there and back again: April 2007

Barcelona

I know the church is artistic, but I didn't get it.

Anna my travel buddy, Emu and ostrich eggs?, apparently what pregnant women look like, I felt like Ariel in Park Guell except fully clothed and with feet. oh and korean.

This statue was beautiful. Seriously it was.

On Olympic grounds, the only picture of my hosts that I have - the girl on the left Sarah just quit her job that day so she bought us beers on our last night, and the dude's name is Ignacio, paella, one of the many gardens

Florence and Jesus

Genoa, Venice, I don't even need to explain this, hustlers bocciball (spelling? I thought of explo when I saw this)

I've enjoyed myself so much more since the 3-week study break. The break itself was amazing. I traveled to Barcelona with a friend and made friends with some physics majors from southern Germany. We got to enjoy the hospitality of a couple I found on couchsurfing. Our flight to Paris got cancelled so I flew straight to Milan and found my parents after multiple hours of miscommunication and jawns. I didn't think my dad would have internet access but I emailed him in case he would get to a computer telling him that I had to fly into Italy a few days early - which was actually the same day that my parents flew in. I let him know that the hotel I had booked for that night was "Hotel Delmo" because that's what it was called on the website. So my parents called the 4star hotel that we were going to stay in two days later and had them look up Hotel Delmo so they could reach me. But there's no such thing as Hotel Delmo - it's called Hotel Demo and the website just messed things up for everybody. Hotel De(l)mo's internet didn't work so I had to walk around until I found this sketched out PC room, where they wanted my passport to run through their system but I gave them my license instead. I was pretty proud of myself that I thought not to give them my passport. Any normal person would've done that anyway but I was impressed with myself that I did something practical. But turns out my parents were staying in a Holiday Inn and my dad had replied to my email. So I got there and basically missed them by a few minutes- and we ended up eatin dinner 3 stores away from each other. Lots of frustration- mom cried when she saw me in the lobby. Honestly I wanted to cry too but I sucked it up. But seriously, thank God for the internet. Pretty much all of Milan's hotel staff knew of me and my parents because the stuff we went through . geez.

I really like this picture

Slept in Milano the first night. Took a day trip to Genoa the second day. Nayeon came to Milano from Ulm/Stuttgart on the third day. Went to Venice on the fourth day. Got bitten by mosquitos all over my face. Went to Padova on the 7th day, where we then took a cab to Champarsdego to see the baby in concert with her school's orchestra. We actually couldn't get a taxi back to Florence and the husband of the event's organizer graciously gave us a ride in his old van. It was incredible. Florence on the 8th day and took a day trip to Pisa. Left Florence for Milan on the 9th day and got to Milan, where we stayed in the cutest motel thing. Got to sleep for 2 hours then flew back to Copenhagen at 6.30 am on the 10th day. I may have gotten the days messed up but it went something like that.

I got back the Saturday before Easter Sunday, and within 20 minutes after I stepped into my Danish house I had taken a shower and was getting ready for Easter lunch. They fed us so much Danish food and drink, and I thought I was going to pass out I was so tired. Special occasion dinners last forever here.. it can go as long as 8 hours. It's a whole day affair. But I got out of it and went to bed by 9.30. *bliss

Since I've been back I've written 2 horrendous term papers, gone to the Royal Ballet, took a lil shopping trip to Sweden, hung out in Rosenburg Slot, met Australians, eaten a lot of ice cream (soft is = soft ice = tastes like frozen cool whip), gone to a football match, went to Karen Blixen's house, gained more weight, watched Justin's burned movies, and stressed about my senior year. I need to write this so I don't forget it. It's been nice being back, and the weather's absolutely freaking beautiful. The second half has definitely been so much better than the first. But I'm anxious to get home. I feel like I haven't been in Philadelphia for a long long time. Everything's changed in my house, too. I don't even live in my room anymore - it belongs to the baby now.

But I'm excited. YEAAA small room that faces the pool.

k picture time.