As you can tell by my lack of postings, I have been keeping myself busy the past month! Spring is officially here, and Copenhagen is now the land of BBQs, lazy days in the park, and sunbathing to ditch the pale scandiavian winter skin.
Following my trip to London, my last big destination of the semester was Rome April 13-17. Unbelievable city. I won't go into much detail, but I have to admit this was one of the greatest cities I have ever seen. Every time I turned a corner there was another ancient ruin or historic sight to witness. The vatican, the coliseum, the ancient forums, pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain...Rome is a city overflowing with rich treasures and I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to experience it. My pictures I've posted go into more detail, so have a look :)
Since then, I've been enjoying my time in Copenhagen and taking in all the city has to offer. Springtime in this city is delightful —the Danes are itching for the sun after the dreary, gray, depressing winter weather in Copenhagen. People no longer run inside to escape the rain--the days are long, the outdoor cafes overflow with people sipping iced lattes, sunbathers sprawl in the parks, and the city is a constant buzz. We have been doing a lot of grilling, biking around the city, and we have even made it to the beach a few times! I too have caught the spring fever.
Last weekend my friend Hannah made the trek over from the Netherlands for a visit--it was wonderful showing her my city. We made a bike trip to Helsingor, Denmark with some friends from Copenhagen. We followed the scenic route by the sea side, wound our way through some forests, and stumbled across some Danish countryside before arriving 3 ½ hours later in Helsingor to explore the Krongbor “Hamlet” Castle. Although the exterior of the castle was quite impressive, the inside was a bit disappointing; especially for the entry fee we paid. Overall, though, the trip was wonderful and we really enjoyed seeing Denmark by bike
We also spent some time exploring the free town Christiania. Christiania is an old military barracks that was established by squatters in the early 70’s and now serves as a symbol of the tolerant liberalism of Denmark. Tucked away in the outskirts of Copenhagen, Christiania’s 1,000 inhabitants live freely in a refuge of peace and alternative lifestyles. There is no buying or selling of land and when someone leaves the community, the members get to decide who will move in their place. While Christiania remains under enormous pressure to become “normalized”, they serve a strong role in entertaining tourists in Copenhagen. In the springtime the place is swarming with people taking in this mysterious free world that most are so unaccustomed to. It is a tangle of ramshackled homes bursting with character, outrageous graffiti, hippies, hidden gardens, appealing architecture, cafes, music and much more. There is, of course, always a party in Christiania and you will find people drinking and stumbling the streets no matter what time of day.
While the community does pay taxes to the government, they still face tremendous pressure to give up their free town and assimilate into the rest of Copenhagen. They have fended off pressure in the past, so only time will tell if Christianian’s will keep their Freetown. In the mean time, it’s a nice afternoon escape from the city life.
This afternoon I did a bit of exploring in the city of Roskilde, Denmark, the hometown of my Danish mentor from my university, Cathrine. She introduced Clair, Megan and I to her city, home, and family and played tour guide for the day. Roskilde is home to The Viking Ship Museum in Denmark, and although we opted to skip the 75 DKK entry fee and spend our day in the sun instead, we were able to get a look at the Viking ships outside the museum and spend some time in the gift shop looking at all the Viking trinkets for sale. We also visited Cathrine’s old highschool and spent time discovering quaint villages with the most adorable homes I have ever seen. They were pulled directly out of a story book:) We stopped at the Roskilde Cathedral where all the Denmark Royalty are buried and took a long hike from the harbor, along the sea and fjord, and through the forest.
We ate a wonderful Danish dinner with her family at her home, and after dinner we took a tour of Roskilde by car! Haven’t been in one of those in quite some time We stopped at some beautiful deserted beaches and saw some real Danish countryside before heading back for some dessert. It was a wonderful day.
As my time abroad winds to a close, I have been doing a lot of thinking as to what this whole experience has meant to me. In all honesty, sometimes it feels like it didn’t even happen. The novelty of studying abroad sort of fades after the first few weeks and then the whole idea of living and studying in a new place becomes not so new anymore…which is how it becomes home :) Before coming abroad I hadn’t much of a clue as to what to expect, but I never would have imagined Copenhagen would become so special to me. I look back on the past semester, and I really have made a home in this city. This study abroad has been such a fleeting, truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is gone before I had time to prepare myself for the end. I am beyond excited to be with my family and friends again, but I still have to prepare myself mentally for the culture shock of going back to the US!
I will forever cherish the memories I've created, the friends I've made and the times I’ve shared with them. Each person has influenced me in some way or another and I’ve grown in so many ways because of my experiences here.
BUT, I’m not done yet! I still have a week and a half left to enjoy here--time to soak it all in :)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I love London!
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind! A few weeks ago, the realization hit me that this is actually "study" abroad, and I decided it was time to start doing some serious studying before my first set of final exams! In between studying, however, I managed to salvage a little time to go to London for a long weekend! Just a little study break...:) (I passed my exam with flying colors, by the way!)
London--I hate playing favorites, but London was definitely right up at the top of my favorites I've visited so far. Although 3 days was hardly enough time to take in the full allure of London, it was just long enough to promise myself I will be returning there someday. I loved it. The history, the sights, the people, the atmosphere...I couldn't get enough.
After an hour and half flight delay (I hate cheap airlines), I arrived in London just after the metro closed for the night and was no where near my hostel. After spending an hour figuring out a new route to my hostel, walking to a bus stop, and riding to my hostel…I arrived there for check in after 2 am. Yikes! Oz was up and waiting for me when I arrived (and worried-oops should have called) but we got a few hours of sleep before the busy sightseeing the next day.
We started at the Tower of London, one of the most famous and historical landmarks of London. The free beefeater tour guides were entertaining and gave an accurate and interesting retelling of the history of the castle. We learned all about the prisoners of the past, conspiracy of the two boys that were killed there, the beheadings, and so much more. After the tour, we made our way to see the crown jewels which were also housed in the Tower of London--beautiful! We picniced outside the grounds of the Tower overlooking the river and the famous Tower Bridge:) (i took a million pictures of the bridge!—I was obsessed haha.)
The rainy British Weather wasn't cooperating so we headed to some museums for the rest of the afternoon—all free!!! We ate a late dinner in the hostel and then decided to venture out again to see London at night--Piccadilly circus!
Piccadilly Circus equates with New York's Time square, blitzed with neon lights and buzzing with nightlife. It's essentially just a famous road junction and open space in London's downtown, and has a lot of shopping, clubs, and entertainment nearby. The area serves as a recognizable meeting place and tourist attraction. We had an overpriced mug of pub beer, strolled the streets taking in the London nightlife, resisted the 3 pound (6 dollar!) delicious hot dog stands, and rode the top of the double decker bus back to our hostel. We learned that Londoners like to go out for there beer early, and many pubs close before midnight with only the clubbing scene offered for those who want to stay out later! We weren't quite up for that much of London nightlife on this vacation, so we opted to save the clubbing for a later date. :)
Sunday morning we headed to Camden Market—an affordable, colorful, open air market in London. It is really large and divided into different sections depending on what you are shopping for. They had some good bargains and some eccentric stands and shops. We spent a few hours there strolling, looking for some good steals, and tromping through the snow!! It cleared up after a few hours, but it made for a really cold walk through the market.
Next, we were off to the British Museum, with a stop at Platform 9 3/4 on the way! We had to stop and get a picture on our way to Hogwarts—we weren’t the only Harry Potter nerds with the same idea!
The British National Museum was gigantic and it was quite easy to feel overwhelmed by all the history surrounding us, so we just focused on a few sections of interest. I've noticed my attention span at museums, which not too long ago was that of a 4 year old, has drastically increased since I've been to Europe. I'm becoming so cultured :) I now see ancient Greece or Roman exhibit in a museum and am able to place it in reality and find a larger meaning or value in it after traveling to these places!
We needed some fresh air after all that history, and the beautiful St. James Park was the next destination. The park is bordered by Buckingham Palace and Parliament so we were able to get a good view of the royal palace from the park! The park was swarming with all sorts of ducks and birds, the sun was reflecting off the water and the flower gardens were in full bloom. It was wonderful. A perfect end to a busy day of sightseeing in London.
Monday was our last day there and we headed out early to watch the changing of the guards! It was quite procession and the crowds of tourists were outrageous and buzzing with the excitement of the royalty around them! We did some more sightseeing, but our major event for the day was Wicked!! The 15 pound tickets we were hoping to land were all sold out, but we ended up with quite the deal in the end—two 6th row tickets for 25 pounds each that were originally 60 pounds each! I’m going to flash my student ID card until I’m at least 30 if I continue to get deals like that…we saved $70 each! The show was captivating—quite the unforgettable experience seeing Wicked in London. We were so close to the stage—we could see every expression and feel every emotion in the play, it was spectacular. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the vacation.
It was hard heading to the airport that night and saying good bye, but I got a wonderful taste of London and am eager for more. I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend and can’t wait to return some day :) Check out my pictures!
London--I hate playing favorites, but London was definitely right up at the top of my favorites I've visited so far. Although 3 days was hardly enough time to take in the full allure of London, it was just long enough to promise myself I will be returning there someday. I loved it. The history, the sights, the people, the atmosphere...I couldn't get enough.
After an hour and half flight delay (I hate cheap airlines), I arrived in London just after the metro closed for the night and was no where near my hostel. After spending an hour figuring out a new route to my hostel, walking to a bus stop, and riding to my hostel…I arrived there for check in after 2 am. Yikes! Oz was up and waiting for me when I arrived (and worried-oops should have called) but we got a few hours of sleep before the busy sightseeing the next day.
We started at the Tower of London, one of the most famous and historical landmarks of London. The free beefeater tour guides were entertaining and gave an accurate and interesting retelling of the history of the castle. We learned all about the prisoners of the past, conspiracy of the two boys that were killed there, the beheadings, and so much more. After the tour, we made our way to see the crown jewels which were also housed in the Tower of London--beautiful! We picniced outside the grounds of the Tower overlooking the river and the famous Tower Bridge:) (i took a million pictures of the bridge!—I was obsessed haha.)
The rainy British Weather wasn't cooperating so we headed to some museums for the rest of the afternoon—all free!!! We ate a late dinner in the hostel and then decided to venture out again to see London at night--Piccadilly circus!
Piccadilly Circus equates with New York's Time square, blitzed with neon lights and buzzing with nightlife. It's essentially just a famous road junction and open space in London's downtown, and has a lot of shopping, clubs, and entertainment nearby. The area serves as a recognizable meeting place and tourist attraction. We had an overpriced mug of pub beer, strolled the streets taking in the London nightlife, resisted the 3 pound (6 dollar!) delicious hot dog stands, and rode the top of the double decker bus back to our hostel. We learned that Londoners like to go out for there beer early, and many pubs close before midnight with only the clubbing scene offered for those who want to stay out later! We weren't quite up for that much of London nightlife on this vacation, so we opted to save the clubbing for a later date. :)
Sunday morning we headed to Camden Market—an affordable, colorful, open air market in London. It is really large and divided into different sections depending on what you are shopping for. They had some good bargains and some eccentric stands and shops. We spent a few hours there strolling, looking for some good steals, and tromping through the snow!! It cleared up after a few hours, but it made for a really cold walk through the market.
Next, we were off to the British Museum, with a stop at Platform 9 3/4 on the way! We had to stop and get a picture on our way to Hogwarts—we weren’t the only Harry Potter nerds with the same idea!
The British National Museum was gigantic and it was quite easy to feel overwhelmed by all the history surrounding us, so we just focused on a few sections of interest. I've noticed my attention span at museums, which not too long ago was that of a 4 year old, has drastically increased since I've been to Europe. I'm becoming so cultured :) I now see ancient Greece or Roman exhibit in a museum and am able to place it in reality and find a larger meaning or value in it after traveling to these places!
We needed some fresh air after all that history, and the beautiful St. James Park was the next destination. The park is bordered by Buckingham Palace and Parliament so we were able to get a good view of the royal palace from the park! The park was swarming with all sorts of ducks and birds, the sun was reflecting off the water and the flower gardens were in full bloom. It was wonderful. A perfect end to a busy day of sightseeing in London.
Monday was our last day there and we headed out early to watch the changing of the guards! It was quite procession and the crowds of tourists were outrageous and buzzing with the excitement of the royalty around them! We did some more sightseeing, but our major event for the day was Wicked!! The 15 pound tickets we were hoping to land were all sold out, but we ended up with quite the deal in the end—two 6th row tickets for 25 pounds each that were originally 60 pounds each! I’m going to flash my student ID card until I’m at least 30 if I continue to get deals like that…we saved $70 each! The show was captivating—quite the unforgettable experience seeing Wicked in London. We were so close to the stage—we could see every expression and feel every emotion in the play, it was spectacular. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the vacation.
It was hard heading to the airport that night and saying good bye, but I got a wonderful taste of London and am eager for more. I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend and can’t wait to return some day :) Check out my pictures!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Greek Islands of Poros and Hydra
As the Acropolis pretty much encompasses what Athens is, we wasted no time hopping on a ferry to a nearby island. Little beknownst to us, we got a lot more than we bargained for when booking our short 1 hour 15 minute ride to Poros. After sleeping through our alarm clock, frantically tearing through the apartment gathering our belongings and rinsing the dirty dishes in the sink, and hailing down some taxis, we just made it to the port in time to step on our ferry. Phew--hectic morning, but we were on board and ready for sailing. As the attendents started handing out complimentary puke bags shortly into our trip, however, our stomaches started to feel a little nervous (the birthday boy was looking the worst!) The rest of the trip was a nightmare. The rainy, windy weather outside tossed the ferry everywhere, and stomachs were turning as the boat leapt throught the air. The boat quickly began ringing withe the sounds of people using their previously distributed puke bags and for the first time I actually saw what green sea sick faces looked like! People were dropping like flies and the smell in the boat made it that much more nauseating. The waves were unrelentless, it honestly felt like a nightmare! All I could do from getting sick was put my headphones on full blast to drown out the sounds, close my eyes, and just pretend it was a carnival ride haha. I actually held myself together (barely!), and when we finally arrived in Poros we needed a nap after that adventure! After the nap, we grabbed a really delicious Greek dinner and then walked around in the rain with our makeshift plastic tablecloth raincoats the restaurant gave us free of charge :) The rain cleared up just in time to let the sun peek through to paint the sky with some nice colors for sunset...beautiful. We grabbed some supplies to cook dinner back in our apartments and spent the night relaxing in.We had two little apartments for our stay with 3 people in each, both equipped with kitchen and a bathroom! They were wonderful, and right across from this Greek family selling "local cheap wine" that they poured straight out of barrels in their basement when we bought it.
The island was adorable overall--it really was tiny, but with so much character, beautiful beaches, and amazing landscapes. We rented 4 wheelers for a day (SO FUN! and pretty cheap too!) and were able to cruise around the entire island, capturing some views from some pretty steep heights we wouldn't have traversed to by foot. We were able to stumble across tome quiet deserted beaches, do some mild rock climbing, and see all that Poros had to offer--all thanks to our trusty 4 wheelers! We spent some time soaking in the sun on the beautiful beach, but the water was pretty icey so we didn't dare more than a quick jump off the rocks. We had a wonderful and relaxing time together, and it was off to the next island Hydra! Heather and Jesse had to part ways with us before venturing onward which was sad, but getting some of the gang back together again brought some good times...everything is just that much better with your best friends :)
The island of Hydra, you must know, has no motor vehicles besides the occasional garbage trcuk. The terrain is incredibly rocky and there are few roads other than ones for the garbage trucks. Donkeys, instead, serve as the main form of transportation and they actually line the port when you step off the ferries! I wasn't prepared to see that many donkeys, it was quite humorous. After bartering our way to a 20 euro a night hostel (they wanted so much at these places!), we decided why not start our trip off the right way--with a little donkey ride. We quickly learned the power of language barriers and savvy greek business men, as it came to our attention that our "50 minute 10 euro" donkey ride was actually a 15 minute ride. Wow-what a little trick of the tongue can do! Of course this guy knows what he's doing, he rips tourists off all day long...its just our fault for not clarifying in the beginning! Oh well, we had a good laugh about us being stupid tourists and opted to traverse the island on foot for the remainder of our stay.
We began a hike that we assumed was a medium long loop around the island (why we assumed, I'm not sure), only to reach a gate saying "keep out" 2.5 hours into our uphill hike. We captured some great views on the way, however, it hardly seemed worth it when we reached this gate!! We reluctantly turned around and prepared for the descent (much easier than the hike up). Later did we discover that our looped hike we were anticipating was actually just a neverending (basically) path to all the monasteries on the island...at least we got our religion in on the hike! Another minor loop hole in the day, but at least this one was free :)
We were able to watch the sunset, grab some dinner at a quaint Greek family diner, and enjoy a bottle of wine by the port with our shoes off and our feet hanging over the edge. It was beautiful weather and there was lively music drifting from the nearby diners and bars--it was a really simple, perfect night. We slept well after our long day hiking outside.
Saturday we just walked around a bit, relaxed in the sun on the beach (the beaches in Hydra are just big rocks and cement made flat for sunbathing.) They don't have sand beaches which is different, but the "rock beaches" were actually kind of cute with umbrellas and cafes and such. We grabbed an afternoon ferry back to Athens after an incredible stay on two islands. The Greeks were allround friendly, genuine, hopsitable people who really take time to slow down and enjoy life. I am completely satisfied with my stay there and always felt very taken care of! (minus the donkey escapade)
Overall, I had such a relaxing and refreshing time, a perfect way to cap off my vacation. Each destination had something completley different to offer and it was the perfect mix of relaxation and sight seeing. Hard to believe all I have seen and experienced the last two weeks, pretty sweet.
Now its back to reality. Final exam coming up!
The island was adorable overall--it really was tiny, but with so much character, beautiful beaches, and amazing landscapes. We rented 4 wheelers for a day (SO FUN! and pretty cheap too!) and were able to cruise around the entire island, capturing some views from some pretty steep heights we wouldn't have traversed to by foot. We were able to stumble across tome quiet deserted beaches, do some mild rock climbing, and see all that Poros had to offer--all thanks to our trusty 4 wheelers! We spent some time soaking in the sun on the beautiful beach, but the water was pretty icey so we didn't dare more than a quick jump off the rocks. We had a wonderful and relaxing time together, and it was off to the next island Hydra! Heather and Jesse had to part ways with us before venturing onward which was sad, but getting some of the gang back together again brought some good times...everything is just that much better with your best friends :)
The island of Hydra, you must know, has no motor vehicles besides the occasional garbage trcuk. The terrain is incredibly rocky and there are few roads other than ones for the garbage trucks. Donkeys, instead, serve as the main form of transportation and they actually line the port when you step off the ferries! I wasn't prepared to see that many donkeys, it was quite humorous. After bartering our way to a 20 euro a night hostel (they wanted so much at these places!), we decided why not start our trip off the right way--with a little donkey ride. We quickly learned the power of language barriers and savvy greek business men, as it came to our attention that our "50 minute 10 euro" donkey ride was actually a 15 minute ride. Wow-what a little trick of the tongue can do! Of course this guy knows what he's doing, he rips tourists off all day long...its just our fault for not clarifying in the beginning! Oh well, we had a good laugh about us being stupid tourists and opted to traverse the island on foot for the remainder of our stay.
We began a hike that we assumed was a medium long loop around the island (why we assumed, I'm not sure), only to reach a gate saying "keep out" 2.5 hours into our uphill hike. We captured some great views on the way, however, it hardly seemed worth it when we reached this gate!! We reluctantly turned around and prepared for the descent (much easier than the hike up). Later did we discover that our looped hike we were anticipating was actually just a neverending (basically) path to all the monasteries on the island...at least we got our religion in on the hike! Another minor loop hole in the day, but at least this one was free :)
We were able to watch the sunset, grab some dinner at a quaint Greek family diner, and enjoy a bottle of wine by the port with our shoes off and our feet hanging over the edge. It was beautiful weather and there was lively music drifting from the nearby diners and bars--it was a really simple, perfect night. We slept well after our long day hiking outside.
Saturday we just walked around a bit, relaxed in the sun on the beach (the beaches in Hydra are just big rocks and cement made flat for sunbathing.) They don't have sand beaches which is different, but the "rock beaches" were actually kind of cute with umbrellas and cafes and such. We grabbed an afternoon ferry back to Athens after an incredible stay on two islands. The Greeks were allround friendly, genuine, hopsitable people who really take time to slow down and enjoy life. I am completely satisfied with my stay there and always felt very taken care of! (minus the donkey escapade)
Overall, I had such a relaxing and refreshing time, a perfect way to cap off my vacation. Each destination had something completley different to offer and it was the perfect mix of relaxation and sight seeing. Hard to believe all I have seen and experienced the last two weeks, pretty sweet.
Now its back to reality. Final exam coming up!
Athens, Greece
The Acropolis is UNBELIEVABLE. I arrived in Athens late on the 19th with just enough time to catch a glimpse of the acropolis lit up at night from the corner by my hostel and crawl into bed. Even at night it looked amazing.
In Madrid I parted ways with Clair and Megan and joined up with Oz, Heather and Jesse from Madison and Bobby and Bennett (his friend from Hastings and Brussels) in Athens. We had a good crew, and it felt so good to be back with old friends! I was excited for the adventures ahead.
Thursday morning the 20th we got up early and headed to the Acropolis. It really was unreal being in the presence of these ancient parts of history...these buildings were built in the 5th century BC! There is so much to see on the grounds of the Acropolis, we toured for about 3 hours! The weather was gorgeous which only added to the awe of what I was actually experiencing...seeing the Parthenon, the erecthin, the various ancient theatres, and taking in the breathtaking views of the sprawling city of Athens lying below us. So cool. After our self-guided tour we grabbed lunch at an outdoor cafe at the foot of the acropolis and headed over to the travel agencies to book some ferry tickets for the islands!! A few roadblocks later, we stumbled upon a few great people to help us book and plan our ferry rides! We decided on the "tiny, cute, beautiful" island of Poros as our first destination (said in a really high, cute voice by our wonderful lady we found at the tour office), followed by the bigger, more touristy island of Hydra. We couldn't make it to the famous Santorini due to different flight departure dates and time constraints, but we were optimistic for our travels!!
Thursday night we celebrated Oz's 21st with a dinner cooked in our apartment we had for the night, a few bottles of wine, and a night out at a local Athens bar with our hostel! Really great night overall--a definite 21st success! We finally wandered home at about 3:30 in the morning and had a ferry to catch at 9 the next morning! Excited to see the islands!!!
In Madrid I parted ways with Clair and Megan and joined up with Oz, Heather and Jesse from Madison and Bobby and Bennett (his friend from Hastings and Brussels) in Athens. We had a good crew, and it felt so good to be back with old friends! I was excited for the adventures ahead.
Thursday morning the 20th we got up early and headed to the Acropolis. It really was unreal being in the presence of these ancient parts of history...these buildings were built in the 5th century BC! There is so much to see on the grounds of the Acropolis, we toured for about 3 hours! The weather was gorgeous which only added to the awe of what I was actually experiencing...seeing the Parthenon, the erecthin, the various ancient theatres, and taking in the breathtaking views of the sprawling city of Athens lying below us. So cool. After our self-guided tour we grabbed lunch at an outdoor cafe at the foot of the acropolis and headed over to the travel agencies to book some ferry tickets for the islands!! A few roadblocks later, we stumbled upon a few great people to help us book and plan our ferry rides! We decided on the "tiny, cute, beautiful" island of Poros as our first destination (said in a really high, cute voice by our wonderful lady we found at the tour office), followed by the bigger, more touristy island of Hydra. We couldn't make it to the famous Santorini due to different flight departure dates and time constraints, but we were optimistic for our travels!!
Thursday night we celebrated Oz's 21st with a dinner cooked in our apartment we had for the night, a few bottles of wine, and a night out at a local Athens bar with our hostel! Really great night overall--a definite 21st success! We finally wandered home at about 3:30 in the morning and had a ferry to catch at 9 the next morning! Excited to see the islands!!!
Madrid, Spain..the city that doesn't sleep
My first impression of Madrid: huge city, lots of action, busy streets, and much more cosmopolitan than Lisbon. Madrid is known for its bustling nightlife, heavy cultural and artistic offerings, and for housing the Governemnt, Spanish parliament, and Spanish royal family. It's hard to be still in a busy city like Madrid!
And we didn't waste anytime after arriving at our hostel early evening. We walked our way over to Plaza Mayor, one of the main, large plazas in Madrid with beautiful buildings and welcoming diners and cafes.. It seems to be the center of festivities and was really crowded with people just hanging out and relaxing the following day when we visited. On our way to the plaza, we stopped to watch a Spanish band entertaining in the streets, and tossed them a few coins before heading on our way. They were pretty good! We walked around a bit more, but it was already getting late and really cold, so we grabbed some dinner and drinks from the supermarket and headed back to our hostel. I was feeling awful (I had some sort of flu/cold I couldnt seem to shake) so I opted to crawl in bed early while the rest of the gang went out for a bit. Disappointed, but I had to get better sometime!
Tuesday March 18, we woke up and headed out with our sights set on some museums. Much to our dismay, the famed Reina Sofia was closed for the day, but we stopped by the next day instead. The museum was temporarily housing Picasso's work moved from the Louvre in Paris and the exhibit was amazing! Definitely worth the visit times a million. The museum also had other really fantastic Spanish artists.
After seeing the long line forming for the Prado Museum (in part due to Reina Sofia being closed that day) we decided to take some time and wander through the Royal Botanical Gardens right next door. Beautiful landscaping, but the flowers definitely weren't close to full bloom, so they weren't too spectacular yet.
After the gardens, we strolled over to the famous Retiro Park. I cannot explain how gigantic this park is...its like a small city! We got lost wandering around and saw some amazingly gorgeous sights! Spent over an hour and a half in the park, and left only because we were starving!
Had a really traditional "menu del dia" large, late-afternoon, Spanish lunch. Bascially its a lunch of the day and you can choose a drink, starter (ours was a salad, rice dish, or cheesy vegetables dish), main course (we had fish, omelette, and some other kind of meat), and a dessert (ice cream, chocolate crepe, fruit, coffee, or cake!) The meal also comes with bread to start. It was so much food and so delicious! I see why the spanish can wait until 10 at night to eat dinner....
We stopped by a few more sights in the afternoon...saw a bizarre, yet interesting exhibit in casa de americanas (i think that was the name?), Palacio Real (Royal Palace), the beautiful Almudena cathedral next to the royal palace, and just gave ourselves a general walking tour of the city. The architecture of the city is pleasing and it was enjoyable to just walk around and take in the sights...plus it was a beautiful day :)
Tuesday night we had big plans for tapas and drinks, but they were squashed when we found out El Tigre (the recommended place) was closed. By this time it was getting late so tapas were no longer in order. I was then looking to head to Kapital, one of Madrid's most famous discotecas (night clubs), but this was closed too!! I wasn't having much luck with my plans! I guess it was a Tuesday, but Madrid is supposed to be the city that doesn't sleep. I ended up taking these roadblocksa as signs that my night was meant to end early and after hanging out at our hostel's bar for awhile I went to bed again without going out...at least I saved myself some money!
Wednesday we visited the Reina Sofia like I mentioned, grabbed some lunch, and it was time to head to the airport already! Although I think I would have enjoyed my stay more if I had a little more time and I wasn't sick the first night, I could tell the city had a lot to offer and definitely a worthwhile place to visit. I would love to come back and get a better taste of the nightlife and enjoy a few more museums, as I didn't find enough time to pack everything in. Didn't quite become home like Lisbon did, though :)
OFF TO GREECE!!!!!
And we didn't waste anytime after arriving at our hostel early evening. We walked our way over to Plaza Mayor, one of the main, large plazas in Madrid with beautiful buildings and welcoming diners and cafes.. It seems to be the center of festivities and was really crowded with people just hanging out and relaxing the following day when we visited. On our way to the plaza, we stopped to watch a Spanish band entertaining in the streets, and tossed them a few coins before heading on our way. They were pretty good! We walked around a bit more, but it was already getting late and really cold, so we grabbed some dinner and drinks from the supermarket and headed back to our hostel. I was feeling awful (I had some sort of flu/cold I couldnt seem to shake) so I opted to crawl in bed early while the rest of the gang went out for a bit. Disappointed, but I had to get better sometime!
Tuesday March 18, we woke up and headed out with our sights set on some museums. Much to our dismay, the famed Reina Sofia was closed for the day, but we stopped by the next day instead. The museum was temporarily housing Picasso's work moved from the Louvre in Paris and the exhibit was amazing! Definitely worth the visit times a million. The museum also had other really fantastic Spanish artists.
After seeing the long line forming for the Prado Museum (in part due to Reina Sofia being closed that day) we decided to take some time and wander through the Royal Botanical Gardens right next door. Beautiful landscaping, but the flowers definitely weren't close to full bloom, so they weren't too spectacular yet.
After the gardens, we strolled over to the famous Retiro Park. I cannot explain how gigantic this park is...its like a small city! We got lost wandering around and saw some amazingly gorgeous sights! Spent over an hour and a half in the park, and left only because we were starving!
Had a really traditional "menu del dia" large, late-afternoon, Spanish lunch. Bascially its a lunch of the day and you can choose a drink, starter (ours was a salad, rice dish, or cheesy vegetables dish), main course (we had fish, omelette, and some other kind of meat), and a dessert (ice cream, chocolate crepe, fruit, coffee, or cake!) The meal also comes with bread to start. It was so much food and so delicious! I see why the spanish can wait until 10 at night to eat dinner....
We stopped by a few more sights in the afternoon...saw a bizarre, yet interesting exhibit in casa de americanas (i think that was the name?), Palacio Real (Royal Palace), the beautiful Almudena cathedral next to the royal palace, and just gave ourselves a general walking tour of the city. The architecture of the city is pleasing and it was enjoyable to just walk around and take in the sights...plus it was a beautiful day :)
Tuesday night we had big plans for tapas and drinks, but they were squashed when we found out El Tigre (the recommended place) was closed. By this time it was getting late so tapas were no longer in order. I was then looking to head to Kapital, one of Madrid's most famous discotecas (night clubs), but this was closed too!! I wasn't having much luck with my plans! I guess it was a Tuesday, but Madrid is supposed to be the city that doesn't sleep. I ended up taking these roadblocksa as signs that my night was meant to end early and after hanging out at our hostel's bar for awhile I went to bed again without going out...at least I saved myself some money!
Wednesday we visited the Reina Sofia like I mentioned, grabbed some lunch, and it was time to head to the airport already! Although I think I would have enjoyed my stay more if I had a little more time and I wasn't sick the first night, I could tell the city had a lot to offer and definitely a worthwhile place to visit. I would love to come back and get a better taste of the nightlife and enjoy a few more museums, as I didn't find enough time to pack everything in. Didn't quite become home like Lisbon did, though :)
OFF TO GREECE!!!!!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Lisbon, Portugal
Spring Break Greetings! I´m rounded out my 4 day trip to Lisbon, Portugal and am now on to my first morning in Madrid! This really is quite the spring break trip I´m havinhg...Lisbon, Madrid, Greek Islands.
After a full night of traveling Wednesday (transferred in the London airport, stayed there overnight...sleeping in an airport is basically impossible), Clair, Megan and I arrived to Lisbon Thursday March 13 around 9:30 am, greeted by sunshine, blue skies, palm trees, and temps in the high 60s...amazing. We weren´t in Copenhagen anymore!!
The sleepless night wasn´t going to get us down, and after checking into our hostel we wasted no time before heading out to explore some of the city. We grabbed lunch at an outdoor cafe and were beside ourselves that we were actually sitting outside eating lunch in Lisbon, Portugal. WE decided to trek to St. George´s Castle, situated on the highest hill of the historic part of the city, which offered the best views of Lisbon. I will get my photos up when I get back to Copenhagen (around the 25th), but it was a really amazing way to start the trip. The sights were gorgeous and the castle was entertaining to explore. We also got a taste of Lisbon´s nieghborhoods on the hike towards the castle, strolling our way through winding cobbled streets, taking in the sights of the cozy villages. Laundry was blowing in the breeze, people dined on rooftops, and charming houses in every color lined the streets. This part of the city, called Alfama, is the oldest and most historical part of the city, fun to wander through and really feel the history of Lisbon. Every house seems to tell a story. This is also where they have many Fado bars, places to hear the melancholy sounds of Fado guitar, a popular form musical entertainment in Portugal which we unfortunately ran out of time before getting to enjoy some.
Thursday night--soccer game! We decided to do as the locals do and embrace all that is important in Europe and brave it out at a Portuguese soccer match. I felt like quite the local. The game was exciting complete with clouds of green smoke billowing in the air, Portuguese flags waving in all directions, and crazy cheering fans. We tried to clap and cheer along but couldn´t quite catch on to the Portuguese songs :)
Friday we hoppeed on a tram and saw some of the sights of Belem, an important district from Portugalºs Golden Age. The tower of Belem was our first stop, an importatnt historical sight built in the age of discoveries for defense of the city, which has served a multitude of roles since then and now serves as a must see attraction when visiting the city. We saw some other sights in Belem, including the monastery of Jeronimo which was breathtaking and the monument of the discoveries, a monument built in 1960 for the 500th-year celebration of Henry the Navigator's birth who founded the Portuguese tradition of maritime discoverers. We rounded out the trip at the famous pastry shop "Pasteis de Belem" where we sampled some delicious treats. Belem also offered some beautiful parks, gardens and views along the river. It was really peaceful just sitting along the river, closing my eyes and feeling the warm breeze blowing.
Friday night our hostel offered free tasting of the popular Portuguese liquor, ginginha, a sweet cherry liquor. Some guys who work at the hostel then brought w bunch of us staying in the hostel out to Bairro Alto for some Portuguese nightlife. The streets were packed with young people--realy fun night and we got to meet a bunch of new friends from our hostel!
Saturday was amazing...my favorite day here. Our destination was Sintra, a district right outside Lisbon housing hte fabulous Pena Palace (19th century) and the Castelo dos Mouros (reconstructed 19th century). Both places offered a breath-taking view of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park--stunning. The day was a peaceful getaway from the city as we wandered our way through forests listening to birds chirping and feeling the sun beaming through tree tops. This was also the sunniest, warmest day of our trip...I even got a little sunburned! (exciting when you haven´t seen the sun in months!) The pictures I got were beautiful, I´ll make sure to put them up soon. Saturday night we grabbed some dinner at a local Portugues restaurant recommended by our hostel owner called San Antonio´s. My dinner was delicious, but when the bill came we were a little confused. Apparently, the restaurant owner brought us out some baskets of bread and some cheese for appetizers which we were unaware of that we had to pay for! He just brought them out to our table and then we footed the bill for them haha..I don´t know if this is common here but it was quite different!
Sunday we were all a little tired, and we opted for a relaxing day on the beach. Although sunday was our least sunny day in Lisbon, it was relaxing hearing the waves crash on the beach and watching the surfers ride the tide in. I napped on the beach for a little bit, watched the sun sink lower in the sky, but had to leave before sun set because it was getting reallly chilly! Monday morning we had our last walk around the city before heading to the airport. I bought a neat painting, had a good experience trying to barter (I´m horrible at it haha!), but ended up getting the painting for 7 euro so that wasn´t too shabby. Overall, AMAZING trip to Lisbon...couldnt be happier with the way it turned out. Now on to explore Madrid!!!!
-Cheers :)
After a full night of traveling Wednesday (transferred in the London airport, stayed there overnight...sleeping in an airport is basically impossible), Clair, Megan and I arrived to Lisbon Thursday March 13 around 9:30 am, greeted by sunshine, blue skies, palm trees, and temps in the high 60s...amazing. We weren´t in Copenhagen anymore!!
The sleepless night wasn´t going to get us down, and after checking into our hostel we wasted no time before heading out to explore some of the city. We grabbed lunch at an outdoor cafe and were beside ourselves that we were actually sitting outside eating lunch in Lisbon, Portugal. WE decided to trek to St. George´s Castle, situated on the highest hill of the historic part of the city, which offered the best views of Lisbon. I will get my photos up when I get back to Copenhagen (around the 25th), but it was a really amazing way to start the trip. The sights were gorgeous and the castle was entertaining to explore. We also got a taste of Lisbon´s nieghborhoods on the hike towards the castle, strolling our way through winding cobbled streets, taking in the sights of the cozy villages. Laundry was blowing in the breeze, people dined on rooftops, and charming houses in every color lined the streets. This part of the city, called Alfama, is the oldest and most historical part of the city, fun to wander through and really feel the history of Lisbon. Every house seems to tell a story. This is also where they have many Fado bars, places to hear the melancholy sounds of Fado guitar, a popular form musical entertainment in Portugal which we unfortunately ran out of time before getting to enjoy some.
Thursday night--soccer game! We decided to do as the locals do and embrace all that is important in Europe and brave it out at a Portuguese soccer match. I felt like quite the local. The game was exciting complete with clouds of green smoke billowing in the air, Portuguese flags waving in all directions, and crazy cheering fans. We tried to clap and cheer along but couldn´t quite catch on to the Portuguese songs :)
Friday we hoppeed on a tram and saw some of the sights of Belem, an important district from Portugalºs Golden Age. The tower of Belem was our first stop, an importatnt historical sight built in the age of discoveries for defense of the city, which has served a multitude of roles since then and now serves as a must see attraction when visiting the city. We saw some other sights in Belem, including the monastery of Jeronimo which was breathtaking and the monument of the discoveries, a monument built in 1960 for the 500th-year celebration of Henry the Navigator's birth who founded the Portuguese tradition of maritime discoverers. We rounded out the trip at the famous pastry shop "Pasteis de Belem" where we sampled some delicious treats. Belem also offered some beautiful parks, gardens and views along the river. It was really peaceful just sitting along the river, closing my eyes and feeling the warm breeze blowing.
Friday night our hostel offered free tasting of the popular Portuguese liquor, ginginha, a sweet cherry liquor. Some guys who work at the hostel then brought w bunch of us staying in the hostel out to Bairro Alto for some Portuguese nightlife. The streets were packed with young people--realy fun night and we got to meet a bunch of new friends from our hostel!
Saturday was amazing...my favorite day here. Our destination was Sintra, a district right outside Lisbon housing hte fabulous Pena Palace (19th century) and the Castelo dos Mouros (reconstructed 19th century). Both places offered a breath-taking view of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park--stunning. The day was a peaceful getaway from the city as we wandered our way through forests listening to birds chirping and feeling the sun beaming through tree tops. This was also the sunniest, warmest day of our trip...I even got a little sunburned! (exciting when you haven´t seen the sun in months!) The pictures I got were beautiful, I´ll make sure to put them up soon. Saturday night we grabbed some dinner at a local Portugues restaurant recommended by our hostel owner called San Antonio´s. My dinner was delicious, but when the bill came we were a little confused. Apparently, the restaurant owner brought us out some baskets of bread and some cheese for appetizers which we were unaware of that we had to pay for! He just brought them out to our table and then we footed the bill for them haha..I don´t know if this is common here but it was quite different!
Sunday we were all a little tired, and we opted for a relaxing day on the beach. Although sunday was our least sunny day in Lisbon, it was relaxing hearing the waves crash on the beach and watching the surfers ride the tide in. I napped on the beach for a little bit, watched the sun sink lower in the sky, but had to leave before sun set because it was getting reallly chilly! Monday morning we had our last walk around the city before heading to the airport. I bought a neat painting, had a good experience trying to barter (I´m horrible at it haha!), but ended up getting the painting for 7 euro so that wasn´t too shabby. Overall, AMAZING trip to Lisbon...couldnt be happier with the way it turned out. Now on to explore Madrid!!!!
-Cheers :)
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