Swine flu, don't bother me

Something that has been interesting in Europe is the way I receive international news and how it affects me. In Brussels, my friend Robert told me about the earthquake in Italy. Thank goodness it happened then, after he had been and before I had gone. Papers everywhere talk about Obama. How he is going to end piracy, the war in Iraq, and basically how the size of his heroicism will rival the size of his ears. Also, Michelle Obama touched the queen of England, half of England cares, the other does not. So now it is the swine flu. My cousin Barrie is reconsidering her trip to New York and my mom may not be able to meet me in Spain. 

What if they close the borders and I get stuck in Spain? It's enough to make me want to run to Germany, which feels like my European home base. I almost feel more at home with Germans here than I do Americans, brits, or other Anglo-Saxons. And I am sure their healthcare system beats that of Spain.

Yesterday I stayed in and read, then watched Friends episodes all night. I enjoyed the lovely view and weather from inside. very relaxing. Today I caught the train to Monaco (Monte Carlo) and discovered that local trains in France do not require a reservation. Saves me money, yay! Monaco was lovely, but very touristy. I enjoyed the stone buildings embedded in the cliffs and it was fun to see the yachts sporting flags from all over the world, but I lamented the lack of beach and "realness." Then I went to Eze, which was the opposite. I did not go up the mountain into town, but ate a banana on the stony beach and enjoyed the relaxed views. In Nice, I went into a not-nice part of town. I didn't realize how bad it was until a man with no teeth started fretting about me finding my way. I was just wandering, but then I started heading to a better (which unfortunately always seems synonymous with non-Muslim) part of town. Where I got accosted by a man.

Man: *some French moonspeak*

Me: Pardon? Non francious.

Man: Espanol?

Me: Non, Englais.

Man (taking my hand): I love you. 

Me: Oh. Merci?

Man: I love you, would you like to eat lunch with me and my friends?

Me (trying to get my hand free): Oh, no. I have to go.

Man: I love you, you're beautiful.

Me: Merci. Au revoir!

Man: I love you, I would like to sleep with you.

Me: No, no, no, goodbye.

I preferred the "bad" part of town.

Then I went into Valbonne Village (my cousin lives in Valbonne) and bought Barrie some flowers, walked around the quaint, EXPENSIVE little village, and then she picked me up and we headed home.

Tomorrow morning I leave for Paris. If creepy old man did not give me the swine flu.

Family!

The all-you-can-eat pancake cruise was just as amazing as it sounds. I ate soooo many. Then we went to Den Hauge, found out Madurodam is a theme park thing, not a city and you had to pay to watch the light show so Danielle and I used our peeping skills (which we honed in the day prior) and looked in through the fence. I thought it was cool, but she grew bored so we went to a bar. She got a beer and I balked at the high prices of cocktails. So the owner bought me a drink. Chocolate milk mixed with coconut rum was delish, but a bit heavy. However, I don't complain about free drinks. So then Danielle went to her new hostel and I walked back to the boat alone.

Caught a train the next morning to Antwerp, which is gorgeous. I remembered how much I adored Belgium. Then I reserved a train to Paris and I remembered how much I hated Belgian ticket masters. Got to Brussels, missed my train to Paris and I was afraid I would get stuck in Brussels AGAIN, but without Megan and Robert to entertain me. But a wonderful lady in the ticket booth put me on the next train with no charge for another reservation and booked a night train to Cannes.

Paris was wonderful, but cold and wet. I saw Notre Dame and I am DEFINITELY going inside when I go back. It's the first church which really called to me this trip. Had a lovely trip on the night train (love them and they are cheaper than most hostels) and ended up in bright, warm Cannes. I need a bikini! At least bottoms. But I wore my sundress and felt fabulous and at home on the warm beach.

Met my cousin Barrie and her wonderful family. Husband Hawk, her three girls: Harriet, Vivian, and Sophie. Barrie bought me a chocolate croissant and it was delightful, then I school Viv at Gin Rummy. Now I am hogging the computer, so catch ya later, alligatorz!

I Amsterdam

Yesterday Danielle and I "peeped" for four minutes, went to the hash museum, and decided Anne Frank's house was not worth waiting in the queue so we skipped it. Couldn't find the sex museum, just the erotic museum which looked lame, so we just walked around the red light district and then I went to the hostel and took a glorious, slobbery nap.

We went to Haarlem for the flower parade, which was very neat but the most strange and disorganized parade I have ever seen.

We went to the "Lots of Cheese"store which did indeed have a lot of cheese.
After the flower parade we headed back to the red light district to see the night time hookers (much better groomed than the ones out at 11am on a Saturday).

Today I slept in way late, because it was drizzly and grey outside. In an hour we are going on an all-you-can-eat pancake boat tour. Delicious! Then to Den Hauge for the light show.

Things I have been meaning to mention:
Being in London really made me excited baout living in Austin. It has the same big city going-ons mixed with the beauty of parks and nature and just outside the city you have open fields.
I didn't kiss the Blarney stone in Cork because David, the local I met on the ferry, told me that local boys get drunk and pee on it. And Cork was dreary that day so I stayed on the train.
I am so excited about going south for warmth!

Amsterdam!

Ireland ended up being cold and wet everywhere, so I stayed dry and warm on the train and finished Hareliquinn, a book Danielle loaned to me. It was a nice, relaxing day and I enjoyed the lush green of Ireland as it rolled by.

I did not know that gaelic was still in use, but the train made announcements in both gaelic and english. I spent a good deal of time trying to figure out what the moonspeak was on the board and finally broke down and asked. I guess some of the people who live in the countryside still use it.

Yesterday I woke up and bounded out to the airport, where I got to my flight with minimal problems (I had to pay a fee because I was checking in at the airport, not online and then I raced around the airport trying to find a postcard for Lucky) and had a pleasent enough flight to Einhoven, in the Nethrlands.

On the bus to the train station I struck up conversation with Neil, a policeman in the Netherlands who had been hill-walking in Ireland and he helped me find my train and even bought me a sandwich when it turned out we were going to be on the same train. Unfortunately I will just miss him in Norway, but he was a very interesting guy.

I liked Amsterdam immediately, it just had a great vibe and an adorable look. My hostel is on a boat and the staff is so friendly. And the showers get really hot. The weather was gorgeous yesterday and looks to be the same today and it is much warmer than the UK.

After a shower and some laundry, I met Danielle at the ferry landing (we are across the canal from central Amsterdam, but the ferries are free.) There are so many bokes in Amsterdam! Thousands just by the train station!

We wandered around, found a cafe and ate a space cake and then had pancakes for dinner (mine was bacon and onion - delicious) because that is what they do here. We were going to see the red light district, but when we came back for Danielle to change, I just passed out. I blame the space cake.

When she gets out of the shower we are going to head into the city, see the Hash Museum, Sex Museum, and Anne Frank House and then head to Haarlem to catch the end of the flower parade.

Amsterdam? My favorite so far.

Unfortunately I am getting sick. I blame the Canadians in Dublin.

Nifty Thrifty Ireland

Yesterday I got on the train to Belfast only to end up in Northern Ireland with a pass that is not valid there (I thought BritRail covered it), so I got kicked off my train and had to stow away on another one to get back to Republic of Ireland where my rides are already paid for.

On the train over I had the pleasure of sitting next to someone with some strange habits. He whistled constantly and I thought it was because he was merry and had a tune in his head, but when it continued for over an hour I decided he must have a condition. When he first got on the train I thought he worked for a newspaper company because he was passing out papers to the nearby tables (while whistling), but then he sat down and straightened the paper on my table and started reading. Then he pulled out lunch and then played solitare. These things would not have been so strange, I think, if it were not for the whistling.

I was kind of glad that I got sent back to Dublin because as I progressed north, it got colder and much more dreary whereas in Dublin it was warm and bright. I bought 8 euro worth of food which will last me my stay here, and then headed off to wander. I found lovely parks, which I liked better than London's parks which are more just manicured grass and flowers. In Ireland the parks have more trees which make private little coves of grass where you can tousle with a lover, practice juggling, or have a family picnic in relative privacy. Trinity College where they were playing kricket and then I got delightfully lost in a lovely residential area. An American named Paul pointed me in the right direction and we had a lovely talk as we walked. He's a secret agent or something. I came to really enjoy Dublin once it was warm and sunny. I think my affection for a city is very dependent on the weather.

When I came back to the hostel to cook dinner, I struck up conversation with Garrett, a guy from Winnipeg, Canada who is moving to Dublin. It surprised me how many people actually live in the hostel.

I really do believe in manifestation. I had been hankering for some brownies and Garrett and his friend Mike had bought brownie mix earlier that day. I was one happy Lizzy. Then Garrett ended up rounding a huge group of people up to go out and we went to a Reggae pub which was too busy for Mike's taste and because it was his last night, we went to another pub where we were not allowing in because Garrett was carrying an empty Vodka bottle (which no one had partaken of) as a "flag" to lead our group. Then we couldn't get into another one because I was not 21. If I wanted that sort of treatment I would have stayed in the States! We eventually landed in a club that was pretty much dead, but we danced all night and came home satisfied ad tired.

Today I plan on taking the train to Cork, which is hopefully prettier than Dublin's weather, but first I have to grab my sack lunch that I left back at the hostel. I would really like to find a celtic ring as an Irish souvenier. That is my quest.

Dubious Dublin

This morning I missed the 8:10 train to Holyhead, but that was okay because the 9:10 train was the crucial one. 8:10 would have just given me more time. But I wasn't really worried about it until the 9:10 train got delayed and became the 9:35 train. So I was in a bit of a crunch.
I figured if I missed the last ferry of the day I could just go to Manchester for the night or something, but I would be losing 9 euro for a room I wasn't staying in.

But for once the travel fairy took sweet pity, or actually I had just planned for my stupidity, and the train arrived 40 minutes before the ferry was supposed to depart. I got on, no problem. For some reason I thought a ferry is just for cars and is a sort of barge, but this one was like a mini-cruise. It had a cinema, casino, restaurants, shops, and many lounges with comfy cushioned benches for Lizzys to sleep on. Delightful.

Coming into Dublin was beautiful and I made an Irish friend, David, who had been living in London but was moving back to Cork. He told me about the islands as we passed them and let me know that the two ugly towers were actually famously associated with Dublin.

I found my hostel no problem and it is definitely the sketchiest one I have stayed in so far. The showers are two floors below the rooms, the toilets don't have seats and the rooms don't have lockers. However it is huge and has a lot of common areas so it is good for meeting people. I really don't mind, but it would not be one I would take my mom to. But for 9 euro a night? I can dig it.

I kind of find Dublin to be pretty sketchy, but I haven't seen much of it. I may go out to a pub tonight with my new French friend, Guilliam, but I will probably stay in, read, and sleep. Tomorrow I am taking scenic train rides and seeing beautiful countryside and then maybe I can go out in this more industrial city.

Lon-done

This morning the weather.com said 67 degrees farenheit and so I set forth in a scarf, jeans, sandals, and tank top. I was not disapointed. I read my great-grandfather's book, "No Man Is Single," in Regents park for an hour and on the way I accidentally ran into Sherlock Holmes' museum/estate. Fluffy had been badgering me to go, but I didn't think I would have the time. What a lucky happenstance.

Then I headed to Spitalfields Market for a free alternative fashion show. The clothes were amazing and some were too artsy for me to understand. I really liked the big-girl models who showed a line made of only rubber and latex. FABULOUS. I will post my London pictures later tonight.

On my way back to the tube station I saw the giant egg of London. APparently it is a business building, but from the first day it called to me. What can I say? I like eggs. So I set off to find it. When I did find it, I took a picture and then walked inside and talked to a receptionist.
Me: What is this building for?
Receptionist: It's a finance/business building.
Me: It looks like an egg.
Her: Yes, I know. It's very famous.
Me: Eggs are delicious.
Her: There is a restaurant at the top, but it's private for people who work in the building.
Me: Do they serve eggs?
Her: No.
Me: Well that's a wasted oportunity for irony. Have a wonderful day working in your egg!
[Exit]

After that I took the tube to London Tower and crossed London Bridge and then moved on to my theatre walk which Jenn had prerecorded the instructions for me. I was nervous to listen to them, thinking it may make me way too homesick but instead I was laughing the whole time. The walk took me to Drury Lane, and I didn't see any men with a muffin, let alone a man with enough muffins to be termed "The Muffin Man."

I found another market area but it was nothing compared to Campton, Borough, or even Spitalfields. As I was walking a guy approached me asking for money. I was tired of having to explain that I was a backpacker and had no money, so I decided to throw him off and said "Non English, do you speak French?" (but I asked it in French) Thinking myself very clever I was surprised when he started speaking to me in French (which despite some time with Rosetta stone, I know very little of). So I just said "Non." and walked off. But then I started laughing and I went back and admitted that I spoke English and not French and he impressed me so much and caught me at my game so here, take 37 pence. I think it was well spent.

On my way to find Soho, I walked past a Vue cinema and there was a large queue. Apparently the premeire of Star Trek was going to happen in a couple hours and everyone wanted to see the stars. I thought about sticking around, but decided that I am not the sort of person to wait around for other people. People should be waiting around in hopes to see me. I finally found Soho and Old Compton Street and all the XXX stores and it was lovely. I like Camden better, though.

I hoped to walk by the Vue again and see a star or two, but I didn't remember how to get back so I just hopped on the tube and came back to Cynthia's house where I had a lovely sausage and potatoe and brocolli meal. Posting pictures tonight, finishing great-grandfather's book, and Ireland tomorrow, hopefully.

Lovely

I met up with Chris at the glorious Globe theatre and we headed into Brixton (the "Brooklyn of London") and he bought me delicious Japenese chicken curry and then took me out for dancing and drinks at the Mango Landing. A great little bar that plays reggae hip hop music. The taste of liquor is bothering me less and less, which is good in some rights (I will be 21 about 2 weeks after I return to the US) and bad in others (I have probably inherited an addictive nature). The best I can do is be careful not to over-indulge, but isn't that all aspects of life?

We crashed around 1-2am and got a little sleep before waking up and hurrying about to get ready for rock climbing in Bowels. His friend, Stephen came and picked us up and we then picked up Steph and Alex. The weather was cold and cloudy, despite BBC's assurances that it would be warm and brilliant. However Steph let me borrow her extra sweater and after we got to climbing I wasn't so bothered.

I impressed everyone (or so they claimed) by scaling my first route with minimal difficulty. Feeling accomplished, I was okay with watching everyone else climb different routes and reaching the top or bouncing back to the bottom, but I did attempt a second, much more difficult course. After I fell I decided to call it quits because I was so tired from the past couple nights' activities and I had a distracting headache. I had already hit my goal. So I wandered around in the sunshine which did finally come out and collected flowers for people or talked with Steph and just enjoyed my day outside. I will definitely rock climb again one day, if only because the people who do it are so cool and they form a sort of community as most people who share a unique interest do.

We were climbing well past the end of the festival at the Globe for Shakespeare's birthday, but I wasn't bothered. However I did hurry back to Cynthia's house in a whirl, to take out my contacts and shower ASAP. I feel badly about leaving Chris so abruptly, he wanted me to go to a pub where they play jazz, but I was just ready to get back to my temporary home.

All I Ask of You

Today the weather was wonderful and got me out of bed much earlier than anticipated. I headed to Buckingham palace and watched the changing of the guard, or rather watched people watch the changing of the guard, I walked in the lovely HUGE gardens that would take weeks to see fully and then went to Chinatown where I had some lovely chicken and mushrooms with fried rice. Chinatown in Sydney is way better.

Then I started walking to Westminster to see Big Ben up close and noticed that there was a queue for Phantom of the Opera and decided to get in line and see if any tickets were available. For 20 quid I got nose bleed seats and loved every minute of it. It was amazing.

Then I walked to Big Ben getting ushered into a Holland day festival along the way, went to Camden Town via the tube and LOVED it. It is so edgy and punk and wonderful and they say you should get pierced or tatted in Camden before you die so I got a large British flag on my left shoulder blade. It sounds kind of tacky, but I think the artist made it look quite classy. Just kidding, Dad, but I did get my ear pierced. Could be worse.

Then I went to Platform 9 and 3/4 and got my picture taken then came home to find that my Scottish friend, Chris, went to As You Like it at the Rose to try and catch me and tell me he didn't live in Bristol, but Brixton. So he is in the show now and I am going to meet him at the Globe, probably have a drink or two, then stay the night at his place so we can wake up bright and early and go rock climbing in the morning.

One of the best days I've had on the trip so far and definitely the best day in London. I realized that I have been bogged down with all the things I "should" be seeing and I haven't done much of my London, the London of the random festivals and walking into incredible shows and meeting interesting people. That is no longer an issue. London, take me!

This Little Piggy Loves Markets

I laugh at plans, hahaha. I decided the Isle of Wight would have to wait, I had to see London first (and this way I got to sleep in). So instead, I went on the London Eye, found Borough's market and stole a chocolate, found a book market under a bridge and maybe stole 3 books, or maybe took them for free which was maybe the purpose? I found the Globe and Rose theatres but I didn't have my student ID so the Globe tour will have to wait. Crossed London Bridge, which did not fall down, and climbed the monument.

The London Eye was 17 quid and it was dreary and not worth it. Want to see London from up high? Pay 2 quid (student price) and feel accomplished after climbing over 300 stairs.

Sunday the Globe theatre is open for Shakespeare's birthday celebration, and a festival is being held. Hopefully I will make it back from rock climbing with Scottish Chris in time to attend, but if not I will take the tour with my student discount.

Despite it being cold and rainy I enjoyed the walk and made a couple friends on London bridge. Clare and Sarah from Iowa who are studying in Dublin. Perhaps I will meet up with them next week. I also made friends with a guy on the street (who I believe was named William, but something tells me I am confused). He was trying to sell me a clean conscious, but all I had to give was a tangerine. He told me I was lovely and I told him I was sorry his eye blood vessels burst. Don't even know what his charity was for, but hello if you are readying this maybe-William!

Then I went to dinner with my FIRST COUSIN ONCE REMOVED (thanks Dad), Cynthia, and her husband John who came in today from Cairo. He works for Coca-Cola. We went to a Japanese restaurant which was lovely, aside from the homeless man who pounded the window as he passed. I had glorious sushi.

Afterwards I raced to Leichester Square to watch a Burlesque-esque variety show called La Clique and made friends with a couple satff member, Nahil(?) and Victoria and a fellow audience member, Alex who bought me my first Cosmopolitan. Yummy. The show consisted of a large black man in Spandex and wigs singing in a lovely baritone, a comedic "Swedish" magician, a nudist magician, and some insane acrobats. It was wonderbar! I ahd to take a taxi home because it was too late to catch the tube, but well worth it.

Tomorrow I will hopefully make it to Stratford-Upon-Avon, Camden market, and a showing of As You Like It in the Rose theatre. Afterwards I will either go out with Katherine (who is actually my second cousin - thanks, Dad) in London, or Chris in Bristol and stay the night out there so we can hop up in the morning and go rock climbing. That conversation went so:
Chris: "Do you like rock climbing?"
Me: "Guess we'll find out."

I was sad to learn that apparently York is very sketchy at night and maybe not a place I want to live. But then Megan Arant's comment re-heartened me and I think I can handle it. The plan stays in place! (Hahaha, "plans")

Also, I booked a flight from Dublin to Amsterdam on freaking Ryanair. What a drag, but it is cheaper and way less time than trying to cross the UK and do all that ferry stuff. Ryanair is like that creepy boyfriend who you think makes hairdolls of you, but you need to keep him around to make rent.

Middlesex East London

Something that I have found interesting is the volume of Muslims in Western Europe. My Jack the Ripper walk took me through the Muslim center of London, which ironically enough is in East side.

My thrid-cousin Katherine showed me the way to the tube (subway) station and then walked me over to Abby Road where the Beatles recorded and took the crosswalk picture. Of course I took one, but it's more me running so I won't get hit by a car.

On my self-guided tour I went to Spitalfields market and bought a lovely scarf (the last one this trip, I promise!), then walked around town and saw the Bell Foundry that the Liberty bell and bells for Big Ben were forged in, Hoop and Bells which is the oldest pub in London, London Royal Hospital, and Ten Bells Pub where Jack's victims all frequented.

I also tried a hot cross bun and was not impressed. The flatjacks my second-cousin Cynthia (Katherine's mom) made however? Delicious. Now she is making chicken curry and I am going to be open-minded.

Tomorrow I am taking the train to the Isle of Wight and then coming back to London to do the "cultural walk." Saturday is Bath and Bristol with Chris, maybe. Sunday is Camden, Theatre Walk including a celebration at the Globe for Shakespeare's birthday, and probably another walk. Monday is two more walks and then Tuesday I am off to Dublin. Looks like I am going to fly from Dublin to the Netherlands. Saves time and money, but I do hate flying.

Drip-drip-drop Little April Showers

If you catch the quote from my title, you win my everlasting affection. I am currently in London watching the rain plop onto the trees and windows and readying my courage to go out. The rain isn't what scares me, I love succulent, wet rain. No, it is London. Will it live up to the glory everyone places on it? I will soon find out. After lunch.

Yesterday I went to Blackpool with Danielle and her flatmate, Sam. The call of seagulls and brown sugar sand were everything I expected and I loved the tourist-trap markets and gypsy tents. We rode the carousel and went into a mosters of the deep sea exhibit, which I felt like my time and money could have been better spent on the Ferris Wheel, but I am sure that has to do with me being from Destin and therefore jaded by the sealife. But it was a fun time.

I left the girls there to collect my things from Lancaster and then head to London where I took my first taxi at the insistence of my cousin. She greeted me at her door and we got along immediately, we talked nonstop as she fed me, took me to a pub, and then as we seperated into our respective rooms for the night.

I was suprised to find that she worked for the NFL here, where they play one game a year. Apparently British people are into American football.

This morning I woke up, settled into my living quarters (this is the longest I will stay at one place during my trip - I have drawers!), had a bagel and read the paper which talked mainly of Obama and the new law passed in Pakistan and very little of British going-ons, and then tried to plan my trip after London which thoroughly exhausted me. The only real work I did was booking a hostel in Ireland.

But I will not while my time in London away on a computer! So I will have a sandwich and then be off.

Due to the bad economy, Penny Lane is now known as Tupence Lane

Nottingham was a cool, artsy town. I found Nottingham castle and statues of Robin and the Merry Men (pictures to be posted soon) and there were great B&Bs for super cheap. I want to spend a weekend there in the future.

So to recap, I plan to come back to the UK and:
Spend two weeks in a small Scottish cottage in the highlands
Spend a weekend in Edinburgh
Live in York for three months
and stay in a B&B in Nottingham for a weekend.

After Nottingham I went to Birmingham which is a cute little shopping town, but everything was closed so I went straight to the hostel and started reading Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe which deals with the characters of Nottingham. It was so cool to read about places I had just visited and the people I had been thinking on.

On the train to Birmingham I was feeling anti-social and just listening to music but a guy sat across from me and he started pulling interesting things out of his bag and he looked so emo-chic that I ahd to strike up conversation. His name was Adam, he's 19 and in university and may hang with me in London. I can't help but be a social butterfly.

In the hostel in Birmingham I stayed in a mixed room for the first time and my bunkmate was a guy named Chris who lived right out of the city but was watching a show and couldn't get a train back home so late on Easter. He took pity on my diet of sunflower seeds and bread and tossed me some chocolate. There were also a couple Swedish girls, a guy from France, and another American, Eliza from Indiana. On top of Eliza was an Irish guy who came in during the middle of the night, began snoring like a beast and then slept most of the morning. When he did wake up, Eliza and I discovered that he slept only in shiny bikini underwear and was not afraid to show it. I'm thinking Ireland will be an adventure.

I took the train to Lancaster, met my friend Danielle and she made me real food (Yay!) and I called my family because she has this thing called Magic jack which lets her have a Florida landline here. It really is magic. Free calls to the US, ftw!

Today I woke up, had a real breakfast (Bacon!!!) and set off for Liverpool where I listened to 96 Beatle songs on my iPod, found Penny Lane and saw some crappy stunt cycling. I didn't realize that Liverpool was such a big city. The first big city I've really been in on this trip. It's nothing compared to London, I am sure, but was a bit of a jolt. Very cool place, great for a day trip but I wouldn't do more.

Then I came back to Lancaster where Danielle and friends had made shepard's pie and we feasted and made merry. Hoorah!

Tomorrow is the Coney Island of England - Blackpool! And then to London. I don't even know what to expect, which is perhaps best.

Oh, Robin Hood!

I booked a hostel in Birmingham today (all the ones in Manchester are full) but first I am going to swing by Nottingham to hopefully find the band of Merry Men and party it up!

Somethings I won't be able to get used to in Europe:
Having to pay to use the bathroom
Having to pay for water/no water fountains and rare drinkable tap water
Belgium and Germany: Pushing instead of pulling to enter a building and vice versa to get out
UK: Looking right then left for traffic
Germany: Doorknobs don't turn

Somethings I won't be able to live without in the States:
The train
One language

I found a place that has breakfast all day for 1.75£. Wonder if they are open on Easter.

By the by, uploaded pics from Brussels and Scotland. photobucket.com/lizzydoeseurope

Talk with my mouth full

Today all the hostels in the UK were full because it is Easter weekend, so I decided to set out on the train and try my luck because I was done with Scotland. It was lovely, but I was done.
I decided to wait on Ireland until after London because then I can use my Eurail pass and not spend extra money (Eurail covers Ireland but BritRail doesnt, weird).
I bought a postcard for my Grandad and then boarded the train for Endinbrough. I wish we had stayed in Edinbrough rather than Glasgow, it's so much nicer! I decided Scotland is a place I would like to stay for two weeks in some summer to write, but I would definitely stay in Edinbrough for a couple days in the beginning.
From Edinbrough I caught a train to York and on the ride I started talking to Tara, a terribly interesting Londoner and we have tentative tea plans for when I am in her neighborhood. If she looks me up.
I love New York, I love the York family, so it only seems right that I love old York. (However I don't like York candies, so there is that). It is beautiful! I would love to live there for at least a couple months of my life. I think I will. Unfortunately I walked all the way to the hostel to find out what I already knew (that it was full). Then I found a wall that you can walk on, so I jumped on and ended up walking half the city. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Finally headed back to the station and caught a train to Derby. Really dreadful place, but it had a cheap hotel. I walked around and ended up in a kind of bad part of town so some homeless guy from Pakistan pointed me in the right direction and told me to leave my imaginary boyfriend for him. Then I stopped in a bar and did kareoke with a group of lovely locals, but a couple of the guys creeped me out so when they asked where I was from, I used my Canadian alias and I felt badly about it later. Oh well.
Tomorrow maybe Nottingham and then Manchester?
When I get to Cynthia's I am booking as many of my future hostels as possible. I love having the freedom to be where I want and when, but I can't afford staying in 50£ hotels because of it.

Name of the Game

Last night I started using "HiWhatsYourName?" to meet new friends. If these friends just happened to be an attractive Scot, Portugal guy, and Swiss, then so be it. So we went out with Chris, David, and Rimo (names match the sequence of listed nationalities) and I watched everyone drink at The Primary, aka our Glasgow pub. Chris ended up hitting his head like a champ and I had to play nurse. We went to bed way too late and Fluff and Rebecca had to get up at like 5am.
I assume they caught their train because I haven't heard anything to the contrary. Hope you guys are enjoying London!
Today I woke up (late) and took the train to Inverness but decided not to get out and see the Loch Ness but rather just take a scenic route back. I was regretting this decision when halfway through my ride to Aberdeen a devilishly handsome Scotsman struck up converstaion with me after I asked what time our train was supposed to arrive. Greg (the Scotsman) took me out for soup and I caught an even later train back to Glasgow. It was lovely Cullen skink, a Scottish thing apparently.

Skirmish - it's a Sottish word for a nasty fight

Scotland reminds me of the men in my life. Golf for Grandad and Dad and futbol for Dylan and dad and badass highlander Scots for all three. I need to find postcards for them. Last night we went to a pub which turned out to be the local hangout for futbol fans. Go Liverpool!
Today we jumped on a tour bus led by a real highlander with a fabulous accent who was smooth with the ladies, teehee. His name was Chris which tickled Fluff (whose real name is Chris). We went to a castle in Stirling, a loch, and a whisky distillery. The scenery from the bus was the best, imo. Though falling in the mud and ruining my clothes at the castle was a riot, too.
Tomorrow Fluffy and Becca train out and I will try to catch a train to Inverness to find Nessie and eat at some place Spencer Hamilton suggested.
Which reminds me, today I had some hella good minced meat in a biscuit bowl with potaties and peas. Scotties know how to do it.
I also ninjaed from the continental breakfast, mom and Judy would be proud.
Also, Osario: I used "HiWhatsYourName?" on a guy, you'd be proud. Unfortunately he was gay.

That's a lot of squid!

I made it to Galsgow, finally. It is cold and wet, but it has bagpipes! We are trying to book a tour today, tomorrow I am going to Edinborough, hopefully. Then on to Ireland.

Met up with Fluffy and Rebecca here (friends from home) and they are babying me and I kinda love it. I will suckle that teet!

We wandered the city, which I don't love but the countryside on the way over was beautiful. We played badass fashion show in Hellfire, a Hot Topic-esque store, but way cooler.

Ate haggis. It was okay, but Becca loved it.

COOOOLD. But happy.

Mon ami, meine ente

Yesterday I had breakfast in the hostel for the first time and I snuck out some extra food for lunch. Can you say eggs? Holla!
So then I went to the atomnium which is basically a really big model of an atom, pretty neat. I met some cool professors from Birmingham and we had a nice chat, I gave them my blog so maybe I will meet up with them in the UK.
Afterwards, Robert and I headed to Waterloo to check out Napoleons last stand. A couple Oscar-nominated movies (GNOT) and several pictures later we headed back for Brussels, missed our train and eventually found ourselves in the city center eating fries and choloate covered fruits. Lovely.
Meagan abandoned me for Amsterdam, but maybe I will see her in the UK as well. Or over in good old North America. It was sad to say goodbye to her and Robert, but I will hopefully see him in Munich for some old-fashioned river skinny-dipping. Its what they do.
I woke up at like 3:20 this morning and came down to check-in or my flight (which I couldnt do because I have to check baggage) and Mishel, the Cuban hostel host on duty tonight bought me a beer which I drank like 2 sips of but now can say I tried Belgian beer and we danced to his banging Cuban music. He is a good leader.
After a nap and I shower I came down to use the remainder of my coputer time and he had packed me a picnic because I am leaving too early for breakfast. Sweetheart!
Heres to round two at getting to Scotland.

Francuios fransucks

I went to the wrong airport this morning, spent a lot of money trying to get to the correct one and missed my overpriced flight. Next flight out is Wednesday. I cant wait to get to the UK where everyone speaks English and I will have a train pass.
Yesterday was wonderful, Brussels is fantastic and I hung out with a cool Canadian chick, Meagan, and a sexy and knowledable German boy, Robert.
These European boys are killing me.
I think I am going to try to get Robert to go to Waterloo with me tomorrow, but if not I may just go to Antwerpen.
These European keyboards are killing me.
Glasgow on the 8th, which is when Fluffy gets in anyways.
I need a shower and a nap.

Bonjour

Yesterdays train ride was rough because I realized how alone I am now. I did a bit of silent crying and was interrupted when a woman started talking moon speak at me which ended up being French.
So I ended up splitting a hotel last night with an adorable Belgian girl named Anne-Sophie. She split with her boyfriend and had no place to stay. She is going to be a famous actress one day, with me.
I had belgian waffles and chocolate for breakfast and then went to find my hostel. Its in the middle of a French-Iranian quarter where everything is cheap and vibrant. The people are either very nice or pickpockets who were dissapointed when I had nothing worth stealing.
I booked a flight top Glasgow tomorrow morning qand am kinda stuck until then, for some reason the ATMs here wont give me money so I am broke until the banks open.
I hate that keyboards here are all convoluted.
Going exploring now. xxx

Danke!

So it's been great staying with Jenn and her family, yesterday we went to gorgeous gardens and a park in Hannover and then shopping in Hameln, which is the Pied Piper village. Very cool.
Today I am taking my first train ride to Brussels where I have no place to sleep! Yay. I have a hostel booked for tomorrow and I am going to call tonight and see if anyone cancelled. Otherwise I am sleeping in the train station. So basically I am going from a very sheltered environment with friends to being hardcore on my own. The real adventure begins!

Liebe!

So apparently, breakfast is also only bread. Lunch is the only meal by American standards. Good thing I like bread. I wonder what prisoners here eat. Also note, Jenns Opa (Grandpa) makes the bread of the house. He used to be a bakers apprentice during WWII or something, Very cool.
Jenns wonderful aunt, Titi (German for tits...its a long story), took me to get a prepaid TMobile phone, so now I have that security blanket. Vodaphone is more expensive. Titi has been my hero this trip, she picked me up from the sirport, researched my phones, told me Id be spat on if I went to a whorehouse (they dont like woman customers) and researched my train tickets out of here. Also, she speaks English so I dont feel so embarrassed around her.
On the way to get the phone we stopped by the school of Jenns cousins (Titis sons). They go to a boarding school and the grounds are amazing, its in a castle! For serious.
Later we went to a fort, Schaumburg, that is something like 1000 years old. Very cool. I thought finiding German and American bunkers from WWII on our walk yesterday was history!
Took our dinner back to the babbling brook and got some pictures, then came back to watch a German movie that was (apparently) hilarious and super cute. Now I HAVE to learn German.
Early morning tomorrow, going to some gardens in Hannover and then girl time in a different town.

Posted some pics: photobucket.com/lizzydoeseurope

Scheiße

So I missed one connection because my flight out of Charlotte was late, but got into Hannover with no real problems. Charlotte, by the way, is a beautiful airport and I really didn´t mind spending 8 hours reading, listening to music, and dancing on the moving sidewalks. It was a pretty good day. While waiting for my flight I befriended a lovely German girl named Laura who works in the music industry. She gave me her e-mail and I hope to meet up with her again on this trip.
On the flight to Frankfurt, I got my first European kiss from a gorgeous Turkish/German girl who announced "I must kiss you now!" after I raved about her European beauty. Her name was Nazli and she is a fashion designer. I wish I had gotten her information, but it´s a small continent, who knows?
In the Frankfurt airport after an 11 hour flight and 11 hours of sitting around before that, I felt disgusting so I stepped into the bathroom to change and freshen up (the perks of having all your luggage carry-on). While in there, I heard a man yelling outside screaming "No! Please! Halp, halp halp!" So I decided that although I was terribly curious, the sensible thing to do is stay in hiding until whatever was going on passed. Luckily, another American girl walked into the bathroom and let me know it was pretty much a "Don´t tase me bro!" situation with a guy who didn´t want the police looking through his things. Kinda wish I had gone out now.
My beautiful Jenn was waiting at the airport and we drove to Hessisch Oldendorf where her family lives. We ate a delicious German lunch, then speghetti ice cream, and wandered through the village. Looked into a Vodaphone, but they only have the more expensive models here so I am going to look them up when we go into the city on Friday. 20$ that I save on a phone can go towards minutes and texts.
Then we hiked up some hills and found a beautiful little creek waterfall and practiced skipping rocks. We´re going back there tomorrow for an after-lunch picnic.
For dinner here, they only eat a couple slices of bread with margerine and cheese or meat. Very strange to me, since I´m used to dinner being the biggest meal.
I´m feeling delightfully European.