Buffett and Beer

This weekend was insane, literally the time of my life. It started out Thursday morning, leaving class a little early to head to Paris for a Jimmy Buffett concert that night. It took us (me, Graham, Megan, Christine, Liz, and Rachel) basically all day to get to the ghetto of Paris where our b&b was. The concert venue was a short walk away, which was nice, but this was not exactly how I imagined Paris to look. We briefly saw the very top of the Eiffel tower from a distance, but I think when I go back in a few weeks, I'll get a different and better perspective on the city.

La Trabendo, the concert venue, was awesome because it was so small. Apparently it holds 700 people, but there were far less there. We were able to get up pretty close (I got up to the second row at one point, but people were pretty pushy so I didn't stay there long). It kind of sucked being short at that point because even when I was close it was still hard to see :( but it was crazy. Jimmy opened with "Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude" and played all the songs I loved. The only song I wish he played that he didn't was, "Why don't we get Drunk,"oh well. He was pretty drunk on stage and it was just good vibes all around. Even though the crowd was a little older (we were the youngest ones there, aside from a few kids who came with their parents), but everyone had the best time.

Killin' it (I'm pretty sure this was It's 5 o'clock Somewhere)

Afterwards, we all went to get some food and drinks at a restaurant close to our b&b. Got Crepes! yum. Graham and I had to get up super early the next day to train to Munich, so we didn't stay out too late. 

Our train was at 7am the next day and we didn't have reservations, so Graham and I got up before 6 to get to the train station...couldn't get reservations, so we just got on the train and hoped for the best. We sat in the hallway like stowaways until we finally got a ticket. I am definitely not on top of my shit or good at planning anything, so I was so proud that Graham and I were able to find our way to Munich safely! There were a few setbacks though. I'm laughing just thinking about it, but Graham locked his backpack to a pole on the train and then somehow the combination changed and he couldn't get it unlocked so we were freaking out that we'd miss our next train. Too funny. It all worked out fine and even though our trains were running behind schedule we got to Munich and were able to meet up with the rest of the group at the station and at Stoke (the campsite we were staying at). It was also Graham's birthday!!! so it was fun to go to Jimmy Buffett and then travel all day with him.

Once getting to Stoke we immediately started drinking (unlimited beer and sangria for the weekend!) I told myself I wouldn't buy a dirndl, but couldn't resist once I saw how cute everyone looked in them. I wish I had a picture of our campsite, but it was pretty disgusting. We stayed in basically a teepee with moldy sleeping bags on a gross air mattress and it was freezing both nights. It was a fun experience, because everyone was around our age and all just trying to have a good time, but I'd definitely bring my own sleeping bag and stuff if I ever went back. We stayed at the campsite that night and got up early the next morning to head to Oktoberfest!

Dirndls all weekend

Oktoberfest was insane. 

We split up into smaller groups once getting there and went to get some steins! Anna did an exchange program in high school so we met up with some of her German friends and got a table with them in a beer garden. We were seated, no problem - it was still pretty early so lines weren't that long yet. It was fun being there with people from Germany, they taught us German drinking games and songs and dances, though I don't remember much of it now. 

Prost!

We went to the old fashion area too which was cool. We saw some traditional dancing, which I obviously attempted to do, but failed. I made Justin and Graham dance with me, none of us had any idea what was going on, but so much fun. Somehow it just ended up being Taylor, Graham, and I (we were there for 12 hours) and we struggled but made it back to our campsite around 10pm.

The next day I finally changed out of my dirndl (seriously didn't take it off all weekend) and we all headed to go to the Dachau concentration camp. I was very hesitant on going, but it was a good experience. Although it was totally at the opposite side of spectrum of Oktoberfest, I'm glad I went. I cried a lot and couldn't even go into the crematorium, but it was interesting and really put things into perspective. I didn't take any pictures though, it just didn't seem right.

Later that day, Taylor, Adrianna, Lyndsea and I walked around Munich for a while because we really hadn't gotten to see any of the city. It was so pretty, I love architecture and there were a lot of cool street musicians. 

This weekend was crazy. From Switzerland to Paris to Munich, all of it was so much fun and I didn't want the weekend to end. It was a good feeling coming home though after such a long weekend - it's weird how the Montarina has so quickly come to feel like home. 

Other things I've decided I want to do:

- actually learn Italian

- do more art (whatever that may be)

Eclectic Thoughts and Adventures

Before I post about this past weekend, I wanted to write down somethings from last week that I don't want to forget.

Aside from starting a new class (religion and philosophy) which is incredibly hard/I have basically no idea what's going on, the whole group had a lot of time to explore and hangout Lugano style. On Monday (? I think...the days all seem to run together) night we headed up to this pink castle to play some capture the flag and sardines in the dark. We weren't out too late because Lugano has this weird quiet after 10pm rule, but it was so much fun to do something in Lugano besides school work because lately we haven't really had much time to ourselves.

Then on Wednesday a big group of us got tickets to see a Lugano hockey game! I almost didn't go, but because I regretted not seeing a futbol game in Barcelona, I didn't want to make the same mistake again. Even though Lugano lost :( we all had a blast...got a few beers, learned (or tried to) a few Italian cheers. We sat in the student section and people get just as hyped about Lugano hockey as Hokies do about Tech football, so it was pretty awesome. On a side note, it's crazy how people smoke weed out in public all the time here, even though it's not legal. People were just casually rolling and smoking blunts in the stadium. Chill.

Anyways, it's just crazy how we've only been here 4 weeks or so and it feels like we've all known each other for so long. I love everyone so much and our group dynamics are too funny, so dysfunctional. I end up already missing people on the weekends when we don't all travel together and it's only two or three days apart. It's funny how when you live on top of each other, how close you can get so fast.

Train Fiascoes in Italia

I had recently decided that train was my new favorite way to travel, but after this weekend I take that back and am saying train is my favorite way to travel when you know where you're going.

This weekend six of us (me, Taylor, Martha, Adrianna, Leah, and Krissy) went to Cinque Terre and Venice together. Most of our program went to Italy as well, but some went to Venice first and then Cinque, some went to Venice and Florence, and some people stayed in Florence both nights. 

Before I get into all the train drama, let me tell you, this was my favorite trip I've ever taken in my life. Cinque Terre is the most beautiful place on earth. I can't even find the words to describe it. It was paradise. Our train there was easy (we left at like 6 in the morning Friday) and we stepped off the train in Monterosso to a beautiful beach view. We walked around for a while and ate at a restaurant called El Dorado's where I got yummy pasta with pesto and a strawberry daiquiri. We then took a ferry past all five towns of Cinque Terre to the last one, Riomaggiore, where our hostel was. Our hostel was actually a little ways away in a town up the mountain called Biassa, but there were vans that drove us back and forth to town. We spent the night walking around Riomaggiore, ate dinner, and went to a mojito bar where they had huge mojitos. Like enormous mojitos. We had to go back to our hostel at 11:30 because of the vans, but we had to get up really early the next day anyways.

Riomaggiore

Sunset in Riomaggiore

We spent all day Saturday exploring the other four towns of Cinque Terre and at the beach! My favorite towns were Manarola (the second to last) and Vernazza (the second). Manarola had this trail along a cliff that had gorgeous views and in Vernazza, we climbed on rocks by the water and had the best calamari I've ever tasted. So fresh. We found this little cove that lead out to the water and I was able to collect a good amount of sea glass, which I'm starting to collect. The beach was awesome, too. The water was so salty that you could float really easily and I just love the beach. It was so relaxing to spend a few good hours out laying in the sun...though I didn't really get tan. It sucks and I get so frustrated because words and pictures do not do Cinque any justice at all and I want to tell and show people about it, but it's just not possible to capture how great it was.

Manarola

Vernazza

Such good calamari

We left Cinque Terre in the afternoon to head to Venice and this is where our train trouble started. We had to run for one train because we were running late, like sprint. Apparently Martha ran into some old man full force. I would have died laughing if I saw that, she kills me. Then we missed a stop because Adrianna couldn't open the door (so funny) and we just got off at the next stop. Bad idea. It was around 9 at night and the stop (Ponte de Brento) was this old abandoned, boarded up shack covered in sketchy graffiti with one flood light. There was literally nothing around and it was the first time traveling without any of the guys. There were only two more trains coming to that stop that night so we just hopped on the next one to get to somewhere less sketchy to figure out where we were. We ended up getting into Venice around 11pm, which actually worked out okay because we stayed in a super nice hostel right on the water. But that experience was something I definitely would not want to go through again. I don't get scared easily, but I was really tense throughout that whole situation.

Welcome to Venice?? Uhhh no

The next morning we got up around 8 to go explore Venezia! With all the stress from the night before I didn't immediately like Venice, but it grew on me throughout the day. In the morning we got to see them raise the Italian flag, which was pretty cool. We went to this incredible bakery that Adrianna had been to before with her family, it was so good! The water taxis were fun to take around everywhere and after walking around for a while we went to Murano and Burano (two islands that are known for their glass and lace). We ate lunch in Murano and then did a cute little photo shoot in Burano. I fell in love with the houses on Burano. They were all brightly colored and it just had an awesome, happy vibe.

The Grand Canal

 Can't go to Italy and not get a cannoli

Colorful houses in Burano

We left in the early evening and fortunately didn't have any train problems on the way back. When we got back to the Milano Centrale station we ran into everyone else and it was such a cute reunion. It's weird how we were only apart for a few days but it felt like forever since we are normally constantly together. It was such a good weekend, and I know the Cinque experience will be hard to beat. I knew traveling would have an impact on me, but it's definitely happening in unexpected ways.

Things that this trip is making me realize I want/need to do:

- spend more time outdoors

- dread all my hair
- surround myself with more positive vibes

Barcelona Loca

This past weekend, 14 of us traveled to Barcelona, Spain and it was incredible. This may be a longer post, but there is just so much stuff that happened that I want to remember.

After an hour flight from Milano to Barcelona, we arrived at our hostel called, Itaca. It was so cute - mural-covered the walls, artsy lamps hung from the ceiling, a windy staircase wrapped in christmas lights - definitely a lot nicer than I expected a hostel to be.

We settled in a bit and then headed off to dinner. Although it is a custom to eat dinner around 9 or 10, we were starving and couldn't wait. A few of us ended up eating at a restaurant close by called Taverna del Bisbe, where we all split a bunch of tapas, seafood paella, and a few pitchers of sangria. Yum! The paella/all the seafood was so fresh and amazing. I think I ate a total of four paellas in the 2 days we were there. So good.

Paella and Calamari!

After that restaurant we decided to go to another restaurant (we are fatties) just to see what other foods there were. Leah and I split some mussels and we all got another round of sangria!

That night we went out to a L'Ovella Negra, a pub located downtown and then a club called Razzmatazz. Razzmatazz was a five (?) story club that was basically a maze and none of us still have any idea the layout, but every room played different music and it was so much fun! Such an incredible night. We went home around 6 or 6:30 am, but Anna, Lyndsea, and I were in a cab together and didn't know the street name where Itaca was located. We told the cab driver near the cathedral, but he ended up dropping us off at a different cathedral on the other side of Barcelona. We were lost for 2 hours, wandering around...it sucked, but it was nice to see the whole city. Finally, we made it home around 8am and passed out.

We got up a few hours later (no sleep in Barcelona!) and went to lunch - more paella! We wandered around this outside market place, which was really cool. They had things like jewelry, art, clothes. I bought a pretty bracelet from an Inca store. There was a bunch of sick graffiti throughout the city too.

Later we went on a long adventure to the train station to reserve our tickets home, which was annoying and pointless and took forever, but whatever, got to see more of the city. Afterwards Katie and I got crepes with nutella and went to the beach! IT WAS NUDE! I LOVED IT! Obviously I went topless, so free! The water was pretty cold, but I still loved being there. 

Sunset on our way back to the hostel.

We then met up with everyone else (some people had gone to a futbol game...which I now regret not doing but it was pretty expensive) and we got mojitos at a bar down by the beach. Some people went out afterwards, but others just went back to the hostel to chill. We were all so exhausted from not getting any sleep and walking around all day.

We had to get up super early the next morning to catch our train. It was my first time riding a train so I was excited and it was so awesome. I don't know if I'd want to do it again, but spending an entire day on a train this one time and being able to see Spain, France, and more of Switzerland on the way back was pretty cool. France was absolutely gorgeous, we went through a lot of little rural towns and passed lakes and mountains. It was beautiful and I definitely want to go back sometime soon! On one of our trains there was a guy playing guitar and we just listened to him the entire way. Graham said it all -"music is a common language" - and after hearing Spanish, French, German, and Italian everywhere it was nice to listen to something you know everyone in the train would have understood. It was so relaxing and was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

Somewhere in France!

Somewhere between Geneva and Zurich

There were so many dreadheads throughout our trip home too! Makes me so tempted to do my whole head.....

This was our first weekend trip, so we definitely had a lot to learn from the experience - things we'll do differently next time. Although I hate touristy stuff, I wish we had seen a little more of that side of Barca, but I did enjoy the aimless walking. Definitely miss Barcelona already, but it was nice to come home to everyone in Lugano. Some people went to Rome and it was cool to share experiences. Can't wait to do some more traveling, I think we're going to Italy next weekend (either Cinque Terre or Venice or maybe both!) and anyone who knows me knows I've wanted to go to Italy my whole life!

Mountaineers!

Sunday we woke up fairly early (basically on the only day we could've slept in) and went for a hike in the Swiss Alps on Monte San Salvatore. I'm not a hiking fanatic or anything, but I've done my fair share of hikes around Northern Virginia and Blacksburg and thought I'd be relatively prepared to make it to the top without much struggle. Let me tell you, I was very wrong. It was the hardest hike I've ever completed and there were quite a few times when I seriously thought I had to stop and turn back. Fortunately, it was mostly overcast on our way up, so at least we didn't have the sun beating down on us, but I went through my water bottle pretty fast and it was a very steep incline a majority of the way. There were a lot of stairs, which made the hike feel like a million squats and my legs/butt are still killing me.

Some of the us and Brinberg taking a break on the way up...almost at the top!

But reaching the top was totally worth it. At the top of the mountain there was a tall church that you could stand on the top of and the view was absolutely breathtaking. You could see Lago di Lugano and even parts of Italy. The sun finally came out and the breeze felt so good. There really aren't words to describe how incredible it was and the pictures really don't even do it any justice at all.

It finally started raining once we were heading back and near the base of San Salvatore and on our walk back to the Montarina it was raining pretty heavily. We came back soaked, all showered, and then went out to a fancy little family dinner. We went to a restaurant right across our hostel called, Ana Capri, which served Italian food. I got scialatielle nere con gamberetti, pomodorini e basilica (black pasta with shrimp, tomatoes, and basil). Yum! The restaurant has large windows that overlook the town and lake and even though it was stormy, it was a still nice. The only thing that sucks is that water is so expensive, it was about 5 francs at dinner.

Yesterday, however, was less exciting. It was a typical Monday...my roommates and I overslept a bit and all woke up 10 minutes before we had to leave. Class was rough as usual, we have so many readings and projects to do with so little time to do it in, especially because we still want time to explore Lugano. After morning class I went out to the pool to complete my readings for the afternoon and ended up stepping on a bee. So painful! But at least it happened the day after our hike instead of before because I was limping around for a while. It's much better today, the pain and swelling have gone down.

The pool at the Montarina.

This week is going to be a busy one and our internet connection has been going in and out (guess it’ll prepare us for when we have no internet in Rwanda!), but we finally got our train tickets and everything ready for Barcelona next weekend and Oktoberfest in a few weeks, so I’ve definitely got a lot to look forward to!

I'm Going to Come Home with a Great Ass

I think that during these past few days I have walked more than I ever have in my entire life. To get anywhere you have to go through hilly streets and having to carry groceries up is a huge struggle. We also have class twice a day, which is a 20-25 minute walk from the Montarina to Franklin College. My legs and butt are constantly sore, but hey, at least I'll leave in great shape. We are going to hike one of the major mountains on Sunday, which is exciting, but I also hope I can still move at that point.

Yesterday a bunch of us from all three groups (Kenya finally got here!) went paddle boating out to the middle of Lago di Lugano and swam for a while. The water was pretty cold, but the view was beautiful and it was nice to hangout with everyone as a whole. I love our whole group, everyone is down-to-earth and I think we will all really get along and work well together.

And last night we went out to a mojito bar where we met up with other Virginia Tech students who are studying in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. They have been here for four weeks already and were telling us about their adventures so far and giving us advice for ours. One of my best friends and future roommate is in the program and it was great to see and talk to her. I miss all my friends so much, so it was nice to have a little bit of home here.

I don't know, I've noticed I'm just happy here. Like, I know this is all new and still feels like vacation, but the people here are so nice and I know these next few months are going to be incredible. Even though we started classes today (getting up at 8am sucked and I'm going to take a nap very soon) I'm ready to start learning and it doesn't seem like it will be too hard because everyone is taking the same classes together and we can all help each other study...but we'll see how I feel about that in a few weeks.

I just want to start doing some traveling already! We are going to Barcelona next weekend (we have to catch up on classes this weekend, so no travel unfortunately) for Jaclyn's birthday and I can't wait!

Giorni Uno e Due

Yesterday morning, we finally got to Lugano and I swear, it is the most beautiful place in the world.

The rest of our program group hadn't arrived yet (the last group still isn't here) so we were able to explore the downtown area, exchange our currency, eat delicious gelato, and go out to a local bar all before everyone else got here. The time difference is a struggle to get used to and my legs are already sore from all the walking, but it's amazing here and I already don't want to leave.

La Piazza di Lugano

Today, my two roommates, our group leader, and I went out together in the morning for breakfast at a cute market-type deli. The food here is so good, literally everything. Then we headed down to small rock beach where we took a little dip and sunbathed until we had to head back to the Montarina to meet up with everyone else. After meeting the Ethiopia group, we all hiked to Gandria together, which is on the northern shore of Lago di Lugano. It was all uphill, but totally worth it in the end where we were able to take a another swim in the lake.

Adiamo a Gandria!

Tonight is "Two for One Tuesday" at the bar we went to yesterday, so I'm sure they'll be some interesting stories to come!