Hello everyone,
We left Gatwick airport on time and headed over to Ireland. The flight was about an hour and a half but seemed shorter :D
We got off the plane and I saw my name on the airport and inside the airport too! Yeah! I had to take a picture of myself by the Shannon airport sign of course ;)
went to an atm to get some money and then found a taxi to take us to our hotel, the Travel Lodge Inn.
It was a very nice hotel, but it did smell like it had just been painted. We took two rooms and Erin, Jen and I had one room, Liz, Patrick, Mallory and Kristen had the other. We got into our pjs and hit the hay.
The next morning we got up and went to meet Jen's friend Erin at the bus station. We had to take taxi's everywhere due to our hotel being far from the city of Limerick. We took a bus to go the Blarney Castle. It was a great day to go to the castle and see the surrounding area around the castle. When we got up to the castle we took some pictures and went on inside, wandering around the narrow walls and rooms of the remaining castle. We got up to the top of the castle where there were 2 people helping everyone kiss the Blarney stone. It said on the signs that if you kiss the Blarney stone then you will have the gift of eloquence. So I went first, had Patrick take my picture. The old man helping me was funny and said, So do you like kissing lassie :) I said yes and then I put my hands on the two poles and bent backwards. I went pretty far down and he told me to kiss the stone. It wasn't at all disgusting because it looked like they cleaned it, or at least I hope so. No diseases from anyone on this trip yet :) I then came back up and the other guy took my picture :) He handed me a number for the picture and then it was the next persons turn. The top view from the castle was amazing and such a great sight to see :D
Once we all had kissed the Blarney stone we made our way back down the castle. We went to see our pictures and buy some souvenirs too!
We wandered into a walk way garden trail kind of place and it was so pretty. There was a holly bush and it made me think of Green Sleeves and then I started singing Christmas in Killarney, which I saw the sign to go there several times :)
We wandered back to the entrance, stopping to go see a horse standing by a fence. We tried calling it over but he wasn't listening to us. Patrick tried to lure him over with an apple, but he just ended up throwing bits to where the horse was standing. He still didn't want to move. Oh well lol :) Silly horse!
We then went to find a place to eat. We found this cute little cafe and sat down to eat. I ordered a club sandwich with french fries to split with Jen. We also had to get some dessert of course ;) I split a huge ice cream, raspberries and chocolate sauce sundae with Mallory. It was originally supposed to be all for me, but there was no way that I could eat all of it by myself :D
After lunch we went back on the bus to go to Cork. We got off the bus and walked along this bridge and saw a rainbow! How ironic! We were going to follow it to see our pot of gold, but it was a long way off so we didn't :)
We went along their main street shopping area and looked around, just enjoying the day. I had to buy some gloves because I forgot to bring mine. I found some very cute black leather ones for only 7 euros :)
Once we were tired of shopping we decided to head back to the hotel and meet up with Jen's other friends at a pub in town. We all got ready, got a cab, and went to a bar called Molly Malone's :) I saved a coaster for dad, and we waited a long time for Jen's friends to get there. Once they did, it was pretty packed and people started dancing. Mallory, Patrick, Erin and I started dancing while Liz, Jen, other Erin, and Sarah (Jen's other friend) tried to talk to one another :) We finally decided to leave for a quieter place to talk. We went to this other pub, and all got to sit down. Erin, Mallory and I were all tired and after a drunk Irishman named Kenny came to talk to the group we decided to head back to the hotel. Jen, Liz, and Patrick stayed until about 3 and came back the hotel.
The next morning we got up and went again to the bus station. We decided to go to the Cliffs of Mour and it was a great day too! But the weather here is like it is in Florida. It rains on and off the whole day, but did stay sunny out while at the Cliffs. But the weather was definitely not as warm as Florida, dangit ;)
We got the cliffs and went inside these kind of hobbit shops built into the hill, to use the restroom and get some lunch before going out to the cliffs. We had a good 4 hours until the bus was going to come back and it was perfect amount of time too!
We headed out to the Cliffs and along the way could hear a man playing an Irish recorder and I gave him some change. It reminded me of the music in Riverdance :D
There are two parts to the cliffs, we went to the right first and saw that side first. It was sooo beautiful!! The waves, the sound of the ocean, the cliffs were amazing and so picturesque! There was a small kind of tower and all kinds of signs warning people to be careful and there was also a suicide help line! Yikes! Once we were done on that side we headed over to the left side. This was my favorite part over there! We walked past this one part of the cliff where on the ground it looked like men's spit was all over, but then I looked out and the foam from the cliffs were being carried up and over by the wind. We were getting spit on haha ;)
We walked up this steep part of the hill and then there was a sign that said "Please do not go past this point. But there were already a good number of people out on the cliffs so we went anyway :)
It was sooo cool but kind of scary too :D We sat along the edge with our stomachs on the ground looking out over the cliffs. We took it all in and pondered life hehe :) Took a lot of pictures.
We headed even further and got to a muddy area. I was glad that I wore my boots :) Patrick ended up slipping and got one butt cheek and a sleeve all muddy! It was sooo funny haha :)
We all got past the mud and I had Erin take a picture of me trying to look like Keira Knightley in Pride and Prejudice when she's standing on the edge of a cliff :) Not too close though hehe, and I also didn't have a billowing dress on hah! Oh well :D
Liz found this kind of small island with a rock in the middle and we found her on it! She looked like a Liz/Gollum from Lord of the Rings :) Patrick found this other rock that looked like it was from the Little Mermaid and I told him to start singing. He sang the Ahhh ahhh ahhh part and I yelled Keepp siinngg hehe ;) Jen took a video of it all haha!
We then had to have one last look and then head back. Once we got back to the hobbit houses we went into the gift shop and I bought some post cards and got a hot chocolate and carrot cake while waiting for the bus :)
Went back on the bus and then got back into Limerick. We had to find a firehouse for Jen because her uncle is a fireman in Chicago and he gave her some t-shirts to trade for others at a firehouse somewhere Jen was going to be.
After that we wandered around a while and found a place to eat. It was a weird kind of restaurant that sold everything really. Jen, Erin, and I had fish and chips, while Mallory and Kristen had chicken and Patrick had small sandwiches. We talked and had a lot of fun :)
We then took a cab to the 24 hour Tescos which was right by our hotel and walked back to it with our groceries. Just got breakfast food and some snacks as well.
Then we hung out at the hotel. We watched tv earlier that morning and there was a Sesame Street in Gaelic :) There was English and Gaelic on the road signs all over the place. It was pretty cool.
So that night we heard news about the horrible storm supposed to be coming into town and that the airports were already cancelling some flights. We were getting a little nervous because first of all I hadn't finished my American Cinema essay and it was due on Weds. So if we had to stay another night, that would mean we'd get back late Tues. night and I wouldn't have had my essay finished.
Luckily the next morning our flight was not cancelled. We ate lunch in the diner next to the hotel and then decided to go into the town to find a better souvenir shop. We did find one but it was a little expensive. So we went to this bus station gift shop and everyone bought something there :)
Once we got back to the other bus station, we got onto a bus and went to the airport. We were the first to check-in to our flights and then had a while before our flight left at around 8:45. The storm ended up pushing it back to 11:45, and then changed again to 10:50pm. So that was a little better.
While waiting we sat around and talked, Erin, Jen, Patrick, and Liz bought some Baileys and Cream to pass the time because we were all mad about our flight being delayed :) We had a lot of fun talking and just hanging out.
Once we got onto our flight, we made it back into Gatwick around 1 am. We had to spend the night there at the airport due to the stupid English system of no buses or trains going to Canterbury past midnight! Grr!!! It was the worst night of sleep I had! Ughh!
So at 5 am we got a train from Gatwick to Victoria station. Then had to walk to the bus station from Victoria to the buses. Just missed the 7:00am bus to Canterbury and had to wait until 8:30am for another one to come.
By the time we got home it was about 10:30 am and we were all soo tired.
I went home to take a quick nap and then got to work on my American Cinema essay.
Finished it about 2am and then went to bed :)
Turned it in to the office Weds. and had Brit. Lit. class and Mod. Britain.
So all in all I had a great time in Ireland and would love to go back again to see Dublin, Galway, and much more!!
XX,
Shannon
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Tower of London & the Globe Theater Field Trip!
We started out going to London to see the Tower of London and the Globe Theater.
Got to the Tower and I basically gave some of my friends a tour because I have been there once before with our EF tour group (Hi Maddy :D ) 2 summers ago :)
Showed them the Queen's jewels, the inside of the prisoners towers, and finally the museum inside the building across from the Jewel House. They had a new exhibit in it that you could shoot a bow to see if you would be good in the Middle Ages, hold in one gloved hand a heavy sword, the other hand the horses reigns, stick your head in a helmet and try to see and hear a battle going on, and other cool things ;)
We were not allowed to go into the Chapel though because there was a certain time that people were allowed in and the next time would not be until we were gone. But outside the chapel where Anne Boleyn is buried, is a giant glass circle with a blueish green glass pillow that is supposed to resemble the block where all of the people, famous and not, were beheaded on the tower green! Very cool I thought :D
Once we were done with the tower, we got lunch, (fish and chips for me, not very yummy this time though Yuck!) and then ice cream for dessert :D
Next we headed along the Thames to the Tower Bridge and took some pics and hung out until we had to go back to the bus.
Got on the bus and went to the Globe Theater!! So excited for this!!
Went inside a waiting area for our tour guide and then we went to the outside first so that she could explain what was going on inside that day. There was a student(college or grad school) running show on "Much Ado About Nothing" It was soo cool. We were able to start off sitting along the lower level sides which was the best part to see the stage and everything going on. Then we moved up a level and in the middle. The guide explained that the VERY wealthy were able to sit behind the stage in the seats by the orchestra so as to be seen by everyone else better. Then we saw some more of the show. There was a chase scene and this actor climbed up a ladder that was along the wall by us and he climbed over Patrick (a fellow actor at ISU) , over the rest of us and continued through to the other side of the seats! So cool!!
Then we sadly had to leave the theater.
Outside the guide told us how the globe was put together with a really old type of tree with wooden spikes. The plaster was made out of horse and other animal hair. She said that they would have to redo it soon and she just ripped off a huge chunk of the Globe!!! I couldn't believe it! She gave me this big piece and so I felt like Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls when she breaks the crown to give to all of the girls lol :) So I have a piece of the Globe!!
We later were able to hang around, go to the gift shop, roam around to the Tate Modern Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral etc. A lot of us wanted to go back into the show, so the tour guide went with us again. She took us up to the top of the seating this time. The show was still running but the actor who had been running was having a problem with one of his stunts. He was supposed to grab this rope from the ceiling and swing on it, but the rope got stuck. So then it took them FOREVER to get going again. At this point we moved down to where the groundlings would stand and got to look at the stage closer. It was set up as more of a modern Much Ado About Nothing show. The ceiling was soo cool because it was supposed to resemble to greek gods and had clouds and other amazing pictures on it. The columns are actually painted wood and there was gold all over it :) More money went into the building and finery of the stage and costumes than any other part of the Globe back in the Elizabethan era.
After we had to leave it again, we went to the gift shop and I a couple of things for home :D Secrets shhh! :)
After we were done we walked along the new Millennium Bridge towards St. Pauls Cathedral. Where I do remember correctly that Princess Diana was married there :) As well as King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. There was a service going on and the choir sounded absolutely wonderful!!
We walked around a little bit and then had to go back to meet everyone at the bus.
We got our luggage for Ireland off and headed towards the subway to go to Victoria station to transfer to Gatwick airport.
Now more on Ireland in the next report :)
Love to all! It's getting soo soon to leaving and I'm not ready at all to leave!! I can't believe it! Time has flown by sooo fast! I'll definitely have to come back to visit though for sure :)
xx,
Shannon
Got to the Tower and I basically gave some of my friends a tour because I have been there once before with our EF tour group (Hi Maddy :D ) 2 summers ago :)
Showed them the Queen's jewels, the inside of the prisoners towers, and finally the museum inside the building across from the Jewel House. They had a new exhibit in it that you could shoot a bow to see if you would be good in the Middle Ages, hold in one gloved hand a heavy sword, the other hand the horses reigns, stick your head in a helmet and try to see and hear a battle going on, and other cool things ;)
We were not allowed to go into the Chapel though because there was a certain time that people were allowed in and the next time would not be until we were gone. But outside the chapel where Anne Boleyn is buried, is a giant glass circle with a blueish green glass pillow that is supposed to resemble the block where all of the people, famous and not, were beheaded on the tower green! Very cool I thought :D
Once we were done with the tower, we got lunch, (fish and chips for me, not very yummy this time though Yuck!) and then ice cream for dessert :D
Next we headed along the Thames to the Tower Bridge and took some pics and hung out until we had to go back to the bus.
Got on the bus and went to the Globe Theater!! So excited for this!!
Went inside a waiting area for our tour guide and then we went to the outside first so that she could explain what was going on inside that day. There was a student(college or grad school) running show on "Much Ado About Nothing" It was soo cool. We were able to start off sitting along the lower level sides which was the best part to see the stage and everything going on. Then we moved up a level and in the middle. The guide explained that the VERY wealthy were able to sit behind the stage in the seats by the orchestra so as to be seen by everyone else better. Then we saw some more of the show. There was a chase scene and this actor climbed up a ladder that was along the wall by us and he climbed over Patrick (a fellow actor at ISU) , over the rest of us and continued through to the other side of the seats! So cool!!
Then we sadly had to leave the theater.
Outside the guide told us how the globe was put together with a really old type of tree with wooden spikes. The plaster was made out of horse and other animal hair. She said that they would have to redo it soon and she just ripped off a huge chunk of the Globe!!! I couldn't believe it! She gave me this big piece and so I felt like Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls when she breaks the crown to give to all of the girls lol :) So I have a piece of the Globe!!
We later were able to hang around, go to the gift shop, roam around to the Tate Modern Museum, St. Paul's Cathedral etc. A lot of us wanted to go back into the show, so the tour guide went with us again. She took us up to the top of the seating this time. The show was still running but the actor who had been running was having a problem with one of his stunts. He was supposed to grab this rope from the ceiling and swing on it, but the rope got stuck. So then it took them FOREVER to get going again. At this point we moved down to where the groundlings would stand and got to look at the stage closer. It was set up as more of a modern Much Ado About Nothing show. The ceiling was soo cool because it was supposed to resemble to greek gods and had clouds and other amazing pictures on it. The columns are actually painted wood and there was gold all over it :) More money went into the building and finery of the stage and costumes than any other part of the Globe back in the Elizabethan era.
After we had to leave it again, we went to the gift shop and I a couple of things for home :D Secrets shhh! :)
After we were done we walked along the new Millennium Bridge towards St. Pauls Cathedral. Where I do remember correctly that Princess Diana was married there :) As well as King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. There was a service going on and the choir sounded absolutely wonderful!!
We walked around a little bit and then had to go back to meet everyone at the bus.
We got our luggage for Ireland off and headed towards the subway to go to Victoria station to transfer to Gatwick airport.
Now more on Ireland in the next report :)
Love to all! It's getting soo soon to leaving and I'm not ready at all to leave!! I can't believe it! Time has flown by sooo fast! I'll definitely have to come back to visit though for sure :)
xx,
Shannon
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
I love Paris in the Springtime!
All right! So I went to Paris with my friends Erin, Jen, Patrick, and Megan. We took the bus at 10:30 from the bus station in Canterbury to Dover. Took the ferry across the English Channel, said goodbye to the White Cliffs of Dover and went to Calais.
Got back on the bus, spent a good 5 or so hours on it until we were in Paris. At least I think it was 5 hours, it sure felt like it anyways haha!
Got 3 day tube tickets, got onto the subway and made our way to find our hostel in the 19th district. It's not the best district to be in when you're by yourself, but with this group and the height of Patrick, no one would mess with us :)
Once we got out of the tube, we found out we were headed in the wrong direction and turned around on the street to go towards our hostel. It is a very nice place. St. Christopher's Place is located right by a small canal and very new. We were able to check in, put our luggage in lockers and eat some breakfast of cereal, baguettes, honey & jams, and juices :D Yum!! Great after being stuck in a bus the whole night.
We then ventured out again to go find the Catacombs. Found them, but as they were going to be closed until March 2008, had to go instead to find the Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise. Here we stopped to get some chocolate nutella and banana crepes of course :D Then we made our way through the cemetery. It was amazing! So many tomb stones, of all shapes and sizes. Family plots and areas all around this huge piece of hilly cobbled stone area of Paris. Famous people we found and took pictures of were: Chopin, James Morrison, Francois Raspail-the tomb of this much-imprisoned partisan of the 1830 and 1840 revolutions is in the form of a prison, Moliere, Oscar Wilde, and the little sparrow Edith Piaf (I was singing La Vie En Rose the whole time lol )
After the cemetery, I of course sniffed out the closest Gelato store lol, and got chocolate and strawberry :D Yummm!!
Next was the Notre Dame Cathedral. Erin has never been to Paris so we were kind of doing a lot of the touristy things, which I didn't mind because I wanted to go to the top of the Notre Dame and see Quasimodo :D But of course we missed the time that you could go up there. So we just went in again. Very nice as always!
After that we walked along La Seine, took pictures, watched the Tour Eiffel light up and then walked through the area where the Louvre and Jardins des Tulieries were, to get to a metro.
Quickly changed to some nicer clothes and headed out to find a restaurant to eat at. But being in the 19th district, there was not a lot of choices for restaurants. We found this cute little restaurant that served fondue, which we didn't know about until we sat down. Had menus given to us in French, finally got English ones lol, we couldn't for the life of us figure out what it was we wanted with the French menus. Only the simple words like poulet, and jambon, and fromage.
So Patrick, Megan and I ordered this make it yourself kind of fondue. It had 2 meats, 2 chesses, and a baked potato! Very cool because you had to grill the meat, put spices on it, then put the cheese in this little pan, and wait til it melts, and then eat it all with some potato :D Soo full!!
After dinner, we headed back down the street to St. Christopher's. Got a Strongbow at the bar, didn't realize it was about 1 am when we had finished our drinks and then hit the hay.
Day 2: Woke up around 9am, showered, changed and headed out after breakfast to the Tour Eiffel :D Erin, Megan and I braved climbing the 700 steps up to the top of the Tour Eiffel!! The elevators only took us down to the lower level. Everyone had to climb up it. Man were my legs sooore the next couple of days! Had a great day, beautiful weather!
After the Tour Eiffel, Erin wanted to go to the Louvre, while Jen, Patrick and I were going to go to the Musee D'Orsay where the impressionist paintings were. But we did kind of want Erin to go with us, so we just hung around the Jardins des Tulieries, soaking up some sun, and taking pictures by the fountain that Anne Hathaway stood by in Devil Wears Prada (at the end of the film) :D
Met up with Erin, walked down the Champs-Elysses, took pictures of the stores that weren't open because of course Europe closes at 6 pm or so! Ugh! lol :D Not that I was going to buy anything in the Louis Vuitton store anyways hehe! I wish!
Tried to find our way to get across to the Arc de Triomphe, which ended up being stairs on the opposite side of the Arc. Found out that the Tour Eiffel was lighting up and so we all "ran" upstairs because we followed Patricks advice lol :D
"Look guys, it's lighting up. Let's run!" While he sings the Little Mermaid, for some reason lol :D Too funny!
So we did make it, only 200 something more stairs for me that day, no biggy! Yeah right! My calf muscles were ready to shoot me because of the torture I put them through that day!
Sat up at the Arc a long while. It was soo cool, and actually a little bit better than the Tour Eiffel. Only because it's less stairs, but you feel like you're right in the heart of the city because all of the major roads lead to the Arc!
Then whene we were getting tired and hungry we made our way back down the Arc and along the Champs-Elysses once again. Were lured into this restaurant called Vesuvio. Italian, got great pizza and split a wonderful chocolate mousse with Erin! Yumm! lol :D
Headed back to the hostel after a great day. Too tired to get drinks haha!
Day 3: We had originally planned on going to the Musse D'Orsay, but of course not really having a plan and not looking up the days of being open in our French tour guide books, we found out that it was closed on Mondays. Boo! So that's another thing on my list when I go back :D
So we then decided that it would be cool to go see where Napoleon was buried. Headed down to the Musse de l'Armee. Found out that we had to pay, and that we definitely didn't appreciate guns and cannons that much to waste our Euros, so we then just took a picture in front of it and headed on over towards the Grand and Petite Palais, going back towards the Louvre.
Saw some people on a Segway tour, cost 70 Euros though :D, and one of them fell off! Oh to have a Segway again! So much fun! Kind of felt like I was back in Epcot, touring the countries and just happened to be in France at the time hehe :D Except I was haha! (Sorry inside joke with Disney family and friends)
So we went to go to Montmatre to do some shopping and meet a tour group for a night tour of Montmatre. We did find a cool jewelry store where this nice woman lured us all into buying something or another. I got a cool pair of sterling silver earrings. Except, at one point a teenager had come into the store, and all of a sudden the shop lady said to us, "Can you watch my store for a couple of seconds?" We said yes and she rushed out! I was like, "Grab everything and run!" But we didn't because we were shocked, since she just left her store. She came back and said that the girl had stolen some rings but denied it when she was caught. So the lady just kept saying that she will not be allowed in the store again. Then continued to rearrange some of the rings in the cases. Very odd indeed!
After our purchases we headed over to the Sacre Couer Chapel, went down the steps and into more shopping areas. But this was a VERY sketchy part of town so we didn't stay for very long. We then headed over to the Metro to meet up with the tour group for Montmatre. But of course it was time for a crepe break, so we got crepes before the tour hehe!
Our tour guide was Adrien, from Manhattan, who was born in New Mexico. Moved to Paris to become a starving artist, used to do photography, but switched to drawing because film is too expensive over here. He does the free tours as a side job and makes money off his tips.
We started the tour by the Moulin Rouge. Then went past the Cafe de 2 Moulins (Amelie movie cafe) learned that the director would go into that cafe everyday for a year to ask the store owner to let him use the store to film in. Finally got his wish obviously. Next went past Van Gogh's residence where he lived with his brother. Then saw the Moulin de la Galette, one of the last 2 remaining windmills before the Seige of Paris in 1814. Next was man who could walk through walls statue. Long story behind that, basically it was a fictional story about a man who took some pills and walked through walls. But wanted to stop, got some other pills from a doctor, decided to take them later when he got home. His mistress called him to come visit her 2 floors down, and he sprang out of bed, grabbed the wrong pills, walked through a wall and became stuck. His friends would come to feed him food and give him wine, but he eventually died. Of course this is not a true story, but Adrian said that one lady on the tour asked if it was real lol ;)
Then we headed on over to the outside garden where a shrine to the St. Denis, who had his head chopped off and carried it down the street still preaching, or so the story goes. :D
Next was the Lapin Agile "The Agile Rabbit" a cabaret bar where Picasso often exchanged paintings for food! Open in warm weather :)
Then we had to break off from the group to go quickly into the Sacre Coeur Chapel. BEAUTIFUL!!! So pretty! Then made our way back down to the Amelie Cafe, had a hot chocolate. Erin and Jen got some baguettes. Got back to the hostel, got out luggage, back on the metro. Met a guy named Cedric, who Patrick facebooked lol, and headed back to the bus station.
Got back on the Euroline bus and headed back home. Got into Canterbury at 4:30 am, went home and slept most of the day.
So all in all we had an amazing time seeing Paris and enjoying the sights and hanging out with friends! I have many more things to look forward to when I come back here in about 2 weeks! I can't believe the time has flown by so fast!! Ahh! I don't want to leave yet at all!!
All right, well here ya go. Will be writing more later after I get my Modern Britain and British Literature essays finished.
XX,
Shannon
Got back on the bus, spent a good 5 or so hours on it until we were in Paris. At least I think it was 5 hours, it sure felt like it anyways haha!
Got 3 day tube tickets, got onto the subway and made our way to find our hostel in the 19th district. It's not the best district to be in when you're by yourself, but with this group and the height of Patrick, no one would mess with us :)
Once we got out of the tube, we found out we were headed in the wrong direction and turned around on the street to go towards our hostel. It is a very nice place. St. Christopher's Place is located right by a small canal and very new. We were able to check in, put our luggage in lockers and eat some breakfast of cereal, baguettes, honey & jams, and juices :D Yum!! Great after being stuck in a bus the whole night.
We then ventured out again to go find the Catacombs. Found them, but as they were going to be closed until March 2008, had to go instead to find the Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise. Here we stopped to get some chocolate nutella and banana crepes of course :D Then we made our way through the cemetery. It was amazing! So many tomb stones, of all shapes and sizes. Family plots and areas all around this huge piece of hilly cobbled stone area of Paris. Famous people we found and took pictures of were: Chopin, James Morrison, Francois Raspail-the tomb of this much-imprisoned partisan of the 1830 and 1840 revolutions is in the form of a prison, Moliere, Oscar Wilde, and the little sparrow Edith Piaf (I was singing La Vie En Rose the whole time lol )
After the cemetery, I of course sniffed out the closest Gelato store lol, and got chocolate and strawberry :D Yummm!!
Next was the Notre Dame Cathedral. Erin has never been to Paris so we were kind of doing a lot of the touristy things, which I didn't mind because I wanted to go to the top of the Notre Dame and see Quasimodo :D But of course we missed the time that you could go up there. So we just went in again. Very nice as always!
After that we walked along La Seine, took pictures, watched the Tour Eiffel light up and then walked through the area where the Louvre and Jardins des Tulieries were, to get to a metro.
Quickly changed to some nicer clothes and headed out to find a restaurant to eat at. But being in the 19th district, there was not a lot of choices for restaurants. We found this cute little restaurant that served fondue, which we didn't know about until we sat down. Had menus given to us in French, finally got English ones lol, we couldn't for the life of us figure out what it was we wanted with the French menus. Only the simple words like poulet, and jambon, and fromage.
So Patrick, Megan and I ordered this make it yourself kind of fondue. It had 2 meats, 2 chesses, and a baked potato! Very cool because you had to grill the meat, put spices on it, then put the cheese in this little pan, and wait til it melts, and then eat it all with some potato :D Soo full!!
After dinner, we headed back down the street to St. Christopher's. Got a Strongbow at the bar, didn't realize it was about 1 am when we had finished our drinks and then hit the hay.
Day 2: Woke up around 9am, showered, changed and headed out after breakfast to the Tour Eiffel :D Erin, Megan and I braved climbing the 700 steps up to the top of the Tour Eiffel!! The elevators only took us down to the lower level. Everyone had to climb up it. Man were my legs sooore the next couple of days! Had a great day, beautiful weather!
After the Tour Eiffel, Erin wanted to go to the Louvre, while Jen, Patrick and I were going to go to the Musee D'Orsay where the impressionist paintings were. But we did kind of want Erin to go with us, so we just hung around the Jardins des Tulieries, soaking up some sun, and taking pictures by the fountain that Anne Hathaway stood by in Devil Wears Prada (at the end of the film) :D
Met up with Erin, walked down the Champs-Elysses, took pictures of the stores that weren't open because of course Europe closes at 6 pm or so! Ugh! lol :D Not that I was going to buy anything in the Louis Vuitton store anyways hehe! I wish!
Tried to find our way to get across to the Arc de Triomphe, which ended up being stairs on the opposite side of the Arc. Found out that the Tour Eiffel was lighting up and so we all "ran" upstairs because we followed Patricks advice lol :D
"Look guys, it's lighting up. Let's run!" While he sings the Little Mermaid, for some reason lol :D Too funny!
So we did make it, only 200 something more stairs for me that day, no biggy! Yeah right! My calf muscles were ready to shoot me because of the torture I put them through that day!
Sat up at the Arc a long while. It was soo cool, and actually a little bit better than the Tour Eiffel. Only because it's less stairs, but you feel like you're right in the heart of the city because all of the major roads lead to the Arc!
Then whene we were getting tired and hungry we made our way back down the Arc and along the Champs-Elysses once again. Were lured into this restaurant called Vesuvio. Italian, got great pizza and split a wonderful chocolate mousse with Erin! Yumm! lol :D
Headed back to the hostel after a great day. Too tired to get drinks haha!
Day 3: We had originally planned on going to the Musse D'Orsay, but of course not really having a plan and not looking up the days of being open in our French tour guide books, we found out that it was closed on Mondays. Boo! So that's another thing on my list when I go back :D
So we then decided that it would be cool to go see where Napoleon was buried. Headed down to the Musse de l'Armee. Found out that we had to pay, and that we definitely didn't appreciate guns and cannons that much to waste our Euros, so we then just took a picture in front of it and headed on over towards the Grand and Petite Palais, going back towards the Louvre.
Saw some people on a Segway tour, cost 70 Euros though :D, and one of them fell off! Oh to have a Segway again! So much fun! Kind of felt like I was back in Epcot, touring the countries and just happened to be in France at the time hehe :D Except I was haha! (Sorry inside joke with Disney family and friends)
So we went to go to Montmatre to do some shopping and meet a tour group for a night tour of Montmatre. We did find a cool jewelry store where this nice woman lured us all into buying something or another. I got a cool pair of sterling silver earrings. Except, at one point a teenager had come into the store, and all of a sudden the shop lady said to us, "Can you watch my store for a couple of seconds?" We said yes and she rushed out! I was like, "Grab everything and run!" But we didn't because we were shocked, since she just left her store. She came back and said that the girl had stolen some rings but denied it when she was caught. So the lady just kept saying that she will not be allowed in the store again. Then continued to rearrange some of the rings in the cases. Very odd indeed!
After our purchases we headed over to the Sacre Couer Chapel, went down the steps and into more shopping areas. But this was a VERY sketchy part of town so we didn't stay for very long. We then headed over to the Metro to meet up with the tour group for Montmatre. But of course it was time for a crepe break, so we got crepes before the tour hehe!
Our tour guide was Adrien, from Manhattan, who was born in New Mexico. Moved to Paris to become a starving artist, used to do photography, but switched to drawing because film is too expensive over here. He does the free tours as a side job and makes money off his tips.
We started the tour by the Moulin Rouge. Then went past the Cafe de 2 Moulins (Amelie movie cafe) learned that the director would go into that cafe everyday for a year to ask the store owner to let him use the store to film in. Finally got his wish obviously. Next went past Van Gogh's residence where he lived with his brother. Then saw the Moulin de la Galette, one of the last 2 remaining windmills before the Seige of Paris in 1814. Next was man who could walk through walls statue. Long story behind that, basically it was a fictional story about a man who took some pills and walked through walls. But wanted to stop, got some other pills from a doctor, decided to take them later when he got home. His mistress called him to come visit her 2 floors down, and he sprang out of bed, grabbed the wrong pills, walked through a wall and became stuck. His friends would come to feed him food and give him wine, but he eventually died. Of course this is not a true story, but Adrian said that one lady on the tour asked if it was real lol ;)
Then we headed on over to the outside garden where a shrine to the St. Denis, who had his head chopped off and carried it down the street still preaching, or so the story goes. :D
Next was the Lapin Agile "The Agile Rabbit" a cabaret bar where Picasso often exchanged paintings for food! Open in warm weather :)
Then we had to break off from the group to go quickly into the Sacre Coeur Chapel. BEAUTIFUL!!! So pretty! Then made our way back down to the Amelie Cafe, had a hot chocolate. Erin and Jen got some baguettes. Got back to the hostel, got out luggage, back on the metro. Met a guy named Cedric, who Patrick facebooked lol, and headed back to the bus station.
Got back on the Euroline bus and headed back home. Got into Canterbury at 4:30 am, went home and slept most of the day.
So all in all we had an amazing time seeing Paris and enjoying the sights and hanging out with friends! I have many more things to look forward to when I come back here in about 2 weeks! I can't believe the time has flown by so fast!! Ahh! I don't want to leave yet at all!!
All right, well here ya go. Will be writing more later after I get my Modern Britain and British Literature essays finished.
XX,
Shannon
Visiting Windsor with Her Royal Majesty!
Hey everyone,
Sorry that I've been so distant lately. I have been writing two essays for school. One for Ethics and then another one for American Cinema.
The day started out with a trip to Windsor Castle!! The Queen was in town because the Royal Standard flag was flying. We were given another radio/cell phone head set to listen to while touring the castle. Erin, Mallory and I started out in the St. George's Chapel. Very pretty, but couldn't take pictures inside. I got to see King Henry VIII's floor tomb, where he is buried next to "his favorite wife" Jane Seymour. He was supposed to be given a kind of shrine/tomb but of course when you treat your children with such hatred and favoritism and kill their mother's, your not going to get your wish :D Oh well hehe! Can't wait to see the Other Boleyn Girl movie by the way!!
I first went into the Queen Mary’s Doll House. The doll house was simply amazing. It was interesting to find out that the doll house was intended for the daughters of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The rooms inside of the State Apartments were so beautiful! Starting with the Waterloo Chamber, it has to be one of my favorites. The long eating table was not set up, but imagining it in the room was very interesting. Each setting place has to be measured with a ruler so that the after effect looks amazing and proper for the Queen when she is there with quests or for parties. The pictures along the walls were very impressive and I enjoyed walking in through the Grand Staircase with all of the armory, swords, guns, and other prized possessions on display. Continuing on with the King’s and Queen’s Drawing Rooms, King’s Dressing Room, King’s Dining Room, and Queen’s Ballroom were very elaborate and stately. It was like being in a fairy tale and getting to see a fairy tale castle. The rooms held so many beautiful paintings, furniture, chandeliers, and gold it was like being in another world.
Rooms such as the State Dining Room can be used to hold special dinners as can the Grand Reception Room. The Garter Throne Room is used for special occasions for knighting people and greeting visitors.
FYI: I stole this whole thing on Windsor from my Modern Britain essay that I had to write on the nature of the of Windsor Castle and the monarchy :D So that is why it is not really in my style of writing, more formal I suppose hehe, lazy me!
So that was basically Windsor Castle in a nut shell. Mallory, Erin and I ate at a nice sandwich cafe and got great sandwiches. I bought a book on Windsor Castle because I was not allowed to take pictures inside the rooms. I also stood next to some guards and took my picture by them like a local tourist :D!
Sorry that I've been so distant lately. I have been writing two essays for school. One for Ethics and then another one for American Cinema.
The day started out with a trip to Windsor Castle!! The Queen was in town because the Royal Standard flag was flying. We were given another radio/cell phone head set to listen to while touring the castle. Erin, Mallory and I started out in the St. George's Chapel. Very pretty, but couldn't take pictures inside. I got to see King Henry VIII's floor tomb, where he is buried next to "his favorite wife" Jane Seymour. He was supposed to be given a kind of shrine/tomb but of course when you treat your children with such hatred and favoritism and kill their mother's, your not going to get your wish :D Oh well hehe! Can't wait to see the Other Boleyn Girl movie by the way!!
I first went into the Queen Mary’s Doll House. The doll house was simply amazing. It was interesting to find out that the doll house was intended for the daughters of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The rooms inside of the State Apartments were so beautiful! Starting with the Waterloo Chamber, it has to be one of my favorites. The long eating table was not set up, but imagining it in the room was very interesting. Each setting place has to be measured with a ruler so that the after effect looks amazing and proper for the Queen when she is there with quests or for parties. The pictures along the walls were very impressive and I enjoyed walking in through the Grand Staircase with all of the armory, swords, guns, and other prized possessions on display. Continuing on with the King’s and Queen’s Drawing Rooms, King’s Dressing Room, King’s Dining Room, and Queen’s Ballroom were very elaborate and stately. It was like being in a fairy tale and getting to see a fairy tale castle. The rooms held so many beautiful paintings, furniture, chandeliers, and gold it was like being in another world.
Rooms such as the State Dining Room can be used to hold special dinners as can the Grand Reception Room. The Garter Throne Room is used for special occasions for knighting people and greeting visitors.
FYI: I stole this whole thing on Windsor from my Modern Britain essay that I had to write on the nature of the of Windsor Castle and the monarchy :D So that is why it is not really in my style of writing, more formal I suppose hehe, lazy me!
So that was basically Windsor Castle in a nut shell. Mallory, Erin and I ate at a nice sandwich cafe and got great sandwiches. I bought a book on Windsor Castle because I was not allowed to take pictures inside the rooms. I also stood next to some guards and took my picture by them like a local tourist :D!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Essays,essays, & wait more essays!
Sorry I haven't been writing very much anymore. I've been at school a lot of the time, trying to write/research information for my essays for all of my classes. These essays are 2000 words & need about 5 or 6 sources :( UGGG!!! I'm kinda flipping out right now! Not enough time to do all of this it seems!!!
All right, wish me luck and I'll write more later! I promise lol :D
XX,
Shannon
(The xx is what everyone here writes in England when facebooking one another :D )
All right, wish me luck and I'll write more later! I promise lol :D
XX,
Shannon
(The xx is what everyone here writes in England when facebooking one another :D )
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