICE CREAM it was and then lights out Athens….YOU EXHAUST me.
Sunday SUNDAY Sunday!
Florida, Alexa, and Kaci left bright and early b/c it was race-time…very cool of them to go for the gold and run in the Athens Marathon…SUCH athletic buffs…on my heart, I was truly running with them…no really. BUT breakfast sounded too good to miss….so I opted for toast and things instead of the Athens Marathon…bless your hearts girls….bless your hearts.
Today we had the option of free-time for the morning OR the National Archaeological Museum. THIS was awesome…and I took entirely TOO MANY pictures…but….this museum was FILLED to the walls with all the things they have found not only in Athens but all over Greece….HELLO….Greek and Roman Mythology independent study….YOU ARE NOW OWNED…I got lost by myself and literally snapped every God and Goddess thing I could…and I read and read and READ and read my little heart out…HOW COOL is this museum…ok I could take this class in school and just read a book and look at power point slides OR I could literally go to where they are showing us pictures and lecturing us…I really feel like I made out in this situation…SOOO much information about the Gods this weekend! Joann is going to be so proud when I put this all together…SMELLS like a winner…right here…RIGHT NOW! CHA-CHING! Whoop. THIS museum really was cool…and kboo is going to like this a lot too…we are definitely going to come here….since I half-assessed everything we could do together in Athens…I AM SO EXCITED FOR HER TO GET HERE however…since I decided to go on my own in the museum…I got really lost…I started to freak out because I couldn’t find anyone for a really long time….and then I see Kate….(study abroad coordinator) she told me to head back to the bus….and that she was on the search for the rest of everyone…so I took a hike and got to the bus where the coach driver continued to talk at me very agitatedly because no one was back yet….I’m not in charge I don’t know what to tell you…so I said signomi for about 5 minutes and that just to wait they were coming…OY VEY…I can’t do anything about a ton of missing persons…not my job…!
EVERYONE finally made it back to the bus and we were off to meet everyone else for taverna fun….there was live music AND way too much foodà INSERT food coma here…no really….it must be inserted. AND soon enough we were back on the coach ready for an intense journey home. Nothing really significant happened on the ride home…Just me doing work in the rowdy-half of the bus. To be honest I love long bus rides I haven’t a clue why. BUT Athens was a fun weekend and I cannot WAIT to do it again with Kboo…but until then…stay Greece-y
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:-HEARTS, stars, and horseshoes! CLOVERS and BLUE moons! POTS of gold and RAINBOWS…and me RED BALLONS! So basically I’m going to my people, finding my husband, and finding the true meaning of being green. Oh Ireland…get ready….I’m coming....
Monday, November 10, 2008
ATHENA: Acropol-THIS!
ATHENS
1. 50 Regular Study Abroad Students
2. 60 irregular NU-in Students
3. 6 hour bus ride
4. Two 30-minute Stops
5. I lied when I said 6 hour bus ride
6. I meant 9
7. Holy crap what were they thinking
8. What do you mean we can’t watch a movie on the bus?
9. Seriously, what were they thinking
10. Acropolis….no no, Acropol-this.
OH HEY ATHENS! So let’s think together. What happens when you have entirely too many American students between the ages of 18 and 23 in a bus for 9 hours to get to the number 1 city in Greece?
Yeah…about that…
SO THERE we were. FRIDAY MORNING….elated about the New CAMERA ACTION!! WHAT WHAT! The bus was leaving at 10am so Kaci and I shout ourselves up at the ass-crack of dawn to set our train tickets for Ireland next weekend…since the night before we were unable to purchase them…not good…we needed to get these puppies secure so we could fly far, far away to the land of the green. SO 7am came way faster than anticipated, but no one gets ahead by……well you know the rest. The train station isn’t too bad of a walk…but in light of our early departure to Athens cabin’ it was clearly the way to go. It took a little bit but we snagged an empty cab right when I was starting to worry that it wasn’t going to happen…because it was Friday morning…BUT no worries, we got one. We jumped on in and headed toward the station. IF ONLY we had gotten to the station a few minuets earlier the night before…we had JUST missed them by a few moments…AYE DE MI! Ok, that’s Spanish but hey, it’s all Greek to me right….oh Spain…how I would have OWNED you…language wise…not you know… “owning” it….right you knew that….hmm
ANYWAY, so we get to the train station t find that 1. We didn’t bring our flight information 2. We needed passports? UGH! So we priced both the bus and the train for the trip to Sofia…you know got the times and the schedules and we reserved bus seats JUST in case….we were pretty set on the bus, but we peaced without tickets which means on MONDAY for sure we have to go get them…ABSOLUTE MUST! Get it? Got it? GOOD!
Despite an unsuccessful morning we were successful when we hopped on the 11 bus and went to the Starbucks at the Arch. OH CHAI TEA you are the same at every Starbucks in every country, BLESS you on consistency. A little American on a Friday morning was JUST what the doctor ordered, and it was JUST what I needed, AND we had so much time before we had to catch the bus for Athena….um PERFECT…in which case what goes great with Chai Tea? NIKKOS! WHAT a fabulous IDEA! Which brought us to K-Yo and I chilling with Nikos which was a brilliant beyond brilliant idea…OH Nikos, how we adore you.
Side note action: I FOUND my new walking partner….she’s FAST and she’s FURIOUS! So the 10 minute walk from Starbucks to Nikos was more or less a 3 minute walk….I can’t help walking fast…I just do it…I have places to be…people to see…you know, THINGS to do!!!!
But really, you just don’t know until you get to Experience Nikko in real-life. I’m going to miss him when December 13th hits…but until then, Nikko and I are best friends. I don’t know if he even knows what that word means…but it’s true, we are….mmhm….so true. In which case Kaci and I had a sit-down, a moment with Nikko and then headed to see the Fruit man to stock up on some healthy snacks for the trip and before I knew it we were all getting our style’s cramped to the EXTREME in the coach: SEAT BUDDY: Insert H-Jay here…I would not have had this ANY other way. Two really is WAY better than one, and besides she’s got some SWEET wheels….haha of rolling luggage, you kill me.
Sequence of events after fruit man:
Get on coach
sit down
bus starts
BOREDOM HITS
In which case it was probably about 5 minutes into the trip and Boredom really hit, WHAT was I going to do during this trip. Sure I brought work to do but then what would I do on the way back? WELL I brought some cinematic adventures for the journey JUST in case and my laptop because I like to watch a film when I’m traveling for long durations of time. It makes the trip go faster, I think we all can agree that a good film never hut anyone. Though my films were not the greatest, but hey they work.
SO Super bad it was on the overhead TV screens on the bus…after a newly instated democracy by Kathryn we were able to fight the authority figures in control of the Athens and Study Abroad operation and tell them to chill out and put the movie on…what part of we are not children don’t they understand? EXACTLY.
After several stops, WAY too many stops and 7-9 hours of traveling, WE MADE IT! OH HEY ATHENA!! AND we were STARVING luckily they served us a really nice dinner at the hotel as part of our trip expenses…the food was interesting but it was on less thing I had to worry about!
The hotel was actually really nice. I was rooming with Flo-Rida which settled some rooming issues and it was nice to get some different people into my life a little brief change never hurt anyone. SO I decided that I was going to head out with hr that night and of course I wasn’t about to not bring my home-girls along. In which case enter H-jay and Alexa here. This was going to be a new and different outing for all of us. SO….pre-gaming on the pronto at the pronto, sweet sauce…Florida got H-jay and I some SICK 3 euro wine from the Kiosk. No really, this wine was sick…but for 1.50 each for a TON of wine? DONE. Obviously I’m a Bargain shopper and a Bargain extra-curricular activity do-er.Yes, this makes perfect sense…very good. So we decided to head toward a large group of sab students in one room. ONE. After they explicitly told us NO large congregations in one room, meaning not to congregate, at all, period, end of story….hmmm….YEP! One room, about 30+ people, and one game…Thumper, now I know about thumper but I have never actually participated in it, but it was fun to see how it worked even though the game was impossible with so many people…in which case it ended spectacularly and off and away to outside. Ok, big groups I don’t do…waiting, standing, waiting…that’s how it went for a good bit of time outside the hotel. YAY for photo Ops…and there were several Photo opportunities may I just say. EVENTUALLY we hopped in a cab and found ourselves in La Placka. Um…awesome….where is everyone else…? SUPER! Lost in Athens 3 hours in…..sweet…..insert walking aimlessly hereà GREAT! While walking aimlessly, someone was smart and asked for directions to wherever we were going to or needed to get to I literally have not a clue what I was doing…and this was simply because I did not care. I didn’t have to worry about a thing this trip it was all taken care of and THAT was nice. FINALLY aimless walking had an AIM. I love goal-orientated tasks or activities. Also while walking I noticed even more study abroad students with us…..it was like they all flocked and got lost at the same time in the same place, this was just perfect….if you’re going to be lost, you might as well be lost with other people…woo, and different people at that. Eventually we found a strip of night-life. Hurray! Despite it was a bit sketchy. There were TONS of people, everywhere…..just sitting at the bars and walking it was crowd after crowd. THIS clearly was a different pace from Thess. Sure, there are lots of people out and about but not everyone is headed in the same direction, it’s more organized? This was a fun atmosphere though, I just love fun atmospheres. Amidst our walking, BOOM….MORE sab students already chilling at a bar outside. Perfect! And so we sat down to join them…but every good sab and struggling college student knows that evening beverages are much better spent somewhere other than a bar…so we sat and Alexa went to the perip. To fix this situation. It worked out perfectly. Kiosk= cheap Bar=no thanks….see how the math works? I thought you would…fantastic! SO with new people, in a new area, and new fun we were buzzing. Enter really adorable shot glasses that I certainly did not use….enter the actions of an individual who felt the need to borrow them and make me the lucky carrier of said prized processions. Awesome….but I got to keep one…so that was ok right? Mehhh….leepoh… (Phonetically spelled for your American pleasure….this word means the casual whatever or so) Anyway, we kept walking around a bit and tiredness set in….I do love a good cab ride you know….before Greece…cabs intimidated me so much, I had no clue how they worked or how to even go about taking one to get somewhere…..I never had to depend on public transportation so much…but I’m a FIRM believer in cabbin’ it as much as possible….4 is a score….but anything else is a downer…and oh hey public bus system. The cab ride back to the hotel was fun because I got to see more of Athena just driving around…even though it was dark out….HOWEVER before our cab ride home….there was a SERIOUS photo shoot, and I DO love a good photo shoot….most of you already know this. Over-all it was not a bumping night, but a good night I thought. Athens-shmashens. I got back to the room and Florida was back as well….insert search for snacks here. KIOSK and GO. Cookies and a good liter of Nero goes a long way AND to top it off American movies, IN ENGLISH on the T.V. YES! AND The Other SISTER was on! OH HEY top ten favorite film list. IT was number one but that’s the best part of having favorite things, they can change whenever you like. THIS however, may or may not have made my night….mostly may. I LOVE hotels….hmm
Side note: Hotels, let’s discuss:
GOD LOVE THEM, and so let’s make a list, shall we? WE SHALL!
1. Hot Water
2. FUN shower bonuses….who doesn’t love miniature shampoo and conditioner…I DO!
3. TV (you NEVER realize how nice it is until its gone)
4. SNACK on slash near pillow area usually a cookie or chocolate….DONE
5. I just really like hotels, they put my living area in Thess to shame, especially the fact that these hotels are NOT the nicest, but we lucked out this trip….even the hostels are nicer than my place at Thess…hmm that should be a red flag shouldn’t it….?
to be continued.....
1. 50 Regular Study Abroad Students
2. 60 irregular NU-in Students
3. 6 hour bus ride
4. Two 30-minute Stops
5. I lied when I said 6 hour bus ride
6. I meant 9
7. Holy crap what were they thinking
8. What do you mean we can’t watch a movie on the bus?
9. Seriously, what were they thinking
10. Acropolis….no no, Acropol-this.
OH HEY ATHENS! So let’s think together. What happens when you have entirely too many American students between the ages of 18 and 23 in a bus for 9 hours to get to the number 1 city in Greece?
Yeah…about that…
SO THERE we were. FRIDAY MORNING….elated about the New CAMERA ACTION!! WHAT WHAT! The bus was leaving at 10am so Kaci and I shout ourselves up at the ass-crack of dawn to set our train tickets for Ireland next weekend…since the night before we were unable to purchase them…not good…we needed to get these puppies secure so we could fly far, far away to the land of the green. SO 7am came way faster than anticipated, but no one gets ahead by……well you know the rest. The train station isn’t too bad of a walk…but in light of our early departure to Athens cabin’ it was clearly the way to go. It took a little bit but we snagged an empty cab right when I was starting to worry that it wasn’t going to happen…because it was Friday morning…BUT no worries, we got one. We jumped on in and headed toward the station. IF ONLY we had gotten to the station a few minuets earlier the night before…we had JUST missed them by a few moments…AYE DE MI! Ok, that’s Spanish but hey, it’s all Greek to me right….oh Spain…how I would have OWNED you…language wise…not you know… “owning” it….right you knew that….hmm
ANYWAY, so we get to the train station t find that 1. We didn’t bring our flight information 2. We needed passports? UGH! So we priced both the bus and the train for the trip to Sofia…you know got the times and the schedules and we reserved bus seats JUST in case….we were pretty set on the bus, but we peaced without tickets which means on MONDAY for sure we have to go get them…ABSOLUTE MUST! Get it? Got it? GOOD!
Despite an unsuccessful morning we were successful when we hopped on the 11 bus and went to the Starbucks at the Arch. OH CHAI TEA you are the same at every Starbucks in every country, BLESS you on consistency. A little American on a Friday morning was JUST what the doctor ordered, and it was JUST what I needed, AND we had so much time before we had to catch the bus for Athena….um PERFECT…in which case what goes great with Chai Tea? NIKKOS! WHAT a fabulous IDEA! Which brought us to K-Yo and I chilling with Nikos which was a brilliant beyond brilliant idea…OH Nikos, how we adore you.
Side note action: I FOUND my new walking partner….she’s FAST and she’s FURIOUS! So the 10 minute walk from Starbucks to Nikos was more or less a 3 minute walk….I can’t help walking fast…I just do it…I have places to be…people to see…you know, THINGS to do!!!!
But really, you just don’t know until you get to Experience Nikko in real-life. I’m going to miss him when December 13th hits…but until then, Nikko and I are best friends. I don’t know if he even knows what that word means…but it’s true, we are….mmhm….so true. In which case Kaci and I had a sit-down, a moment with Nikko and then headed to see the Fruit man to stock up on some healthy snacks for the trip and before I knew it we were all getting our style’s cramped to the EXTREME in the coach: SEAT BUDDY: Insert H-Jay here…I would not have had this ANY other way. Two really is WAY better than one, and besides she’s got some SWEET wheels….haha of rolling luggage, you kill me.
Sequence of events after fruit man:
Get on coach
sit down
bus starts
BOREDOM HITS
In which case it was probably about 5 minutes into the trip and Boredom really hit, WHAT was I going to do during this trip. Sure I brought work to do but then what would I do on the way back? WELL I brought some cinematic adventures for the journey JUST in case and my laptop because I like to watch a film when I’m traveling for long durations of time. It makes the trip go faster, I think we all can agree that a good film never hut anyone. Though my films were not the greatest, but hey they work.
SO Super bad it was on the overhead TV screens on the bus…after a newly instated democracy by Kathryn we were able to fight the authority figures in control of the Athens and Study Abroad operation and tell them to chill out and put the movie on…what part of we are not children don’t they understand? EXACTLY.
After several stops, WAY too many stops and 7-9 hours of traveling, WE MADE IT! OH HEY ATHENA!! AND we were STARVING luckily they served us a really nice dinner at the hotel as part of our trip expenses…the food was interesting but it was on less thing I had to worry about!
The hotel was actually really nice. I was rooming with Flo-Rida which settled some rooming issues and it was nice to get some different people into my life a little brief change never hurt anyone. SO I decided that I was going to head out with hr that night and of course I wasn’t about to not bring my home-girls along. In which case enter H-jay and Alexa here. This was going to be a new and different outing for all of us. SO….pre-gaming on the pronto at the pronto, sweet sauce…Florida got H-jay and I some SICK 3 euro wine from the Kiosk. No really, this wine was sick…but for 1.50 each for a TON of wine? DONE. Obviously I’m a Bargain shopper and a Bargain extra-curricular activity do-er.Yes, this makes perfect sense…very good. So we decided to head toward a large group of sab students in one room. ONE. After they explicitly told us NO large congregations in one room, meaning not to congregate, at all, period, end of story….hmmm….YEP! One room, about 30+ people, and one game…Thumper, now I know about thumper but I have never actually participated in it, but it was fun to see how it worked even though the game was impossible with so many people…in which case it ended spectacularly and off and away to outside. Ok, big groups I don’t do…waiting, standing, waiting…that’s how it went for a good bit of time outside the hotel. YAY for photo Ops…and there were several Photo opportunities may I just say. EVENTUALLY we hopped in a cab and found ourselves in La Placka. Um…awesome….where is everyone else…? SUPER! Lost in Athens 3 hours in…..sweet…..insert walking aimlessly hereà GREAT! While walking aimlessly, someone was smart and asked for directions to wherever we were going to or needed to get to I literally have not a clue what I was doing…and this was simply because I did not care. I didn’t have to worry about a thing this trip it was all taken care of and THAT was nice. FINALLY aimless walking had an AIM. I love goal-orientated tasks or activities. Also while walking I noticed even more study abroad students with us…..it was like they all flocked and got lost at the same time in the same place, this was just perfect….if you’re going to be lost, you might as well be lost with other people…woo, and different people at that. Eventually we found a strip of night-life. Hurray! Despite it was a bit sketchy. There were TONS of people, everywhere…..just sitting at the bars and walking it was crowd after crowd. THIS clearly was a different pace from Thess. Sure, there are lots of people out and about but not everyone is headed in the same direction, it’s more organized? This was a fun atmosphere though, I just love fun atmospheres. Amidst our walking, BOOM….MORE sab students already chilling at a bar outside. Perfect! And so we sat down to join them…but every good sab and struggling college student knows that evening beverages are much better spent somewhere other than a bar…so we sat and Alexa went to the perip. To fix this situation. It worked out perfectly. Kiosk= cheap Bar=no thanks….see how the math works? I thought you would…fantastic! SO with new people, in a new area, and new fun we were buzzing. Enter really adorable shot glasses that I certainly did not use….enter the actions of an individual who felt the need to borrow them and make me the lucky carrier of said prized processions. Awesome….but I got to keep one…so that was ok right? Mehhh….leepoh… (Phonetically spelled for your American pleasure….this word means the casual whatever or so) Anyway, we kept walking around a bit and tiredness set in….I do love a good cab ride you know….before Greece…cabs intimidated me so much, I had no clue how they worked or how to even go about taking one to get somewhere…..I never had to depend on public transportation so much…but I’m a FIRM believer in cabbin’ it as much as possible….4 is a score….but anything else is a downer…and oh hey public bus system. The cab ride back to the hotel was fun because I got to see more of Athena just driving around…even though it was dark out….HOWEVER before our cab ride home….there was a SERIOUS photo shoot, and I DO love a good photo shoot….most of you already know this. Over-all it was not a bumping night, but a good night I thought. Athens-shmashens. I got back to the room and Florida was back as well….insert search for snacks here. KIOSK and GO. Cookies and a good liter of Nero goes a long way AND to top it off American movies, IN ENGLISH on the T.V. YES! AND The Other SISTER was on! OH HEY top ten favorite film list. IT was number one but that’s the best part of having favorite things, they can change whenever you like. THIS however, may or may not have made my night….mostly may. I LOVE hotels….hmm
Side note: Hotels, let’s discuss:
GOD LOVE THEM, and so let’s make a list, shall we? WE SHALL!
1. Hot Water
2. FUN shower bonuses….who doesn’t love miniature shampoo and conditioner…I DO!
3. TV (you NEVER realize how nice it is until its gone)
4. SNACK on slash near pillow area usually a cookie or chocolate….DONE
5. I just really like hotels, they put my living area in Thess to shame, especially the fact that these hotels are NOT the nicest, but we lucked out this trip….even the hostels are nicer than my place at Thess…hmm that should be a red flag shouldn’t it….?
to be continued.....
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Berlin there, done that
OH HEY BERLIN!!!
Easy Jet….you done did great kid, no really….I like the Easy Jet flights a lot....and no…snacks are NOT included….but I’m really ok with that….I’ll save the snacks for really important flights…like for when I go home…SNACKS will be very important…as are liters of water on treks….Weave and I started that tradition long ago…liters are good ANY TIME…every time…and snacks…well you ALWAYS need snacks…and it’s a fun underappreciated word…right then….BACK to BERLIN….so with the time change and the fact that DAY LIGHT savings time was hitting…did hit…or was going to hit…hmm I cannot remember….well this whole day light savings time really through me for a loop…I’m already 7 hours ahead in Greece and then went back an hour in Berlin and Prague…and yet again another hour…or ahead an hour….SO CONFUSING…which is why I’m still tired from this whole time-debacle.
WE arrived in Berlin STARVING and in search of our hostel…which we found pretty easily. SUPER! It actually ended up being in a SERIOUSLY prime location…no really…we had walked all around this area our first night here and this was PERFECT. IT was so accessible. MAD props to Kathryn...serious mad props…however, WE WERE STARVING…and I could have gone for some German food…to try it. I’ve never really had an opportunity to try German food…I mean I like hot dogs? That isn’t German though…I just don’t know…but instead we opted to search for the hard rock café. Ok so though I could have gone for some German whatever-ness…there is NOTHING like chicken….and…oh wait for it…BROCCOLI….I LOVE, live, think about chicken and broccoli more than I should…
SIDE NOTE: If you were to ask my mom what I would want for dinner on ANY given night and ANY given day repeatedly for 6 weeks straight…do you know what I would say…I want chicken…I LOVE chicken, we an unhealthy passion. If you ask me what I want for dinner on any given day I will probably and always say CHICKEN….FOR ALL THAT CLUCKS AND IS FABULOUS when I get home to America I want chicken for days straight….I also want sushi….but that is another story…I’ve gotta stop thinking about this…
THE SEARCH for the HARD ROCK was on………and in the process we ended up wandering randomly into major parts of the city like where the Jewish Synagogue was well what was left of it from the war and the brand new one built right next to it…it was really cool…EVENTUALLY we found it….woo…DUH, I got chicken and it was AMAZING….but let’s not talk about it anymore…I don’t think I can handle it without getting emotional….I’m going to need a moment.
OK much better….moving on….after our AMAZING AMERICAN-meal we just wandered. Wandering wanderers around Berlin, which was so awesome. I just love Berlin. I love the people, the culture, the crazy crisp air (check out that alliteration), the history is just so intense and captivates you. EVERYTHING about Berlin was really great, I absolutely will be returning. While we were wandering we found ourselves at the Brandenburg Gate AND the Reichstag. THEY were crucially lit up with tons of lights and colors and why you might ask?? Well alright, I’ll tell you. Because we had decided to visit Berlin during their Festival of LIGHTS! This was so cool. All the serious buildings, historical monuments, you know all the important things in the city were lit up with TONS of lights and images were being flashed into the starlit evening sky. MAN, I just really love Berlin. If you ever have the opportunity, just go….you won’t be sorry.
Amidst our wandering we decided to head back to the hostel to prepare for an evening out….the girls in our hostel room had given us some maps and things of where they went the night before. They were from Madrid and seemed really nice. Only one of them spoke English really well….but it we could still communicate. It’s funny these different languages….I mean we talk about whatever we want all the time and how are we to know that the people around us do not understand English….and how were those girls from Madrid supposed to know that both HJAY and I understand Spanish. I was really surprised that I understood most of what they were saying….I guess my 8 years of Spanish paid off? Haha mehhh NOT really.
We ventured out sooner than later after some quick preparations and walking toward the metro stop we came across an Irish pub called KilKenny’s. The same Irish pub we stepped in on our first night in Berlin….only we decided to go in because it WAS bumping…it was really loud…and when we walked in a MASS of gentlemen were all dressed up like Geeks crowding the bar area. Now we could have sat at a table in a more tame area of the bar…BUT I saw a table just CRYING for us to sit there….so we took a seat…and literally, LITERALLY 2 minutes….mere moments of us sitting down 15 of those geeks crowded our table….Drunken Englishmen are SO fun. We started chatting up a storm and they loved us and by us I mean Joana and the fact that Kathryn kind of sort of looks like Sarah Palin and can kind of-sort-of nail a dead on impression of her. Those Brits were so funny….they were in Berlin for a “stag” weekend….apparently ONE of them was going to get married….do we know which one? Not a clue….they all seemed to be so single it hurt haha. Anyway they were dressed to the 9’s in geek garb because apparently nerds and geeks was the theme of the Stag….the lucky guy getting married must be a geek in real life….either way it was really fun….so fun in fact that we closed the bar down with them….BUT we were not done so we decided to go to the AM to PM bar we ALSO went on out first night in Berlin because well it was open from AM to PM….or was it PM to AM….either way I was content….we went with just a few of them….I was rather taken with one of them. His name was Lee….and come to find it….haha he’s a professional cricket player…..http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/12445.html he may or may not be in Wikipedia….mostly may…hmm….um random.
ANYWAY. AM to PM…..ok I was rather happy at this point and Joana’s great idea just sparked Britney Spears right out of me….GOOD GRIEF…seriously….DO NOT mention Britney when I’ve been out for an evening. It is not fair…I can’t help it and she knew it….enter embarrassing after thoughts here. HOWEVER, after a rendition of Lucky the bartender came over with a piece of paper that said American Idol Winner, Am to PM 2008…..and he gave me a shooter which was delicious….and the brittish guy that was trying to sing the American national anthem which was HISTERICAL got a shooter as well….and it was an inappropriate one at that haha….he lost…obviously….so I was in Britney mode and Kathryn was Sarah Palin for the rest of the night….I think we all lost our identities for a bit….and then it was like 4 in the morning when we were planning on going for the Gold for Berlin’s nightlife oh well…I suppose down the street never really hurt anyone….we had a ton of fun though….well worth the short walk haha. I video documented much of these events but…..how about that sad, sad tale….
GOOD MORNING BERLIN! I need shoes….pronto. MY FEET are hating me so Heather and I ventured out for some kicks while Joana and Kathryn got ready for the day……and ONWARD. We went straight to Checkpoint Charlie….this was really cool. They still had the post up with a guard though I don’t think he was a legit guard…but he certainly dressed for the part. It was good that I got a book the night before….Berlin in 24 hours…haha because that is what we basically had to do….24 hours and Berlin….CAN WE DO IT!? Ehhhh I think we could….so after we Checked out CHECKpoint Charlie haha get it…..so much CHECKING this trip hahaha get it again? We went to the Chez republic and saw a hockey game where the players CHECKED each other and now we were Checking-out CHECKpoint Carlie….SO WITTY!
Next on our list was the Jewish Museum. This was so interesting and architecturally incredible. Anna and Brosef I really think you would have enjoyed this….despite that you don’t like the architect who designed it…it was still really really cool. We learned a lot in that museum and just being in a city where there was so much more behind the history made it even more of an awesome experience. After the Jewish Museum H-jay and I went to find the Topography of Terror but on the way we found the Martin Gropius Building and that was pretty cool….and then it started to rain…eww gross…LUCKILY I had an umbrella so I was good to go! The Topography of Terror was really intense. The Topography of Terror is an outdoor exhibition that documents the past of the surrounding area so literally where this stretch of pictures, information and outdoor exhibit was/on was where the Gestapo headquarters used to be…literally on the walls of the headquarters they had all this information…..how unbelievable is that? To be in a place where not too long ago people were discriminated to unimaginable heights because of their beliefs….I literally was dumb-founded just thinking about it….I still am….
INSERT getting lost in Berlin like we got lost in Prague here…..and so H-jay and I were off just exploring Berlin like everyone should explore a city…getting lost. It was the best piece of advice my tour-guide from my high school trip abroad told me…just get lost…you won’t be sorry…and I’m not. We got lost and found the Berlin Wall which was amazing. We walked the wall until there was no more of the wall to walk…it was the longest stretch of the remaining wall that was covered in artwork. We continued to wander and walk and get lost until my feet seriously couldn’t handle it anymore…. (Later to find out that I strained the arch in my foot eeek!)
SO after some random shopping at the metro stations, which was really fun…AND a slipper purchase for H-jay because her feet were ALMOST as bad as mine…but still pretty bad….OY vey….walking miles every day is fun…just not when you walk so much that your feet cannot take it anymore….
While we were walking we knew that food was absolutely on the agenda. I really, really wanted to try some hardcore German food….especially since 1. H-jay is German and told me all about it 2. Because I was hungry 3. Because Everyone thought H-jay was German and just started talking to her in German which was really awesome and Hysterical at the same time.
We stumbled upon this German Pub/Brewery and it was really cool. It was right by the TV tower that you can see from all over Berlin. I got whatever H-jay told me to get…not because I can’t decide for myself…but because we wanted the same thing…haha THAT didn’t make sense….I don’t feel like re-working my last ideas…I just wanted food. We got some form of bratwurst, sauerkraut, and potatoes. IT WAS SO GOOD. IT WAS GREAT. SO I REALLY DID LOVE everything the people, the food, and the place….I heart Berlin.
We walked back to the hostel…aching every step of the way….LITERALLY and took a quick nap. It was decently late but we had to be at the airport at 4 IN THE MORNING....so taking a nap and then staying up all night was really the only option. We played cards….OF COURSE…..you don’t have to ask who won….just ask h-jay….she’ll tell you….haha I just LOVE playing cards.
Soon enough Kathryn and Joana came back from a serious night out and we went immediately to the Airport…..we made it back to Thessaloniki in one-piece, exhausted, but stoked about a great trip. I need more time in Germany THAT IS FOR SURE! I loved EVERY second of it and there is so much history and so much more to see there. I learned a LOT and I’m glad that I took my time and appreciated everything that I could. I’m not taking this experience for granted…I’m doing everything that I possibly can….when else in my life will I have this incredible opportunity….right? RIGHT!
The Saddest Tale of All the Tales:
We were unpacking after our long trip and all of our friends were anticipating some great and fabulous documentation. I tore apart my suitcase, everyone’s luggage, my purse, my jacket, I looked through everything and tore it all upside down. What happened to my camera? Germany happened. Auf Wiedersehen my amazing baby-blue cannon camera….Auf Wiedersehen……such a sad tale….such a sad end to such a great trip……I told you it was a sad, sad tale….was it not? I need a camera and pronto.
OH WELL…..with every good there is an equal bad….this was the bad…..no worries…I’ll get a new one…..maybe…..but anyway….I’ve Berlin there….and Done that….
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:
I’m not looking for Meteors…but I AM GOING to METEORA!!!! Just you wait avid readers…just you wait….but until then, so much love from my Grecian shores to yours.
-H
Easy Jet….you done did great kid, no really….I like the Easy Jet flights a lot....and no…snacks are NOT included….but I’m really ok with that….I’ll save the snacks for really important flights…like for when I go home…SNACKS will be very important…as are liters of water on treks….Weave and I started that tradition long ago…liters are good ANY TIME…every time…and snacks…well you ALWAYS need snacks…and it’s a fun underappreciated word…right then….BACK to BERLIN….so with the time change and the fact that DAY LIGHT savings time was hitting…did hit…or was going to hit…hmm I cannot remember….well this whole day light savings time really through me for a loop…I’m already 7 hours ahead in Greece and then went back an hour in Berlin and Prague…and yet again another hour…or ahead an hour….SO CONFUSING…which is why I’m still tired from this whole time-debacle.
WE arrived in Berlin STARVING and in search of our hostel…which we found pretty easily. SUPER! It actually ended up being in a SERIOUSLY prime location…no really…we had walked all around this area our first night here and this was PERFECT. IT was so accessible. MAD props to Kathryn...serious mad props…however, WE WERE STARVING…and I could have gone for some German food…to try it. I’ve never really had an opportunity to try German food…I mean I like hot dogs? That isn’t German though…I just don’t know…but instead we opted to search for the hard rock café. Ok so though I could have gone for some German whatever-ness…there is NOTHING like chicken….and…oh wait for it…BROCCOLI….I LOVE, live, think about chicken and broccoli more than I should…
SIDE NOTE: If you were to ask my mom what I would want for dinner on ANY given night and ANY given day repeatedly for 6 weeks straight…do you know what I would say…I want chicken…I LOVE chicken, we an unhealthy passion. If you ask me what I want for dinner on any given day I will probably and always say CHICKEN….FOR ALL THAT CLUCKS AND IS FABULOUS when I get home to America I want chicken for days straight….I also want sushi….but that is another story…I’ve gotta stop thinking about this…
THE SEARCH for the HARD ROCK was on………and in the process we ended up wandering randomly into major parts of the city like where the Jewish Synagogue was well what was left of it from the war and the brand new one built right next to it…it was really cool…EVENTUALLY we found it….woo…DUH, I got chicken and it was AMAZING….but let’s not talk about it anymore…I don’t think I can handle it without getting emotional….I’m going to need a moment.
OK much better….moving on….after our AMAZING AMERICAN-meal we just wandered. Wandering wanderers around Berlin, which was so awesome. I just love Berlin. I love the people, the culture, the crazy crisp air (check out that alliteration), the history is just so intense and captivates you. EVERYTHING about Berlin was really great, I absolutely will be returning. While we were wandering we found ourselves at the Brandenburg Gate AND the Reichstag. THEY were crucially lit up with tons of lights and colors and why you might ask?? Well alright, I’ll tell you. Because we had decided to visit Berlin during their Festival of LIGHTS! This was so cool. All the serious buildings, historical monuments, you know all the important things in the city were lit up with TONS of lights and images were being flashed into the starlit evening sky. MAN, I just really love Berlin. If you ever have the opportunity, just go….you won’t be sorry.
Amidst our wandering we decided to head back to the hostel to prepare for an evening out….the girls in our hostel room had given us some maps and things of where they went the night before. They were from Madrid and seemed really nice. Only one of them spoke English really well….but it we could still communicate. It’s funny these different languages….I mean we talk about whatever we want all the time and how are we to know that the people around us do not understand English….and how were those girls from Madrid supposed to know that both HJAY and I understand Spanish. I was really surprised that I understood most of what they were saying….I guess my 8 years of Spanish paid off? Haha mehhh NOT really.
We ventured out sooner than later after some quick preparations and walking toward the metro stop we came across an Irish pub called KilKenny’s. The same Irish pub we stepped in on our first night in Berlin….only we decided to go in because it WAS bumping…it was really loud…and when we walked in a MASS of gentlemen were all dressed up like Geeks crowding the bar area. Now we could have sat at a table in a more tame area of the bar…BUT I saw a table just CRYING for us to sit there….so we took a seat…and literally, LITERALLY 2 minutes….mere moments of us sitting down 15 of those geeks crowded our table….Drunken Englishmen are SO fun. We started chatting up a storm and they loved us and by us I mean Joana and the fact that Kathryn kind of sort of looks like Sarah Palin and can kind of-sort-of nail a dead on impression of her. Those Brits were so funny….they were in Berlin for a “stag” weekend….apparently ONE of them was going to get married….do we know which one? Not a clue….they all seemed to be so single it hurt haha. Anyway they were dressed to the 9’s in geek garb because apparently nerds and geeks was the theme of the Stag….the lucky guy getting married must be a geek in real life….either way it was really fun….so fun in fact that we closed the bar down with them….BUT we were not done so we decided to go to the AM to PM bar we ALSO went on out first night in Berlin because well it was open from AM to PM….or was it PM to AM….either way I was content….we went with just a few of them….I was rather taken with one of them. His name was Lee….and come to find it….haha he’s a professional cricket player…..http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/12445.html he may or may not be in Wikipedia….mostly may…hmm….um random.
ANYWAY. AM to PM…..ok I was rather happy at this point and Joana’s great idea just sparked Britney Spears right out of me….GOOD GRIEF…seriously….DO NOT mention Britney when I’ve been out for an evening. It is not fair…I can’t help it and she knew it….enter embarrassing after thoughts here. HOWEVER, after a rendition of Lucky the bartender came over with a piece of paper that said American Idol Winner, Am to PM 2008…..and he gave me a shooter which was delicious….and the brittish guy that was trying to sing the American national anthem which was HISTERICAL got a shooter as well….and it was an inappropriate one at that haha….he lost…obviously….so I was in Britney mode and Kathryn was Sarah Palin for the rest of the night….I think we all lost our identities for a bit….and then it was like 4 in the morning when we were planning on going for the Gold for Berlin’s nightlife oh well…I suppose down the street never really hurt anyone….we had a ton of fun though….well worth the short walk haha. I video documented much of these events but…..how about that sad, sad tale….
GOOD MORNING BERLIN! I need shoes….pronto. MY FEET are hating me so Heather and I ventured out for some kicks while Joana and Kathryn got ready for the day……and ONWARD. We went straight to Checkpoint Charlie….this was really cool. They still had the post up with a guard though I don’t think he was a legit guard…but he certainly dressed for the part. It was good that I got a book the night before….Berlin in 24 hours…haha because that is what we basically had to do….24 hours and Berlin….CAN WE DO IT!? Ehhhh I think we could….so after we Checked out CHECKpoint Charlie haha get it…..so much CHECKING this trip hahaha get it again? We went to the Chez republic and saw a hockey game where the players CHECKED each other and now we were Checking-out CHECKpoint Carlie….SO WITTY!
Next on our list was the Jewish Museum. This was so interesting and architecturally incredible. Anna and Brosef I really think you would have enjoyed this….despite that you don’t like the architect who designed it…it was still really really cool. We learned a lot in that museum and just being in a city where there was so much more behind the history made it even more of an awesome experience. After the Jewish Museum H-jay and I went to find the Topography of Terror but on the way we found the Martin Gropius Building and that was pretty cool….and then it started to rain…eww gross…LUCKILY I had an umbrella so I was good to go! The Topography of Terror was really intense. The Topography of Terror is an outdoor exhibition that documents the past of the surrounding area so literally where this stretch of pictures, information and outdoor exhibit was/on was where the Gestapo headquarters used to be…literally on the walls of the headquarters they had all this information…..how unbelievable is that? To be in a place where not too long ago people were discriminated to unimaginable heights because of their beliefs….I literally was dumb-founded just thinking about it….I still am….
INSERT getting lost in Berlin like we got lost in Prague here…..and so H-jay and I were off just exploring Berlin like everyone should explore a city…getting lost. It was the best piece of advice my tour-guide from my high school trip abroad told me…just get lost…you won’t be sorry…and I’m not. We got lost and found the Berlin Wall which was amazing. We walked the wall until there was no more of the wall to walk…it was the longest stretch of the remaining wall that was covered in artwork. We continued to wander and walk and get lost until my feet seriously couldn’t handle it anymore…. (Later to find out that I strained the arch in my foot eeek!)
SO after some random shopping at the metro stations, which was really fun…AND a slipper purchase for H-jay because her feet were ALMOST as bad as mine…but still pretty bad….OY vey….walking miles every day is fun…just not when you walk so much that your feet cannot take it anymore….
While we were walking we knew that food was absolutely on the agenda. I really, really wanted to try some hardcore German food….especially since 1. H-jay is German and told me all about it 2. Because I was hungry 3. Because Everyone thought H-jay was German and just started talking to her in German which was really awesome and Hysterical at the same time.
We stumbled upon this German Pub/Brewery and it was really cool. It was right by the TV tower that you can see from all over Berlin. I got whatever H-jay told me to get…not because I can’t decide for myself…but because we wanted the same thing…haha THAT didn’t make sense….I don’t feel like re-working my last ideas…I just wanted food. We got some form of bratwurst, sauerkraut, and potatoes. IT WAS SO GOOD. IT WAS GREAT. SO I REALLY DID LOVE everything the people, the food, and the place….I heart Berlin.
We walked back to the hostel…aching every step of the way….LITERALLY and took a quick nap. It was decently late but we had to be at the airport at 4 IN THE MORNING....so taking a nap and then staying up all night was really the only option. We played cards….OF COURSE…..you don’t have to ask who won….just ask h-jay….she’ll tell you….haha I just LOVE playing cards.
Soon enough Kathryn and Joana came back from a serious night out and we went immediately to the Airport…..we made it back to Thessaloniki in one-piece, exhausted, but stoked about a great trip. I need more time in Germany THAT IS FOR SURE! I loved EVERY second of it and there is so much history and so much more to see there. I learned a LOT and I’m glad that I took my time and appreciated everything that I could. I’m not taking this experience for granted…I’m doing everything that I possibly can….when else in my life will I have this incredible opportunity….right? RIGHT!
The Saddest Tale of All the Tales:
We were unpacking after our long trip and all of our friends were anticipating some great and fabulous documentation. I tore apart my suitcase, everyone’s luggage, my purse, my jacket, I looked through everything and tore it all upside down. What happened to my camera? Germany happened. Auf Wiedersehen my amazing baby-blue cannon camera….Auf Wiedersehen……such a sad tale….such a sad end to such a great trip……I told you it was a sad, sad tale….was it not? I need a camera and pronto.
OH WELL…..with every good there is an equal bad….this was the bad…..no worries…I’ll get a new one…..maybe…..but anyway….I’ve Berlin there….and Done that….
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:
I’m not looking for Meteors…but I AM GOING to METEORA!!!! Just you wait avid readers…just you wait….but until then, so much love from my Grecian shores to yours.
-H
Czech it OUT!
LAST time on HLOCK DOES GREECE:
Heather found herself roaming the streets of Berlin and fell in Love with Germany....she met some students from Amsterdam who are awaiting her return to Greece to email and bribe her to come visit....it was a long night....a Great night....and soon enough she should be heading off to Prague.....but does she?
INSERT Theme music here, credits and enter DASHINGLY attractive main character guy and DRAMA.....
scatch that...bu that would have been neat...would it not?
OK OK OK Theme Music would DEFINITELY BE appropriate.....
hmm....
Heather found herself roaming the streets of Berlin and fell in Love with Germany....she met some students from Amsterdam who are awaiting her return to Greece to email and bribe her to come visit....it was a long night....a Great night....and soon enough she should be heading off to Prague.....but does she?
INSERT Theme music here, credits and enter DASHINGLY attractive main character guy and DRAMA.....
scatch that...bu that would have been neat...would it not?
OK OK OK Theme Music would DEFINITELY BE appropriate.....
hmm....
TWO HOURS LATER we were up and moving and getting ready to go….sluggishly….I DID not want get up…..HELLO I was super warm…and it was super cold everywhere else…but I did and we were BACK on the metro and BACK to the enormous train station. We found some breakfast….and hopped on the train and PASSED OUT. I was really excited about the train ride because we were headed right for Dresden, Germany. I have read so many books about Dresden or have been based in Dresden….the whole time we were riding through it I could only think about Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut… since that was the last thing I read that centered around Dresden. It just all blew my mind and all of Germany, as we were riding along, was really beautiful. The colors and the old buildings were so cool. I could train through all the countries actually. You see so much of what the country really is and even when we bused back to Berlin we got to see even MORE of Dresden….haha of course who was really interested in this besides me? Haha Heather….go figure.
WE MADE IT, after some seat confusion and some conversation with some Texans traveling and conferencing, we were in PRAGUE. The city of Gold, Bohemia, and Fairy Tales….and people that smell funny, speak funny and only smile if they have an uncontrollable itch. This is a true, a very true story. SO now what….well I needed money, and so did everyone else…..WHY?! I’ll tell you why….money is very important to buy things with….to live and stuff….right…so how do the Czech’s do it? With crowns….yeah I don’t know either….So we had to fine some…and then we did…and we’re all just rolling along at this point….slightly irritated because we went from Greek to German to Czech…..WHAT? too many languages…that have NOTHING to do with English…minus in Germany people knew English…and there were English there….hehe….oh there were English there…OK never mind…that is for later on…promise, promise…..OK SO language RIGHT…English thing…I’m really ready for it…I’m pretty sure we are ALL Ready for it….communication is VERY important…things I have learned here1. Sign language and the perfection of pointing to get what I want2. Speaking English even though I know they can’t understand me3. I speak broken English….even though I can speak it fine…because apparently I think Greeks are retarded…..I’m not going to justify that statement…it may or may not be true….hmmmMostly may.RIGHT THEN.OK Money check…finding an info desk about how to get around Prague…CZECH….get on a metro…CZECH…get on a tram for way to long and then get on the wrong tram and travel around Prague for an extra hour that we did not need to do…CZECH….found our hostel….CZECH INN…haha get it….we’re in the Czech republic and we were Checking in…to the Czech Inn hahaha SO WITTY those Czechs…even though I’m pretty sure it was a mostly English-speaking establishment…let’s talk about this place…I liked it…the rooms were huge the whole sleeping thing with the huge duvet covers…DON’T hate it…so with that said…go CZECH it out…www.czech-inn.com That’s where I was….HOK…so the guy at the front desk suggested some places to go/food things like that so off we went in search of food…and we decided that we wanted to try so traditional bohemian/Czech food.Ok. LAST time I came to Prague the food….NO BUENO…it was my least favorite thing about it…it was gross…I hated it….but….they gave me all the wrong foods…ergo…2nd time’s a charm…ok really I know it is 3rd time’s a charm…but how many times am I really going to go to Prague in my life right I’m banking on that this 2nd time was/is going to be my last….I’ve seen it, I’ve done it…the Czech gets a big CHECK in my book. GREAT so we go to this place and I took pictures of it and I don’t remember what it’s called but like I said before the end of my tale is very sad…..and sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words…which is why I’m not going to type more on this subject…but I will pause for an important moment of silence and reflection on the sad, sad part of my tale…..
(Insert dramatic and pregnant pause here)(pregnant because H-jay suggested I use it….so it is her you should judge for the use of vocabulary…hmm think about it….yeah)(Why pausing? I’ll explain later…there will be more dramatic and PREGNANT pauses during the course of our journey)(I think I should just write a book instead of a blog)(I’m working on about 2,846 words right now)(that’s like 5 pages of text single spaced)(and we just got to Prague)(Should I stop with the inserts/side notes?)
Well alright….SO we got food...it was good…it was different…but mostly it was freaking good….I can’t even explain to you what it was but it was my first sight of red meat besides lamb since I arrived in Europe….Interesting? MAYBE!ANDDDDD off we went for the rest of the night…to where?WELL we hopped on a metro after Joana decided to go up to random guys who were dressed in normal non-athletic or sport fan attire…the looked just a bunch of dudes….getting on the metro…and she insisted that they looked as if they were going a Hockey Game….AND THEY WERE…suddenly we were surrounded by Czech guys that knew NO English except for one…but we could tell they were DEFINITELY saying something about us….and they helped us get tickets for 100Cr…which is the same as 4 US dollars….WHAT!? A professional Hockey game for 4 US DOLLARS!? Are you kidding me right now!? DONE! And before I knew it I had a flag in my hand…that wasn’t even a legit flag…it’s a flag that goes on a car window…um…I didn’t care…while everyone else got scarves but I waved my flag like WOAH because I was being an avid Hockey supporter for the home team…It was Really awesome…the fans are really intense and really love the players…they have drummers in the fan section and they were just drumming along and the crowd knew all these chants and cheers and some of what they were saying was in English…and it was pretty funny to hear them say words in English because it didn’t sound like anything it should…hmm…..AND then the home team lost but Coolest part of the game (during which we moved around a lot to get better seats that was neat) after the game the team lines up towards the fans and they showed their appreciated by taking a knee and the fans did some sort of cheer to them...it was really really awesome…WHY can’t we do things like that at home…maybe we should pay our professional sports players less….hmm…VERY interesting thought Heather…thank you I know…
ok just to clarify...that was my voice that was speaking about the interesting thought and then I thanked myself…not the Other heather….though she is baller and I appreciate her more than she knows…she’s literally reading this as I’m writing this…we’re going to Athens…she has a lot to say about things…she always reads my blog….If I’m going to be pluralized I might as well like it right…..that would really suck if I didn’t like Heather…right heather? “yes, that would really suck” VERBATIM PEOPLE….verbatim.
SO the game was really great and then we found ourselves IN another Irish pub..it was advertised everywhere in Prague so we decided we had to go….ok Heather and I …(both of us) LOVE bulmers…with a passion…or anything that is like it….we had Stowford Press at this pub and it was I thought better than bulmers but either way…it was awesome…so we find a seat and eventually meet the people next to us because they wanted a Kodak moment and SOMEONE had to capture it…hence a meet and greet which ended up going on for several hours….The three of them were from Ireland…WOULDN’T you know it but that is EXACTLY where I am headed to in a few weeks….so we talked a long time about stuff and things…I mostly with the two girls Kate and Anne and then everyone else pretty much focused on Ger…which is funny because that was a lot like Jerry…from Ps. I love you…..oh hey….it’s meant to happen…just let it happen…yeah just let happen. So we exchanged emails and stuff and things and after I decided it was a great idea to meet the bartender is name was Meril or Merb….pronounced Meril….I have no clue…please don’t ask my questions I can’t answer… so it was Meril or Merb or something like it…either way he looked Irish...he wasn’t, but speaking English is enough for me….right?
RIGHT…SO eventually we pulled ourselves away after SEVERAL hours complete with Stowford Press making it every step of the way RIGHT BY my side…it was an excellent night…trying to get back to the hostel….meh….a little tricky...but we got back either way and PASSED out because Prague in ONE DAY was about to go down…oh yeah…and boy did it ever….WE WERE UP sooner than later, I think we got a total of 3 or 4 hours of sleep…NOT even…but we had some SERIOUS work to do….annnnd OFF we went to Prague Castle which was really awesome. Mostly because I had been here before but I was stoked to see things that I had not seen/read…. during my first trek to Prague I didn’t really know or care about what I was actually experiencing…which meant for me that I was NOT going to take this opportunity for granted so I took my time in the exhibits…..Heather also wanted to take our time and go a steady informative pace….great minds think alike and it was really interesting to see and find out all that happened at Prague Castle it was inhabited by so many different people…from all over Europe…it was pretty baller…and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to find out more about Prague.
Soon after the castle we made our way down to “Old Town” which is my favorite part of Prague, naturally. It was my favorite the last time I came, and it was my favorite yet again….the old town part of Prague was basically like stepping into the movie set of Marie Antoinette or Amadeus…which makes complete sense SINCE Mozart lived and created in Prague as he was a Bohemian composer himself….so when we passed his house/museum which I had visited before it was at great reminder of all the famous creators before our time walked these streets and lived a hardcore bohemian, revolutionary lifestyle. Basically the old town of Prague was so cute, and really beautiful. We found food which was a CRUCIAL part of our day…..minus the fact that we had BOMB hotdogs earlier before we went up to the castle……
SIDE NOTE….the Czech’s have this hot dog thing right…let’s talk about it….1. Cook the hotdog 2. Bun….but not a bun it was bread with a hole in it the size of a bun….3. Insert dog/ condiments 4. No napkins needed….why because they did this whole hotdog thing right…..SO right in the center of old town we found a decently priced place to eat…we could have stayed outside and watched the huge coo-coo clock that everyone else was just GAZING and waiting for to chime….in all honesty, it’s cute…but haha nothing that impressive…. SO we opted to eat inside and let the hardcore clock-goers take the seats outside….besides…it was FREEZING anyway…Side note: Prague was ridiculously cold….I didn’t mind it…..YOU WILL NEVER HEAR/READ that again from my voice/mind….ever…..I don’t like the cold….I just don’t……but it made Berlin look like the deep south that never gets cold….despite that it really was cold there….and it made Thessaloniki look like a tropical island…..hmm.
SO anyway back to the food thing…so we sat inside and we all basically got the same thing we had the day before because it was that good….they made it way differently, but I wasn’t disappointed. A break from Greek food is never a bad thing…it’s not that I don’t like it…because Greek food is amazing, but….I’m ready for something other than olive oil and feta…Since those two things are in everything that we eat…woo. Ok on the table…JUST so we would remember who our server was there was a picture of him on our table in a picture holder thing…..haha um awesome…or at least I thought so…I’m pretty sure everyone else thought it was great too….SO the afternoon was ahead of us and with different interests we decide to split up….Joana and Katherine are off doing Prague and then…H-jay and I decide to do Prague….so we needed a game plan…and we made one….Just to get lost…..and to see some things simultaneously….but mostly we got lost…..we just started walking and saw things that I had research and saw some things that was on the map of Prague that some genius came up with and commented on everything…seriously this map was hilarious…..and it had all the important places of interest on it….we just started walking….and walking…..AND walking….and then we….ok wait, I forget what its called…you have two feet and I was wearing boots….ok I can get this…think…..so my boots were made for walking…and that just what they’ll do….and one of these days these boots are going to walk all over you? EXACTLY….we walked for hours and it was awesome. We decided we wanted to see the area of Vinohrady which is one of the oldest parts of the city and apparently this is where a lot of damage was done during the 2nd World War. BUT on the way there…while we were getting lost….we came across the most beautiful church….no really, This Church was stunning….the inside was literally lined with almost all gold…..That’s Prague for you....a mass was in progress but it was still amazing to peek our heads in size…..OH photo opportunities…..you have come and gone….I’d show you but….remember the sad tale at the end of this amazing journey.
SO after the church we walked around some important-esque Gardens and waltzed right along the river/water’s edge to the Fred and Ginger Dancing House….this was really awesome. Brosef, Anna….you would have loved this building….it was SO COOL looking and we went to see it….I’ve been trying to do things that involve cool architecture…..mostly because 1. I miss you guys 2. Because I should appreciate what you do for a living 3. It’s just so cool 4. I’m sucking up right now….5. did it work? SO we saw the dancing building and we passed by the National Theatre which I really thought was beautiful….and I REALLY wanted to see something, HOW cool would that have been to be in Prague and see and opera or something….however….a PROFESSIONAL CZECH HOCKEY game is just as baller....it may or may not be cooler than seeing an opera…mostly may…..how many Czech people do you know that sing opera? Exactly…..HOCKEY it is.
Side note: This blog is taking me FOREVER to write….I think I’m going to separate it into 2 blogs because it is SO LONG….and we’re still in Prague….ARE YOU JOKING ME RIGHT NOW!?
We also dubbed a building that was next to the beautiful National Theatre the bubble wrap building….it was like I could just go up to it and pop the bahgeezes out of it….I know what you’re thinking…..NO I’m not too old for bubble wrap….come March I’ll be pushing it….but simple pleasures….simple pleasures...
SO Heather and I just kept walking and walking and we pass many faces just faces….and I see a face that looked kind of familiar but we just kept walking and then we see another face….and “WOAH!WOW!”… “NO WAY!?” Um it was a few of the CYA kids we had met in SANTORINI and it was the same guy that put us up for a few hours after our boat ride and layover till our train back to Thess….um HOW RANDOM!....we weren’t even at a tourist part of the city….we were just walking along the river taking our time…..HOLY RANDOM….that was awesome….and we told them of cool things to do and cool things they SHOULD know….it was just really random….
so then Heather and I kept on WALKING some more and found ourselves on Charles’ Bridge. This bridge is pedestrian only with towers and a beautiful view of the city…..no really, it was amazing….and the bridge connects OLD town to NEW town….wasn’t that a great idea they had! Way to go you Czechians…..way to go! Along the bride we saw a huge tower that was definitely a defining landmark on Charles’ bridge. I had no clue that you could actually go up to the top of the tower and so we did…but RIGHT before we stepped to walk in….I swear I saw a face that I had seen before…and so I shout… “Bobby?!”….and THERE Bobby is…..just chilling with his parents in Prague….SO WEIRD! Last weekend I saw him at Mt. Olympus at the Refuge lodge…and NOW I’m seeing him in Prague….PRAGUE out of all places….are you KIDDING me right now….We are tons of miles away from Thessaloniki and Greece and here we are in a HUGE city seeing people that we know….um….SMALL WORLD….no literally, when you are in a completely different country and you see people that you know….it just proves how small the world really is….A.MAZE. ING….done and DONE. SO we went up to the top and saw all of Prague took a video documenting our fabulous sight and all the things we had done….but where the video is…well….remember…the sad tale at the end of my journey…for it is a sad, sad tale indeed.
After our bridge adventure and RANDOM rendezvous with another ACT student we kept randomly walking around and stopped in a random hostel to see if we could find out any information on the nightlife. We had planned on meeting Kathryn and Joana for the pub crawl of Prague, so we headed back to the center of the Old Town, Stare Mesto where the astronomical clock was. A huge mass of people were gathering like it was New Year’s Eve….everyone was just staring up at the clock…to be honest it was awesome…..just random people gazing up with their jaws unhinged…waiting for the BIG CLOCK to coo COO….with random objects flashing in and out of its windows like a marry-go-round of sorts…..wow….VERY impressive….I too would wait an entire hour to see this clock strike and gaze motionless at the awe inspiring spectacle……..sarcastic much? OH Much…haha either way…you need to see this if you ever go to Prague…just one of those things that you need to witness….My Nana would have flipped over it…just like the Coo-Coo Clock that always goes-off right when it should in the heart of Florida where there is nothing but butter and gator football fans.
WE were supposed to meet the people in charge of the pub crawl but instead Heather and I decided that we were EXHAUSTED and my feet were really, REALLY killing me…mostly my left foot…the arch area…not good not good….AND SO we opted to go back to the Irish Pub from the night before…just to get a Stowford press and call it a night…..but when do Heather and I go out for just a drink and it be JUST a drink….EXACTLY my point….we walked into the bar and found a seat in front of the W.C…..mostly because I didn’t want to sit in the main bar area because well Merb, Meril, what’s-his-face was behind the bar again….and well my self-consciousness got the best of me…Luckily my compadre had my back and was all about sitting in front of….the….Double-you see.
We chatted and reflected on the day’s events for a bit and after about an hour…it was definitely bedtime, FOR SURE….and WOULDN’T you know it but RIGHT as we were going to jump out of our chairs and head on home…this dude comes straight out of the WC and asks if he could take a seat and join us for a bit….and well….I’m always up for new people especially those that speak English….SO NICE this English thing….striking conversation with him he had expressed that he had been from London in the “WUHST TOWN EVA”….and LITERALLY mid-question he PASSED out….seriously…just PASSED OUT…right in the chair at our table….um…what….WHAT…WHAT do we do with this…OBVIOUSLY someone had decided to drink like the Irish….and he went SO big that Bfriend was literally toe-up done-zo. LUCKILY, his friends came over and started to mess with him and apologize for him….they were cute….yep…his friends…all rather attractive…with accents….ACCENTS….in ENGLISH….now you think about that for a second before I continue…did you think about it? GOOD. SO they were all from different parts of the world….there was Jamie from Ireland, Tom from Australia, Sleeping guy from England, and another guy from Scotland – who knows how they knew each other! Jamie was a commander in the Irish Navy….UM HELLO….take me to the gun show because Bfriend had MORE than 2 tickets….GOOD GRIEF! THEY were hilarious and had MADE the night…including my suggestion of an American tradition of those who pass out….(never leave your shoes on if you’re going to pass out…..you are then FREE game)…and so a pen/marker was put to good use…..haha….oh yeah it was….BUT soon enough we decided to head back to the hostel because
1. We were EXHAUSTED
and
2. We had a CRAZY early bus back to Berlin. (Insert friend cheese sandwich…Czech tradition on the way back to the hostel….it was nothing SHORT of AWESOME….) Luckily, sleep happened on the bust from Prague to Berlin….it was JUST as long as the train ride….so it wasn’t bad at all and we were BACK in Berlin by 11:30….we still had the whole day ahead of us! SWEET!
NEXT TIME ON HLOCK DOES GREECE:
DOES Heather make it back to Berlin!?? WHAT IS THIS SAD SAD tale she speaks about...WHAT MORE COULD possibly happen on a small Holiday in Europe!!!! OH....if ONLY you knew....and you want to.....which means stay tuned...stay posted....it's all happening.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
B to the E to the R to the L to the I to the N to the PRAGUE
So there we were bright and early on Thursday Morning. We were pumped. We were ready. We had no way to get to the airport. A TAXI! What a GREAT idea…yeah, I knew yous was smart. OK first off…..this had been one of the earliest mornings I had seen in Thessaloniki. Minus the few nights where I had met the morning before I had even met my bed……WHY Thessaloniki do you NOT believe in LAST CALL!? You’re killin’ me SMALLS!
SOON enough we were OFF in a taxi to the ENORMOUS, GIGANTIC, OVER THE TOP airport of Thessaloniki. Alright so you caught me, I lied….the airport has one floor. Left OR Right….after a little struggling trying to figure out how exactly this check-in thing worked….I mean….left OR right….I had never been so stressed and so concerned for my well being before…so many options….so many choices….WHAT SHOULD I DO!? BUT we figured it out and soon enough we were ready to go. Luckily we were one of the first people in line so we got to board in the first group of passengers….it’s a good thing too because apparently Easy Jet likes to overbook their flights and if you aren’t there in time…SORRY CHARLIE….which is funny because we went to check point Charlie…..that’s really not that funny is it? OH OK I see how it is….
Sorry about the tangent…now, where were we…AH YES ….
(always wanted to use that line….sweet placement right?)
WE decided to sit RIGHT in the front of the plane closest to the exit….ok side note…..the Easy Jet planes are actually REALLY nice…and like brand freaking new….everything reminded me from that movie View From the Top….you know….”you have to put the right emphasis on the right syllable.” I was HIGHLY fascinated….EVERYTHING was orange….and there are NO assigned seats….ergo (oh hey easy jet we’re the company that likes to overbook our flights) I don’t even know why I keep mentioning this….I haven’t had a problem with easy jet….like I’ve said before and I’ll say it again!!!
“NO one got ahead by sitting on their BEHIND!” yeahhhhh that’s going to get old soon…it may or may not have already gotten old….mostly may. RIGHT then…..I found a sweet magazine that said on the front “This issue of Easy Jet blah blah blah is YOURS free to KEEP!” I so kept it….Listen this trip was all about scrapbooking…..and my goal was PAMPHLETS, passes, TICKETS…everything but believe me….I have a very sad tale to conclude with…..BUT Until then!
Our flight took only two hours…it was nice and quick and the time difference was CONFUSING…I don’t care for it…nope, not at all….we only went back an hour so that was nice that we gained sometime….Soon enough we collected our bags and we prepped for a tundra of COLD. OK seriously….I was SO EXCITED for cold weather…just something that would allow me to wear the clothes I planned on wearing while I was here….NEVER IN MY LIFE will you probably hear me exclaim my excitement for cold weather….but seriously….what part of seasons does Greece NOT understand? I DON’T get it….ok I can do without winter…NO problem….but without FALL….OK that is PUSHING IT….Mt. Olympus was great because I got to taste fall….but then I went right back into Spring forever….I don’t even care about spring that much….Spring is just there because of Summer…and I LOVE summer…but seriously….Fall is my season….Summer is my time to prepare for the fall….Oh hey Bronzing….the colors, its crisp, its sweatshirt weather with jeans, Fall is more of a Tradition in America. It’s not just a season….it’s what brings people together FOOTBALL (which I don’t really care about) APPLE FESTIVAL (you Lockwood’s should know how MUCH we love APPLEFESTIVAL) Fall is what starts a new year….not the “new year” ….I’m still on the school schedule….School def. defines my year…and will always since I’ll be in school forever, I want to get married in the fall…I mean FALL is just awesome….
OK OK ok you get the point….but GERMANY….we made it….we were in Berlin…and it was FALL everywhere….and I was loving it….we went from smoke encrusted confusing spring temperatures of Greece to a country where people weren’t smoking with every step they took….the AIR was breathable, I could hear the crunch of leaves under my feet….I think I was in Germany a total of 5 minutes and then I knew that 1. I could live here forever 2. I love the fall 3. I love Germany…..WHATEVER I said about Germany before was a COMPLETE unjust statement. I saw a shady, barely part of Germany on the border of Austria…this was the Real Germany and I was SO excited to be there….WOO me…
SO after we got some advice from an information desk in the Airport we went to the metro, which was SO efficient and took you EVERYWHERE/ANYWHERE you needed to go. We buzzed by lots of stops and we had been riding the metro for QUITE some time but soon enough we got off to find our hostel. We got off at a small stop, with no people around….we all began rolling our suitcases....ALLIE let me borrow her Suitcase….AND she has REALLY nice luggage because I don’t have a small carry on case….it worked out perfectly…and Heather….well Heather just bought a really awesome piece of Luggage from down the street…..(since you’re reading this right now Heather) haha you TOTALLY struggled with that bag of yours….it came with wheels that really did not wheel…and you could tell we were coming not by all of us carting our bags behind us…but because Heather was always fighting with her bag….no one said anything but I’ll tell you what I thought it was so funny….haha GOOD work Heather…..you done did good kid….
SO we rolled around a road or two and over a bridge…the leaves were SO orange and I was breathing REAL AIR for the first time in weeks!! SO EXCITING!!! We came across our Hostel….International youth hostel of Berlin…and the room was small but actually I really liked it….ok and Madre…you were so right about those Duvet covers….I NEVER WANT TO USE ANOTHER COMFORTER AGAIN….seriously…Ok I know about how awesome they are and how they aren’t new to the world, but I never really experienced the awesomeness that SAVED my life because I was ridiculously warm and I am ALWAYS COLD…..they don’t do sheets….ok they do a mattress sheet but it’s just a duvet cover and a HUGE PILLOW the size of half the mattress itself….listen…I could seriously sleep in Germany forever…however that was ANYTHING but the case….
SO we dropped off our stuff and ON we went to find out HOW in the world we were getting to Prague the next day and to find some food. We hopped on the metro and zoomed to a HUGE metro station which also happened to be the train station….seriously this thing was GIGANTIC and it was architecturally cool….(Brosef…Anna….I know you know I know.) We found our way to the ticket office for the train and let me tell you what those Germans are SO efficient…literally everything moved so fast and without complication….before we knew it we booked our train to Prague for the next morning (KILLER EARLY) and then we walked down to the bus ticket office and booked our bus for our return to Berlin….Well that worked out Ridiculously well….
So since we had our travel arrangements set for the next few days we ventured into the city of Berlin. Seriously, I loved Berlin. I think I would like ALL of Germany if I liked Berlin this much. I had done some sweet research so I knew what was up about Berlin, I even made a cheat-cheat for our journey of all the important things we needed to see and do….(someone had to be the mom…and I have learned OH so well) we walked along the streets to see some things that surrounded us…there were tons of people out and about…TONS of people on Bikes…but once we realized where we were we decided to hop BACK on the metro and go to a more central part of the city….we needed FOOD and fast…..We found a stop that looked good enough and walked around and found ourselves at a fountain with King Neptune and lots of other mythological creatures. We took some time to see one of Berlin’s largest churches….I think it was called St. Mary’s but it’s hard to remember exactly. Just walking around this city was so cool….everything was old but new at the same time…like it was refreshed….FINALLY food time…took care of that and then we continued on our way and found ourselves at a café/bar called AM to PM… it had the COOLEST chairs ever….really these chairs were SO neat…ok no we didn’t sit in them (this time) but they were really cool…and we got our first pints of German Beer….
Ok let’s talk about this…
I don’t really like beer all that much…..I like wine and drinks that really don’t have any alcohol in them…haha it’s a façade of alcohol really…but I’m in GERMANY….OF COURSE I had to have German beer…and let me tell you what…IT was actually Really good. I have never had a beer like that before….it made me appreciate it WAY more than I ever had….I guess that is what happens when all you know is the cheapest beer college can buy..unless I’m with padre and even then…meh…Beer just isn’t my thing…I’m not saying that I’m not a BEER drinker…it’s all meh to me…but it was really good. So Props to Padre and Brosef….I doubted you for all too long.
SO after AM to PM we found ourselves at an Irish Pub called Kilkenny’s and I had my first experience with Bulmer’s….Ok….THIS WAS AWESOME….who does this…I knew I was Irish for a reason….this was great and we definitely were on the lookout for Irish pubs the REST of our trip….HOWEVER, the pub was occupied by older people and we were looking for a younger crowd so we left and wanted to find out where the young people were…..
We started walking aimlessly and found a guy around our age and so Joana, the brave, bold, and outgoing individual that she is went up to him and immediately before she even spoke he said “I’m sorry I don’t’ think I can help you” UM perfect…Of COURSE YOU CAN…the next thing I knew we were at another cafe/bar all outdoors and COLD which I didn’t mind….with a ton of random people that spoke English? DONE conversation with people our age that can understand us!? I already liked Germany but it was SO NICE to hear English. Eventually some of them fizzled off and it was the four of us and 4 of them…who were they? THEY legit were some of the nicest, coolest kids I have ever met. They were from Holland on a school trip looking at Grad schools….though they already had degrees? I’m not sure…they were all in the same field some science or something…WAY over my head….but they study and live in Amsterdam and they made the city seem so awesome….not what everyone says it really is…they told us about all the touristy stuff is NOT the real Amsterdam…..we spent just hours talking and hanging out and it was really awesome….after spending some time at the bar they asked us to go back to their hostel with them and hangout there….since all the hostels have bars and lounges it was a great idea….we spent even more time with them just hanging out and talking…it was so fun and really a great experience...and they all wanted us to come visit them in Amsterdam which was AWESOME of them to even suggest especially when they were adamant that we stay with them and they will show us all that Holland and Amsterdam had to offer…I mean this is REALLY hard to pass up…but Amsterdam really isn’t in my travel plans….but someday….holy Random night right? SO soon enough we had to jump on the metro because the metro stopped running around 4 in the morning. So we jumped on and we got to as far as we could before the metro was done running for the night. There were sketchy guys next to us on the metro they were young but they were belligerent and none of us wanted to deal with it…so we found a taxi as soon as we could and got back the hostel in one piece.
AND WHAT happend NEXT!???
you'll just have to wait!!!!
.........Czech it out.......until next time.......
-H
SOON enough we were OFF in a taxi to the ENORMOUS, GIGANTIC, OVER THE TOP airport of Thessaloniki. Alright so you caught me, I lied….the airport has one floor. Left OR Right….after a little struggling trying to figure out how exactly this check-in thing worked….I mean….left OR right….I had never been so stressed and so concerned for my well being before…so many options….so many choices….WHAT SHOULD I DO!? BUT we figured it out and soon enough we were ready to go. Luckily we were one of the first people in line so we got to board in the first group of passengers….it’s a good thing too because apparently Easy Jet likes to overbook their flights and if you aren’t there in time…SORRY CHARLIE….which is funny because we went to check point Charlie…..that’s really not that funny is it? OH OK I see how it is….
Sorry about the tangent…now, where were we…AH YES ….
(always wanted to use that line….sweet placement right?)
WE decided to sit RIGHT in the front of the plane closest to the exit….ok side note…..the Easy Jet planes are actually REALLY nice…and like brand freaking new….everything reminded me from that movie View From the Top….you know….”you have to put the right emphasis on the right syllable.” I was HIGHLY fascinated….EVERYTHING was orange….and there are NO assigned seats….ergo (oh hey easy jet we’re the company that likes to overbook our flights) I don’t even know why I keep mentioning this….I haven’t had a problem with easy jet….like I’ve said before and I’ll say it again!!!
“NO one got ahead by sitting on their BEHIND!” yeahhhhh that’s going to get old soon…it may or may not have already gotten old….mostly may. RIGHT then…..I found a sweet magazine that said on the front “This issue of Easy Jet blah blah blah is YOURS free to KEEP!” I so kept it….Listen this trip was all about scrapbooking…..and my goal was PAMPHLETS, passes, TICKETS…everything but believe me….I have a very sad tale to conclude with…..BUT Until then!
Our flight took only two hours…it was nice and quick and the time difference was CONFUSING…I don’t care for it…nope, not at all….we only went back an hour so that was nice that we gained sometime….Soon enough we collected our bags and we prepped for a tundra of COLD. OK seriously….I was SO EXCITED for cold weather…just something that would allow me to wear the clothes I planned on wearing while I was here….NEVER IN MY LIFE will you probably hear me exclaim my excitement for cold weather….but seriously….what part of seasons does Greece NOT understand? I DON’T get it….ok I can do without winter…NO problem….but without FALL….OK that is PUSHING IT….Mt. Olympus was great because I got to taste fall….but then I went right back into Spring forever….I don’t even care about spring that much….Spring is just there because of Summer…and I LOVE summer…but seriously….Fall is my season….Summer is my time to prepare for the fall….Oh hey Bronzing….the colors, its crisp, its sweatshirt weather with jeans, Fall is more of a Tradition in America. It’s not just a season….it’s what brings people together FOOTBALL (which I don’t really care about) APPLE FESTIVAL (you Lockwood’s should know how MUCH we love APPLEFESTIVAL) Fall is what starts a new year….not the “new year” ….I’m still on the school schedule….School def. defines my year…and will always since I’ll be in school forever, I want to get married in the fall…I mean FALL is just awesome….
OK OK ok you get the point….but GERMANY….we made it….we were in Berlin…and it was FALL everywhere….and I was loving it….we went from smoke encrusted confusing spring temperatures of Greece to a country where people weren’t smoking with every step they took….the AIR was breathable, I could hear the crunch of leaves under my feet….I think I was in Germany a total of 5 minutes and then I knew that 1. I could live here forever 2. I love the fall 3. I love Germany…..WHATEVER I said about Germany before was a COMPLETE unjust statement. I saw a shady, barely part of Germany on the border of Austria…this was the Real Germany and I was SO excited to be there….WOO me…
SO after we got some advice from an information desk in the Airport we went to the metro, which was SO efficient and took you EVERYWHERE/ANYWHERE you needed to go. We buzzed by lots of stops and we had been riding the metro for QUITE some time but soon enough we got off to find our hostel. We got off at a small stop, with no people around….we all began rolling our suitcases....ALLIE let me borrow her Suitcase….AND she has REALLY nice luggage because I don’t have a small carry on case….it worked out perfectly…and Heather….well Heather just bought a really awesome piece of Luggage from down the street…..(since you’re reading this right now Heather) haha you TOTALLY struggled with that bag of yours….it came with wheels that really did not wheel…and you could tell we were coming not by all of us carting our bags behind us…but because Heather was always fighting with her bag….no one said anything but I’ll tell you what I thought it was so funny….haha GOOD work Heather…..you done did good kid….
SO we rolled around a road or two and over a bridge…the leaves were SO orange and I was breathing REAL AIR for the first time in weeks!! SO EXCITING!!! We came across our Hostel….International youth hostel of Berlin…and the room was small but actually I really liked it….ok and Madre…you were so right about those Duvet covers….I NEVER WANT TO USE ANOTHER COMFORTER AGAIN….seriously…Ok I know about how awesome they are and how they aren’t new to the world, but I never really experienced the awesomeness that SAVED my life because I was ridiculously warm and I am ALWAYS COLD…..they don’t do sheets….ok they do a mattress sheet but it’s just a duvet cover and a HUGE PILLOW the size of half the mattress itself….listen…I could seriously sleep in Germany forever…however that was ANYTHING but the case….
SO we dropped off our stuff and ON we went to find out HOW in the world we were getting to Prague the next day and to find some food. We hopped on the metro and zoomed to a HUGE metro station which also happened to be the train station….seriously this thing was GIGANTIC and it was architecturally cool….(Brosef…Anna….I know you know I know.) We found our way to the ticket office for the train and let me tell you what those Germans are SO efficient…literally everything moved so fast and without complication….before we knew it we booked our train to Prague for the next morning (KILLER EARLY) and then we walked down to the bus ticket office and booked our bus for our return to Berlin….Well that worked out Ridiculously well….
So since we had our travel arrangements set for the next few days we ventured into the city of Berlin. Seriously, I loved Berlin. I think I would like ALL of Germany if I liked Berlin this much. I had done some sweet research so I knew what was up about Berlin, I even made a cheat-cheat for our journey of all the important things we needed to see and do….(someone had to be the mom…and I have learned OH so well) we walked along the streets to see some things that surrounded us…there were tons of people out and about…TONS of people on Bikes…but once we realized where we were we decided to hop BACK on the metro and go to a more central part of the city….we needed FOOD and fast…..We found a stop that looked good enough and walked around and found ourselves at a fountain with King Neptune and lots of other mythological creatures. We took some time to see one of Berlin’s largest churches….I think it was called St. Mary’s but it’s hard to remember exactly. Just walking around this city was so cool….everything was old but new at the same time…like it was refreshed….FINALLY food time…took care of that and then we continued on our way and found ourselves at a café/bar called AM to PM… it had the COOLEST chairs ever….really these chairs were SO neat…ok no we didn’t sit in them (this time) but they were really cool…and we got our first pints of German Beer….
Ok let’s talk about this…
I don’t really like beer all that much…..I like wine and drinks that really don’t have any alcohol in them…haha it’s a façade of alcohol really…but I’m in GERMANY….OF COURSE I had to have German beer…and let me tell you what…IT was actually Really good. I have never had a beer like that before….it made me appreciate it WAY more than I ever had….I guess that is what happens when all you know is the cheapest beer college can buy..unless I’m with padre and even then…meh…Beer just isn’t my thing…I’m not saying that I’m not a BEER drinker…it’s all meh to me…but it was really good. So Props to Padre and Brosef….I doubted you for all too long.
SO after AM to PM we found ourselves at an Irish Pub called Kilkenny’s and I had my first experience with Bulmer’s….Ok….THIS WAS AWESOME….who does this…I knew I was Irish for a reason….this was great and we definitely were on the lookout for Irish pubs the REST of our trip….HOWEVER, the pub was occupied by older people and we were looking for a younger crowd so we left and wanted to find out where the young people were…..
We started walking aimlessly and found a guy around our age and so Joana, the brave, bold, and outgoing individual that she is went up to him and immediately before she even spoke he said “I’m sorry I don’t’ think I can help you” UM perfect…Of COURSE YOU CAN…the next thing I knew we were at another cafe/bar all outdoors and COLD which I didn’t mind….with a ton of random people that spoke English? DONE conversation with people our age that can understand us!? I already liked Germany but it was SO NICE to hear English. Eventually some of them fizzled off and it was the four of us and 4 of them…who were they? THEY legit were some of the nicest, coolest kids I have ever met. They were from Holland on a school trip looking at Grad schools….though they already had degrees? I’m not sure…they were all in the same field some science or something…WAY over my head….but they study and live in Amsterdam and they made the city seem so awesome….not what everyone says it really is…they told us about all the touristy stuff is NOT the real Amsterdam…..we spent just hours talking and hanging out and it was really awesome….after spending some time at the bar they asked us to go back to their hostel with them and hangout there….since all the hostels have bars and lounges it was a great idea….we spent even more time with them just hanging out and talking…it was so fun and really a great experience...and they all wanted us to come visit them in Amsterdam which was AWESOME of them to even suggest especially when they were adamant that we stay with them and they will show us all that Holland and Amsterdam had to offer…I mean this is REALLY hard to pass up…but Amsterdam really isn’t in my travel plans….but someday….holy Random night right? SO soon enough we had to jump on the metro because the metro stopped running around 4 in the morning. So we jumped on and we got to as far as we could before the metro was done running for the night. There were sketchy guys next to us on the metro they were young but they were belligerent and none of us wanted to deal with it…so we found a taxi as soon as we could and got back the hostel in one piece.
AND WHAT happend NEXT!???
you'll just have to wait!!!!
.........Czech it out.......until next time.......
-H
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