Amsterdam. Oh boy Amsterdam...you sure did surprise me.

Can I go back to Amsterdam like now please? I really wish I could have stayed longer but since our travel budgets are very much depleted, myself along with my roommates Melanie and Lisa decided to only stay one night in Amsterdam.

We took Eurolines (surprise!) early Saturday morning. The bus ride was about 4 and a half hours long, like my usual custom, I slept the whole time.

Around 1:00pm we arrived in Amsterdam. Finding our hotel was pretty easy- we did get a little lost but surprisingly everyone in the city was super nice and willing to give directions.

Near our hotel

We stayed at the Hotel Mozart, great place and excellent location but bad customer service.

Hotel Mozart

Once we checked in we had to rush to make our tour appointment at the Anne Frank House. A common theme throughout my travelling in Europe is this: At some point during every trip we take... we always end up looking like COMPLETE idiots. "Power walking" to the Anne Frank House in the pouring rain was our moment in Amsterdam.

Thankfully, the museum was a 15 minute walk from our hotel so we arrived right on time. Word to the wise: if you can ever buy tickets online...DO IT. The line for the Anne Frank House was at least a 2 hour wait...but since we bought our tickets online we got to skip the line and walk right in.

History has always been my favourite subject to learn about to going to the Anne Frank House has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

Front of Anne Frank House

After the tour, we were STARVING so we found a random little restaurant and had our first meal of the day at 5pm.

Another example of why the Dutch are some of the nicest people in the world: while waiting for our bill, the restaurant manager came up to our table and gave us a list of the best nightclubs in Amsterdam. It was a really nice gesture.

That night we went to The Bulldog Cafe. It’s located in a very touristy square called

Leidseplein Square

The Bulldog if you don't know what it is, then you need to watch more movies.

 

Once the early evening starts- the streets are filled with young tourists. No one is walking around stoned out of their mind, no one is so drunk they’re falling over themselves- people are just having a good time. One thing that did surprise me but also put me at ease in the city is that at most every tram or bus stop there are security guards that help navigate all the tourists.

Amsterdam was an awesome city, I’m really glad I went while I was young and with friends. I cannot wait to go back.

We spent a few hours there- Lisa spilt a drink on me- she felt really bad- I laughed… that’s about all I’m going to say about The Bulldog.

Then we moved on to the Red Light District.

This is when it get awkward.

First of all we had no idea where the Red Light District was…like how do you ask for direction to something like that? Well- bless her little Westminster heart- Lisa marched up to a security guard at The Bulldog and bluntly asked how to get to the Red Light District. He looked up at her, laughed, but then graciously gave us detailed directions as to how to get to one of the most "scandalous" places in Europe. Another future reference- Red Light District starts at tram stop Dam.

I’ll admit- I was nervous to go to the Red Light District- I’ve obviously heard all the stories about it- I mean, duh I’ve seen Eurotrip.

Here is the total truth: it really was not that bad. I swear. We walked along one of the streets in the area for about 20 minutes and saw all we needed to see.

Stolen picture from google of the Red Light District...you're not allowed to take pictures when you're there.

The street was crowded but was full of other dumb tourists so it really wasn’t that sketchy. I mean I think Melanie, Lisa and I were trying to "keep our wits about us" so we really weren’t in any real kind of danger.

All along the street were obvious brothels- I mean when you see an almost naked woman dancing in a store window it’s pretty obvious as to what could be going on in there.

The women were surprisingly attractive and not really doing anything too provocative. Seriously it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Also along the street were sex shops, strip clubs, and peep shows.

After our very short journey into the Red Light District we took a break and ate a late night snack of delious Mexican food.

On Sunday, we went to the Van Gogh museum. As I have mentioned before, I am not the biggest art person but I do respect it. The museum is really nice- it was only about a 15 minute walk from our hotel to the museum.



Van Gogh Museum



After the museum, we went back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and then headed back to Eurolines for our ride back to Brussels.

Outside the museum square

My overall conclusion of Amsterdam… I really do not know how to describe it. It honestly is one of my new favorite places in Europe. The people are nice, the streets are clean and there’s just this feeling of freedom when you’re walking around Amsterdam.

Day and night in Amsterdam are like two totally different worlds. During the day, not to be rude, but there’s a lot of older people walking around. I’m talking like grandma and grandpa kind of old people. The city is so rich with history that I can see why people in their…golden years…would want to explore it.

Melanie and I being dumb.

Paris holds the key to her past--- Yes, Princess, I've found you at last!

On July 22 I, along with Lisa, Melanie and Ren went to Paris.

We took Eurolines from Brussels to Paris; it was about a 4 hour bus ride. Once arriving in Paris, Ren and I split up from Melanie and Lisa and headed to our hostel.

Our little room in the attic of the hostel.

After refreshing at our hostel Ren and I went to dinner at a small authentic French restaurant. It was a small hole in the wall kind of place. Going to Paris I was prepared for the rude manners the French are infamous for- however the older woman who owned the little restaurant was anything but rude. Since we had an obvious huge language barrier the woman actually sat down next to us and started making animal sounds in the attempt to tell us what was on the menu. Seriously- if I had not been starving I would have been dying of laughter. Oh, the French are funny sometimes.

Oh and I got a salad and frites. yeah boring. i know.

After dinner, we made the short walk to Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, the highest point in Paris.

There are two things that can happen when you’re a student traveling around Europe: something really really bad can happen or something really really good can happen. Always expect the unexpected and well…going to the highest point in Paris was a really good idea.

Once we made our journey to the top, Ren and I were greeted by an unexpected gathering. Filling the steps that lead up to the Basilica were tens...maybe hundreds…of people just relaxing and listening to a live band. Um what? It was so random…so Europe…so Paris.

Basilica of the Sacré Cœur

From this point in Paris, I could see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame…basically the whole city. It was a really nice way to start our weekend adventure in Paris.

Highest Point in Paris

After a pleasant sleep in our room in the attic of our hostel, we took the metro to Notre Dame. The three big tourist attractions: Notre Dame, The Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower, are all located right next the Seine, a major river that runs through the city. Once we arrived at Notre Dame the heavens decided to open up and let down a rainstorm.

It was cold and rainy but honestly I could not have cared even if I had tried. I mean I was in PARIS! I would not let a little rain and 50 degree weather (I was wearing shorts) bring me down!

Notre Dame

Notre Dame was perfect. The outside is stunning but nothing can compare to the interior. Once you walk in, you can do nothing but tilt your head back and stare at the ceiling and stained glass windows. If I had time I would definitely want to attend a mass there or even just spend a few hours in the church.

Inside Notre Dame

Inside Notre Dame

After Notre Dame, we walked along the Seine until we got to the Louvre. Ren and I are not what you would call "art people" so we checked out Mona Lisa and then booked it out of there. Besides just being an art museum, the Louvre was actually a palace for the royal family way back in the 1600s. Every room was different and the architecture, to me, overwhelmed the art and stole the show.

Chillin with Mona Lisa

Ceiling in one of the rooms in the Louvre

The Louvre

From the Louvre, we walked to the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, we saw a carnival, almost got swindled by gypsies, and walked over the Pont Alexandre III. The Ponte Alexandre III is a beautiful bridge that is shown in almost all movies that take place in Paris.

Pont Alexandre III

The Eiffel Tower is kind of exactly what I expected- it’s a tall thing in the middle of a park. Well to go into more detail- underneath the Eiffel Tower there are two long lines that lead up the tower. You can either climb up the stairs or take the elevator.

Ren and I took the elevator- duh.

Once up there, we were determined to get to the very top. It took us about 3 hours to get from the ground to the top. It was so worth it.

View from the middle level

On Sunday, we headed to the Palace of Versailles. Seriously, this place is in my top 3 things I’ve done in Europe and I didn’t even go into the building. Versailles is less than 30 minutes outside Paris and fairly easy to get to.

In front of the palace

The Palace of Versailles was the favorite home of Marie Antoinette. I really do not know how to describe it- it’s just beautiful…breathtaking. The lines are super long- *note to my future self – do not buy tickets at the ticket booth- go to a café or store near the palace – they sell legit tickets and you do not have to wait in line!

Next time I go to Paris (I stood on the star by Notre Dame and made a wish, so I know I’m going back to Paris) I’m spending a few days in Versailles. It was just a very authentic French town- Paris was great but Versailles was the highlight of my French weekend.

The Star by Notre Dame

On an end note I'll leave you with the wonderful song I had stuck in my head the whole time I was in Paris- Enjoy.

*More pictures are on Facebook Paris Album

Tura-Lura-Lurla

This weekend I went back to the homeland. At 4 am Saturday morning, Melanie, Lisa and I started our journey to the green land of fairies and leprechauns.

After taking a taxi, a bus and a flight on RyanAir we finally made it to Dublin Ireland around 7:40 am.

As soon as I saw the beautiful Irish land I started looking for the 40 shades of green I had heard about since I was little. My Gaga used to always say... "If you find the 40 shades of green you’ll be lucky for the rest of your life."

Once we got through the airport my roommates and I split up. They went to a music festival and I headed for Connelly Train station where I would begin my solo journey to Belfast.

Dublin to Belfast Train Route

I’ll admit: I was scared as hell to travel all alone. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that my Gaga and my Aunt Nellie travel from America to Ireland by themselves, hundreds of times, and they always made it home. If they could do it...I could do it.

While waiting at the train station for my 9:30 am train I wondered around and definitely eased dropped on every conversation that I could. Okay time to get sappy: Since my Gaga passed away 2 years ago I’ve really missed hearing that sweet Irish accent... I missed hearing the way the Irish always twist a sentence around and put a little laughter in it. Honesty that was the best part of being in Ireland this weekend, I loved to hear the way the Irish talked.

Okay so back to the story: Once on the train everything was perfect. I sat in an almost empty train car so I was able to stretch out and get a nice long nap. The train ride was about 2 hours long but it went by quickly.

Enterprise took me from Dublin to Beflast and back.

I arrived at Belfast Central train station around 12 pm. My Aunt Cheryl, my Aunt Geraldine and their friend Angie graciously drove from Downpatrick to spend the day with me in the city.

They took me to a really nice little Irish pub called The Kitchen Bar... we ate and laughed for about an hour and then it was time to go around the city.

The Kitchen Bar

Belfast is a beautiful city. The area we were in is really modern, young, and super clean. The buildings are made out of that white stone material and all have a very old look to them. But once you go inside the buildings you’re greeted by something that looks like it belongs in LA or Times Square.

Belfast City Hall

We went to Castle Court which is a mall owned by Westfield (like the Westfield malls in the U.S), Victoria Square, Boots and Primark. I could easily spend hours shopping in Primark. It was like a cheaper version of TopShop. Heaven.

Castle Court

Victoria Square



Primark

Once we had shopped in all the best stores in Belfast it was time for me to go. After taking the train back to Dublin I checked into the Shelburne Hotel in the city centre. I have never stayed in a nicer hotel in my life. It was GLOURIOUS. Eloise and the plaza had nothing on me that night.

The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin

My room at the Shelbourne.

Sunday morning was once again a super early morning; our flight was at 7:30 am. I met my roommates at the airport since they stayed at the festival until the wee hours of the morning.

I really wish I could have spent more time in Belfast but I know that I definitely be going back there. Not only do I have family there but I also owe it to my family from the past, present and future to always remember where I came from. I will never lose ties with the city or country that pushed my family to become what it is today.





Bikes Wine and Leuven.

European Culture Class.

Last Thursday, so a whole long week ago, my European Class professor- Dr. Hedwig Schwall, yes Hedwig like Harry Potter- took us on a fieldtrip to Leuven, Belgium. The train ride was only about 30 minutes away so it wasn’t a long trip by any means.

Hedwig is an Irish History/Art/Literature professor at the university in Leuven, she also lives there with her husband who is the head librarian at the university.

Once we were off the train, Hedwig escorted us to a nearby bicycle rental shop where we then rented 20 or so bikes.

To say we looked like fools is an understatement. 20 Americans riding through a college town would look ridiculous anywhere...but to do it in Europe...yeah we were pretty much asking for the ridicule that was inflicted on us the entire journey.

See, I told you, Ridiculous.

Total American idiots.



Our professor took us to the university’s library where we were given special access to the bell towers. We had to climb what seemed like 100 steps up the tower on a small spiral staircase that was supposed to only allow 5 people on it at a time. Once we were at the highest point of the bell tower, the view really made the trip up the stairs worth it. We could see basically all of Leuven.




The university library.

 

Inside the library.

The actual library itself was like something out of a Harry Potter movie. Mizzou’s library looks like a pathetic attempt at a library compared to this one. Everything was either made of rich wood or cold stone, it was a beautiful combination. Of course, being the obnoxious people that we always seem to be, we were given a guided tour on the last day of finals. Let’s just say we were not warmly received by the university students.

After completing our tour of the library we then hopped back on our bikes and rode over to our professor’s home. Hedwig is a very sweet lady- when we arrived at her house we were greeted with a perfect mix of chips, snacks and of course wine.

Once we were all thoroughly tipsy, we once again, hopped back on our bikes and rode around the different colleges and schools associated with the main university. Hedwig also showed us the beautiful church she was married in.



Mizzou Students outside of the church Hedwig was married in.



Leuven's version of the "quad"

A college at  Leuven Univeristy

By the end of our bike tour we were all starving, Hedwig brought us to a very nice restaurant that she claimed other students liked to hang out at. After seeing the prices on the menu, I’m not sure it’s exactly what I would call "college friendly" but it was still a really nice gesture.

Resturant where we had dinner.

The city was beautiful- so clean, great landscaping, fresh air... it was definitely very different from Brussels and I really wish we could’ve had more time to spend there. Honestly, I would not have mind if the program was moved from Brussels to Leuven- I’d almost recommend it.



Leuven.

Love Affair.

I'm in love with London. There I said it, it's out there for everyone to read. I LOVE LONDON.

Me, Melanie, & Lisa being obnoxious in London.

The Beginning.

My roommates and I set off on our London adventure last Thursday night. We took the 11pm bus from Brussels to London, we arrived around 6:30 Friday morning. 

To go keep in line with our modest budgets we stayed in a hostel called Generator. I'm not going to lie: I was skeptical. The only previous experience I've had with a hostel has come from movies... and none of those have been very pleasant. 

Surprisingly the hostel endend up not being that bad. The set up and atmosphere reminded me of the co-ed dorm I stayed in freshmen year. 

Lisa and I in our hostel

Our room had two sets of bunk beds, four lockers, a sink and a mirror. The bathrooms were communal but split into male and female. The only weird thing about the hostel was the whole...oh there's an extra bed in your room...we'll stick an even more random boy in that bed... Friday night, a very nice and might I add...lucky... young man was assigned the fourth bed in our tiny room. Really- it wasn't that weird. We're all young students just trying to get the most out of our money so sharing the room wasn't that big of a deal. 

During the day on Friday, our wonderful roommate Jordan and her witty boyfriend Kempy became our unofficial tour guides of the lesser known sites of London. (Jordan has lived in England and Kempy is from England.)

Camden Market

Camden Market was very overwhelming... but in a good way. This market was massive, without our trusty tour guides I would've been totally lost. Once you enter the market, dozens of aisles branch out into many directions. Everywhere I looked there were different items for sale-- food, jewelry, purses, shoes, luggage, candles, blankets... anything you could imagine wanting to buy was available at Camden Market. A few short hours there was definitely not enough time to fully explore the market.

The Middle. 

To put it simply: Saturday rocked my world. We took a double-decker open roof red bus all around the city. It was glorious- we saw everything.

Big Ben with Lisa

Westminster Abbey with Melanie

Buckingham Palace!!! The balcony where William and Kate kissed!

Hyde Park: the Queen's Rose Garden

The London Eye 

We drove over London Bridge!... it didn't fall down.

No, he didn't laugh. 

The End. 

We took a very early bus Sunday morning back to gloomy Brussels.

I say Brussels is gloomy because compared to London, it looks like a very sad city. Everything in London is beautiful and happy. The people smile and they dress perfectly, the buildings are large and made out of a beautiful white material, the streets are clean and decorated. The city is filled with so much history that even if I lived there I would be constantly learning something new. London really reminded me of the older...much more mature.. older sibling to Washington D.C.

After going to London I have added two major life goals to my ever growing list:

1. I must return to London as often as possible...maybe get a job there???
2. I NEED to become a sloane ranger. Google if needed.

*As always, more pictures from London are on my Facebook.