Back in the Dell

It has been one week since I flew home from Paris...and it feels like I never even left for Europe. Our trip ended in Switzerland with hiking and bikes in the Swiss Alps, it was a perfect place to end the trip. Mountains and lakes to just chill out after an exhausting month of traveling. We stayed in Paris for one more night and indulged in all the French food and sites one more time. I got a Nutella banana crepe, a Gyro banquette, and Alberto's ice cream! Patrick and I had to go to the FIAP one more time to get our luggage, and taking the metro to Glaciere was like dejavu...as we were getting off the metro we saw a group of college kids get on all dressed and ready to explore Paris's nightlife. It felt like i was in one of those movies where 10 years had passed and i was older and wiser looking at these kids having the time of their lives and me sitting back thinking "kids, i was there once. " Later that night we walked along the Seine and I finally got to see the Paris beach that i read about. In the end of July the city of Paris brings in sand and makes a beach for all the Parisians to enjoy. I got to see the Eiffel sparkle one more time, and it was off to bed because we had a flight to catch....
well hmpf not so, get to the airport and we are told “your flight has been cancelled due to mechanical difficulties, please go to the ticket office.” Are you serious!? We wait in line to be greeted by a bald skinny Parisian who decided to be very rude. He told us that I was to stay in Paris tonight and Patrick was to fly to Glasgow, Scotland and spend the night there. It really wasn’t a big deal to get separated but for some reason, I guess being stressed out and just ready to go home, tears started to form in my eyes. I had been with my friend for 2 months and now we have to be separate?! And I was just so confused, what mechanical Problems! Where am I staying, where is Patrick staying, what am I going to eat!? We have to be separated?! I managed to keep the tears in and not start hysterically crying, although maybe that would of made the man give us more euros for our lunch voucher. So I said goodbye to Patrick and said we would meet in Chicago to catch the flight to NO, and I took a shuttle bus to the Hilton. The Hilton was very nice and it did help with the traumatic day…the bubbles in the tub soothed my mind and the bed was so big and soft! Dinner was to be served at 7:30 and a group of very nice people saved me a seat at their table, because they didn’t want me to eat alone. Everyone felt so bad that I had to get separated from my friend and oh how awful American Airlines was to do such a thing. I kept thinking wow this Fruit dessert with all these fresh strawberries is so tasty, I wonder if I can get another one!

The next morning well (july 26^th) I met Dan and Nancy in the lobby. They were the only people who had the same flight as me, so they decided at dinner that they were going to take care of me and make sure I got home. Mr. Dan is a very experienced American Airline customer…it was very nice to sit back and pretend I was their kid. We flew from Paris to London, London to Chicago, and then to New Orleans. While we were waiting in the London airport I got to go into the Admirals Lounge…those VIP frequent flyer rooms where you always wonder what are behind those doors. Well Dan and Nancy had tons of miles so since I was “flying with them” I got to finally see what a real Lounge was like. HUGE chairs, free food, and places to take a little nap….it was like walking into a third matrix of the airport. It was time to board the plane and well I didn’t have a seat number on my boarding pass…I was thinking it was because I technically wasn’t suppose to be on the flight and if no one cancels and everyone shows up I was going to have to stay in LONDON. I did get a seat…in BUISNESS CLASS…I sit down in this huge leather chair and a beautiful blonde comes up to me and says “orange juice or champagne?” I probably annoyed all the rich people in business class because I was giggling and smiling the whole time, I got my own tv, they had teeth whitening gum, soft blankets, and pillows that were cushier then mine at home. All in all American Airlines totally made up for the cancelled flight and well if they offer me Business class all the time I will fly with American for my future traveling needs.

At first I was so glad to be home…the easiness of America is so comforting. To just hope in my car and drive somewhere is such a blessing. To sleep in MY bed in My room with real AC was amazing. And to see my family and friends and know I had people who cared about me and really missed me, that’s always a nice feeling. But now im slowly starting to miss Europe, as I look at all my pictures I realize all that I did. Everything that I saw and how wonderful the whole experience was. The little outside markets and all the fresh smells, the laid back feel of just strolling on a random street in some far away country, to see new things and hear so many languages. I can’t believe I got to do it all and go to all the neat places …I just hope that I can do it again and see more beautiful foreign places… but ill probably have to win the lottery to afford another trip…

swiss alps

so i am in Interlaken Switzerland...today we went up in the mountains and hiked for a few hours...it rained on us and we got to see real glaciers. it really is the most beautiful place ive been, no museums or history, which is really cool, but this is such a relaxing place to just collect yourself after a long and hectic trip. Germany was great too...Munich is super clean and very efficent. While in Munich we went to Salzburg and this amazing castle calle Neutshwinsteain, i know i spelled that wrong. anyway i cant type long it is super expensive in switzerland and its like 5 dollars for 30mins of internet. i get back on the 25th so ill be callign everyone soon.

still in prague

this place is great...prague doesnt look like any other place ive been to yet. The buildings look old but then they look so different then the rest of the world that they look modern. The weather is soo nice here, it rained two days ago and ever since then it has been nice and breezy...yesterday we did the most touristy thing in prague and went to this castle over the charles bridge. It wasnt anything that amazing but just to see the other part of prague was neat. The food here is real meaty and not very big on veggies. The other night i had roast beef with cranberries and whip cream...kind of like thanksgiving. Todaÿ we are going to another palace and just walk around...tomorrow we leave for munich then switzerland and home...imiss everyone so much and i cant wait to see everyone....

the bums live in prague

greetings from the czech land. so we arrived here in prague around 345pm and we found our hostel. We were so excited about this place...because...get this...it is on an island in the middle of town. we walked up to it and we were wow this place has tennis courts and even its own little park. hmmm....free internet? this is too good to be true. well we walked into our bedroom....40 people all in one room...it looks like a refugee camp in a gym hall! there aer 4 shower stalls for 80 people...the bathroom door doesnt lock, and oh yeah that nice park well all the bums have made it their home. We walked around and found another hostel that is so much cleaner and sleeper friendly...and it is on the most central street of prague. Other than that it has been great so far....the city is amazing...it doesnt look like any other city ive been to and it is much cooler here.
Vienna was hot...you kept thinking it would get cool like in the sound of music but nope real hot. Vienna was great though, we went to a film festival the last two nights....they serve all kinds of food from everywhere and have a huge tv screen in front of this amazing old building. They would play operas, ballets, and music concerts. IT was great to see the old young and the posh all come out and enjoy classical music. anyways we have a full day with the prague castle...wish us luck at out new hostel.

Vienna has Starbucks!

Vienna...well it looks like london, scotland, and amsterdam all in one, except mozart is everywhere. We got in yesterday and found out hostel...which is called Believe it or Not...probably because when walking down the street to our hostel you see broken windows and you open this door to a sketchy hallway that leads to what seems like a scene from a scary movie. We climbed up these steps and was greeted by Gabi. Our rooms were nice and there is a kitc´hen and super clean bathrooms, turned out much nicer than the outside. We went to the sissi museum and the Hofburg palace. So far i havent had any sausage or schniztel...but we are going to the schonbrunn palace where they have free samples of apple strudels! the austrians are very very nice...this guy offered to help us and he said that he studied in North Carolina for a year and he was always lost but people helped him and he is just returning the favor. untilnext time...

ITALY WON

Italy won the WORLDCUP!!!!!!!!!!! it was so much fun being in Rome ....last night patrick, his sis jessica, lauren, michelle, katie D, Katie S, and Carolyn...people from the paris program...we all got together at this bar that had only been opened for 2 days. We had our own private like room in the back with a flatscreen! the came was intense and i didnt really know who i wanted to win, but since we were in italy i was rooting for them. Not to mention the captain of the French team headbutted the italian player! i mean WTF...when they won the shoot out the bartenders gave us free shots and we all ran out to the street with the rest of the italians. We walked to this monument where TV stations were and everyone had fireworks and flags! we jumped up and down singing and it was just such an experience. I really wish everyone could have been there....i know i keep saying that but just having a group of 8 of us made it so much fun, and if all my friends were with me jumping in the piazza with HUGE flags it would have been even better!!!!!!!!!

we leave tonight at 8pm for vienna and hopefully i will be able to find another internet place...miss yall

roman holiday

hey guys...im in rome now and ive been here since the 6th. Tonight is the final game of the world cup, italy vs. France!!!! patrick his sister and 5 other girls from the paris program are going to meet and go to a bar to watch the game. Im super excited and im hoping italy wins!
Rome is very different than florence...so far we have been to the Vatican City, seen roman ruins, a few churches, spanish steps, walked miles and miles, eaten gelati everday, seen amazing art and statues....eaten pizza and pasta...seen many gypsies. Of course it is soo hot here and i cant wait to go to Vienna where im hoping it is cooler.
Italians are so much nicer than the french and they always smile...oh yeah coffee here is cheap and really good. Today we are going in the colosseo/coloseum and this church where audrey hepburn went to for Roman Holiday, the part where she almost gets her hand chopped off for lying.
We leave tomorrow night for vienna and then we will be in Austria for 3 days! im excited for the sausage, sound of music, and mozart! i miss you guys way too much to explain on blog...email me and tell me what im missing out on!