Superlatives

I just love Paris
Abby on her birthday at Versailles
Enjoying my 4 wheeler in Mykonos

Its really over...hard to believe.  Here are some highlights:

Best Beach:  Pink beach, Crete Greece

Best Accommodations: Mambo Tango, Barcelona Spain

Best Wine: Verrazzano Chianti Classico

Best Beer:  Raspberry beer, Brussels

Best Street food:  Gryos in Greece

Best Shopping: Paris, France

Best Day Trip: Irish Countryside

Best Day Trip from Florence: Cinque Terre

Best Coffee:  Sant' Eustachio Rome, Italy

Best Looking guys: Stockholm, Sweden- all tall blondes!

Best Gourmet food: Paris, France

Best Public Transportation: Paris, France

Best Festival: Oktoberfest Munich, Germany

Best Parks: Stockholm, Sweden

Best Architecture: Gaudi Barcelona, Spain

Best Museum: Jewish Museum, Berlin, Germany

Best 10 euro spent: Leather purse at a vintage store in Paris

Best Gelato:  Old Bridge Gelateria, Rome, Italy

Best Bookstore: Shakespeare & Co. Paris, France  (vintage copy of Wuthering Heights!)

Best Group: Chloe, Casey, Karina,-Switzerland

Best Jewelry: Greece

Best Piazza: Republica or Signoria, I can't decide

Best Stained Glass: Church of Our Lady, Zurich, Switzerland by Marc Chagall

Best Tour: Irish Countryside

Best Birthday: Abby's Valentines day birthday in Paris

Best Party: End of the year party at Kaplans

Best Bread: Paris, France

Best Holiday: Thanksgiving, we made it a holiday

Best Encounter: Our Australian friends in Brussels

Best Means of Transportation: 4 Wheelers in Greece

Best Connection: The owner of our hotel in Crete helping us rent a car because we weren't old enough!

Best Market: Zurich, Switzerland

Best Water: Random spicket found during walk up to Neuschwanstein Fussen, Germany

Best Souvenir: Assorted Mugs from Brussels, Barcelona and Berlin

Best Boutique Store: Luisa Florence, Italy

Best Vintage Shopping: Paris, France

Best Castle: Neuschwanstien Fussen, Germany

Best Weather: Amalfi Coast, Italy

Best Ethnic food: Anywhere but Italy.

Best French Fries: Belgium

There are some things that I can't choose between, like my favorite church or picture, there are just too many good ones.  There aren't words to sum it up or a sentence to convey the whole year, because it was simply amazing. 

Prague

John Lennon Wall
The Cathedral at Prague Castle 
The astronomical clock
I don't know what this sign is trying to tell me...?

Berlin

Sorry life has been very crazy and left no time for posts.  Berlin was awesome...don't believe me?  Look at these pictures:

Charlottenburg Castle
  Victoria Park
Brandenburg Gate
Parliament

Stockholm pictures

Who knew baby goats were so entertaining?
Skansen
Hot air balloons along the skyline

Gamla Stan, the island where we stayed

Look at that nice Swedish girl who has her asian friend visiting

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, the last week of school was crazy and then I have been traveling for 10 days.  So here is the first post of the bunch about Stockholm.  I had really wanted to go to Stockholm all year because of my Swedish heritage.  Besides, everything amazing comes from Sweden- IKEA, swedish meatballs, H&M etc.  

We got there on May 14, it was a lot colder than I expected.  It probably would have crossed my mind if I thought about how much more north it is than Italy but it was so hot in Florence when we left that I didn't think about it.  It was still nice the whole nice, sunny but around 65 instead of the 90s in Florence.  

We stayed in Gamla Stan which is the old town, a small island between the other islands.  That night we ate the best swedish meatballs ever! (sorry Mom, yours are good too)  

The next day we walked around Norrmalm, the northern island.  The following day we went to Sodermalm the sothern island that is younger and more hip.  We didn't really do that much, just walked around the city, went shopping and enjoyed their beautiful parks.  We also played a lot of scopa, an italian card game we just learned.  One night we went to this random antique store and talked to the owner for a while.  He told us that the basement of the shop used to be a prison and said some people have seen ghosts down there.  Sadly we did not.  He also asked if I was Swedish which I was very happy about.  

On our last day we went to Skansen, their outdoor museum.  Its called a museum, but its more like a cross between a theme park and a zoo.  They had people dressed in traditional clothing and old historical buildings.  They also had a section of Scandinavian animals.  We saw goats, bears, mooses (plural for moose?) goats, seals, peacocks and a giant bunny.  We ate swedish meatballs again and then sadly had to leave for our flight to Berlin.  

Overall the trip was great.  Everyone was so nice and all the food we ate was delicious.  Stockholm is a beautiful city and I was so glad that I made it to Sweden.  

Chuck Anderson

My friend Casey introduced me to this artist, Chuck Anderson.  Anyone who knows me knows that I love rainbows.  I think his photos are so beautiful.  

Short and Sweet

Robin and I in Pompeii in front of Mt Vesuvius. 
On Capri
Casey, Robin, Chloe and I at Positano

My internet is down, I'm at a cafe right now using their free wifi and I have a presentation tomorrow so I have little time for blogging.  Just wanted to write a quick one about this weekend in the Almafi coast.  It was amazing! We went to Positano, Capri and Pompeii.  The weather was beautiful, we went to the blue grotto, saw the ruins of Pompeii, layed on the beach and swam in the ocean. We stayed at a really cool hostel with a rooftop bar.  

The next two weeks are going to be crazy with school.  Lana comes to visit next Wednesday which I'm really looking forward to.  I finally finished booking my trip in May after school is done.  I'm going to Stockholm, Berlin, Prague, Milan and Turin.  I'm really looking forward to being finished with the stress of school for a while, I just have to get through finals!

Blessings

Picture/location of my new apartment compliments of google maps

Ever since getting home from spring break I've been crazy busy with school and also the realization that from this side of break the semester looks quite short.  As I told everyone thats asked I have mixed feelings about going home.  One thing that has made me more excited to get back to New York is that I finally have an apartment!  Due to some amazing friends back in the city I officially have an apartment starting May 1st.  I will have my own bedroom, its two blocks from the subway and close to central park.  I'm so happy about living with friends and not having the rules of the dorms.  Also I'll be saving a bundle.  

The other wonderful blessing of the past week was talking to Betsy.  We got to videochat, she should me the condo shes been staying at in Bahrain.  It was so nice to see her face and catch up on everything.  Its funny because with me being in Italy we are only 1 timezone apart.  

Overall everything is going so well.  I'm just trying to enjoy the rest of my time in Florence while getting all my school work done.  Tomorrow we are going on a Chianti Wine tour with school and then I'm going to Capri, Pompeii and Sorrento for the weekend! 

SB3: Crete

Its hard to say, but Crete was probably my favorite island.  We stayed in Chenia, which is on the western part of the island.  Our hotel was 100 meters from the beach and the first day we just walked around the city and went to the beach.  The water wasn't too cold so I went swimming.  Then we played frisbee on the beach, it was a really fun day.  

The next day we rented a car with the help of our hotel owner Costantine who was great.  You have to be 23 to rent a car but my oldest friend is only 22.  We drove down to Imbros where there is a really cool gorge that we hiked.  After we were done we went to the beach. 

On Sunday we went to the southwestern corner of the island to go to a sandbar beach.  You have to walk out 50 meters to get the sandbar.  It was one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever been to, and the most southern part of Europe.  

It was really fun to have a car, all the roads are in the middle of the mountains. Sadly Sunday night we had to take a ferry back to Athens as the first part of our journey home. Overall it was one of the best trips I've ever been one.  Greece is amazing!

SB3: Santorini

Red Beach


Fira

Santorini is so beautiful.  It was completely different from Mykonos which I was happy about.  You can see how the island was formed from a volcano. We stayed right in the main town of Fira at a really nice hotel that was only 13E a night!  Definitely the best deal I've ever found.  

We rented four wheelers again and rode all around the island.  We went to 3 different beaches, red beach, black beach and this random beach that we stumbled upon that I don't think has a name. The beaches are named for the color of the sand which is from the lava.  I was so happy about the warm weather and to get tan.  

SB2: Mykonos

Alex and I at a deserted beach.

Chloe and our buddy Finn.
The view from my hotel window.

Mykonos was our first island.  The weather was rainy and cloudy the whole time but we made the best of it.  Our hotel was really nice and had cats! One of really friendly, Finn, and we played with him a lot.  The town was really cute, all white buildings and tiny winding streets.  The second day we rented four wheelers and rode all around the island which was so much fun.  It was nice to travel in the low season, I liked seeing the islands empty.  

I must tell one scary story though.  Mykonos is known for its party scene so despite the rain we went out one night.  We actually found a cool bar and had a great time dancing.  However when we started to walk home a stray dog started following us.  It was huge and black, not unlike the grim!  Normally I wouldn't have minded much but my friend Chloe had the same thing happen to her in Athens and was shaken up by it so she was basically ripping my arm off in fear of the dog.  The dog that followed her in Athens started attacking people so we were all afraid that that would happen again.  The dog followed us the whole way to our hotel.  It was freaky, but the dog didn't hurt anyone and we went inside and eventually he left.  The experience did give us an idea, CSI: Mykonos (its always the stray dog.)

I really liked Mykonos overall. I was really annoyed with the weather at the time but since the rest of the trip was really warm it turned out to be ok.  Santorini is next.

Spring Break Part 1: Athens

Greek is a crazy language
The statue at the Olympic stadium
The Parthenon
A view of Athens from the Acropolis.

The ancient agora

Getting to and from Greece was one of the longest and most trying travel experiences I've ever had.  That being said, It was beyond worth it.  

Greece is one of the most amazing countries I've ever been to.  I am so glad that I had 10 days to really see the country.  

The 3rd was spent most in transit - train to Milan, bus to Milan airport, flight to Athens, bus to Athens center.  I left my house at 5:45am and got to our hostel in Athens around 11pm.  Don't forget though that Athens is 1 hour ahead of Italy.  

On the 4th we did a tour of Athens with our hostel and literally saw the entire city.  Our guide was really great and I learned a lot.  I was weary going into Athens because I had heard lots of negatives ranging from its a dusty city to it smells like barbeque.  (I actually love BBQ).  Personally I loved Athens.  Yes its dusty and there are a million stray dogs but all the ruins and the history behind the city are amazing.  I do agree that there isn't much to do and that one or two days in Athens is sufficient.  

After spending a long day seeing all the sights the rest of our group met up with us in Athens.  We left for Mykonos the next morning.  

Stop saying "finicular"

Abby and I on the finicular (cable car)
Little kid at the Aquarium

A harp player on Sagrada Familia
Inside of Sagrada Familia
A statue of Christopher Columbus pointing to the new world.

Barcelona was amazing! I loved the city, I'm so glad I got to spend five days there.  It is one of my favorite places I've visited this semester.  It felt like a European version of San Diego.  Our hostel was great, the owners were so cute and helpful and their two dogs were there a lot which made me really happy.  

Friday we walked all day, down to the harbor, to La Pedrera, Sagrada Familia and then to Park Guell.  Sagrada Familia is the coolest church I've ever been to and its not even finished yet.  I can't wait to go back to Barcelona when it is finished (2030).  

Saturday it was raining so it the morning we went to the Aquarium which is one the best in Europe.  It was really fun and nice to do something different.  After we went to the mall located right next to it.  All of the shopping in Barcelona was great and I bought two sundresses, a scarf and a pair of sandals.  Then we went to Casa Batllo which is another piece of Gaudi Architecture.  That night we went out to a restaurant that had food from the Canary Islands.  I shared lamb and a pork/garbonzo beans concoction that was delicious!  

Sunday I went to the Picasso Museum, had a wonderful lunch at a noodle bar and then took the finicular to the top of Montjuic park where there is a castle.  It has amazing views of the ocean and the entire city.  For dinner Abby and I had Sangria, stuffed peppers, patatas bravas and chicken.  

Monday we went to Montserrat which is a monastery in the mountains.  It was so beautiful and peaceful and we hiked up for a bit.  It would be a really great day trip on a sunny day when you are prepared for hiking because there are a ton of trails. That night we went to one of the best tapas bars in Barcelona and had bread, cheese, salmon, and liver pate which Abby made me eat.  I'm trying to be more adventurous in my eating but I didn't like the liver.  

Tuesday we had to leave.  I'm glad to be home but it isn't for long, I leave for Greece on Friday.  I'll be there for my whole spring break which is 10 days.  I'm so unbelievable excited!

Don't forget the peanut butter!

SNOW! In Italy, in March...crazy.
Beautiful stained glass window in Arezzo
View from the vineyard in Chianti
Bike riding in Lucca
Sunset in Lucca

My Mom and step dad Charlie got here on Wednesday.  We've been pretty busy since then, going to Lucca on Thursday, doing a wine tour in Chianti on Friday and going to Arezzo on Saturday.  On Saturday it snowed which was beyond crazy.  It hasn't snowed the entire winter!  Of course the snow birds were not happy about this.  

  Fortunately it warmed up and on Sunday it was 60 and sunny when we went to the Boboli Gardens.  After we went to Sante Croce.  After having a discussion with Robin about how much we miss ethnic food they decided to make tacos for all of my roommates.  One of my roommates Mom is visiting so we ended up having 10 for dinner.  The food was delicious and it was really great to hang out with everyone.  

Today while I went to class they went to the Medici Chapel and the Science Museum.  Tonight we are continuing the ethnic food with stir fry. 

San Gimignano

Secret stairway
Some of the remaining towers

Saturday we went to a small town an hour from Florence called San Gimignano.  Back in the day it had 72 towers but only a few are left.  Its on top of a hill so it has a really beautiful view.  We walked around the city on the outer wall where we met Emilio, an old Italian guy who told us about the history of the city.  He was cool and it was fun to talk to someone in Italian and be able to keep up with the conversation.  It wasn't very eventful, we just walked around and ate some delicious gelato.