Where in the world am I? I can hardly keep track these days, as I never seem to stay anywhere for too long. It’s always a bit heartbreaking to leave a city that you just met; I am always so dramatic with my goodbyes. Ciaaaao, Italia-ti amo! Au revoir paris…I don’t know how to say anything else in French, but I can do a little wave with a French looking blown kiss. I have finally figured out the metro and rail maps, decided my favorite place to eat, discovered the perfect place to drink wine in public (how is that not legal in the US??) only to be ushered off to my next destination. It’s not a hard life, but it’s not a permanent one either. Oh, how I miss living out of closets and dressers! Life is not meant to fit in a few of those airtight bags that suck all of the life out of your clothing and replace it with wrinkles.
Anyway, I figured I needed to remember all the places I've been and what I've loved about them. Also, I know there are a few people who are planning to pop over to this ancient continent soon (seriously, even the toilets are older than California here) so I thought I'd compile a list of where I went and what I loved. This is a partial list, as I have written it and now I'm bored of this, so I'll finish it later, perhaps when I have no life in Petaluma.
Barcelona: One of my favorites. Churros dipped in hot chocolate sauce at 4am really is the best and worst idea ever. Barcelonians are possibly the most helpful people I’ve met on this continent, but also the ones who don’t seem to know left from up. It’s shocking how many people were always willing to offer directions, and even more shocking how many of them were not even remotely correct. Guell park made me feel like someone had granted my childhood wishes and finally brought me into a Dr. Seuss book, all that was missing was the Lorax. I am beyond jealous that Morgan gets to stay there through at least the rest of the month, and visit again throughout the year.
Dublin: Exactly as I pictured it, but with a little less rain. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely rained every day. But not all day every day. Which was nice, but then you have to do the raincoat dance every hour or so. Oh shit, its bloody pissing rain, on with the coat. God damn, its hot- now I have to carry this wet fucker. Every other door lead into a pub, that was somehow packed at all hours of the day (and Dan says the French never seem to go to work). Inside you would find a drunken/oddly talented guy showing off his skills of not taking a breath for what seems like 5 minutes while he spews out lyrics in an unknown language- unknown because its literally so fast and slurred you can’t really tell if its drunken English or Irish. Guinness flows like water and everyone loves to drink, including all of Dan’s aunts, uncles, and thousands of cousins, most of who seem to be related in more than one way if you catch my drift. Also, CHOCOLATE. If you see me within a week of my getting home, make me bring you an irish chocolate. Deeeelish.
Cardiff: That’s in Wales, by the way. Yeah, I didn’t really know that either (I believe I even thought Wales was part of England, not even its own country. Oops) until I met Simon in Maine 2 years ago. As soon as we arrived we witnessed two guys drunk off their ass (hopefully) jump into a river that was just sparkling with the thin layer of oil and soda cans floating on top, and swim out to a big wooden structure which one proceeded to jump off of, while the other pussied out. We proceeded to have fish and chips with Simon and his lovely girlfriend; and although they were are age, you would never know it. Simon and Ceri just bought- BOUGHT- a beautiful welsh condo which they have completely decorated, filled with pictures, real sofas not acquired from street corners or good will, and stocked with real adult food. They both have jobs with salaries and enjoy spending time with their families…how crazy, to be 23 and already be all grown up! Anyway, Wales was cool, we did a little pub quiz, didn’t embarrass ourselves too badly. Turns out I know about 2/100 random UK facts. Honestly, not as bad as I thought.
Paris: My favorite!! Bella citta! I still speak no French, and the French still seem to hate me for it, but I don’t even care. In 4 days we managed to go to (fo free) the Louve (or as much as you can do in 3.5 hours, which seems to be about a third of it. It’s a beast), Notre Dame where I swear I saw Quasimoto, Sacre Coeur which you can see the entire city from…and then not fo free the Eiffel tower at sunset, que romantique, and the Catacombs, which are like nothing I never knew even existed. Oh, and guess how many scarves there are in this city? MILLIONS. On every corner, every alley, every little store sells scarves. It’s amazing that I managed to not buy one, but Dan’s ridicule of the other 4 scarves I have bought so far stopped me, so I bought my mom one instead. Every lunch consisted of a different kind of cheese and bread or a crepe along with a cheap bottle of wine, and every street you walked on was beautifully decorated with rot iron balconies, trees with autumn leaves, and couples sucking face. The most PDA I have ever seen in one place. Kinda gross, but hey-if you can't beat em, join em!
Brugge: If you have seen the movie, then you have no idea what Brugge is like. Not only can you wonder along cobblestone while eating THE BEST french fries in the place where they were invented, but you can sample hundreds of different kinds of amazing beer, most for under 4euro per glass. 72 Chocolate stores in the city center, with a population of only about 20,000. We had to stay an extra night after visiting the De Garre pub which is the only place to serve the deliciously creamy Garre beer, with a complementary cheese snack. Unfortunately, the only people we met in Brugge were from the bay area, San Diego, and Pennsyvania. Ewww.Now we are in Amsterdam and its too overwhelming to discuss now... Great place, but its a bit like Las Vegas...2 nights will be enough. Miss you all, can't wait to hear about where everyone else loves to go so I can expland my list of places to visit for my next adventure!!
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