This is a week of lasts. I first had to say goodbye to one of my favorite traditions this past Saturday, the market. If I am in Leiden on a Saturday I always make my way over to the market where I buy fresh fruits and vegetables, a hot stroopwaffle, and occasionally some flowers. I really couldn't believe that this was the last time that I would walk along the canal and see all the booths set up. On Saturday I also visited Amsterdam for the last time, which wasn't hard to say bye to ha! The cleaning workers have been on strike for a few weeks so the streets were covered in garbage...it was disgusting. Sarah Shimon, Chels, Will, TJ, and I got to have the "Heineken Experience" and visit the Anne Frank house.
Today I had to say bye to C1000, the grocery store right down the street that I have been going to since the first week I arrived. I remember walking in the first time unaware of where anything was located yet alone what anything said since it was all in Dutch. I had no idea that you were required to bring your own bag to carry your groceries in or that the store doesn't stay open 24 hours. Now it just seems normal; I know where everything is located and what it means, I understand the cashiers when they ask me in Dutch if I want the receipt, and I have even become faster in loading my groceries in my backpack. I also had to say goodbye to the local bakery I go to get fresh bread. I am really going to miss the fresh bread I have become so accustomed to. This evening I had to say goodbye to Jackets, an amazing potato restaurant that we have been going to every Monday night for the past month. It was last month that we found out they give students discounts on Mondays and wish we would have been going a lot longer.
I only have two more days left with Rusty, my faithful bike. Though he has lost the rear tire cover and most of the power to its brakes, it would not have been the same experience without him. I have loved having a bike and am already looking into getting one when I return home. Later on Wednesday we are having our last dinner as a program.
I really can not comprehend that I will be boarding a plane this Thursday. It really does just feel like yesterday that I was getting everything ready to come to Leiden. I was anxious and unaware of what the semester would entail. Now I can not imagine not spending a semester abroad. I have learned so much about myself and it is bittersweet to leave a place that feels like my second home.
Monday, May 17, 2010
What could be better than waffles and chocolate?
My last trip planned was to Belgium May 5-7 with my entire program. I had just finished up three of my classes at Webster University the day before so I was thrilled to only have one final left before completing my junior year.
We took a 2 hour train ride to Brussels and checked into our hostel, The Sleep Well. I stayed in a three person room with the two Sarah's. After settling in, a few of us took the opportunity to grab a bite to eat and of course try a Belgian waffle before our planned activities began. The waffle was delicious and lived up to everything I had expected. That afternoon we had the opportunity to listen and ask questions to an American Diplomat who was working in Brussels. It has been interesting learning so much about the European Union and its relations with America. We then proceeded to take a tour of the city and then had some free time to explore ourselves.
We took a 2 hour train ride to Brussels and checked into our hostel, The Sleep Well. I stayed in a three person room with the two Sarah's. After settling in, a few of us took the opportunity to grab a bite to eat and of course try a Belgian waffle before our planned activities began. The waffle was delicious and lived up to everything I had expected. That afternoon we had the opportunity to listen and ask questions to an American Diplomat who was working in Brussels. It has been interesting learning so much about the European Union and its relations with America. We then proceeded to take a tour of the city and then had some free time to explore ourselves.
On Thursday we went inside a few churches and then later that afternoon visited the EU Parliament. Early Friday morning we packed up and took a train to Brugge. Unlike Brussels, Brugge was a quaint small town and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We went to a few museums and I finally had the chance to buy some Belgian chocolates. We were all pretty exhausted by the end of the trip!
RANDOM FACTS
1) Belgian Waffles can be messy- The more toppings you add the more likely you are to either spill it on your shirt or get it all over your face.
2) Museums- All museums start to look alike after visiting close to a 100 and lose its appeal fairly quickly.
3) Trains- Some times there are more people than seats available. In these situations you can either sit in the aisle or squeeze in a sit with a fellow friend.
RANDOM FACTS
1) Belgian Waffles can be messy- The more toppings you add the more likely you are to either spill it on your shirt or get it all over your face.
2) Museums- All museums start to look alike after visiting close to a 100 and lose its appeal fairly quickly.
3) Trains- Some times there are more people than seats available. In these situations you can either sit in the aisle or squeeze in a sit with a fellow friend.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Playing "Catch Up"- 2nd Germany
I knew I wanted to make a trip to Germany when I finalized my plans for study abroad. As a Rulketter I felt it was my duty to visit my where my family came from (thought you would like that Mom). I spent the weekend of April 20- May 2 with Sarah Shimon and Sarah Schmidt. We took an early flight so we had the whole day to spend in Munich. We knew it was going to be a great vacation when KLM provided us with free drinks and a snack, which was a luxury since most European flights, well cheap European airlines that we have flown with, charge for this. We checked into our hostel, European Youth Hostel, and then grabbed a map to go explore. Our first stop was Dachau concentration camp, which was only a 30 minute train ride from the city. It unreal to be at a concentration camp such as Dachau and enter in a place that cause so much pain. We were able to have a conversation with a woman whose uncle was a survivor and was actually with ten others visiting the camp that day. She told us stories that he went through and it really put it into perspective for us what an awful place this was. After Dachau we did some shopping and saw the square which contained the largest Coo Coo clock which Sarah Schmidt informed us we had to see. We walked around the European Gardens where we saw surfers using the fresh water from the alps, and then we went to the infamous Hofbrauhaus. There we experienced some real German food, music, beer, and the locals. It was an experience I will never forget!
On Saturday I celebrated my 21st birthday by going to the Neuschwanstein Castle which was the inspiration for Cinderella's castle in Disney Land. The castle is located in the Alps and is only about 20 miles from Austria's border. The castle was so beautiful and we had a wonderful time. Later that night we went out to eat and celebrated. It was a wonderful birthday :)
On Sunday we experienced Munich by bike, the only real way to experience a city anyway! It was a great way for us to see areas we hadn't been able to explore yet, and learn some history about Munich and the rise of Hitler.
RANDOM FACTS
1) A local informed me Rulketter was not German- He said he had never heard of it so I could just pretend my last name was Mueller. bahah!
2) The Coo Coo Clock- Was very large and very boring- It lasted 5 minutes, but we had enough after 2 minutes. So glad we saw it though :)
3) The English Gardens- There is a nude section in the gardens, and many people will pose and ask for money.. awkward to say the least.
On Saturday I celebrated my 21st birthday by going to the Neuschwanstein Castle which was the inspiration for Cinderella's castle in Disney Land. The castle is located in the Alps and is only about 20 miles from Austria's border. The castle was so beautiful and we had a wonderful time. Later that night we went out to eat and celebrated. It was a wonderful birthday :)
On Sunday we experienced Munich by bike, the only real way to experience a city anyway! It was a great way for us to see areas we hadn't been able to explore yet, and learn some history about Munich and the rise of Hitler.
RANDOM FACTS
1) A local informed me Rulketter was not German- He said he had never heard of it so I could just pretend my last name was Mueller. bahah!
2) The Coo Coo Clock- Was very large and very boring- It lasted 5 minutes, but we had enough after 2 minutes. So glad we saw it though :)
3) The English Gardens- There is a nude section in the gardens, and many people will pose and ask for money.. awkward to say the least.
Playing "Catch Up"- 1st Paris
This past month has been so eventful that I haven't had time to blog about all the experiences I have been having. Now that I am officially finished with my junior year of college, I have some down time to play catch up before I head back to the states. I'll start with Paris..
I went to Paris with four other students from my program during April 9-11. We decided to take the Euroline, like a Greyhound, to save some extra money. We took off from Leiden at around 5:30 a.m. to make it to Amsterdam to catch our bus. We were able to take in all the sights for a good nine hours before finally arriving to Paris. We took the metro to our hostel (the Aloha Hostel), checked in, and then wasted no time to experience some real Paris food. I am all about trying new things so I ate escargot, which took some effort to swallow, french onion soup (AMAZING), and duck. We then walked down a little ways to see Notre Dame, where gypsies eagerly greeted us. They asked one of the boys if he spoke english. He shook his head. While we were leaving, she overheard us speaking english and shouted "You lie, you lie!" We picked up our pace to avoid a run in with her. We explored more of Paris that night and witnessed a breathtaking sunset.
On Saturday we went all over the city trying to explore as much of Paris as we could. It did not feel like I was truly in Paris until I saw the Eiffel Tower early that morning. We hit all the touristy destinations such as the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, Moulin Rouge, The Louvre, and finally the Eiffel Tower. The most memorable experience was climbing the Eiffel Tower. We climbed the stairs until we were required to take the elevator, which I gladly accepted. The view was incredible and was well worth the wait. Later that night we bought some wine and bread and took it to the park right by the Eiffel Tower, and waited for the light show that happened at the top of every hour. It was a packed day, but so enjoyable.
We checked out of the Aloha Hostel early that morning and with Big Bertha on my back (the name for my super large bag) we set off for the Jardin de Luxembourg, the largest park in Paris. We spent a few hours there before grabbing another crepe, and taking the metro to the euroline.
RANDOM FACTS
1) The metro randomly decides to break down- We experienced this multiple times in Paris. We would wiggle our way into the crowded cart after getting situated, the lights would turn off and the metro would be broken down for 5-10 minutes each time. At this point you have to decide to stay on the hot cart or squeeze your way out to find another route.
2) Paris is stinky- I have never smelled so many indescribable odors in my life, and they weren't ones I hope to smell again.
3) Don't speak English loudly- You will be asked for money if you do
4) Individuals in Paris think bathrooms are anywhere- We saw a man using a small garden area as a restroom. The ironic part was that a porta potty was right next to him.
5) Crepes are amazing :)
I went to Paris with four other students from my program during April 9-11. We decided to take the Euroline, like a Greyhound, to save some extra money. We took off from Leiden at around 5:30 a.m. to make it to Amsterdam to catch our bus. We were able to take in all the sights for a good nine hours before finally arriving to Paris. We took the metro to our hostel (the Aloha Hostel), checked in, and then wasted no time to experience some real Paris food. I am all about trying new things so I ate escargot, which took some effort to swallow, french onion soup (AMAZING), and duck. We then walked down a little ways to see Notre Dame, where gypsies eagerly greeted us. They asked one of the boys if he spoke english. He shook his head. While we were leaving, she overheard us speaking english and shouted "You lie, you lie!" We picked up our pace to avoid a run in with her. We explored more of Paris that night and witnessed a breathtaking sunset.
On Saturday we went all over the city trying to explore as much of Paris as we could. It did not feel like I was truly in Paris until I saw the Eiffel Tower early that morning. We hit all the touristy destinations such as the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, Moulin Rouge, The Louvre, and finally the Eiffel Tower. The most memorable experience was climbing the Eiffel Tower. We climbed the stairs until we were required to take the elevator, which I gladly accepted. The view was incredible and was well worth the wait. Later that night we bought some wine and bread and took it to the park right by the Eiffel Tower, and waited for the light show that happened at the top of every hour. It was a packed day, but so enjoyable.
We checked out of the Aloha Hostel early that morning and with Big Bertha on my back (the name for my super large bag) we set off for the Jardin de Luxembourg, the largest park in Paris. We spent a few hours there before grabbing another crepe, and taking the metro to the euroline.
RANDOM FACTS
1) The metro randomly decides to break down- We experienced this multiple times in Paris. We would wiggle our way into the crowded cart after getting situated, the lights would turn off and the metro would be broken down for 5-10 minutes each time. At this point you have to decide to stay on the hot cart or squeeze your way out to find another route.
2) Paris is stinky- I have never smelled so many indescribable odors in my life, and they weren't ones I hope to smell again.
3) Don't speak English loudly- You will be asked for money if you do
4) Individuals in Paris think bathrooms are anywhere- We saw a man using a small garden area as a restroom. The ironic part was that a porta potty was right next to him.
5) Crepes are amazing :)
Thursday, April 8, 2010
London
Last Friday Sarah and I headed to the airport at around 6 a.m. to catch a flight to London. The first obstacle was trying to buy a train ticket to the airport since the counter was still closed and the machines don't take American credit cards. We managed to have enough change between the two of us to get tickets so we didn't have to resort to asking a stranger to help us out. We landed at around 9 and had to literally run to make our bus, which would take us into the city. Once settled in we did a little shopping, ate fish and chips, rode a double decker bus, walked through St. James Park, and saw Big Ben and Parliament. That night we went and got sushi in Victorian Station, which was Sarah's first experience :). She loved it by the way.
A friend of Sarah's who was showing us around the first day told us that if we woke up early enough on Saturday we could stand in line to get tickets for Wicked. It was a struggle waking up at 7 but well worth it since we were able to get front row tickets for a discounted price. After eating some lunch, we experienced the London Eye, Millennium Bridge, Globe Theater, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London. We hadn't realized how far we walked until attempting to walk back to our place which took an hour and 45 minutes. haha woops! That night we went to Wicked and had an amazing time.
On Sunday, we walked to Buckingham Palace and experienced the Changing of the Guards along with 5,000 other spectators. It was unbelievable how crowded it was. We then headed towards Hyde Park where we found the Paddle Boat shop and rented a boat for an hour on the Serpentine. It was such a fun experience and we had some close calls almost running into other boats! The wind was so strong that we had to paddle in reverse in order to get our boat back to the dock.. it was quite the workout. We picked up some coffee and just sat in Hyde Park for a couple of hours listening to music and people watching. It was such a beautiful day! That night we went and saw the London Eye and Parliament lit up.
On our last day, Sarah and I ended up going to St. James Park and Green Park. There we did some journaling and again more people watching. We got back into Amsterdam at around 9 that night. I am so blessed that I was able to experience London. It was such a beautiful place and the thing I loved the most was that there were so many parks making the city seem not like a city. Tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. I am heading to Paris for the weekend. My parents will be here in 9 days :0
Miss you sissy!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Small Country... A lot to see
This past weekend consisted of traveling all around The Netherlands.. literally :) On Friday we went on a class trip to Rotterdam. The city had a completely different feel than the other cities I have visited. Because of the bombings that took place during WWII, the city basically had to start from scratch and rebuild. To me it seemed like I was back in America because of the modern buildings. One highlight of the trip was going into a modern apartment in Rotterdam. The building was made up of blocks. Of course the steps were narrow inside, but it was a really neat apartment.
After Rotterdam a group of us decided to go and explore Maastricht, which is a city located at the southern tip of the country. We took a two hour train ride and arrived right as the sun was going down. We found our hostel which was located right on the river. It was a major upgrade from the hostel we stayed at in Florence :)! After settling in, we went out to eat some dinner. Dinner could have been one of the highlights of the trip because it was the best meal I have had since I have been here. Chelsea and I got the Surf and Turf; salmon and chicken with a salad and fries. Hil was excited to finally get some ribs, she is from Texas and has been missing her meat. Cassie and Will tried rabbit, which they loved. We were all satisfied by the end!
The next morning we were greeted with beautiful weather, which was such a treat because it was suppose to be raining all day.. PTL (Praise the Lord). We first went and explored the center of the city. I was able to get in a few pictures before my camera decided to die on me and not turn back on. I took it to a local camera store where I was told the comforting words that they had never seen a camera act like mine and that it would be an expensive fix. That was a bummer of the day since we had so many exciting things to see. We then headed to get tickets for the Maastricht Underground, a cave with 6,000 passageways all created by human hands. It took 800 years for the cave to finally be finished, and the limestone inside was used for house and church construction. It was also used as a refuge for the people when the city was attacked during the French Revolution. Wells were dug and a bakery, chapel, and hospital were built in. This was also the place were The Night Watch painting by Rembrandt was held. Unfortunately the tour was in Dutch, but this precious old man came over and started translating it for us. I absolutely loved Maastricht. It had the European feel but also included forests. I could see myself living there.
On Sunday I went to Kasteel de Haar, located outside of the province of Utrecht. It is the largest castle in The Netherlands. Sarah, Melissa, Sarah, and I had such a wonderful time going through the castle and then exploring the gardens. A funny fact about the castle was that when it was restored in the 1800's the baroness had 7,000 full grown trees put in because she didn't want to wait for them to grow in the garden. Crazy!
It was a wonderful weekend. The Netherlands is a small country but offers so much to see. Every city is so different. I was able to get a new camera and will be traveling to London this weekend :)
After Rotterdam a group of us decided to go and explore Maastricht, which is a city located at the southern tip of the country. We took a two hour train ride and arrived right as the sun was going down. We found our hostel which was located right on the river. It was a major upgrade from the hostel we stayed at in Florence :)! After settling in, we went out to eat some dinner. Dinner could have been one of the highlights of the trip because it was the best meal I have had since I have been here. Chelsea and I got the Surf and Turf; salmon and chicken with a salad and fries. Hil was excited to finally get some ribs, she is from Texas and has been missing her meat. Cassie and Will tried rabbit, which they loved. We were all satisfied by the end!
The next morning we were greeted with beautiful weather, which was such a treat because it was suppose to be raining all day.. PTL (Praise the Lord). We first went and explored the center of the city. I was able to get in a few pictures before my camera decided to die on me and not turn back on. I took it to a local camera store where I was told the comforting words that they had never seen a camera act like mine and that it would be an expensive fix. That was a bummer of the day since we had so many exciting things to see. We then headed to get tickets for the Maastricht Underground, a cave with 6,000 passageways all created by human hands. It took 800 years for the cave to finally be finished, and the limestone inside was used for house and church construction. It was also used as a refuge for the people when the city was attacked during the French Revolution. Wells were dug and a bakery, chapel, and hospital were built in. This was also the place were The Night Watch painting by Rembrandt was held. Unfortunately the tour was in Dutch, but this precious old man came over and started translating it for us. I absolutely loved Maastricht. It had the European feel but also included forests. I could see myself living there.
On Sunday I went to Kasteel de Haar, located outside of the province of Utrecht. It is the largest castle in The Netherlands. Sarah, Melissa, Sarah, and I had such a wonderful time going through the castle and then exploring the gardens. A funny fact about the castle was that when it was restored in the 1800's the baroness had 7,000 full grown trees put in because she didn't want to wait for them to grow in the garden. Crazy!
It was a wonderful weekend. The Netherlands is a small country but offers so much to see. Every city is so different. I was able to get a new camera and will be traveling to London this weekend :)
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Italia
Sarah, Hillary, and I decided to take advantage of having a week off for spring break and travel to Italy. We left Friday afternoon and arrived in Rome with five other students from my program on the flight with us. Since there were eight of us, the tourist information booth encouraged us to take a shuttle that could leave right away. We followed her advice and loaded a bus with an Italian speaking man who only knew about Obama and Metallica. While driving, he pulled out the map and started pointing out landmarks for us to visit. We were all just glad to arrive in one piece! The three of us checked into our hostel, and then we set out to explore Rome. We of course had to stop and get gelato first :) We explored the Republic before heading down to the Colosseum. It was unreal to think that I was looking at a piece of history that I had studied for so long. It was lit up by orange and purple spotlights. It was quite the sight. We saw the Arch of Constantine and walked a little further to view the remain of the Circus Maximus.
We woke up early the next morning and were greeted with the sunshine. The sky was so blue and we headed out to meet up with our tour group, where we would explore the Colosseum, Palantine Hill, and The Forum. We learned that the Colosseum only took 8 years to build and over 5,000 animals were slaughtered the first 100 days. Palantine Hill, where Rome was founded, possessed beautiful gardens and remains of the Emperor's palaces. The Forum was also so amazing to experience, with many buildings still standing. Our tour lasted three hours and then we explored Capitol Hill. Later that night we met up with the five others we flew over with and ate dinner. After we went to the Trevi Fountain, where Sarah and I threw in our coins the wrong way. Instead of throwing it over your head, we just tossed it in. It wasn't until we saw other people doing it the correct way that we realized our mistake. haha woops! We then went to the Spanish Steps and then called it a night.
On the third day, we basically walked all over the city of Rome. We headed to the Castle Sant' Angelo which is located near the Vatican. The view from the castle was extraordinary. You could see Saint Peter's perfectly as well as the rest of the city in the distance. We decided to eat lunch in the castle where we could enjoy the view. After lunch we went to the Pizza Navona, which is a large square with musicians and artists. I bought some water color artwork, and enjoyed seeing all the talent that was located in such a small square. We then walked to the Pantheon. I turned around and couldn't find Hillary or Sarah anywhere. I followed my Mom's advice, "If you get lost stay exactly where you are." It worked because I found them, and they started giggling when they saw me completely still with a crowd of people all on the move around me. After we went and saw the Trevi Fountain during the day. It was packed, and we witnessed a man stealing coins out of the fountain with a magnetic wand. I informed Sarah that he better not of stolen our five cent coins hahaha. We walked to the Spanish Steps and then to Piazza Del Popolo.
On our last day in Rome we decided to spare our feet and bough metro tickets to Vatican City. The metro was so crowded that you really got to know the person you were standing next to fast. The Vatican Museum was unlike anything I have ever seen before. All the rooms were so breathtaking with intricate works of art all over the walls and ceilings. Truly unbelievable. The Sistine Chapel was wonderful. It was smaller than I anticipated, but was so amazing to actually see Michelangelo 's artwork that depicted creation as well as the gospel throughout the ceiling. We sat there for a while just taking it all in. We then headed to Saint Peter's Basilica. Again, magnificent. There was no comparison to its beauty with the other churches I have seen so far in Europe. We still had the whole afternoon so we decided to go explore a park that overlooked the city. Unfortunately we took a wrong turn and spent an hour seeing the tall wall of the park without being able to enter. We yelled up at a woman we saw and asked her how much longer. She started laughing and replied, "You have a while." We made it in and was so worth the walk. It was so green and had a wonderful view of the city. As we were walking back to our hostel an old man comes up to us and literally oinks. None of us have ever experienced someone oinking at us before. Haha but it was a wonderful last day in Rome.
We boarded a fast train to Florence and got there within an hour. We were greeted by snow and realized right away we were no longer in Rome. We climbed the Duomo, all 436 steps, and had an amazing view of the city. It was so cold we didn't last too long on top of the Duomo. Our hostel was quite the sight. A card table was used as the front desk. Hillary's bed was basically springs, while Sarah and I shared a full bed with two twin beds that were uneven pushed together. We couldn't help but laugh at our current situation. On top of that we bought some wine and groceries. and realized we didn't have a knife to spread our nutella and our wine had a cork in it, which we could not get out. Sarah had the brillant idea of trying to us a bobby pin to use as a replacement. It was unsuccessful. We ended up taking our wine to a sandwich/bar place, where the man was nice enough to open it up and give us knives. It was an hilarious situation to say the least.
We woke up the next day very sore from our sleeping arrangements. We explored the Uffizi, and then decided to get waffles with gelato in them. One problem was that the waffles were so hot that the gelato melted all over us. The woman only gave us a few napkins each so it was hard to clean up. An old man in the street started laughing at the spectacle. It was hilarious. We climbed to Michelangelo Plazza where we could see a wonderful view of the city.
The last day we all bought some purses in the market and went to the Accademia were saw Michelangelo's David. We were all exhausted and ready to take the train back to Rome for our last night. We got on the train and realized our seats were taken. The train was packed and the woman informed us to go sit in some empty seats while we try and figure out the situation. One of the ladies working on the train came over to us and informed us that our tickets were invalid. The tourist booth were we bought out tickets earlier in the week, had put down the wrong day. We couldn't believe this was happening to us and the woman informed us we could either pay 150 euros on top of buying new tickets or get of the train. So, we got off the train not knowing where we were. We bought new tickets for the slow train which was a four hour ride back. We survived and made it back. It was definitely an unforgettable event being kicked off the train.
Italy was amazing! We saw so much during the week, and had so many stories to bring back with us. :)
We woke up early the next morning and were greeted with the sunshine. The sky was so blue and we headed out to meet up with our tour group, where we would explore the Colosseum, Palantine Hill, and The Forum. We learned that the Colosseum only took 8 years to build and over 5,000 animals were slaughtered the first 100 days. Palantine Hill, where Rome was founded, possessed beautiful gardens and remains of the Emperor's palaces. The Forum was also so amazing to experience, with many buildings still standing. Our tour lasted three hours and then we explored Capitol Hill. Later that night we met up with the five others we flew over with and ate dinner. After we went to the Trevi Fountain, where Sarah and I threw in our coins the wrong way. Instead of throwing it over your head, we just tossed it in. It wasn't until we saw other people doing it the correct way that we realized our mistake. haha woops! We then went to the Spanish Steps and then called it a night.
On the third day, we basically walked all over the city of Rome. We headed to the Castle Sant' Angelo which is located near the Vatican. The view from the castle was extraordinary. You could see Saint Peter's perfectly as well as the rest of the city in the distance. We decided to eat lunch in the castle where we could enjoy the view. After lunch we went to the Pizza Navona, which is a large square with musicians and artists. I bought some water color artwork, and enjoyed seeing all the talent that was located in such a small square. We then walked to the Pantheon. I turned around and couldn't find Hillary or Sarah anywhere. I followed my Mom's advice, "If you get lost stay exactly where you are." It worked because I found them, and they started giggling when they saw me completely still with a crowd of people all on the move around me. After we went and saw the Trevi Fountain during the day. It was packed, and we witnessed a man stealing coins out of the fountain with a magnetic wand. I informed Sarah that he better not of stolen our five cent coins hahaha. We walked to the Spanish Steps and then to Piazza Del Popolo.
On our last day in Rome we decided to spare our feet and bough metro tickets to Vatican City. The metro was so crowded that you really got to know the person you were standing next to fast. The Vatican Museum was unlike anything I have ever seen before. All the rooms were so breathtaking with intricate works of art all over the walls and ceilings. Truly unbelievable. The Sistine Chapel was wonderful. It was smaller than I anticipated, but was so amazing to actually see Michelangelo 's artwork that depicted creation as well as the gospel throughout the ceiling. We sat there for a while just taking it all in. We then headed to Saint Peter's Basilica. Again, magnificent. There was no comparison to its beauty with the other churches I have seen so far in Europe. We still had the whole afternoon so we decided to go explore a park that overlooked the city. Unfortunately we took a wrong turn and spent an hour seeing the tall wall of the park without being able to enter. We yelled up at a woman we saw and asked her how much longer. She started laughing and replied, "You have a while." We made it in and was so worth the walk. It was so green and had a wonderful view of the city. As we were walking back to our hostel an old man comes up to us and literally oinks. None of us have ever experienced someone oinking at us before. Haha but it was a wonderful last day in Rome.
We boarded a fast train to Florence and got there within an hour. We were greeted by snow and realized right away we were no longer in Rome. We climbed the Duomo, all 436 steps, and had an amazing view of the city. It was so cold we didn't last too long on top of the Duomo. Our hostel was quite the sight. A card table was used as the front desk. Hillary's bed was basically springs, while Sarah and I shared a full bed with two twin beds that were uneven pushed together. We couldn't help but laugh at our current situation. On top of that we bought some wine and groceries. and realized we didn't have a knife to spread our nutella and our wine had a cork in it, which we could not get out. Sarah had the brillant idea of trying to us a bobby pin to use as a replacement. It was unsuccessful. We ended up taking our wine to a sandwich/bar place, where the man was nice enough to open it up and give us knives. It was an hilarious situation to say the least.
We woke up the next day very sore from our sleeping arrangements. We explored the Uffizi, and then decided to get waffles with gelato in them. One problem was that the waffles were so hot that the gelato melted all over us. The woman only gave us a few napkins each so it was hard to clean up. An old man in the street started laughing at the spectacle. It was hilarious. We climbed to Michelangelo Plazza where we could see a wonderful view of the city.
The last day we all bought some purses in the market and went to the Accademia were saw Michelangelo's David. We were all exhausted and ready to take the train back to Rome for our last night. We got on the train and realized our seats were taken. The train was packed and the woman informed us to go sit in some empty seats while we try and figure out the situation. One of the ladies working on the train came over to us and informed us that our tickets were invalid. The tourist booth were we bought out tickets earlier in the week, had put down the wrong day. We couldn't believe this was happening to us and the woman informed us we could either pay 150 euros on top of buying new tickets or get of the train. So, we got off the train not knowing where we were. We bought new tickets for the slow train which was a four hour ride back. We survived and made it back. It was definitely an unforgettable event being kicked off the train.
Italy was amazing! We saw so much during the week, and had so many stories to bring back with us. :)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
"I cannot translate you" Day trip to Delft and the Don Quichot ballet
Three other girls and I decided to go explore the nearby city of Delft, which is known for Delftware. We took an early train and arrived 30 minutes later with the whole day to discover the city. We first ventured to the Oude Kerk, Old Church, which was built in 1246 and is known for its leaning tower. It contains 27 stained glass windows and is just breathtaking. We then headed to the Nieuwe Kerk, New Church, which is located in the market square. A neat quality about this church is that Princes, Princesses, Kings and Queens from the House of Orange are buried in the church. We each made some purchases of Delftware and were able to see an artist hand pant some delftware in his store. Unfortunately one of the girls, Sarah, dropped some of her delftware, and had to go back and repurchase some items.
It is wonderful to have a museum card that allows us to get into all the museums in Holland. We took advantage of this and explored the Prinsehof Museum. The building actually used to be used as a convent and it contains the bullet holes from the shooting of William of Orange. It was neat to be able to see artwork of things that I saw earlier in the day, and also that I have studied in classes. We happened upon another museum by accident, the Lambert van Meerten Museum. It is the house of Meerten that he built in 1892 and contains Delft pottery, paintings, glass, and furniture that was originally used. When we finished I asked the man working if he knew where the toy store was located. He responded "restaurant?" "No toy store," I repeated. He looked at me and responded "I cannot translate you." It was quite a funny conversation to say the least.
I feel as though I am really becoming an expert biker these days. Yesterday I woke up and was greeted by none other than rain. I had plans to travel to Amsterdam to see the Don Quichot ballet, and so I attempted to ride my bike to the train station. One hand was holding the umbrella, while the other hand was gripping the handle bar in order to keep myself balanced, dry, and somewhat presentable. Everything was going just fine until the wind decided to blow causing me to swerve left and right. It made things pretty difficult, but I made it in one slightly wet piece hah! The ballet was located in the Amsterdam Music Theatre. The performance was beautiful, and it was nice no translation was needed to understand it. I was so glad I took advantage of the opportunity to experience something that I wouldn't be able to in the States.
This Wednesday I am heading to a soccer game in Amsterdam.. USA vs. Netherlands. This Friday I am leaving for Italy for my spring break. I will be spending four days in Rome and three in Florence. I am definitely looking forward to this week :)
It is wonderful to have a museum card that allows us to get into all the museums in Holland. We took advantage of this and explored the Prinsehof Museum. The building actually used to be used as a convent and it contains the bullet holes from the shooting of William of Orange. It was neat to be able to see artwork of things that I saw earlier in the day, and also that I have studied in classes. We happened upon another museum by accident, the Lambert van Meerten Museum. It is the house of Meerten that he built in 1892 and contains Delft pottery, paintings, glass, and furniture that was originally used. When we finished I asked the man working if he knew where the toy store was located. He responded "restaurant?" "No toy store," I repeated. He looked at me and responded "I cannot translate you." It was quite a funny conversation to say the least.
I feel as though I am really becoming an expert biker these days. Yesterday I woke up and was greeted by none other than rain. I had plans to travel to Amsterdam to see the Don Quichot ballet, and so I attempted to ride my bike to the train station. One hand was holding the umbrella, while the other hand was gripping the handle bar in order to keep myself balanced, dry, and somewhat presentable. Everything was going just fine until the wind decided to blow causing me to swerve left and right. It made things pretty difficult, but I made it in one slightly wet piece hah! The ballet was located in the Amsterdam Music Theatre. The performance was beautiful, and it was nice no translation was needed to understand it. I was so glad I took advantage of the opportunity to experience something that I wouldn't be able to in the States.
This Wednesday I am heading to a soccer game in Amsterdam.. USA vs. Netherlands. This Friday I am leaving for Italy for my spring break. I will be spending four days in Rome and three in Florence. I am definitely looking forward to this week :)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Texel Island.. Where there are more sheep than people
This past weekend I was able to participate in an optional trip to Texel Island, one of the Dutch Islands. On Friday we took the train to Den Burg and then boarded the ferry boat to take us a short way to Texel. Right after arriving, we picked up our bikes and began the 15 minute ride to the house. This was no easy bike ride. Each person had their backpack filled with items for the weekend, as well as having an unexpected sleet storm pelting us in the face. So, we were all relieved to finally make it! That night we went into town and picked up groceries for the weekend. Another "dutch favorite" was bought that night at the grocery store... buttermilk, which is basically spoiled milk. A red flag should have gone up right away after my experience with herring, but a few of use decided to try it. It tasted like a liquid blue cheese.. basically awful!
On Saturday we rode around the island. We were able to see friesian horses, sheep, and a breathtaking landscape. We came upon a man made fort that dated back to the 17th century. It was absolutely beautiful. We continued on our bikes up a hill and were amazed when we reached the top. The hill overlooked the sea. We were able to ride our bikes along the sea to reach our next destination the Maritime and Beachcombers Museum, where we explored for 2 hours. Our last stop, my favorite, was going on a shrimp boat. The boat took us out to sea, and allowed us to try fresh shrimp! It was absolutely freezing, but so well worth it.
On Sunday we went to the Econmare. This museum housed rescued seals, and we were able to see them get fed. This museum was right next to the North Sea, so we spent some time there exploring the dunes and wishing we could get in the water :). One of our directors decided to take the "scenic route" back and it ended up being an hour of biking again with the wind blowing us down. We all hobbled in and gave him a hard time for doing something like that to us! ha!
Overall this trip to Texel has been my favorite experience so far! It was an unforgettable weekend to say the least.
On Saturday we rode around the island. We were able to see friesian horses, sheep, and a breathtaking landscape. We came upon a man made fort that dated back to the 17th century. It was absolutely beautiful. We continued on our bikes up a hill and were amazed when we reached the top. The hill overlooked the sea. We were able to ride our bikes along the sea to reach our next destination the Maritime and Beachcombers Museum, where we explored for 2 hours. Our last stop, my favorite, was going on a shrimp boat. The boat took us out to sea, and allowed us to try fresh shrimp! It was absolutely freezing, but so well worth it.
On Sunday we went to the Econmare. This museum housed rescued seals, and we were able to see them get fed. This museum was right next to the North Sea, so we spent some time there exploring the dunes and wishing we could get in the water :). One of our directors decided to take the "scenic route" back and it ended up being an hour of biking again with the wind blowing us down. We all hobbled in and gave him a hard time for doing something like that to us! ha!
Overall this trip to Texel has been my favorite experience so far! It was an unforgettable weekend to say the least.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Ik spreek Nederlands "I speak Dutch"
The days are really starting to pick up speed, and I can't believe this week is basically over! For the entire week I have been learning dutch for 4 1/2 hours a day. When I return to my apartment I spend another couple of hours studying the text and translating a new one. Basically I eat, sleep, breath dutch at this moment. I am excited to say that I only have 2 more days until I take my final :) All in all, I have really enjoyed being able to learn a new language and be able to apply it in my every day life here.
This past weekend was pretty eventful. On Friday I visited the Naturalis museum that consisted of fossils, animals, and a huge earth. This museum had so much to offer and it was nice to have it only a bike ride away. Unfortunately my bike started making a terrible noise that made people turn their heads as I rode by. I had no idea what the problem was and decided to take it back in to the shop after only being the proud owner of it for two days. He informed me that I had been riding around with a flat tire. hahah woops! On Saturday I went to market once again. I decided to try a Dutch favorite, herring, which is raw fish. People here will tilt their head back and eat the fish in two bites. I on the other hand wasn't as daring and took a small bite. (I love sushi so I thought I would have no problem). Good thing because I could barely swallow it. I learned herring wasn't a favorite for me.
I am looking forward to spending the weekend on Texel Island. Texel is the largest Dutch island with both the North Sea and the Wadden Sea surrounding it. We are planning to go on a shrimp boat and go to the Maritime and Beachcombers Museum. I am excited about another opportunity to explore and spend a weekend experiencing new things :)
This past weekend was pretty eventful. On Friday I visited the Naturalis museum that consisted of fossils, animals, and a huge earth. This museum had so much to offer and it was nice to have it only a bike ride away. Unfortunately my bike started making a terrible noise that made people turn their heads as I rode by. I had no idea what the problem was and decided to take it back in to the shop after only being the proud owner of it for two days. He informed me that I had been riding around with a flat tire. hahah woops! On Saturday I went to market once again. I decided to try a Dutch favorite, herring, which is raw fish. People here will tilt their head back and eat the fish in two bites. I on the other hand wasn't as daring and took a small bite. (I love sushi so I thought I would have no problem). Good thing because I could barely swallow it. I learned herring wasn't a favorite for me.
I am looking forward to spending the weekend on Texel Island. Texel is the largest Dutch island with both the North Sea and the Wadden Sea surrounding it. We are planning to go on a shrimp boat and go to the Maritime and Beachcombers Museum. I am excited about another opportunity to explore and spend a weekend experiencing new things :)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A day trip to Haarlem
The best thing about Europe by far is the ability to hop on a train and be in a new city in minutes! Ten of us decided to take advantage of this and took a twenty minute train ride to Haarlem. We first made our way to St. Bavo's, a church that dates back to the 1500's, and is basically breathtaking! One of the most amazing things inside was the Christian Muller organ which contains 5068 pipes and is almost 30 meters high. Mozart played it when he was only ten years old. I found myself just sitting in one of the pews and thinking about all the history that this one place contains.
Side note: I got to St. Bavo's and after a few picture my camera starting flashing that the battery was low. I did not have time to charge it before leaving, and was so disappointed that I might not be able to capture the rest of the day. I decided to pray about it, and asked the Lord to allow my camera battery to last a little bit longer. Well, my camera lasted the whole day :) I love how He cares about the little things.
After visiting the church we headed to the Corrie Ten Boom house. This woman is basically amazing! Her family hid the Jews during WWII in the "hiding place." This hiding place was located in Corrie's room. There was a secret entry way inside the closet, where about 6 people could squeeze. Throughout the house buzzers were installed that could be pressed to warn the Jews inside to get to the hiding place. They only had 70 seconds to get in, and they practiced this daily. The Ten Boom family helped many Jews escape. If you haven't heard of this story look it up.. it is worthwhile!
We then headed to two museums, and by the time we finished everyone was exhausted! It was a great Thursday, and I loved exploring a new area just a train ride away :)
Side note: I got to St. Bavo's and after a few picture my camera starting flashing that the battery was low. I did not have time to charge it before leaving, and was so disappointed that I might not be able to capture the rest of the day. I decided to pray about it, and asked the Lord to allow my camera battery to last a little bit longer. Well, my camera lasted the whole day :) I love how He cares about the little things.
After visiting the church we headed to the Corrie Ten Boom house. This woman is basically amazing! Her family hid the Jews during WWII in the "hiding place." This hiding place was located in Corrie's room. There was a secret entry way inside the closet, where about 6 people could squeeze. Throughout the house buzzers were installed that could be pressed to warn the Jews inside to get to the hiding place. They only had 70 seconds to get in, and they practiced this daily. The Ten Boom family helped many Jews escape. If you haven't heard of this story look it up.. it is worthwhile!
We then headed to two museums, and by the time we finished everyone was exhausted! It was a great Thursday, and I loved exploring a new area just a train ride away :)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Ik woon nu in Nederland "I am now in The Netherlands"
Orientation officially ended on Friday so the weekend was all open to explore! On Saturday I was able to experience the local market for the first time. It was filled with everything you could possible need or want. The best part is it is cheap :) I was able to get fresh apples, grapes, and lettuce. It will definitely be a weekly tradition from now on. Sarah, a girl from my program, and I then headed to Bagel and Beans, a local cafe, for lunch. I love finding local cafe's and looking out the window and realizing I am in Europe... great feeling! :) I also went bike shopping and found a purple bike that will hopefully be ready by tomorrow... it was one of those "fixer uppers" ha! It will be nice to finally be able to have a faster form of transportation besides walking.
Today I started my first Dutch class! It actually wasn't as bad as I expected, and it will only last two weeks since we meet for a couple hours four days a week. I already put my Dutch skills to practice today at the grocery store... well all I said was hi and thank you in Dutch, but I was very proud of myself. Hopefully by the end of the class I will be somewhat capable of having a conversation with people here :)
We have Thursday and Friday off this week! The plans for the four day weekend include biking to a nearby city and having a picnic, visiting the Corrie ten Boom and other museums nearby, and planning spring break plans to Italy since it is in less than a month! Definitely looking forward to this weekend :)
Today I started my first Dutch class! It actually wasn't as bad as I expected, and it will only last two weeks since we meet for a couple hours four days a week. I already put my Dutch skills to practice today at the grocery store... well all I said was hi and thank you in Dutch, but I was very proud of myself. Hopefully by the end of the class I will be somewhat capable of having a conversation with people here :)
We have Thursday and Friday off this week! The plans for the four day weekend include biking to a nearby city and having a picnic, visiting the Corrie ten Boom and other museums nearby, and planning spring break plans to Italy since it is in less than a month! Definitely looking forward to this weekend :)
Friday, February 5, 2010
Amsterdam
I went to Amsterdam with some preconceived ideas about all it would entail. Some ideas turned out to be right and some surprisingly not :) We had a train to catch at 9:01 so a group of us in Smaragdlaan left at 8 to get there in time.. that shows you how desperately I need a bike ha! We took the train to Amsterdam and were welcomed by a swarm of people. Right off I could sense that it was nothing like Leiden. We walked out of the train station and were surrounded by yet again breath taking buildings. We headed to the nearest canal and got on a boat that took us through numerous canals and gave us a different perspective of the city. On the boat we saw Anne Franks house, numerous churches, beautiful houses, and hundreds of houseboats! After the tour we went into the Red Light District, which being as naive as I am scared me to pieces haha! On our way there we stopped at Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder meaning Our Lord in the Attic. It is a 17th century town house with a church in the attic that was used as a secret place for Catholics to worship during the Protestant revolts. After that we went continued our journey through the Red Light District. It was not as awful as I thought it would be so that was a blessing! We ate lunch at Amsterdam University and then finished up at another museum. However this time we were challenged to find our way back to the train station.. good thing there are other people who can read maps :) After some confusion of where and when our train was we finally boarded and headed back to Leiden. I was glad to get back! A group of us attended a church service tonight with students from Tawain and Leiden. It was so neat to be able to worship with people from all over. I am excited to get plugged in with it this church :) It was a very eventful day to say the least.. Tomorrow I am planning to get my bike and go to the market!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Exploring
Even though The Netherlands is a small country there is so much to see especially in Leiden :) On Wednesday we took a two hour tour around the city and got to explore De Burcht (pictures to come), Churches, local hangouts, and just walk around a soak up the city. There is so much history and I catch myself just being in awe of how beautiful everything seems. After our tour we went back to Central and had our first "borrel" with our teachers and classmates. This is custom in Leiden to have drinks and chat about life. I tried some white wine along with some other girls, but none of us liked it so we took shifts to the bathroom and dumped the rest out ha! The borrel finished kinda late so a group of us went out and ate at a Chinese restaurant. In Europe, eating out is a lot different then in the States. When you eat out in Europe you go and spend 2 or 3 hours just sitting and talking. It is all about the company instead of the food. We however were so hungry and couldn't really do what the Europeans do. We were probably their fastest customers!
Today was another full day! We learned about the history of The Netherlands and got to go on a tour of the oldest house left in Leiden where some of the Pilgrims stayed. I never realized the Pilgrims went to Leiden before traveling to North America. Anyways, the house dated back to the 1300's and it was really awesome to see items that were as old or older than the house! A group of us got tickets to a soccer game coming up in March.. USA vs. the Dutch! Tomorrow we are going to Amsterdam for the day where we will travel to some museums, hopefully see Anne Franks house, and eat at Amsterdam University. I start Dutch on Monday and am excited to be able to finally recognize some words :)
Today was another full day! We learned about the history of The Netherlands and got to go on a tour of the oldest house left in Leiden where some of the Pilgrims stayed. I never realized the Pilgrims went to Leiden before traveling to North America. Anyways, the house dated back to the 1300's and it was really awesome to see items that were as old or older than the house! A group of us got tickets to a soccer game coming up in March.. USA vs. the Dutch! Tomorrow we are going to Amsterdam for the day where we will travel to some museums, hopefully see Anne Franks house, and eat at Amsterdam University. I start Dutch on Monday and am excited to be able to finally recognize some words :)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Arrived :)
I finally arrived to Leiden! So much has already happened the two days I have been here. I have a couple of "PTL's" throughout my adventure so far :) So I got to Philadelphia and headed to my gate where my plane would be taking off. I sit down and happen to look over my shoulder to see this girl with a Leiden booklet. I was so thrilled and introduced myself so we were able to ride the trains and find a taxi to get to Leiden. The first night we all went out as a group to a pancake restaurant.. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was the biggest pancake I have ever seen! I was exhausted from only getting about 30 min of sleep on the plane so I went to bed around 9.
I am living in an apartment building and my roommate Lauren just arrived today so it is great to have some company in the room. Central College, who I am going through, is located about a 30 min walking distance from my apartment so I am definitely looking into purchasing a bike.
So what I have learned so far is that everyone in Leiden rides a bike. These bikes come in all shapes and sizes. Some have a seat in the front and the back to carry extra people. Some have baby car seats, and the rest are regular. You can find bikes parked all along the street and in front of places... It is so funny! Today I got a cell phone and an internet cable. I was so proud of myself because I was able to find my way back to my apartment 35 min away without a map and asking for directions. That was a great feeling since I have only taken that route 3 times since I have been here and since I am awful with directions! ha! I went to the grocery store and had a hard time picking out items since everything is in dutch. Lauren and I made sandwiches for dinner and it was after finishing that I realized we needed to bake the bread ha! It has been a good adjustment so far. The Lord has been so good!
I am living in an apartment building and my roommate Lauren just arrived today so it is great to have some company in the room. Central College, who I am going through, is located about a 30 min walking distance from my apartment so I am definitely looking into purchasing a bike.
So what I have learned so far is that everyone in Leiden rides a bike. These bikes come in all shapes and sizes. Some have a seat in the front and the back to carry extra people. Some have baby car seats, and the rest are regular. You can find bikes parked all along the street and in front of places... It is so funny! Today I got a cell phone and an internet cable. I was so proud of myself because I was able to find my way back to my apartment 35 min away without a map and asking for directions. That was a great feeling since I have only taken that route 3 times since I have been here and since I am awful with directions! ha! I went to the grocery store and had a hard time picking out items since everything is in dutch. Lauren and I made sandwiches for dinner and it was after finishing that I realized we needed to bake the bread ha! It has been a good adjustment so far. The Lord has been so good!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
All packed
I can't believe I leave tomorrow! I feel like I have been talking about this semester for such a long time so I am so thrilled that it will be starting in less than 24 hours :) Today has been really productive and stress free, which is such a blessing. This morning my Mom helped me to pack up and we managed to fit everything with a few pounds under weight.. so hopefully the airport's scales match up to ours ha! Tomorrow will be a long but good day. I fly into Philadelphia and have a 4 hour layover. Then I will board from there and land in Amsterdam at 10:45 a.m. their time (6 hours ahead). I must then navigate through the airport, board a train to Leiden, get a taxi, and finally arrive! I have no idea what to expect, but that's part of the adventure :)
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