Movin' On Up

I'm excited to announce that I just purchased my airplane tickets to and from Marrakesh with one of my good gal pals (Chelsea)! I need to talk to my other friend Kathleen who is coming in on the same day as Chelsea, but her situation is a bit more unique. She is coming with her step-mom who needs to see a crazy amount of scenery in only a short span. I know they are planning on going to Italy, Morocco and explore various places in Spain in 10 days!

Anyway, we booked the tickets (which I only have cash right now and nothing on my Spanish bank card so I literally had to use the last of my American money...grrrrr. All the ridiculous charges for using an American card is beyond me) for Wednesday, May 8th - Sunday, May 12th!!! It's going to be hotter than hell but such an adventure! I can't wait to go ziplining, camel trekking, check out the colorful busy open markets and for my Euros to finally go far! --- SOOOO EXCITED!!!

I am looking forward to my trip to Greece at the end of the month as well with Laura and Jackie. Jackie and I did absolutely NOTHING over Puente break other than work on school stuff (presentations, new units, worksheets, etc) and then on the last day during the last hours of light we took the time to book two places for our grand adventure!

The first place will be the first island we travel to: the island of Mykonos

It says its a 10 minute walk to the beach and right in the center of town. Thoroughly looking forward to my first Grecian sunrise and sunset :)

http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/greece/mykonos-island/5379/

This one is the awesome one. Fingers crossed that we get a room that overlooks the water (this place is located right on cliffs!) Apparently the owner is a mean old lady that shuts down the jacuzzi after 8 PM but we decided we would take our chances because you can't beat the view!

http://www.kafierisapartments.gr/

So no new news about the weather here in Cordoba. The rain just does not want to let down. Thank goodness I found a huge paragua (umbrella [or brullie as the Scottish say]) in my apartment building. No, I know it was not kind of me to take the umbrella but it had been pouring about a month ago when I had to leave for work and I panicked because when my first little umbrella broke I had a ceremonial "throw this piece on the ground, kick it around a bit and then throw it in the garbage" and I felt this was justified because the sun began to appear...But to my dismay the rain began up again. So I looked around and it was like a present from the rain gods telling me to take it so I did. I have every intention on returning the umbrella to the same spot right by the mailboxes when the rain decides to stop. Do you think it continues to rain here in Cordoba because of karma? I hope not.

Since I did not do a darn thing this past weekend I have decided to go to Sevilla tomorrow. Although I've been a couple of times I have not played tourist in the town since I arrived back in September. Jackie has her friend from VA visiting so it should be fun. I have some change to spare and a free Friday as well.

Heather told me about a cleanse that she is beginning on Friday and I think I'm going to do it. Its really just what I need...for those of you that get easily offended read no more.

I am so constipated because of the food choices in this country and I need a colon blow or something!

Tori and Dad are supposed to be calling me this weekend to chat. That will be very nice especially considering I haven't spoken to Tori since she left on December 3oth, 2009. Bummed.

I'm really proud of Mom. She is successfully putting together her biggest masterpiece to date: a book!!!! Mom is truly an amazing woman and so creative and enthusiastic, driven and I cannot wait to read what she has written. I hope to be picking up her book in the front of a major retailer, you know...in one of those glass cases in the display window.

Haven't been to soccer practice in 3 weeks because of the rain and in essence laziness probably. Hopefully we will have practice tomorrow if the weather holds up but I'm not making any promises. I think I may have to wake up the rain gods tomorrow after my laundry dries. Once you have 3 weeks off...why stop there!

Well, I'm off to bed!

Catch The Sun

Another weekend coming through and only to depart once more. Sorry dear diary, its been awhile since I last confessed the sordid details of my life here in Spain. Nah, just a broma.

Its been really nice having the apartment to myself so far. I think I've needed some time to myself to reflect or something...I've got a lot on my mind and its been absolutely wandering since we departed 2009.

So, what did I do this weekend so far? I figure I should just talk about something not stressful in my life...

Well, we had practice on Thursday night and its absolutely hilarious to think that half of the girls on the team actually talked more to Myles (Heather's brother) than to me in the month I've been playing with them. Ha! I have to take the high road in that area...I don't know why I let some of those ignorant girls get to me...its just been quite awhile since I had problems with really immature girls. This one girl Estella is just outright rude now. All she does is throw out blatant insults. She should be intimidated. I wouldn't want to mess with myself, Heather or Laura. I don't really want to talk about her though, no sense in letting that ruin the story. I didn't even mean to create a tone...I just wanted to let those feelings out.

Soooo after practice Myles was determined to see what the nightlife here in Cordoba was all about. So he somehow convinces me to come (and I didn't want him to go by himself) so we met up at Laura's piso and from there went to the Irish pub nearby Gran Vial for a drink. Then around 2 we decided to check out MoMa because Caitlyn has the hook-up on drinks from this one guy Sergio that she went out with a couple of times. Alas, he was not there but Laura worked her magic and we didn't have to pay for chupitos. Por favor, I wish I had never taken them (oops...more than one). Their idea of free shots for girls (slutty Erasmus students) are these sugary rummy shots....gnarly headache the next morning for sure. I made our bartender take a shot with us though to make up for giving us something that bad haha...

It was the typical music being played (except I am sorry to report that 'Single Ladies' was not heard once that night which is weird because the weekend before I managed to hear it played in 4 separate bars....que pena). So us three made our way to the other side of the pub because it was just a bunch of creepy guys staring and it was a bit awkward because let me explain the people of Cordoba that go out. They do not dance and they just like showing off the drink that they have bought in their hand. And I was completely taken aback when this woman grabs Laura and I and has us dancing with her girlfriends! And on top of that about 2 of them knew English (que raro!) Well, Myles establishes relations with one of the girls and proceeds to try and get my piso keys (riiiiiiiiight, like I'm going to get screwed out of the equation only to come home and have to buzz my way in at 5 in the morning when the Acosta's are leaving at 6 to catch a bus to Madrid..not kosh). So I wrote down specific directions to the apartment and made him give me some cab money for the cab that we were going to split later (hey, you leave me....you always pay).

UPDATE: Myles did in fact make it home and he was passed out solo (THANK JESUS (pronounced Hey-Zeus) !!!!) and was still in his clubbing clothes.

And in that moment Laura meets the only good-looking guy and hes dancing (BONUS) and we closed that place down around 4 and they got us to go to Underground and it was actually a lot of fun there. They were playing random music like from Rage Against the Machine...I can't help to throw down when their stuff comes on. Laura's new man friend Juan was trying to get me to be with his friend Javi and I just wasn't feeling it...he was too much the same height as me and was too much of a gentleman or something, I don't know. Oh, and when a girl dances with you don't skooch away. It's not an endearing quality, even if you're shy. Shoot, I'm like Prudence McPrude. I don't need competition batting for the other team with the same quality as me.

At 6 I made it back to the piso just as soon as the fam was getting up to leave for their trip to Madrid. Woke up with the spins and was utterly worthless until I decided to get up and go out with Jackie, Caitlyn and Laura (ohhhh and her man friend -- nothing serious for her, she has a boyfriend. And even though she had the 'I have a boyfriend' talk and the dude understand English more or less as they say...he didn't understand novio, or was pretending not too).

So as soon as I got on the bus after hanging with Jackie and Caitlyn, Oscar and his impeccable timing called me right after the girls got off on their stop to tell me that practice was canceled due to rain...ugh. So, I went home and started to get ready for Ana's Birthday celebration (a bit early but its because her real birthday is during the Puente...and no one is really around during Puente). Dinner was supposed to be at 10:30 (so of course I ate another dinner a bit earlier than that) and I tried about 6 banks on the way their to recharge my phone but I had no luck and was completely aggravated because...let's face it, you are naked without your cellular technology. Oh, and when you are trying to figure out where everyone is and you've been in the restaurant waiting for them for 30 minutes and there is no sight of anyone. So after I went to the bottom floor of the restaurant Moriles (or as I so cleverly dubbed it, 'Stand-By') and made a fool of myself (because apparently when you say, 'tienes una fiesta para isabel o ana' that is soooo funny [fiesta over here literally translates to --- woohoo party yea man!!!!! --- when all I meant was reservation]. Well, I walked out and said screw it and started walking about around 11:00 and only to see the birthday girl in the Moriles (stand-by #2) woo!

I met Gema and her boyfriend, saw Manolo (crazy Asturian guy I work with) and Isabel and Juana (Isa's mom) were there and so was Juan (who I haven't really talked to since Thanksgiving when he invited himself to it and then proceeded to insult our American dishes -- what kind of fool thinks that we eat hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza on this delicious holiday??? He's an ignoramus).

I was nodding off during dinner, as I had gotten home at 6 in the morning and woke up at 10 and didn't take my siesta (I really need to take advantage of those more often) but I was somehow convinced to go to this pub right on the corner (which ironically I had asked Laura's man friend what he had thought of it because it looked really cool and he was it was actually the complete opposite and so I told myself that I would not go in there...only to go there a few short hours later ha...por supuesto). Again, I began falling asleep right there on the dance floor and then the DJ played Gloria Gaynor and was kind of weirded out...he was having a disco attack and proceeded to play some more mad old music...obviously he was being selective with a mature age demographic. I never wanted to go to bed more when I got in at 3.

Today, I didn't really want to do much of anything. I got to Jackie and Caitlyn's and I made us some pancakes and it was amazing. I felt like I was at home...I miss Mom's syrup...she makes a fruity one. And then we watched a movie and then made Mexican food which bizarrely tasted like barbeque. I then went for a frigid run in case I don't get any playing time tomorrow in the game.

Can't wait to report about the game tomorrow. I'm sure it will be a doosey. Oh, and I've been invited to Natasha's for a single ladies dinner...I don't particularly like labels. I'm also not upset that its Valentine's Day and I'm single. I've said it before and I'll now put it here...if you cannot appreciate your spouse on any other day than this materialistic excuse for a to celebrate your love and affection for your love then, I feel bad for you. But if you want to just boost the economy, well then I'm all for it. I'll buy some Hershey's to help a country out. I'm excited, there will be hummus!

Well, I'm off to bed. Ciao!

The Pow Wow

So...Laura spoke about us possibly getting to play soccer while here in Spain and I thought...cool, some pick-up will be fun! Well, on Thursday evening we started the walk across the bridge over to Ciudad Jardin and behind the Zoco to play with the girls league in Cordoba not thinking much of it. I definitely had no idea what we were about to get ourselves into...I was completely unsure of how good the girls were going to be because everyone I asked had no idea that women even participated in organized sports here in Spain...

Well, we go inside the locker room and I'm starting to get a little nervous because all of the girls are pretty butchy looking...and at this point, I'm like, "oh, crap." Instantly I was set at ease/uncomfortable (I know...how is that possible to feel those two emotions at once?) when one girl that looks strikingly like Kate Carver from Flagler pulls out a 40 oz of Cruzcampo and is balancing her cigarillo in the other hand!!! They were passing the bottle around and the air was slowly thickening because of all the chain smokers. Que raro! So were looking around a little apprehensive and then we get out on the field and spent the next 2 hours touching the ball from start to finish. Those girls actually fared well considering they have a drinking problem and smoke like chimneys. I, on the other hand, wanted to curl up in a ball and die. I was thought I had embarrassed myself completely by the lack of coordination I possess since it had been 4 years since I played on the Flagler Women's Soccer team. YIKES.

After practice we were already being asked what numbers we wanted on our jerseys and when we would sign! Its cool that I have the opportunity to have a fun form of exercise but I'm not looking for a heavy contract when I only have 4 months remaining in Spain. I do want to maybe use the opportunity to travel around Andalucia when I can and just get to play the sport that I love. That is all.

The next day I couldn't even get out of bed. I was stiff as a board and not to mention the Friday practice we had no idea about. They start practicing at 9 pm (in true Spanish style) and then end around 11:30! Too late for me. For realz.

We actually went to their game tonight and I was unpleasantly surprised about how they lack cohesiveness. The girls act like a bunch of individuals rather than a team. Maybe we can bring together team unity. Not that all the girls are cool, but most are and I think that our American soccer style could be beneficial to the girls because we play differently.

More to report later!

Happy Days

Nothing is scarier than trying to figure out the future. Unfortunately I will always have the mindset that I'm living for tomorrow not for today. Good 'ole Des'ree.

I had a rather entertaining weekend here in Cordoba but I'm about ready to take flight again. I can't be grounded for far too long.

So what did I do this weekend? Stuff that I should have gotten out of my system while I was in college. Hah.

No, but I went over to Jacqueline and Caitlyn's place around 8 on Thursday. I felt good and I actually got ready to look good for a public place because I've been looking trashy and not at all concerned with my looks all week. So I arrive and we begin the night by opening a bottle of wine. Which turns into 2 more. I have a migraine thinking about it all over again. Spanish music quickly got turned to Juvenile and Beyonce and we were ready to head out. At 1 AM. Yikes bikes. So we take a couple of chupitos before heading out the door....because, well I want to make sure I'm not buying any drinks for the night.

I didn't feel like Vial Norte at the start of the night but by the time we headed out, well I didn't care...you could say that. Now, you must understand that Cordoba is a very shallow town and Vial Norte is full of even more shallow men and women...so we go to some bar that I don't remember the name anymore and Caitlyn my very "Spanish-looking" friend convinces the bouncer to give Jackie, Caitlyn and I a free round of shots and a mixed drink. HI-OHH.

So we go right in (oh, I was sure to wear some cute flats with my outfit because I've been turned down for wearing my blue boat shoes...I mean whatever for? Ha.)

It was a blur but I am happy to report as a non-dancer I always have fun in the bars here because no one wants to dance which is really funny because Spain's Spanish counterparts in Central and Latin America love to get down. I'm coming to find that they are not who I thought they were at all.

I got to bed by 4 and I woke up fine. Then around 1 it hit me. Will I ever learn my lesson? Probably not, because if you are having fun while being destructive...well, then I don't mind my methods of mayhem in healthy doses.

However, I may need to refute that last statement now because when I went for a run on Saturday and I was still sweating out all that I drank and it is now Sunday and I'm still with a headache.

Alas.

So I've been talking with Kathleen and Chelsea about our plans for the great continent of Africa in May. And we will be in Morocco! Kathleen told me that her step-mother Dawn was thinking about coming and I told her that she should definitely come. And I meant what I said when I said, "the more the merrier" but now this is turning somewhat dictorial. Chelsea and I have planned Morocco for the past year when I found out that I was going to Spain for the year and we decided that it would be our badass trip together. Then Kathleen gets on board but with Dawn...she is proving to be a bit overzealous. She wants to do some wine tours in Spain and then go to Italy and somehow fit in Morocco! Kowabunga thats nuts.

I've just recently come back from Italy so I really don't want to go there and I've already seen Madrid...I wouldn't mind being there for 1 afternoon to see anything that I may have missed but other than that I want to be living la Arabic vida loca. Speaking of which, I really need to start learning some French. And somehow prepare my ridiculous sweat glands for a hellish ride in Morocco (women should be fully clothed while there...note: Morocco is also in the desert). Kathleen found a zip lining thing just outside Marrakesh and also we found some cheap camel tours for 3 days/2 nights and one of the nights we would get to camp under the stars!!!

So, I was really bummed that I missed my skype date with Nana and co. Everyone was supposed to be there this weekend for Gene's surprise party so it would have been cool if I could pretend that I was there, oh well.

I've been looking online for some food recipes to spice up our boring diet here in Spain but I have not had much luck because simple ingredients like basil or half-n-half don't exist here. Even strawberries are rare and VERY expensive. What the heck?

I don't know how to relieve pressure in my life. Its time that I start to learn too...I just put too much on myself for no reason. Like trying to figure out my life that awaits me in America from Spain and my loneliness. I have always been the single friend and its frightening that I already think the end of the dating road is descending upon me. I was telling Dad that I may just join a convent even though I would have to fake devotion to God. And I'm not willing to go on match.com because lets be serious: meeting someone online is weird. I don't think I could jump into something real that I first had with someone through an email...and I'm only 22. Way too young for that mess.

Oh and an update for a non-update (because I've never posted this before...I'm actually just going to update you on my own mistake).

I did not buy a pair of pants from H&M yesterday that I desperately needed because I read somewhere that they were running sweat shops and it was against my moral code. Well that is not the case for my beloved H&M. However, they deem it necessary to throw or destroy out their unsold merchandise instead of give it to charity. Went to the main website to see their recent statement on the allegations and they state that they only give clothing away to donations if the clothing is a piece and not worth anything and they would rather damage their clothing that is worth a buck than give it to someones deserving. I'm glad I didn't buy those pants.

Oh, and Walmart is in on that too. I don't go to Walmart anyway. We all know that Walmart has no idea how to be an ethically sound company. And it sick to think that they control 10% of our imports and exports.

Okay, thats enough for now...I have to do a lesson for my 4th year science class so they can just look at me all glossed over and manequine like when I try to explain the changes in matter.

Threshold and Grateful

Earlier on Facebook I posted "What's your word of the day?" Several people responded and the words varied and perhaps reflected the kind of day each was having. Threshold stood out and grateful too.

Threshold because I like the way it sounds when you say the "shhh part of the word and how it ends in a "da" sound, as if it has a line that one needs to cross to get past it. I hadn't seen the word for awhile, I knew what it meant but I went to the Thesaurus for more and found, opening, beginning, brink, dawn, doorstep, doorway, edge, entrance, gate, point, verge, etc.

It's a new year and I can relate to beginning, and edge. Which brings me to the next word. One respondent posted the word "grateful." When I read the post I sighed, "I should have thought of that." I need to remember to be grateful each day. Even if things are bad there is always a lot to be grateful for. Later in the day I went to the person's profile who posted grateful and found out why it was her word.
She wrote, "Thank You LORD that my brother Randy was NOT in his office when the Disgruntled Employee came in PENSKE and shot 5 people. Please everyone pray for these people and their families........".

Doors open, one soul trips off the edge and falls into tragedy. Those shot may cross because it was time. I am grateful for all kept out of harms way. I am grateful for today, thresholds and all.

I Will Follow A Set Of Deep Tracks Other People All Stay Hidden...

Its been a few years since Cordoba saw snow and I was just sitting here feeling really stupid for not going for a run and then I look out the window of my apartment and I see these flurries outside. I was hoping there was a hill nearby to go sledding down or at least a palm tree nearby that ironically was covered in snow...but alas, its just a nice set of scenery. Especially because its been raining here. I don't know how the people of England can deal with that depressing weather all year long.

So I never spoke of Paris. This is taking me back to Paris because it snowed there too, but we just couldn't force ourselves inside to stay warm. Cool things were to be seen there. I had just found my way to Terminal 3 with the very little French (Bonjour, parlevous Engle!? -- its not spelled right, but you get the point. Merci.) I knew and I see this girl writing with her finger, "RACHEL WAS HERE". I was SOOOOO excited! I finally was among people that could understand me and feel just as lost as me! There they were. The 3 amigos: Heather, Rachel and Andres. So we waited for this bus to take us to our hotel and got into our room at 2 pm. I was contemplating eating an arm because I could only afford a yogurt at 6 am in the Sevilla airport after the 23 euro cab ride (I love surprises) and just wanted to take a hot shower where surfing is not optional.

I've already made up my mind at this point. I'm not wearing that green dress from H&M for New Years because its already 30 degrees and dipping. Andres says, "You are only in Paris on New Years once in your life. Just wear the dresses." Allllllllright smooth talker. So around 5 we decide its time to head out and we get on the ever confusing metro system that Paris runs on somewhere between where we live and the Earth's core. Teeth are chattering and eyes are tearing up and we just stepped outside the metro exit. We get to the Eiffel Tower and its the first thing we see. So fabulous. This iron cast monstrosity will not disappoint. Its time to eat so we find the first restaurant in front of us and each shared a pizza. )Oh, just so you know...couldn't find a pizza I liked in Italy. Stay with pasta, especially if you have plans on walking all day.) Afterwards we walked to the Eiffel Tower and wandered around taking the usual touristic pictures and were just trying to savor the moment that we were indeed here, that we made it to Paris. On the search for coffee to find a safe haven that was above 60 degrees indoors we kept asking for a Starbucks...and fortunately there was one. Unfortunately, they all closed by 6 that evening. I was already to give up on the rest of the evening at 8 because I knew I wouldn't make until midnight. Andres tells us one more big loop around and lets catch the 10 PM light show, then we can head back. So we finally made it back to L'Eiffel Tower around 9:30 and meet a nice man named Vince (a little too chatty for me) but Heather and him are hitting it off. There are crazy Mexicans hitting the bottle, throwing each other around like rag dolls all stoked that its almost the New Year and Africans selling you an miniature tower for 1 euro; ah, sweet bliss. All of a sudden the light show begins, Mexicans are flying in the air, champagne bottles are popping (guess in their drunken stupor they didn't realize midnight was 2 hours away) and then I look down (I was looking up so I could see the light show and narrowly miss a man being hurled directly in my direction) to see Andres on his knee and Heather looking around every which way through a smiling cry saying, "are you serious?!" Rachel and I are yelling at each other, "did you know!? NOOO did you know!?" and then Rachel with her trusty disposable camera snaps the shot of him on his knee and Heather in a daze. For the record, no one knew. Andres is a quiet one. So we head back after that and bid Vince adieu and head back to the hotel to warm up and soak up the whole experience. I passed out before midnight. I'm just that fun!

The next day we wake up and collectively get on the metro and get back to the Eiffel Tower around 1pm. What a late start...seriously, for the longest day of your life....getting around Paris in that metro takes you hours and came across the Notre Dame. The four of us are debating whether we want to pay the 8 euros to go inside but not before waiting in a 2 hour line only to have made our decision when a disgusting ogre of a man belched on poor Heather! So we make moves hastily and we walk around and realize its too cold for that and hop on a city bus and just let it take us wherever. Later that night we see the Arc de Triomphe (sp) and it was beautifully lit by the Champs Elysees. I didn't feel like sashaying down the famous street because I was starved and the streets were packed but it was gorgeous nonetheless.

That next morning we began our trip back to the Eiffel Tower only to climb it that day! We stood in line for a couple of nippy hours and finally got up to the 2nd floor only to arrive at another line (yay!) and then went up to the 3rd level to see the greatest view! But only for 5 minutes. I saw what I needed to see, took pictures that I wanted to take and made a mad dash for the 1 hour wait back to the ground floor.

On our last full day in Paris we deemed it an incredible idea that we get up at a decent time and make moves to the Lourve. Rachel and I decided that a croissant wasn't enough for breakfast and while Heather and Andres were in line at the Lourve (a surprisingly fast moving line) we didn't make it in time to rejoin them. Heather was outside when we got to the end of the line telling us that she could get us in only for them not to get us in but we walked to the side entrance and I frantically explained that we had been inside already but she was pregnant and needed food and now we needed to go back in (Well, I never finished the last bit. As soon as he heard "pregnant" we got let in. Which he had denied access to the 12 other people in front us!) The Lourve was absolutely breathtaking and 4 (FREE) hours was just not enough in there. We barely covered the terrain in there. I felt cool walking around with Rachel explaining the different pieces that I could recall and the formalities of them all and how they were each significant.

I didn't feel like going back to the Eiffel Tower again (which is of course where the love birds wanted to go...understandably) and I suggested somewhere new since Paris is vast and wide. We went and saw the Luxembourg Palace and its Gardens and it was the most beautiful day by far. We walked down the street and made it to the Pantheon. It was a great way to end the trip. Oh, I must add that I found a crystal Eiffel Tower fully intact on the ground just after a small police bust must have happened (you see, selling anything on the street is illegal). Yup, pretty great way to end the trip.

Oh, I'm sad to report that the snow stopped. And I will not be expecting a snow day tomorrow or the mountains as it is too dark now.

Until next time.

Motivation

Sooo I have finally bit the bullet on this thing and I am going to try my darnedest to keep up with it. It's important for me to remember my travels and not let them fade away (because lets face it....I'm still without a camera). Heather actually re-sparked my interest on writing about my life here in Spain when she started reading her friends on their life in Egypt so far. Anyways, on with the show...

Just got back from a 3 week (MUCH NEEDED) vacay. I have to say it was amazing meeting my family at the Sevilla airport and then embarking on our travels to Italy for the next 10 days. I was so glad that they were all smiling and not pissy because of the long ride they had over because it made me forget how over the day I already was especially since I began my arrival to the airport at 8 that morning and then it started pouring (you will see a pattern soon) as soon as I set foot outside the train station. Then I decide...I've got a little time to kill before I get to the airport, why not get that cup of coffee that I've been craving in the center at the Starbucks. Not only was I completely soaked from the whole experience getting to and from Starbucks and then to the airport but so was my luggage and my boots. Naturally. Oh, and trying to put my luggage on the EA line that connects to the Sevilla airport was a task in an of itself. Oh, thats right; no one in Europe knows how to drive...so I go flying down the middle of the bus with my bags and my scalding hot coffee. I just go to too much trouble for my generic brand standby.

Rome was incredible to see and I have to hand it to my Mom that making arrangements with tour guides was a smart move. From the moment we arrived in Rome we had to fly into the city center for a tour on the Vatican. WOW. That place is epic. It makes it all the more real that a place like that could have its own zipcode. Quite magnificent on its on right and Saint Peter's Square (in which the Vatican looks over) was absolutely gorgeous too. A bit frigid but awesome. By the time you get to the Sistine Chapel all you want to do is just lay on the floor in the very large room and and just look up at the sky and reflect on what you are seeing. Michaelangelo was quite a talent although he had no idea what a female actually looked like. Obviously he only had eyes for Mark's and John's....

We walked around for a bit after the tour and we stood at this "vanishing point" I guess you could call it and if you were looking at a line of 4 columns they would be placed perfectly behind one another and it was super cool.

Later we returned back to our hotel which was in a really nice part of town (a little hard to get to...aka because we didn't know where the heck we were...we later find out we are literally 100 feet away from the Spanish Steps). Had some dinner at a nice restaurant below us. I swear we lucked out wherever we went because everyone just about, spoke English. Emerson was driving me nuts with his Spanish-speaking, not gonna lie about that.

The next morning we got up early and met up for another tour called the 'Angels and Demons' tour based off of the book which I never read, never will read and still haven't even seen the Tom Hanks movie. However, our very excited tour guide, this young guy from Oregon but was raised in Italy and talks faster than most Americans made our 3.5 hour trip into a 5 hour one and it passed by so quickly. We basically followed a route that also looked like a Christian cross --cool stuff. We even got to have a cappuccino and then see the Parthenon for a quick minute. It was way dirtier than I could have ever imagined but when I went inside it was just gorgeous and the oculus was beautiful on that day since the sun was shining.

Later that night we met up with this cool guy from Venezuela and he was like this gothic rocker, which I feel like most guys from South America tend to be, when they are more Americanized. At least that is what I have seen while living in South Florida (have to back myself up...don't want any bad remarks thrown at me ha). But he took us on a nighttime tour of the "haunted Rome", which I'm sure there are these incredible mysteries about Rome...but he didn't really seem to know a whole lot. Anyway, we get to this church where these guys back in the day formed this society/church for the died/dying during the Plague years that were not getting proper burials and were just being thrown in fire pits/rivers/etc. and they cremated the bodies and just gave them the proper burials that the dead deserve. Well, the church is still around today and it is ornate with several cool trinkets such as a chandelier made of skeletal remains. Cool stuff. We went back the next day to check it out and see for ourselves. I really liked the whole vibe of the church, there was just a solitary nun darning socks or something and the candles were lit and it felt like we were the only ones in the entire place. Tori and I agreed that we felt more in that church than we did in the Vatican.

The next day was the most somber day for some reason but we took the metro Line A to the Colosseum and we kinda got there early and we stopped off for a cappuccino at the top of the hill that overlooks the Colosseum and it was the most delicious cap I've ever had and for a nice price of only 1 euro. Can't beat that. We were fortunate enough to have the best continental breakfasts at our hotel, Modern Hotel, and the cleaning lady/cook made the best cappuccino's in the morning. Spoiled, I am aware. So anyway, we meet up with our tour guide with the thickest Italian accent (so I must say I zoned out the entire time) and we ventured around the monstrous edifice and I could almost imagine the chariot races around its inner circle. We finished off at the Roman Forum and it was so cool there; there were aqueducts (only one of which they still use today -- w0w!) and it was like this awesome graveyard of precious monuments and sculptural pieces remaining in Rome's antiquity. That moment will definitely last with me.

3 days in Rome was the perfect amount of time and although it was sad to go because it was quite a blast we headed off 3 hours down the road to Cavrigglia in Il Toscana. We got to the Ipercoop at 9 at night and I'm already kind of freaking because I'm a Florida girl and I'm not used to driving in the snow, and we don't even have chains on...and the car was freaking out while we are just trying to park in the lot. We get hoards of food because we haven't even eaten and we know we won't be eating for quite a bit. Emerson's GPS gets us going the wrong way up the mountain/valley/hill whatever you want to call it and Mom is freaking out, they are both standing out in the snow for like 15 minutes and all I want them to do is shut the door so I don't later die of hypothermia. Well we finally get moving and they decide that its a good idea that we follow the directions of the owners of the house (duh) and turn down the start of the drive. Its the start of a small town too. Bizarre. There are lots of small towns within towns come to find out though that only comprise of 10 houses or something. So we see the neighbors house and we have to keep going, this is where we should have parked the car and grabbed our bags and begun to walk like Cameron Diaz in 'The Holiday'.

We round the first corner (with no chains...eek) and its a little shisty. Then we round the second corner and I swear I was going to meet my maker, man. I'm clutching for dear life and thank goodness Emerson was behind the wheel because we would have been goners for sure. We get out of the car, I'm kissing the ground and we go inside to forget that any of that even happened. I needed a chupito. Come to find out later that the owner didn't even come up to his house because the snowfall was too dangerous. Ha.

Well the thing about the windows and doors in Italy is that they are sealed shut. Pretty cool if you have nothing better to do that have a "snowed in" day and want to sleep in until 1 PM!!!!!! I opened the front door because I couldn't find my phone in the pitch black house and it was like POW POW POW when I opened the door. It was like the sun burst my eyeballs and the sun shining was so brilliant. The view of the Tuscan valley was just breathtaking and a winter wonderland.

The next day we set alarms and hoped that we'd be able to get out of the house with snow still on the ground. Silvano, the owner came to our rescue with chains to get us out. We left for Siena for the day and saw the beautiful Duomo but didn't last too long because it was just so oogly and rainy. Which rain it did, for the remainder of our trip. The second day we went to Venice and that was quite a haul...especially since we left at like 8 am only to be stuck in traffic for 5 hours the way there and then another 4 on the way back. Ridiculous. That was miserable getting there. But once we were there the sun began to set and it was beautiful. The long glass bridge that gets you on the islandic suburbia was quite cool. The windy streets were littered with Italian locals doing last minute Christmas shopping and we got to the waters edge to see St. Peters and the gondolas were all along the edge and it was just so cute a picturesque. Mom decides that she does in fact know where she is in Venice because how could she forget...she was only here yesterday, AKA 10 years ago. She proceeds to get us so completely lost in the pouring rain in back streets and is going so fast that she almost falls off a dock and thank goodness Emerson has another one of his gadgets, the iPhone with GPS on it and we get back to civilization. Nothing else cool happened that night because we were stuck in the worst traffic I've ever seen in my life for the 8 hour ride home.

The next day we went to Florence and the owners told us about free parking at the top of the hill that overlooks the city right by the iron-cast David, and we walked down. Tori told us about Ponte Anciano (is that right?) which is 'The Old Bridge' which is composed of these old houses turned jewelry stores and we walked over that to get to the Firenze center. We went straight to the musuem that is in Firenze (can't remember the name) and walked around in there for a few hours and saw some incredible art pieces. I remember there being a lot of redheads in Firenze. Perhaps because Firenze has the word fire in it. Tori was in love. I noticed a lot of the Italian well, 1. being better looking than those in Spain but, 2. having really creepy blue eyes that looked like they were stalking prey with or something. Maybe its all true.

Then I'm bitchy at this point because I'm starved and I don't think I had a feeding in between meals but we march on to see Michaelangelo's David, which for a hefty price of 10 euros a head it was worth it. I wish we had gone on a Sunday or something, I'm sure its free then. It was quite remarkable that piece of art though. He was incredibly huge (no, not down there. You would have though that Michaelangelo would have appreciated that in a man...) Then it stopped raining for 10 minutes and we sit in the middle of this square, the pigeons are like white on rice when they see Mom pulling out the ingredients of our lunch. Haha, it was pretty ridiculous that we hadn't made our lunch beforehand. Because here is Mom making the sandwiches for us right then and there and she was right, we did look homeless. A for effort though, a picnic would have been a nice thought if it was a. prepared, and b. not raining. We walked around the rest of the afternoon taking in the sites and trying not to be sick of each other yet. Oh, Mom got over her embarrassment when a bus driver and young woman came running into the same square yelling obscenities at one another in Italian over him robbing her of a bus ticket or something. Either way, it made her feel better, and me too. I hate seeing her upset. Side note: she did really well keeping up the entire trip. She told me that she trained walking with Buddha 2 miles in the morning and 2 miles at night. I'm proud.

So on Christmas morning I presented Tori with a photo frame of us and then Mom with a photo of us and a Tous necklace charm (I told her it was very Spanish and it is like the version of Tiffany) and with that being said she only got the charm. I couldn't afford the cadena (chain). But she told me she would wear it as soon as she got back to the states. Oh, I also gave them each a really different scarf when they got off the plane in Sevilla, also stating that it was very Spanish. Tori got a checkered blue and black one, Mom got a wintery scarf and Emerson got the Sevilla FC one. They are significantly better than Cordoba. It would be embarrassing if I had purchased something of the Cordoba FC merchandise because they are D3 and like the worst in the D3. Yikes. I may have to pick something up anyway while I am here...because i hate the shirts that look like the "I <3>

Anyway, Emerson just had to see the leaning tower of Pisa, which I'm glad we got to see. Its pretty cool and I later read on a plane magazine when we were coming back to Spain that there is a second one. Hmph. Stayed there for a minute and drove to Cinque Terre because Mom really wanted to go there. It quite possibly was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. The sun was actually shining that day, even though it was a little hazy. We first stopped at the entrance of the National Park and Tori and I wandered down the road a bit and came across this vacant looking town with frozen over olive vines all over and it was breathtaking the view that they had. Don't slip though, its a long way down. So we start up the road in the car and the road was just endless, hence the name 5 lands. There was this town at the edge of the cliff with crashing waves hitting it and it was absolutely mesmerizing. It looked like a scene from the Little Mermaid. If only it had been clearer we would have been able to see the eastern coast of Spain. Pretty cool. Got lost on the way down, roads were closed because of heavy rainfall, yadda yadda. We eventually made it back!

The next morning we left semi-early, wanted to go to the real outlet mall for real outlet prices since I needed boots since it was freezing and I had lost my 30 euro boots to the rain in Venice and I looked really American with my running shoes on. AKA lame. So we get there only to find out that its closed because its a holiday. Womp. So Mom is on to the next plan. She tells us of the town which I can't recall the name of now that is on the way back to Rome and the towns people once secretly stole Jesus' penis when he was crucified and it was later stolen back from the Vatican in the 70's. Why it took that long I'm not sure. Did they have his penis, I'm not sure of that either. It was very cool. You have to park outside the town because its another one of those that you can't fit a car in it..and we walked in, Tori fell about 7 times in her cowboy boots and I tried really hard not to laugh. But I mean, c'mon it was hilarious. So we are walking through this now artsy hipster village and I am secretly looking for relics but I don't think it housed any more. We stopped off for tea in this tea shop which famously has over 100 types so its even more badass than Teavana. And that capped off our travels to Rome. We even managed to get to the airport on time with being lost and all and the car rental people never mentioned the huge piece of the car scraping the bottom of it when we arrived or when Emerson ran into the pole with the side of the car as we were pulling in to get our parking ticket for the garage. Good stuff.

We got in hella late and slept in a bit and headed for Cordoba. I showed them around the first day and we had tapas right next door while the sun was shining and then we went to Tapagonia (the Argentinian place) for dinner and it was delish. The hot manager didn't look so high that night or maybe he didn't look like he was coming off of the drugs and what I saw was he was in fact high/drunk and he looked better. Either way. The next day we walked around some more. A my birthday present I got a new pair of boots that I report to you are still leak free and quite comfortable and are Spanish and really cool and I know I will have them for a long time. And they also have good grip on the road so I don't have mishaps like Tori. Mom and I really wanted to see Andalucia but Tori and Emerson were being a bit lame, Tori even said she just wanted to sleep because thats what she does when shes home from school and they protested that is was pouring everywhere. What's new right? So we stayed in and watched movies and shows on Ch131 and the rest was history. So we are walking back to the train station to catch a train and Emerson is sick as a dog. As soon as we get to the hotel at like 11 he passed out for the rest of the day. Mom, Tori and I went out to the city center in Sevilla and had a great time together. We had our trusty map and I still couldn't read it but Tori did really well. I wanted us to go to a Flamenco show but when we decided we wanted to it was pouring cats and dogs and to be honest we weren't even close to the city center. We had an okay dinner at the hotel and then these dudes from this Spanish group, but from NY, Xtreme, came to the hotel. I wanted to kill them for keeping me up until 3 in the morning when I had to be up at 5 for my flight to Paris. It was really hard saying goodbye to Mom. I thought it would be hard for me to say bye to Tori until she yelled at me that morning saying something about me promising to be quiet. Yep, she rocks. Oh, while in the shower that night instead of it being a nice relaxing shower I decided skim boarding was way more fun. I literally lost grip underneath me, held onto the glass door on the shower only for it to act as a swinging door and me to eat shit on the tile.

So it was hard for me to say goodbye, I'm crying. No one else is. And then I get to the airport 4 minutes later and that cabbie charges me 23 euro stating it is a flat rate. What the hell?!? I was expecting 10. So I cried some more. I got over it and Vueling let me put my luggage on for free which was nice. And I slept a little on the plane even.

When I got to CDG I was hungry and needed caffeine. I saw a Starbucks sign so I got really happy especially since I hate how small the coffee cups are here in Europe. But not America baby -- go big or go home! Well the escalators are like futuristic and send you in pods to other parts of the airport and I see the sign but have no idea how to get to it. The elevators are not telling me what floor I'm on but I know I need to get to the 2nd one...I can't speak French and I can't find an Information desk...and then I found it! I was so happy! I sat there, wrote a little and then decided it was time to meet Heather, Andres and Rachel at the hotel. I find the Information desk this time and they tell me where to go. I get there and see them waiting for the hotel shuttle; nothing like perfect timing and we settled in for a bit.

To be continued...