We landed in London Gatwick two hours later and proceeded to stay there for a 4 hour layover. We naturally stocked up on all sorts of british chocolates and ate them while waiting. Crunchies are still far and away my favorite candy bar and Twirl bars were not the explosion of lifethreatening chocolate I was led to believe that they were, though still quite good nonetheless. We got back on a plane to fly the hour and change to Amsterdam. Silly isn’t it? To fly two hours one way to backtrack an hour? I think so too, but it was the cheapest deal. We get into Amsterdam at about 630pm and it has already been a long day. Of course, the number I have for deb isn’t working on any of our phones and she isn’t able to reach ours. And of course she doesn’t have the flight number and thinks were flying in from rome. And we have no idea what the other looks like, since we’ve never met, but have a mutual friend. Brilliantly planned. After an hour we run into her and her girlfriend Ellen who are running around with a sign saying “whitney and friends”. This is after ive gotten online to try and call Sar to see if she can get a hold of debs as I cant and tell her how to find us and sent debs an email just in case. But it worked out.
We got on the train to Haarlem, a town about ten minutes by train outside of Amsterdam Central, which is where Debs lives. By this time its both dark and cold and we aren’t able to really appreciate how beautiful Haarlem is, but that comes later. . We ordered falafel and kebab from some place and it took a good long while to get to us. Nearly an hour and a half or two! But it was lovely when it got there. Spent the evening just sitting around and chatting and getting to know each other as well as talking about what we wanted to do while we were there. We got to sleep fairly late. I slept on this cushion thing called a “FatBoy” which was really just a fancy huge bean bag and was quite comfortable although in the morning I felt as though id been sucked into an abyss. Not a bad way to begin break!
March 17
so yes Saturday. I woke up at about 9am and lounged in bed for a while, dozing. Debs’ Dad came into the room, we were staying in the front room, at about 930 and introduced himself, waking Jaya and Tim up. We chatted with him for a while in the process of waking up and he made us tea, which was quite sweet. He was really a lovely man. Eventually Debs and Ellen came down and we began the process of getting ready for the day. The other roommate, Chris, came down at one point and hes by far one of the strangest people I have ever met. Deb had warned us about him the night before saying that he was quite immature and really was just an overgrown 6 year old who had been breastfed until he was 12 or something ridiculous like that. I figured she was over reacting, but unfortunately I was mistaken. He was just an awkward human being and at one point tripped down the last few stairs which ended with him collapsing in a heap a the bottom cursing and wailing about how his foot was broken and he could never walk again. He then proceeded to crawl to the couch still wailing. Jaya, Debs, Tim and I left to go walk around Haarlem and go grocery shopping for dinner later. Apparently while we were gone Ellen says he was yelling about how he was hallucinating from the pain. He also looks like a weird mix between a frog and a puppet. Yeah. So that’s fun.
(haarlem during the day)
But yes we walked to the store and ran into the Saturday market on the way. it was so much fun to look around and see what they were selling. If I had space in my bag I would have bought a few things since I saw some really cute clothes, at this one tent next to a fishmonger. I love it. So we went to the store and on our way back stopped at the outside market to get Stroopwafels. These are my new addiction. I am going to have to move to Holland in order to get my fix, because oh man oh man oh man. I am in love. Stroopwafels are essentially very thin wafels, much like what a waffle cone is made out of, infact nearly identical in taste and texture, 2 of them, which are stuck together with warm stroop and make a happy sandwhich of sugary goodness. Stroop is a type of syrup that has the texture of something between honey and molasses and maple syrup. Very good though and they sell it in sticks too to suck on. But Stroopwafels are my favorite incarnation of it as theyre about as big as my head and warm and really just amazing.
(church in the center of town)
(stroopwafel!)
at about 4 we decided to head out to a nature walk. we got to go along the dunes by the north sea and it was gorgeous. absolutely gorgeous. and so cold. it ended up taking longer than we thought it would so we had to go the long way to get the bus since the gate at hte front of the park was locked. when we finally made it tothe bust stop it wasnt coming for another 40 minutes so we went across the street and had coffee and waited for the bus. And I had tea when we got home first thing and it made everything all better. We made this awesome Dutch dish that is really easy to make. They make it in the winter usually. Its mashed potatoes, steamed special cabbage and salty bacon all mixed together after being prepared separately, served with a sausage. So freaking good. It was exactly what I needed.
Instead of going to a party we just decided to stay in and chill. Tim passed out. and we girls decided to watch a movie and played Sonic the Hedgehog for hours and just laughed and chatted and cuddled til ridiculous oclock. awesome time.
(debs street)
March 18-
So the next morning we were trying to figure out logistics. Deb ended up going into town and getting Sar from the airport and bringing her back. They got back at about 130ish. We’d basically just chilled in the house talking and checking email and being lazy asses. When Sar got in there was much hugging and squealing and love. And then there was tea. And then we all decided to head into Amsterdam as it was our last day there. We started off at the Anne Frank house which was really cool. Finally seeing the place in person put the book and the time in perspective and was really heartwrenching. Especially in the exibit where Otto told of how Miep gave him Anne’s diaries only after he got a letter saying that both Anne and Margaret were dead telling him “this is your daughters legacy”. How hard must that have been to know that all you could do to honor your child was invade the privacy of their diaries, discovering a person you didn’t know, one who was so differet from your child and yet the same person, and then showing her to the world. Intense. Then we got bagels and lox at a place close by and that was the best thing in the world. Id been dying for a bagel and mmm yes. We won. Then we tried to make it to the VanGogh Museum before it closed and ended up getting sleeted and hailed on while rushing there, only to have the ticket window closed on us. Very sad.
(view from teh pup)
So we went to an irish pub and had a pint and got warm. Then we decided to just wander the city some. We walked over to the Red Light district and on the way found a piercing place that Jaya wanted to duck into to find a present for EmK which she did. I ended up buying plugs and getting my ears stretched to 3mm. not too big but not too bad either. Im still working on getting to wear my koru earrings. So then moving on we got to the RedLight district and what I saw of it didn’t impress me at all. The girls weren’t that attractive and eh…there were lots of sketchy guys walking around, so about what i thought it was going to be. we were there for all of a block and then decided that was all of that we needed. So then we went home and made dutch pancakes for dinner which were lovely.
(me making pancakes with sar begging)
Then I was taught how to roll cigarettes, because everyone there smokes and i'd never learned how so why not.. and we ended up staying up til about 1 talking, only to get up at 5am to catch a plane. And thus we did
Oh Paris
March 19
Since I was tired and didn’t feel like lacing my docs up for real I didn’t, and they ate my heels. So not fun. The layover in Lutgow was 6 hours which sucked since easyjet doesn’t let you check in until 2 hours before your flight and in order to sit in the lounge you have to have a boarding ticket. LAME! But we survived. We got to check in about 3 hours ahead since we didn’t have to check luggage and we got bagels and juice and I bought heel guards and books at the store. As well as some “lamb and mint” flavored potato chips which were actually really really good. Go figure. So then we got into paris! Eventually. We took the RER B to Cite Universitaire and were there. Yay liz! So then we ended up just chilling with liz for a while and went down to dinner with the co-op where I got to see Allyson and Laura for the first time in forever. Good food and good company for sure. Then we went upstairs and were exhausted, but Sarah and Laura just got in from Dublin so we chatted with them for a bit and that was nice. But then it was sleeptime. And boy did I pass out. Lovely lovely
March 20
Liz got up with us and took us over to Notre Dame. Id been before but it was quite lovely as always. I love going into churches and Notre Dame is such a beautiful piece of art. We contemplated going up top but it was going to be way expensive so said no.
We went to FNAC to try and fix Jaya’s camera that committed seppuku the first day of break (at the McDo no less!) since it was a Monday none of the museums were open. We met up with LK and liz went to do research. Lk took us all over and we had a blast. Got back over to the Notre Dame area and went to a bookstore called Shakespeare and Co. which is a huge English language bookstore that is special because the people who work there often live there as well. Such a great collection of poetry and literature. They had a “wall of love” which was a mirror that people put notes and pictures on as thanks to the place for being awesome. Reminds me of Duttons in LA and of Maple Street Books…and Liz. So that was awesome. I left a note. Went to the island and got icecream and then to rue de rivoli for some window shopping and then we went back to campus and met up with sarah and met liz at this fondue restaurant. Oh man I love fondue. Love love. We got meat, potatoes and bread to dip in cheese as well as French onion soup to start and crème brulee for dessert. Well there were options for the appetizer and desert, but that’s what I got. Jaya got the chocolate mousse which was heavenly. Then we went back to the room and passed out.
March 21
Bright and early-ish we got up. Id crashed in sarahs room the night before so I met up with the kids in liz's room at 10ish and we got to the Louvre at about 1230 or so. I love the Louvre but damn is it exhausting and overwhelming. Not only is there art on the walls but the entire place is a work of art itself. Lovely place though. We decided to do some of the greek and roman things and then hit a few things we wanted to see. Neither Tim nor Jaya had seen the Mona Lisa so we did that. Its overrated I feel and really not my favorite piece of art, not by half, but its important. Then we saw Winged Nike, Venus di Milo, a few awesome statues of Cupid and Psyche that I love. Then we kind of wandered for a little trying to find our way to the special exhibit on Armenia Sacre, which had a bunch of awesome illuminated texts and reliquaries and such from Armenia dating way back. Super awesome. Then we decided it was time to peace out.
Then Jaya was very hungry and cranky so we went to McDo and got Royales with Cheese. Thank you Pulp Fiction. McDo in Europe is so much better than in the states. Of course having tons of that wasn’t enough and I had to get a sugar and lemon crepe after which was really just perfect.
Then we made our way to le Centre Pompadou which is the modern art museum though I believe they also have some modern theater stuff there as well. I love modern art. So much. SO much. Its actually kind of interesting. I love old stuff don’t get me wrong, but I find that modern art speaks to me so much more directly which makes sense since it speaks the language of my time. Wandering though I found it interesting just how many little rooms id pass by with just a cursory glance, just because nothing in there jumped out and spoke to me. Of how in the surrealist exhibit I love Max Ernst and Salvador Dali and Magritte but hate one of their contemporaries and colleagues. Of how strongly a few of the pieces just grabbed at me. What is is that makes art do that? What is it about one piece that makes it that much different from another? Theyre just lines and hues and colors mixed together in different ways, how is it that they can speak so clearly?
Its wonderful. I love it.
Upstairs there was a Samuel Beckett exhibit. And hes only my favorite playwright in the history of ever. If you ever are stuck on a gift for me EVER a play of his is a pretty safe guess. Just so you know. Now you might say “how does one have theater in a modern art exhibit”
the answer is “easy my friend, just watch out because wish might die from joy”. They had a bunch of his original manuscripts and notes and journals out under glass and some installations of art and performance art on screens that are based on his works. As well as having some videos of some of his works playing as well. Hes as much theater as performance art..which is really what theater is anyway right? Spring break was pretty much made by this exhibit. I mean the rest was great and im so glad I got to do all of it, but this? Oh man this made my heart smile so big. I could’ve spent hours and hours there. I loves. Made me think about poetry a bunch anyway since so much of my poetry and modern poetery that I like is very much like his work in that it plays with language in such a way that it seeks to destroy preconceptions while still using them. Its fun. So made me think of trying to think of writing poems as writing monolgue which I guess is really what they are aren’t they? Maybe thatll help get the flow going.
We stayed there pretty late but hightailed it back to campus and picked up desperados and wine for dinner since we promised we would. Dinner was a co-op affair of everyone pitching in to help Sarah make Fajitas, which ended up being amazingly amazing and tasty. Then we met up with Sar and Debs and their friends Emilie and Marie who are parisienne at a bar and sat around and had a few drinks. including absinthe. now mind you its not the green fairy kind, just a licorice drink. it was..strong but alright. i only had one and that was enough. that bar closed so we went to a 24 hour restaurant and had a sandwhich and went home at ridiculous oclock
March 22
(oscar wilde's tomb)
So we met up with sarah at about 10 to go to the really famous cemetery wehre people are buried, otherwise known as Pere Lachaise. We wandered around and saw Gertrude Stein and Oscar Wilde’s tombs as well as some in honor of the victims of all of the Concentration camps during WWII. The art on these was amazing. One artist did all of these and they are some of the most haunting beautiful things I have ever seen. We meant to find Jim Morrison and Chopin and Delacroix and a few others, but we ran out of time and got lost. It really is a beautiful cemetery with some amazing family mausoleums. Reminds me a lot of New Orleans cemeteries in that way.Then we were freaking cold so we decided to go warm up and went to a café and got chocolate chaud. Always happy. Then we met up with Liz for a good French lunch. Kat found us and joined as well. So we were a happy large crew. We all made way for the Tour D’Eiffel after that. I cant say that climbing the tower on a full stomach was a brilliant idea but it wasn’t the worst idea ever either. Before we got there though the 6 of us shared this cotton candy thing that was as big as I am. Huge and sugary and pink and lovely. Yum!
There are 668 stairs on the Eiffel tower to get to the second platform. Beautiful view. Freaking cold. I swear we were idiots for going north for spring break. What were we thinking! But gorgeous. Could see so so much. Granted it made me think of why I don’t like paris that much. Its beautiful and romantic, but above all its nostalgic and on the Tower I realized just why. The architecture style hasn’t changed in Paris in forever. Every building new and old looks exactly alike. It keeps its old time charm, but at the cost of moving forward. The Pompadou center is new and interesting and sure it looks like the old Beverly center on the outside and I don’t really like it but at least its different. I almost feel like Paris is holding its breath to try and keep itself from falling apart or something. Like it knows that its height has passed and doesn’t want to let go of it for fear of losing all credibility whatsoever, but that in turn holds it back from what it could be. Part of why I love Amsterdam and Rome is that you have the old smack next to the new so you have the past interacting with the present and the future to create a wonderful cohesion.
When we got to the bottom of the tower again my legs were shaking but it was shopping time. Tim left us to see the Luxembourg gardens and we chicas went to H&M. I got some awesome skinny-leg pants and realized that when we get back to the states jaya and I are going to look like some halfbreed bastard hybrid of fashion because before I was here I never would’ve even thought about getting skinnyleg anything. Now I love them. Love love. And this satin bomber jacket with unicorns on it is just about the best think ive ever seen in my life. So goes to show that Europe is a sneaky sneaky bitch.
On our way back to the Fond we picked up some pastries at the patisserie and they were lovely. Éclairs and caneles. Very French and quite yummy. We went to the Store and picked up 3 kinds of cheese- camembert, chevre and another- wine and bread and met up with LK at the Sacre Coeur for dinner.
The Sacre Coeur is a beautiful building to begin with but at night all lit up with the city laying below it, also lit, is just gorgeous. And there were many others with the same idea as we were not the only ones on the steps enjoying the night and some wine. We had just sat down when some drunk guy comes up and LK asks him to leave and he starts antagonizing us and these two other French guys come over to sort him out to save us, but he ends up wrenching away and falling down the stairs, onto kat and knocking over a bottle of wine. We moved after that but it was so not cool, him telling LK to "nic ta mere!" and "Nic toi" because she asked him to leave us in peace, nicely at that. Bah. Then as we were sitting there eating and chatting with the guys who had come to help us there was a guy who tried to steal my purse and I went all Italian on him and scared him away. That was fun. Then we had to leave since all the other kids were going to some club, but I needed some ‘me’ time. So they went off and did that and I went back to liz’s room and read some romance novel and was a stupid girl and hung out with sarah and that was really great. It was so good to see sarah again. I miss that girl a lot. People got home really late and then we went to bed to get up early again to catch a train this time
March 23
So we got up early so we could get our train to Aix. We had to leave earlier than one normally would because there was a strike going on. Fun no? we had a hell of a time trying to figure out where to get our tickets since I wanted to get them at an automatic stand but it couldn’t read my card because here credit cards have a chip in them and those machines read the chip and not magnetic strips. The jerkfaces. In the end we managed to find an open teller and got our tickets, got on the train and off we went. The scenery was beautiful but im afraid I slept too much to enjoy it at all. We got into Aix at about 1230 and yay shanna! So good to see her again. I hadn’t seen her in nearly a year and half if not more so it was good to see her for sure. We dropped off our stuff at her house and wandered Aix and got food. Went to this place called the Bulldogge and got guinness and burgers and then went to another place for an iced coffee the size of my head. Aix-en-Provence is such a relaxing small town. Beautiful to be sure and just so relaxing, which was a perfect end to a pretty hectic trip. We got henna and henna’d Jaya’s hair which was an event to be sure. Too bad shannas shower doesn’t drain. Eep! Good time though. We went for fondue that night with shanna and had a blast. She and tim were both kind of stoned and were hilarious. I love that girl. We got this one cheese and bread fondue that was called Provence so the cheese had some tomato and herbs in it and then we got an awesome meat fondue with oil. So the 4 of us shared the fondue and it was amazing. We got 2 dessert fondues, one which was chocolate and coffee and the other which was chocolate and grand marnier. So good. So So good. Then Jaya passed out and Tim Shanna and I went to a bar with Shanna’s friend Emilie, or Emo, and got a margarita. Tim and I ended up going back to Shannas place instead of going to the club with them since it had been such a long day. So we crashed out and Shanna apparently got in not too long after us since the club was lame.
March 24
We slept until we woke up which was at about noon, and that was absolutely lovely. We grabbed a pastry for breakfast and headed out to Marseilles for a few hours. We went shopping and shanna got some cute pants and shoes- apparently vans has some new girlie slip-ons that are only the cutest things ever- and we got tim to get some black hipster skinny leg pants.
(this is why my friends all get along. theyre insane)
We went for lunch at a place Called hippopotamous which had great salads and then had some coffee after wandering some more on the marina. Not much more to see in Marseilles, but we enjoyed the sun and the boats and then headed back to aix. We ran into shannas friend kate on the bus and ended up chillin with her for the rest of the day too.
(marina)
(marseilles)
We went to the store and got cheese, saussicon and bread for dinner as well as this fantastic chocolate and sugar bread that was to die for. Oh and I got a strawberry tart and I loved life even more. It was perfect. And then we met up with Kates friends and went to a salon du the where we got huge pots of tea each and hookah for 3 euro. We were there til about 2 and then went home, slept for an hour and a half and then got up and left to get the bus to the airport.
March 25
We met a guy who goes to school by us named steve on the plane so that was cool. If I ever have a ryanair flight at 6am again I will kill someone. Ugh. But we landed at 8 and then took a bus to termini and then a bus home and then crashed out hard. We slept from 9-2. At least I did, as jaya slept til 3ish. On the bus home there were these really loud obnoxious british kids that lived the sterotype of the obnoxious American and I wondered what the Italian sterotype of the brits is. Would be interesting to see for sure. So I got up and talked with anna and nedah some and then jaya got up and we showered and had breakfast and did laundry then went to school and did some quick interneting and then came home, started writing this madness, made pancakes and omlette happiness for dinner, chilled with jen and Stacie and nedah and Anna some more and now ive been writing the rest of this for a while now though I should go to bed soon since I have class in 9 hours.
Happy Spring break to me
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