When in Rome...

Do as the Romans do! Last night we arrived in Rome and with backpacks in tow, we followed Dre's carefully planned directions. Once we were lost, we asked some very nice Italians for directions to the street, and through their gesturing we were able to find the street we were looking for.

Our hostel... Oh boy. Well we have a short Italian man who turned his flat into a four bedroom hostel that he lectured on keeping clean. While very clean, it also smelled like walking into a candle. It was hot, I looked likes drowned cat, and one of the other hostel mates was making leud comments in broken English. Luckily we have a lock on our door. The short italian man was mad that we were "late", but warmed up to us and showed us on the map everything we would need to know about Rome, including places not to be at night. He also informed us that our hostel is in one of the safest parts in Rome because the ministry is right behind us. All in all, I'm glad we have our sleep sacks. I should have said "When in Rome, don't stay at Mason Jolie".

Brie and I were desperate to get out of the hostel and Dre wanted to stay with Lace, who was a little run down after the six flights of stairs with our backpacks. Needless to say, Brie and I ran down the flights of stairs and ventured out to get some roman pizza! We found a little place close enough to our hostel and it had some of the best pizza I have ever had! The man who was waiting on us was very nice and was my age, so we started asking him where to go out and what days everyone goes out. After he bought us homemade lemon cello, it was time to go to bed. He said he is working tomorrow night and then going to a club called "Destacco" and invited us. Not knowing how lame we really are, he seemed excited. We left it undone to allow for ways to get out of it need be. But I was impressed with the culture of welcomingness in all of the places so we have been far. It makes for a very fun vacation.

Today we have a tour of ancient Rome, which I'm sure will be amazing. Don't tell anyone, but think I might be more pumped about the gelato shop located next to The Pantheon with "the best gelato in Italy". Buonjourno!

Come to my winery...

This story begins as a Shakespearean romance. At first the characters are lost but, in the end, they come together for a happy ending.

It starts out on the streets of Venice, our four heroines running through the narrow streets and convoluted canals that make Venice magical. Each wrong turn gets them farther from the last chariot to take them back to their island. Finally, with the bright light of the moon reflected off the water by the port, they thought they were saved. Alas, the tail lights of the lastboat burned in the night as it floated away carrying their hopes of sound sleep with it. The girls had missed the last boat to their island. With defeated hearts and heavy feet, the girls waited for the next boat, hoping it was going where they needed to go.

In the mean time, a man and his daughter stepped on the dock and one of the four girls brightened. The family was speaking french, something the girl new a little about. The family was versed in several languages, in fact, one being English. Our heroines began to talk to the family about their fairytale life, and how the daughter has lived in Milan, Paris, Venice, and not to mention their home in Florida. They talked of the wine they made and how it was sold all over the world. They talked of their winery on the island the girls were so desperately trying to get to. They also gave the girls the exciting info that they would indeed make it back to the island, and offered a ride to save their worn feet. The four girls and the two daughters were alive with chatter in the back of the three wheeled vehicle. The daughter was only 13 and it felt like she had lived 1000 lives.

Once we had returned to the hostel, the daughters asked their father if we could go to lunch on the winery, which he replied in French spiced English, the girls would like you to come to lunch tomorrow. The four girls, never refusing wine, said they would love to and headed of to bed with dreams of vineyards and delicious food. The end.

Our next chapter begins in Rome which we leave for tonight. Buona sera!

The sinking city...

I never thought I would ever see a place like Venice! I don't know how I'm going to put in to words the amount of beauty this city contains. First things first, let's discuss the adventure we had getting here.

We left Paris last night... Backpacks and all. I don't know if you can picture this but imagine four stupid Americans on the French metro with ENORMOUS backpacks on that weigh more than each person. Plus they are like blinders, it's like you can't see anything behind you or around you... This makes for hilarity when the French man almost gets hit in the head with dre's backpack and then asks how much it weighs and Dre goes on to explain that she has had one to many croissants before I can explain he is talking about the backpack, not about her. We looked like a walking Saturday Night Live skit.

The train ride was uneventful until we hit the first three hour layover in a freezing cold French train station, where we got confused with homeless people by the security. Brie blames the fact that the only blankets we had were towels and my blanket, which at best, is a few threads hanging on. To add salt to the wound, our next connection was a bus, which was only found out when our "train" wasn't coming up on the screen. Ridiculous. But we made our ten minute connection to Venice. And thank god we did!

We arrived off the bus at five in what looked like a painting. The city is nothing like I have ever seen and absolutely everything I thought it would be. They use boat taxis like the metro and we found the one that lead to our hostel fairly easily. Our hostel is located on a little suburb island, and Oh. My. God. There are only vineyards and water as far as the eye can see. There is a ten minute walk to the nearest docking port where the boat taxis take you into the city. The walk is on a road that's about 6 feet across and lined with vineyards and houses that look like movie sets. I can only describe it by saying it looked so perfect that it could be a Disney movie. Once we arrived at our hostel allbrie could say is "oh my god", it has a small wooden bridge that leads to the yellow building with a wrap around terrace with pots of flowers everywhere and chickens roaming the grounds. With the sun just setting, we are currently in the process of washing the train off of us and heading down to the dinner at our hostel with wine included.

It's a storybook... I can't wait to venture into the city tomorrow after Dre and I's morning run along the vineyards! Love you guys!!! Buona sera!!!

Au'revior Paris, tu ais moi coeur!

Goodbye Paris, you have my heart!

Today we take off to Venice, and all of us are really excited. A small part of me is a little sad to leave this place, and I have to keep reminding myself of where we are going next to keep from getting too blue. Last night, Lacey and Brie were a little tired from the champagne tour (it went straight to all of our heads) so they ventured home after the wonderful dinner at Saint Basilic (to those who have been there: it's the place right up the street from Terrace Hotel)(for those who havent: its on the corner of the street hidden in vines and is absolutly fantasticly french) after dinner I wanted one more night in the city of lights and Dre decided to join me for "one" glass of wine.

It wasn't until we were in this little bar that I realized that I had been there before with my dad. It was the morning after a crazy night qnd my dad and me were super hungover from the french wine. We were looking for some sort of breakfast burritos, but ended up with a very french (very small) breakfast. Returning here felt like the right way to send off Paris, it came full circle. Not to mention the french lady who loved our drunken attempt at french and kept filling our glass.

I dont know when we will have internet available again, but when we do I will give a full update. So far: Caitlin is looking for rent controlled apartments in Paris, Brie has found a love of wine, Dre ate the best eclair she has ever had, and Lacey has been confused with being a local twice.

I love all of you! Goodbye from the city of lights!

Versailles, The waiter, 600 stairs, and pastries!

I'm sitting in our hostel right now, enjoying the best palmier I have ever had and nursing my sore legs. I cannot believe we are already consolidating our things to pack for Italy. And by consolidating, I mean I don't know how I fit so much in my backpack and I have no idea if it all will fit back in. We leave tomorrow for Venice, a day early due to train booking troubles.

We have decided that the best way to eat in Paris (and the cheapest) is picnics, and honestly, they are my favorite moments so far. The first picnic was in front of the Eiffle Tower so that we could see it twinkle. Dre later described it as "a permanent, chic, metal Christmas tree", and since Christmas trees are her favorite, I'd say she loved it. The food spread was equally impressive: cheese, bread, fig jam, french salomi, fresh fruit and wine...lots of wine. My favorite part, though, would have to be the macaroons that we all split from the chocolatier we visited earlier in the day. Absolutely amazing. Our next picnic was in the gardens of Versailles... I have never been so content. The rose wine went perfectly with the green manicured lawns. Not to mention we drank just enough for us to start welcoming tourists to our humble home, the palace. Needless to say, no one was impressed especially the security. Before we left, I was able to bottle some sand for my dad's collection. I know it's not a beach, but it's pretty cool.

After Versailles, we headed back to Mont Matre and shopped. Andrea and I found an awesome vintage shop where I bought two parissian dresses and this head dress that looks like it's from an old french movie. Dre got a dress, as well, and we both oogled this vintage purse for a good amount of time wondering how much 165 euros was in dollars (too much). We learned a lot of french ("can we try this on" "it's too big" etc.) which we both promptly forgot and had to ask again in the next shop.

We took a small break at the top of the hill (for those reading who have been here, it's right by the metro stop with the carosel) where I preceeded to get a tad tipsy and made everyone join me because "it's the french thing to do". Brie and I found my future husband and forgot that most people speak English here. Our volume should have been several levels lower while disguising how great he looked when he smoked. It was so much fun, but the highlight was when I got my first French "kiss on both cheeks" hello!

The first night we were here our waiter was really funny and endured my French so, naturally, we were all in love with him. The weird part is the next morning we saw him in a little breakfast place where we were eating. He said hello, but that's where his knowledge of English stopped so it was a short conversation. But then the NEXT day while we were at the little bar we saw him AGAIN!!! Hence the French "kiss on both cheeks" hello. His friend was with him and spoke some English so we talked for a little bit and got invited to another bar, but we never went because the girltalk was too much fun to break up.

Today, we climbed The Eiffle Tower (used the stairs)please hold the applause because I was ready to leave and if it wasnt for Brie's insistance, I would have. It was freezing, and no amout of "stair excerssizes" warmed me up. That was one of Brie and Dre's selling points, "climbing will warm you up". Liers. Once we made it to the top, they were forgiven. The sight was amazing, esspecially after working hard to get there.

We went to a cute little pastry shop for the reward, where the food looked fake because it was so beautiful. Dre, Brie, and I went nuts and got everything we wanted... so so so so so worth the carbs. We also stopped in a fresh market for some fresh squeezed orange juice (it rivaled Frountier's), and fruit.

This palmier is too good to ignore, so I must sign off. We are about to start getting ready for our champagne tour on The Sein, au'revior.

Je voudre un verre de vin...

This has been one of the most interesting trips... I finally recieved my bag from the airport today... of course mine got loss. But even in a shirt I had worn for three days, its hard to find things to complain about in Paris. I will complaign about the french key board I'm dealing with as I write this. They have moved the "a" and the "m" and almost everything else but those two are giving me a rough time.

The hostel is something we had to wrap our heads around. Needless to say, we have not spent much time in the room and there isn't a spa. The bathroom is a door down and the room is very small with a shower on the left side and beds on the right (in one room.) We have decided that Brie spotted one of the only upsides, Harry Potter stairs that go on forever!

Today was our first full day and it was perfect. First we had a tour of the Louvre in "english"; I put it in quotes because the man was impossible to understand. None the less, it was a blast and trè informative. After playing princess in the halls of the palace, we had lunch over looking the glass pyramids and it was one of the best meals of my life. Next, we walked the gardens of Tullerie and walked the length of champ-elessè to the Arche de Triumph. Dre insisted on climbing it. We all had our doubts, but it was so worth it! (and once I figure out how, I will post pics.) We ended the day with shopping at the suppermarche and had a picnic under the twinkle of the Eiffle Tower. We have not stopped drinking wine since we got here, mostly to numb the sore calfs and feet, but also because it is such good wine, even the cheap ones. Its really late here and tomorrow we are riding bikes, so au'revoir pour cette soir! (goodbye for tonight)

Twas the night before...

The night is upon us... tomorrow its off to Europe. I can't believe its finally here! Last night, I went to a country bar and tonight, I had a meal of BBQ. I am ready for some foreign goods. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have such a great family and to have 3 other girls supplied as best friends.

So the flight plan is this: Dre and I leave at 8 in the morning and fly to Washington, then catch a flight to Toronto, then yet another flight to Paris. We will not arrive in the city of lights until Sunday afternoon. Lace and Brie leave at like 12 tomorrow and get there an hour after Dre and I arrive.

The plan is to wait for the whole group to get together on the other side of the Atlantic, then head to the first hostel to get settled (and view the digs). After that, I think the first stop is the Eiffel Tower for the best crepes in town! Sucre y beurre, si vous plait! Nutella y fraises!

I have checked my packing list twice, packed, repacked, and checked again... yet I know I'm forgetting something. I keep checking my passport just to make sure its still there and its still not expired (I've got two more years until I need to renew) The nerves are there, but they are slowly giving way to the butterflies of excitement.

I cannot believe I'm going to Paris. I have an enormous crush on that city and I'm going on a week long date. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited for the other cities, but.... there is something about Paris. There is a magic there that I haven't felt anywhere else, and underneath the twinkle of the city, I will fall in love all over again. I cant wait to show my crush off to the girls coming with me. I know they will fall hard, just as I did.

Bon Voyage!

So although we are 4 days away from departure, I just said goodbye to my parents and I have realized that I have never been away for this long before! I'm so excited, but part of me is a little nervous (and though I hate to admit it, a little homesick already). It's time to be a big girl and get ready for a trip of a lifetime. Dre and I were talking about it getting more real with each passing day, I can almost smell the french bread baking. This picture is one that I took of my favorite building in Paris, the opera building. Its so gorgeous, and I cant wait to go back! I just bought a book called "Not Built in a Day" and its all about Rome architecture. ITS INSANE THAT WE WILL SEE ALL OF IT! The author also talks about "the best ice cream in Italy"... definitely gonna hit that up, and its located a block away from the Pantheon.

Isn't it funny that people over there give directions like, "oh... take a right at The Pantheon, if you hit the Colosseum, you have gone to far".

Happy Birthday Lace! I can't believe you are 20, and I cant wait to celebrate with you in Paris! Cheers!

Remember When...

One of the things I'm most excited about is the "Remember when..." conversations. They inevitably (and constantly) come up with the four of us. I decided that since I'm new to the blogging world (in need of practice)and Dre wants more to read while she is procrastinating studying, I'm taking a look back at where we came from.

The other day I was writing my personal essay for my application when I came across the word "ambassador". I was taken back to when Dre and I used to dream of what we were going to be when we grew up. As you can probably guess, I wanted to be famous... big surprise; the lesser known story is Dre's dream of becoming an ambassador (like a princess, but smarter). I was laughing so hard that I had to call her and tell her so she could revisit the dream as well. Although "Dentist" is a far cry from the political figure she aspired to be, I think we all can agree its a better fit.

I think its good to have big dreams when you are little, it fosters motivation, strength, and also foreshadows who you are gonna be. I mean, Lacey wanted to be a cat... How can you get more creative/imaginative than that?

This trip is going to create so many more "Remember when..." conversations, and I can't wait for all of those moments. You know, the ones where you know that you could never recreate it, but it replays in your dreams 10 years later. Maybe it will be ordering crepes in front of the Eiffel Tower, or throwing pennies into the Trevi Fountain in Rome (pic above), whatever it is... I'm ready, 11 days!!!!

The Kids Table

After years of being "stuck at the kids table", I feel like we have finally arrived at the point where "kid" no longer applies; however, these ladies and I made the kids table what it is today. We have passed the torch to younger generations, but these girls are the only ones I want to be sharing a table with on the streets of Paris. Thus, the adventure begins...

In the 12 days we have left we all have to pack, two of us have finals and have to fly back from school, Brie has a trip for ACC, Lacey has her honey flying into ABQ, and I have to pseudo apply to medical school...Whew! So much to do and so little time, enjoy your bug-free beds and full sized showers ladies... its a luxury we will not have for a while!

On the other hand, we cannot wait to start our adventure. Here are some of the things we have planned: champagne tasting on the Seine, tour of the Louvre, day trip to Versailles (pic to the right), tours of Rome and Venice, a day on the beach in Barcelona, and hot chocolate in Madrid. Not to mention the pasta in Italy, the wine in France, the sea food in Barcelona, and the shopping (oh god, the shopping). Jealous?

I think I can speak for the other girls when I say, I can't believe this is real life! I don't think it will be real until we get over there. Keep checking back for pictures and more posts!