Things I want...

While I was in Europe...I made a list of all the things I would like to see incorporated into my state of Arizona...or that I would like to finally break down and buy :)...Susan had a great time laughing at my "behind the times" living

* An instant hot water heater
* A hand stick (that is much less clean-up than a blender)
* Pop out windows (the henges allow for a different openings and easy cleaning)
* Green and Vanilla tea
* Plumb puree (Germany)
* 1Euro refund for returned glasses at clubs
* A drying closet (Sweeden)
* A shower head on a sliding vertical pole
* 1Euro or 50 cent charge for using shopping carts...fee returned with returned cart
* Charge for shopping bags at grocery (encourages recycling)
* Massive transport
* Real designated bicyle paths (Holland)
* Intense recycling regulations (Germany)

Anna...I have every intention of updating photos...you and Susan are my only loyal viewers...love ya!

Bye Bye Amsterdam

My last few days in Europe were spent in Amsterdam again...I spent about $70 shipping a small box of items to my dad's house... now that I think of it... I dont think they were worth that much!

Fun things I did...took a candle-light tour of the canals by night and the last night there...Susan and Wicax came down from Groningen with a couple of other friends to hang out in Amsterdam...we went to the famous Opera and Classical music performance that took place on one of the canals! So beautiful!
That night I got a couple of hours of sleep at my friend Esther's and was picked up in the early morning by Susan and the gang (they stayed up all night partying and actually made it to escourt me to the airport bright and early :) Thank you Susan...in so many ways!

After 23 hours of traveling I finally made it back to Phoenix, Arizona...dont know how I did it...but I managed to come back with less luggage than I took! (wasnt allowed any carry-on other than a lap-top)

I had a total of six days to get my self arranged and get my butt into class!
And here I am now...I only missed one class...due to my excessive Jet-Lag...and tomorrow move into a wonderful apartment! Whahoo!!! Thank you God!!!

Back to Berlin

I took my last night train to Berlin and met Maria at her parents'house about a half hour outside the city...I really enjoyed staying there for the couple of days we did...it was in the forest and her dad is a mechanic out of his house and the mom stays home and does all the paperwork and each afternoon they have tea in the garden...it was so charming!

In Berlin Maria has the most adorable flat...she doesnt live in the most appealing neighborhood but...the interior of her flat is so quaint and really beautiful...

One night we had a slumber party with about ten people...most were returning highschool students who had just spent a year studying abroad...they were the most mature group of highschool kids I have ever met...it was so fun getting to know them all and I cant believe we all fit in her one room flat for the night!
We of course went out to the best night club in Europe...of course next to my beloved clubs in Groningen....but it had three huge rooms...all playing different music...and everyone was dancing...the best part....no drunk high school kids hitting on me!!!...it even shocked Maria...

Maria showed me around Berlin in the way she lives life there...I really enjoyed that...its always a nice change to stay with a friend and experience what it is like to live like a local...other than being just a tourist...

Of course...I have to say that Berlin has the most crazy people I have ever seen in a city...yesturday...my last day there...I had the "cultural experience" of a man walking down the street towards me... wearing nothing but a short jacket!!!

Im now back in Amsterdam for three days to get last minute things taken care of and on Saturday before I leave...I have friends coming from Groningen to take a scooter tour of Amsterdam with!

Paris, France

I was actually a bit depressed to leave paradise in Spain...but I ended up missing my night train, paid a riddiculous amount for a short night in a hotel, got my debit card stolen... and had to take a day train for 13 hours to Paris with my friends worried sick about me....ah the life of backpacking...

We just had the most wonderful time in Paris!!!

Breakfast in the park...dinner under the Eifel tower...it actually glitters with lights every hour! We sat on the grass just eating fresh bread and
cheese with grapes and wine....

The last night we got dressed up...ate crepes with cheese and ham...then watched an 11pm showing at the Moulan Rouge!!!...never in my life could I have dreamed of having such an experience in Paris!!

I expected the French to be rude and so stuck up, but was proven wrong! Dont know if it was because we stayed in a non tourist neighborhood or if my very very friendly French speaking Susan was present to take care of communication....

Last day there consisted of coffee in direct view of the Notre Dam and window shopping in the French Latin District....so wonderful...couldnt ask for a more wonderful time in Paris!!!

Calella de la Costa, Spain

These sleeper trains really dont allow for much¨sleep¨ but they are better than sitting straight up for 12 hours;)

I have been in Spain with my friend for five days now...we are staying at a hotel (first one:) just a block away from the best beach I have ever been to! The water is perfect temp and the sand is not extremely fine so that you come home having to scrub every crevace of your body to get rid of it!

We have been having a great time eating all our meals at the hotel buffet and laying on the beach all day...this town is interesting because the owners of all of the night clubs and many of the tourist companies are from other countries than Spain...and there are Dutch kids everywhere...when I say kids...I mean 18 or 19...it was fun at first to be around Dutch people again but getting hit on by young teenagers who just want to make out, gets old quickly.

My friend Matt, from Australia has joined in these last few days...he had spent the first few days in Barcelona...after having some things stolen from his hostel and getting mugged by two hookers.....he decided coming joining us was a better idea ;)

We took a day trip to Barcelona....an hour by train...and saw the harbor and a beautiful water show...it was composed of this giant fountain that had a tremendous amount of water displays that were lit up with different colors and coreographed to music...I have never seen such a thing! There were about a thousand people crowded around to see the show!

Tomorrow night I am on my way to Paris by train and will meet up with Maia and Susan to be the mod squad in Paris!!!

Last days in Portugal

I went to Europe´s largest aquarium....and almost took home a pet piquine!
I also went to visit this beautiful city named Sintra...it has imported tropical plants from all over the world and therefore has its own eco-system...there I visited beautiful palaces and a castles!!

I am currently in Calella de la Costa, Spain!!! Spending a week enjoying the beach with my friend Maria!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lisbon, Portugal

Hello from Lisbon,
Its a beautiful country with lots of colors....I really expected it to be much hotter here but I think with the breeze from the river....it has been kept bearable

I flew from Oslo and had been staying in the city center for two days and am now located at a hostel on the outskirts of town near the very large river...It is the newest part of town built for the Expo 1998 that was held here...its really new and trendy...

I tried to tour around the city center and see some monuments the first day on my own but ended up getting nowhere...so yesturday I took a guided walking tour...it was much better...I got to see alot and get some history in as well...

We visited this beautiful white stone port that looks like a castle in the water...I wish I could send pictures but the net cafes I am writting from dont allow me to...Also a giant church all made out of stone material which is now a monestary...the sailors who ventured out to discover the world used to gather there for prayer from the priests and monks...

A friend of a friend took me to his university two nights ago for dinner...we got a full meal for only about $2! Lisbon is much cheaper than the rest of Europe but I havent quite got the nerve to go out to eat at a nice restaurant alone....tomorrow I am planning to travel to a nearby town that was developed by one of the former kings who imported exotic trees and plants from all over the world...it is now a unique town that has its own eco system...Lisbon may be hot while that town (Sintra) is over cast and cold...it looks like there are many palaces to visit..and maybe I will get to see a ballet or opera!

The intersting thing about Lisbon is that it has a great public transport that was just implemented five years ago with the aid of the European Union...in two years they will stop recieving money from the EU and I am curious whether things will go down hill again or not...the tour guide said that money coming in just happens to disapear into the hands of the government leaders and never really reaches the economy...though the least corrupt of the four Latin countries in the EU.

More Norway

Okay...I just have to say that I just loved Norway...Randi did a wonderful job of showing me around the town...and her family farm...I got the whole traditional Norwegian experience...which I really wanted.

Telemark only has 4000 inhabitants so the word was out that an American was hanging around...we spent days visiting the family farm...a part of Telemark..which produced heavy water during WWII...which is a unique town situated between two mountains....that dont get any sunlight during the winter so they built a cable car for residents to go up to a mountain top to get sun for a few hours..

We spent alot of time outside in the sun! Slide rocks and beaches on the most beautiful silvery lake (which actually means tin!)....