Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Soggy 'ol England
'ello from England! I have enjoyed my time here so far, except for one bump in the road the other day. I went to Stonehenge my first full day in london and it was great! I stayed at a very nice house in Wimbleton with a girl I met on a wine tour in Bordeaux, France. She took me out to dinner, gave me free internet and let me do my laundry, i tried to pay her back but she refused, so a fruit basket is coming her way this xmas!
well, my next full day was seeing downtown london, and i enjoyed my time except: i got an eye infection. I don't know what happened, my right eye just hurt and i was tearing up all day. I felt so bad that i finished what touring and shopping i could do and went back to the apartment. after many eyedrops and much needed sleep, i woke up feeling a lot better, but my eye did swell a lot the night before. but its over and im starting to feel much better.
now, im in York and i couldn't be happier! im staying at a charming B&B and its the best accomidations ive had thus far. they offer a free full english breakfast in the morning, and i have to say: the food in england (that ive had) has been delicious! if you know what to get, its soo good; granted its not the healthiest thing, but its great. last night i had gammon steak with and egg, grilled tomatoes and chips (fries) with Strongbo cider. this morning i had eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms and hashbrowns with toast (yum). if i wasnt gaining weight before i will be now! granted i only am eating 2 meals a day here since its soo much food!
anyways, i toured York today, its a very nice city and ive found a lot of neat places to explore. tomorrow, i head to Edinburgh, Scotland to see a castle and to fine a mysterious note *someone* left for me. ill try to make a video there tomorrow, again, the foods great and the cider rocks! i head back to paris on friday afternoon, but i don't know if i could leave the UK, i love it!
-rachel
well, my next full day was seeing downtown london, and i enjoyed my time except: i got an eye infection. I don't know what happened, my right eye just hurt and i was tearing up all day. I felt so bad that i finished what touring and shopping i could do and went back to the apartment. after many eyedrops and much needed sleep, i woke up feeling a lot better, but my eye did swell a lot the night before. but its over and im starting to feel much better.
now, im in York and i couldn't be happier! im staying at a charming B&B and its the best accomidations ive had thus far. they offer a free full english breakfast in the morning, and i have to say: the food in england (that ive had) has been delicious! if you know what to get, its soo good; granted its not the healthiest thing, but its great. last night i had gammon steak with and egg, grilled tomatoes and chips (fries) with Strongbo cider. this morning i had eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms and hashbrowns with toast (yum). if i wasnt gaining weight before i will be now! granted i only am eating 2 meals a day here since its soo much food!
anyways, i toured York today, its a very nice city and ive found a lot of neat places to explore. tomorrow, i head to Edinburgh, Scotland to see a castle and to fine a mysterious note *someone* left for me. ill try to make a video there tomorrow, again, the foods great and the cider rocks! i head back to paris on friday afternoon, but i don't know if i could leave the UK, i love it!
-rachel
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A little update
So, for those of you who didn't know:
I stormed the beaches on Normandy yesterday! I stayed two nights in Bayeux and went on a tour yesterday to see the American Cemetary, Omaha Beach, the Battery, and Point du Hoc. I was surprised at how emotional i was at the cemetary, but i guess that happens to most Americans visiting the sight.
Umm, soo, I'm in Paris! Just for one night; I have to take my train from Paris to get to London...which is where I will be tomorrow! yay! I'm soo happy I actually have people to stay with, they live in Wimbleton which is like 20 minutes from London, but hey, its a free place to crash with some very nice South Africans (i met them on my Bordeaux wine tour).
So my schedule for UK is: 4 days, 3 nights in London (day trip to Stonehenge) 2 days, 1 night in York, and 3 days, 2 nights in Edinburgh then back to London to hop on a train back to Paris. I will be in Paris for 2 or 3 days on my own until mom comes flying in, so things are starting to get interesting (if they weren't already). anyways, thanks for reading this and know i'm thinking of yall!
-rachel
I stormed the beaches on Normandy yesterday! I stayed two nights in Bayeux and went on a tour yesterday to see the American Cemetary, Omaha Beach, the Battery, and Point du Hoc. I was surprised at how emotional i was at the cemetary, but i guess that happens to most Americans visiting the sight.
Umm, soo, I'm in Paris! Just for one night; I have to take my train from Paris to get to London...which is where I will be tomorrow! yay! I'm soo happy I actually have people to stay with, they live in Wimbleton which is like 20 minutes from London, but hey, its a free place to crash with some very nice South Africans (i met them on my Bordeaux wine tour).
So my schedule for UK is: 4 days, 3 nights in London (day trip to Stonehenge) 2 days, 1 night in York, and 3 days, 2 nights in Edinburgh then back to London to hop on a train back to Paris. I will be in Paris for 2 or 3 days on my own until mom comes flying in, so things are starting to get interesting (if they weren't already). anyways, thanks for reading this and know i'm thinking of yall!
-rachel
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
birthday in Bordeaux
soo, i spent my birthday at a winery! yay, it was so fun. there were only two other people on the tour and they were two girls my age from south africa (but living in london working). we had lunch at the winery and i had a brillant steak to eat (first one in i dont know how long). anyways, we tried 7 different red wines and i had a full glasss of some amazing white wine which i have no idea what kind. even better, the girls offered there place in london for when i get up there at the end of july (luv those south africans).
so my brithday was great, and Bordeaux is beautiful which overcast clouds which means its nice and cool and i love it! ***thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, i got more facebook wall posts than i think i ever got; i feel really loved! i wish i couldve spent my birthday with people i know and love; however the two women he place with me yesterday could not stop asking me about my amazing life; so i had a great dinner and conversation which was a wonderful birhtday present he couldve offered.
anyways, i took a city tour today of the city; today is july 14th, Bastille Day, dealing with the french revolution, big holiday for them. i dunno what ill do tomorrow, itll already be my last day here then and friday i head for Rennes (ive heard great things).
i love you guys, hope all is well and will put pics up right now!
so my brithday was great, and Bordeaux is beautiful which overcast clouds which means its nice and cool and i love it! ***thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, i got more facebook wall posts than i think i ever got; i feel really loved! i wish i couldve spent my birthday with people i know and love; however the two women he place with me yesterday could not stop asking me about my amazing life; so i had a great dinner and conversation which was a wonderful birhtday present he couldve offered.
anyways, i took a city tour today of the city; today is july 14th, Bastille Day, dealing with the french revolution, big holiday for them. i dunno what ill do tomorrow, itll already be my last day here then and friday i head for Rennes (ive heard great things).
i love you guys, hope all is well and will put pics up right now!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Hmm, overnight train sound sketchy to anyone?
Yeah, im in for a hard night ahead of me. if you're reading this and its between 6pm-2am your time, please be praying for me! at the last minute, due to reservation issues on trains (yay france in july) i have to sleep in a car with 5 strangers on an 8-hour train ride to Bordeaux. AT LEAST I won't be doing this on my birthday...which is the day after tomorrow...the 13th...in case you forgot! (a great birthday gift is a nice hello on my facebook wall, seriously, tell me how awesome i am) i can be vain, yall know this.
anyways, my last day in Marseilles is over. overall, i wouldn't recommend Marseilles in July, come at a cooler time. And, one of my bunkmates noted, that Marseilles isn't as sophisticated as i thought it would be. it is a very dirty, smelly city-port with beggers everywhere. but yes, the Mediterranean is breath-taking and from what i can tell the local cuisine is good (i haven't had any, keeping to a budget and not willing to splurge until mom is around) and for the most part people are helpful.
I will spend four nights in Bordeaux before I'm off to Rennes, then things tend to get a lot faster-paced for me (a day to visit beach of Normandy, Paris a night, over to London for UK travels for 8 days, back to Paris for a couple days until mother/daughter time!) I hope i get a chance to visit a vineyard or something while I'm in Bordeaux; its known as the wine capital of France I believe.
Again, love the comments and talking with people, a very Happy Birthday to Ms. Melissa Whitener (i wonder how i remembered). Anyways, getting nervous about the train ride, please pray for me!
much love
anyways, my last day in Marseilles is over. overall, i wouldn't recommend Marseilles in July, come at a cooler time. And, one of my bunkmates noted, that Marseilles isn't as sophisticated as i thought it would be. it is a very dirty, smelly city-port with beggers everywhere. but yes, the Mediterranean is breath-taking and from what i can tell the local cuisine is good (i haven't had any, keeping to a budget and not willing to splurge until mom is around) and for the most part people are helpful.
I will spend four nights in Bordeaux before I'm off to Rennes, then things tend to get a lot faster-paced for me (a day to visit beach of Normandy, Paris a night, over to London for UK travels for 8 days, back to Paris for a couple days until mother/daughter time!) I hope i get a chance to visit a vineyard or something while I'm in Bordeaux; its known as the wine capital of France I believe.
Again, love the comments and talking with people, a very Happy Birthday to Ms. Melissa Whitener (i wonder how i remembered). Anyways, getting nervous about the train ride, please pray for me!
much love
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Alexander Dumas has nothin' on me!
haha, i love my title. its great to be on the internet in a nice hostel for free, granted i wish this place had AC!
im currently in Marseilles enjoying every minute; it was hard the first week being alone and traveling alone. but i feel i've settled into a routine quite nicely. and ive gotten used to foreign tv (if my room has tv) and reading during the nights. i do not go out at night; this would be incredibly stupid as a white female traveling alone. besides, im soooo soooooo tired by the end of the day all i want to do is shower and lay in bed!
anyways, getting off track, Marseilles is very interesting. quite diverse culture here: africans, indians, muslims, you name it, we got it. i swear, im sick of seeing kabob stands everywhere! i wish i liked hot indian food. but here's the upside, i went to Chateau D'If the other day, the video is coming shortly, as is the Heidelberg vid.
I was surprised that the Chateau D'If in the film wasn't filmed on the actual location. it was disappointing, but im dealing. it was cool to see the place that inspired Dumas's famous novel. I took pics of the actual cell that is "believed" to have held Edmund Dantes (funny story, they have a tv in the cell playing a 70s tv version of the novel). it was great seeing this place, very interesting history.
today, i went to a very popular local beach where i tanned and swam for three hours. i was absolutely exhausted when i got back. ive barely been able to shower, eat, and get online since. tomorrow is my last full day in Marseilles, i will spend it exploring an abbey and maybe shopping, but i am keeping to a strict budget.
*sidenote- ive found that ive been dreaming of my family a lot at night. so mom, dad, if you're reading this, i love you both and miss you terribly and keep imagining the wonderful Xmas reunion with the whole family. i find myself day-dreaming about my homecoming at the end of december. i miss my friends, the lake, my dogs, the food and endless supply of fresh water and splendid company.
**shout out to:
-caroline mcgill, read your email, loved it, glad you had an awesome time in peru!
-caroline 2, im glad to see you're working hard at school
-of course, my soon to be newly-wed friends nick and taylor-congratulations!!!!
-jocassee-because i can
-my new sister on facebook- yeah, thats you michelle, ask trevor when he's gonna ask me to be his honorary sister, im expecting an invite any day now.
-thats all for me now, since the hostel has free internet im sure ill be on again soon. love everyone!
im currently in Marseilles enjoying every minute; it was hard the first week being alone and traveling alone. but i feel i've settled into a routine quite nicely. and ive gotten used to foreign tv (if my room has tv) and reading during the nights. i do not go out at night; this would be incredibly stupid as a white female traveling alone. besides, im soooo soooooo tired by the end of the day all i want to do is shower and lay in bed!
anyways, getting off track, Marseilles is very interesting. quite diverse culture here: africans, indians, muslims, you name it, we got it. i swear, im sick of seeing kabob stands everywhere! i wish i liked hot indian food. but here's the upside, i went to Chateau D'If the other day, the video is coming shortly, as is the Heidelberg vid.
I was surprised that the Chateau D'If in the film wasn't filmed on the actual location. it was disappointing, but im dealing. it was cool to see the place that inspired Dumas's famous novel. I took pics of the actual cell that is "believed" to have held Edmund Dantes (funny story, they have a tv in the cell playing a 70s tv version of the novel). it was great seeing this place, very interesting history.
today, i went to a very popular local beach where i tanned and swam for three hours. i was absolutely exhausted when i got back. ive barely been able to shower, eat, and get online since. tomorrow is my last full day in Marseilles, i will spend it exploring an abbey and maybe shopping, but i am keeping to a strict budget.
*sidenote- ive found that ive been dreaming of my family a lot at night. so mom, dad, if you're reading this, i love you both and miss you terribly and keep imagining the wonderful Xmas reunion with the whole family. i find myself day-dreaming about my homecoming at the end of december. i miss my friends, the lake, my dogs, the food and endless supply of fresh water and splendid company.
**shout out to:
-caroline mcgill, read your email, loved it, glad you had an awesome time in peru!
-caroline 2, im glad to see you're working hard at school
-of course, my soon to be newly-wed friends nick and taylor-congratulations!!!!
-jocassee-because i can
-my new sister on facebook- yeah, thats you michelle, ask trevor when he's gonna ask me to be his honorary sister, im expecting an invite any day now.
-thats all for me now, since the hostel has free internet im sure ill be on again soon. love everyone!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Boy its hot in July!
well folks, im in france and it is hot! forgive me, i cant find the period button on the laptop im using so i cant really end things properly: but its just being here in france, the train ride over from germany was a hassle however; 11 hours of riding; it was intense: although it was neat one train took me through switzerland: i have a couple of swiss franks i can never use! but anyway, i went to two cathedrals today and they were beautiful but it was quite a walk to get there; a lot of uphill climbing,
i didnt really have a chance to celebrate the 4th of july; but i hope everyone at home had a great time! i will be in lyon until thursday morning, then i head to Marseille which i am very excited about! tomorrow i am going to a silk factory and can hopefully pick up a gift or two; and then im hopefully meeting a friend later on who i did the TEFL course with: anyways, love you all and hope you are doing well!
rachel
i didnt really have a chance to celebrate the 4th of july; but i hope everyone at home had a great time! i will be in lyon until thursday morning, then i head to Marseille which i am very excited about! tomorrow i am going to a silk factory and can hopefully pick up a gift or two; and then im hopefully meeting a friend later on who i did the TEFL course with: anyways, love you all and hope you are doing well!
rachel
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