'Ello! from Cambridge...Today, Sunday, July 5th (also, my dad's birthday by the way), is our last full day of the trip. Tomorrow morning, and by morning I mean late night (around 3:30 or 4:00 AM) we're heading to London to make our way back to the good ole' USA! Hooray!
As is apparent (if anyone is even still reading this...if not, at least Steve and I will have it as a memory), we have not blogged in quite a few days. The reasoning behind this is that we have literally had the same, uneventful schedule I wouldn't say uneventful, thats so strong.. the entirety of our stay in Cambridge:
-wake up late and eat breakfast/lunch this means breakfast food at lunch time
-watched experienced and novice punters (although a few days ago we took it to a new extent by walking down the river a ways to a bridge to observe. There are mass amounts of inexperienced punters on the river on Saturdays. This section of river was like a traffic jam, usually at the expense of one group, which would be embarrassing, everybody looking at them and they're just spinning around in circles, blocking traffic, hilar for bystanders. There are two punting companies in this area: one that wear collard shirt and nice shorts and the other who wear flourescent colored tank tops or no shirt/80s sunglasses (with the same bold colors as the tank tops and surfing shorts Erin secretly loved these people, shouting, "Oh look at those crazy punters, (then gazing for an extended period of time)," listen I get it, I saw you)...anyway, we watched a few of the punters from the uniformed company manuever in and out of these people...and when I say manuever I mean literally make zig-zag lines around others without hitting them...it was amazing.
-possibly walk to the "green" near the apt to read/get sun/watch people/smell DELICIOUS food (they have one-time-use grills that they bring out there). This was terrible, everyone here grills delicious meats apparently, leaving me starving.
-eat dinner (usually involves pasta and cheese) although on the 4th of July we had chicken nuggets and potato skins with cheese and bacon, I found it only appropriate. Also, on the 4th, we played "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood a few times with our roomate, Bob Costa (more on him later).
Anyway, we decided to do 10 questions about the trip (again, I'm sure no one is still reading this, but just in case, and, again, good memory). I would like to apologize for the fact that this will look like Christmas colors (or colours, since we're in the UK) when we comment, but it was not planned.
1)Favorite City?
Rome - This city was fanatastic, a history buff's fantasy, mainly because everything is so old, and most all of the sites were free, what a deal! Interestingly enough, even with free places to see, we still spent the most money here...Also, we befriended a restaurant owner and dancing locals, all around good time.
I would also have to say Rome...mainly because we were able to see a lot of sights in a little amount of time (and for free!), the food was great, and we made friends everywehere. Also, I loved Valencia...it was small so I felt like we got a grip of the city in the little bit of time we were there. And the beach there was AMAZING (foot massage included)!
2)Best Hostel?
Barcelona...definitely. Despite the room being 100 degress at night, they had a well layed out "social area." The kitchen and eating area were right beside the game room so you saw everyone. Also, the staff was super helpful and we met our "group of misfits" (as Steve would say) from various countries.
We are in agreement again, I also liked Barcelona. Although the men's showers had no curtains, the people we met were just too much fun, and we had great cross-cultural talks. Also, the staff was nice and fun, and it was close to the soccer stadium! It also had a full kitchen, high-school aged French girls who couldn't stop staring, and a coffee vending machine. Great!
3) Favorite Site?
The Vatican. It was free to get into the church, and it was fantastic. Everything was so huge, and every square inch was decorated in some way (this is even cooler when you think that most of those little paintings and stuff probably had a meaning too, amazing). Also, the view from the top of the dome was fantastic, both inside and out.
Sunset and wine at Piazzale Michelangelo. It was such a pretty walk up, and, obviously a great view when we got up there. Also, there was a great mix of locals and tourists. And, great convo.
4)Best Memory?
After our train car's A/C gave out and I thought I was going to have a panic attack, we moved to an area between the cars and sat and looked out the window. Although it was still hot, and we had hours left on the train, we took videos of each other, that ended up being hysterical!
Orrr, eating dinner outside (great view of mountains) at Stephen's aunts then ending the night with wine, tea, and watching a slideshow of pictures.
The train ride to Italy. This seems odd to say, but it was crazy how when we got on we were almost crying about how we weren't going to sleep ever, how there was no dining car (our refuge on long train rides), and how we were going to make it. It ended up being the best sleep I've had in a while, and I still can't figure out why. I remember waking up and being suprisingly refreshed, and looking over to see Erin still passed out, hilar!
5) Worst Memory?
Getting lost in the slums of Madrid, Spain. This was actually scary, as we didn't speak Spanish, and we were carrying a bookbag, so we had to stick out, and all their eyes were crawling over us as if to decide how they would murder us and take our money (and yes we actually had some at that point, ha!).
I have two: 1) taking the overnight train to Switzerland from Barcelona. We made our way to the dining car and (after not finding ANYTHING appealing on the menu) argued about how I would NOT eat a jamon sandwich for dinner...and did not even want to see jamon...and how Steve refused to eat pasta and cheese for dinner ever again and how he "hated it." And then, having to eat an omelette sandwich (which I ate two bites of) and had to go to bed hungry on a train...horrible.
2) Arriving in Florence, getting lost, and getting aggravated because it took us over an hour to get food once we got to our hostel. We made it all the way to a restaurant and realized we didn't have cash so had to go all the way back to the ATM (that was right beside the hostel) and go back. I never been hungrier or more aggravated by a lack of planning.
6) Best Meal?
I would say the first meal in Rome...we each had a pizza with unbelievably fresh cheese and mushrooms. I've never been more satisfied after eating. And we were eating outside under a roof of vines, very pretty.
That meal was very delicious, but the one in Switzerland was the best for me. We ate at my aunt's friend's, Hans and his wife, who made a variety of meats, veggies, multiple desserts, wines, grappa, expresso. I was actually stuffed.
7) Worst Meal?
I'll have to throw it back to Err's earlier comment, the sandwich on the train to Switzerland the first time, that was horrible, but I was starved so I toughed it out, but never again. That was horrible being hungry as well, for 11 hours, although that tuna steak meal at Gail's was great after starving.
The last meal we had at a restaurant in Barcelona. Of course, it was jamon, cheese, and bread. I cannot describe how much I was over jamon. Also, we tried to order crablegs (would have been a fantastic change) and received some sort of fried seafood=let down.
8) Person you wish you hadn't come in contact with?
I was trying to think of someone else (because this could be Stephen's too) but I am forced to say Sam from Valencia. The guy that trapped us in the bathroom, acting incredibly patrionizing, and told us what he "admired" about our trip and what there was to offer in each city in Spain, including his overview of the population...which we late found was wrong. "Barcelona is only Spanish people, it's such an inside culture and others are not welcomed." Not so true, Sam, but thanks anyway.
Erin is correct, that was my least favorite person ever. Although on this trip I became somewhat of a SC fan, I did not like the way he talked down to us as if we didn't know anything being from SC, trying to hide it with talks of his travels around the South and its beauty. Also, previously unmentioned, the conversation started with him because he tried to hit on Erin, while I was in a stall, then asking if we were "affliated," yes, Sam, we are, so back up.
9) Person you're most glad you came in contact with?
Everyone at the hostel in Barcelona. I personally enjoyed Toby because I spoke some German with him and he responded, making me feel as if I could actually talk German. Also, the guy from
Australia was really casual, talking about Australia being as real as possible, unlike that imposter in Madrid.
Bob Costa or "Bizzle" as we refer to him when he's not here, our current roomate in Cambridge. 1) Good roomate, gave us pointers about Cambridge 2) He's met/interviewed/is friends with anyone and everyone famous including several politicians, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Three Days Grace, Maroon 5 (most importantly Adam Levine), and the list goes on. 3) He said he'd get us tickets to a concert when he returns to the States (he's a music critic). 4) I'm sure he'll be a famous journalist one day.
10) Song that embodies the trip?
"Starman" by David Bowie. We heard this playing at our hostel in Florence but have played it several times since then (including on our picture slide show for Stephen's aunt). Also, for some reason, I feel like it fits the trip perfectly.
"Poker Face" by Lady GaGa. I am not a particular fan of this song, but apparently the entire European techno scene has this song as their anthem, so all the cars that were "bumping" music were playing this jam, and on late nights, whenever we passed clubs or bars, this song was playing. Literally we heard it a million times, so its somewhat synonymous with the trip.
We've also gathered a few awkwa
rd pics. Still hilar. The first: was in the "green" ...people like this are exactly why we go. He was not doing yoga, btw. He did handstands for about 10 minutes (falling frequently). 2) Head retro punter we saw every day (also, we got to know him a little better than we wanted one day when we passed the window while changing into a bathing suit ON the punt, in broad daylight...luckily he was punting his friends this time, not tourists because that could've been awkward. 3) Interesting
And so concludes our journey, it has been exciting, interesting, riveting and quite the learning experience. No more waking up a noon and realizing you have absolutely nothing you are expected to do...not even errands that you "could run," no phone calls, no unwanted visitors at the door, no nuisances you can't escape, etc. Now it's back to the real world...to the AMERICAN real world. Although I did enjoy never being carded for alcohol, the general emo style of dress, splitting meals, taking trains/metros/or walking anywhere instead of dealing with traffic, being tourists, etc., I'm looking forward to being back to "where you can live without your head" as Stephen's aunt said it; where everything is accessible 24 hours a day, you don't have to stop by an ATM before going anywhere because they take cards, your groceries are bagged for you, the check is immediately offered at the end of a meal, water is FREE at a restaurant, knowing where to go because it's home, etc. I never thought I'd say this (honestly, I thought I'd come back hoarding Italian and Spanish food) but I cannot wait for my first meal in the USA.
Peace out, Europe
See you soon.
