Travels

I'm back! It's been a crazy two weeks with Prague and Paris two weekends in a row, but I had the most amazing time. The entire time I kept thinking about how lucky I am to be spending my semester like this, and I was grateful for every minute. ANYWAY... I will tell you some highlights of my travels!

Prague: I can probably just cut to the chase and say that I finally got to see MAGGIEEEEE and it was so great to see a familiar face. And what a face!!! hahahaha love you. As soon as she met me at the metro stop, the first thing on our mind was obviously food...even though it was around 10 we went to a restaurant. Typical. The next day Maggie had class so I wandered around "Nova Mesto" or something like that...which I only remember because it's almost like Russian and means "New Place" literally in Russian, but maybe in Czech it means something more like New Town. Anyway, I got lost of course, and had my notions of Czechs in public being unfriendly AFFIRMED...no one would make eye contact with me for me to ask where I am. Until I spotted a smiling American man who automatically knew that I was also an American who happened to be lost. So he helped me get back...somehow I was like a 40 minute walk away from where I needed to be. Again, typical.

That night we went to Radost, where Rihanna filmed "Please don't stop the music." It was great, especially the Usher-wannabee that tried to hog the attention from the rapper that was supposed to be performing, only to be outdone by a couple making out, also in the middle of the stage. Maybe you just had to see it.

The next day we saw all of the sights, Prague castle and such. It was all beautiful, like a fairy tale. You can check out the pictures because I can't do it justice with words. Or you should probably just go. That night, if I remember correctly, we went to Cross Club, which is where the drug dealers and shadiest people in Prague (or the world?) hang out! Perfect. It was so cool on the inside, dark with moving lit up car parts hanging from the ceiling. We had an unwelcome guest, somewhere between 30 and 70 years old, who invited himself to our table and bought us drinks which we were too scared to drink. Maybe because his first topic of conversation was "Did you know someone was murdered here last month?" Oh, by you? And we're next? Another shot please!!

The next day we mostly rested and of course ate a lot, and then went to THE LARGEST CLUB IN CENTRAL EUROPE!!! Five stories, different music on every floor, very cool club. Besides for the fact that everyone was about 16 and I felt like I was at a Bar Mitzvah and someone was going to start a game of coke and pepsi at any moment. Or maybe I was just hoping that they would... It was an experience at the least. Oh and at some point that night I lost my phone. Once again, typical.

Overall, it was an amazingggggggg time! Cant wait for Italy, Maggie :)

Paris: Woke up at 4:45 to catch the 6:26 train. Walked to the train station (40 mins away) in the RAIN (of course). Four hour train ride, slept for maybe two hours? Actually a good ride, I'm glad we left that early because we got A LOT done on Friday. When we stepped out of the train station were basically blinded by the sunlight because we are not used to it in Amsterdam. It was a beautiful day. First we went to the Champs Elysees, which has the Arc de Triumph at the end of it. We went to the top, amazing view. Then we went to Notre Dame, saw a line, and assumed we should be in it to get inside. Turns out it was a line to go the to top of Notre Dame, and going inside is just free with no line. Its ok though, worth the 5 euros, because we got another great view. Oh, and ate banana nutella crepes in line. AMAZING. Thennnn we went to the Louvre, I was exhausted by this point, but the Louvre is pretty much breathtaking. And I saw Taylor there!!!!! What are the odds? Oh and the Mona Lisa...slightly dissapointing.

This is getting really long...so basically Saturday we went to the catacombs (creepy), Musee d'Orsay (amazing) and the top of the eiffel tower at night (pretty much as great as you would imagine, but better). At night we were going to go to an Irish pub with some of Dan's friends who are studying in Paris, but it was really full and there were like 10 of us so, of course, we each bought a bottle of wine and drank it on the canal. There was also some Camembert cheese, so the perfect French experience. Then we were going to go to the hookah lounge, so I had to finish my bottle on the metro. Or maybe I purposely saved some so I could act homeless and drink it on the metro...who knows. It was great nonetheless. And I love/really missed hookah.

Sunday we went to Versailles, which was SO beautiful. Too bad it was raining though so the gardens were kind of lame. But it was ok because it gave us an excuse to not spend so much time in them and...eat a Tex Mex restaurant!!! Haha the only real restaurant I ate in in Paris was a poor attempt at Mexican food. But we all missed it so much, we had to at least try. At least my Mango Mojito was delicious. Then we got on the train and came back to the Dam!

Phew this is an intense entry. Closing thoughts: I really loved both of these cities, my first impressions of both were, "wow, these buildings are so much more grand and amazing than in Amsterdam." But then after a few days in both I realized how happy I am I chose to study here. It is beautiful in a more quaint way, and the best part is that it is small enough that I almost never use public transportation, I can just ride my bike! I HATE the metro, I got a little more used to it when I had to take it everywhere in Paris and Prague, but I am still so happy I never have to deal with that here. Also I think the people here are much more friendly and accepting of foreigners, so its just a really nice atmosphere to live in.

Thats all for now, next exciting things to look forward to: Girl Talk at Paradiso March 19, and AVERY AND ZHANNA ARE VISITING MARCH 27TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait :)