London, now this is my kind of place

For the first time on my trip I have found a place I could live in! I love it here! There is so much going on. It is also so easy to get around here- the underground can get you anywhere. I have been in London for 5 days now and it has been go go go. I have done so much every day. The first day I was here I went to the British Museum, and saw the Elgin Marbles and Rosetta Stone. I was particularly interested in the Elgin Marbles, since I have seen the Parthenon from which they were taken. So cool. I spent the majority of the day there, and then met up with Janet for the night. We talked and talked and talked. I don't think we stopped talking for 8 hours- such a good night, made better by the Canadian pub we had drinks in. The following day I went to the Tate Modern museum, which was full of amazing works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Ai Wei Wei! That night Janet and I went to see Harry Potter, and even though I had already seen it I enjoyed it just as much! The next day I went to Buckingham Palace and explored the shops and streets around it- so much to see!! Yesterday I went to the Tower of London, which was AWESOME- I have wanted to go there for so long, especially after reading a bunch of historical fiction novels my Phillipa Gregory over the years that deal with many of the people that lived and died in London. Cool!!

I will give a more in depth description of London later, but as the shop I am writing at closes soon I must go!

Rosetta Stone

With Janet at the Canadian Pub in Covent Garden

Ai Weiwei's Sunflower Seeds

Buckingham Palace

Tower of London

Marrakesh- the city of the kitty

Anyone who knows me can certainly say at least 2 things about me: I love babies and I love mini things. So mini babies are pretty much amazing. I was walking through Marrakesh on my first full day there and stumbled upon the tiniest little kitty on the side of the road. Obviously I stopped to take pictures of it for almost 5 minutes. I was so excited. It looked a little worse for wear (alright it looked like it was about to pass out), but it was so little and it made my day. I kept walking through the market and saw another little guy, and was about to bust my camera out again when I noticed about 50 other cats of various shades and sizes in the general vicinity, and as it turns out all over the city. My time as a cat photographer ended then- it was sad how many of them there were, and they all looked so sick :( Enough of that though, I will tell you about why it has taken me so long to write on here and why I ended up in London a bit earlier than expected.

I thought that I was prepared for what Morroco had to offer- turns out I was wrong. It was nothing like I had expected it to be, and it really threw me for a loop. To start, it was really hot- so hot you don't even sweat because, I think, your poor Canadian body is protecting its most vital organs :) The Riad was one thing, but going out into the streets of Marrakesh was something else. I was not ready to be stared at the way I was- it really made me feel awful. And it wasn't in a creepy way, as if they were interested in a woman, it was in a mean sort of what are you doing here alone kind of way. To top it off it is Ramadan, and I didn't think it would be as difficult to find food and water during the day- AND eating it in public is a whole different thing. By the end of my first morning I was ready to leave. A quick call to my wonderful mother and it was settled- I would stay 2 more days and then head to London early.

It was a bit of a harrowing experience for me. Some loneliness and homesickness combined with a less than friendly environment made me feel very alone there. I was able to see the central market, walk through the small streets and see a bit of the city, but I can assure you if I ever go again, it will not be alone!!

A good door for Heather

Freckle-Face

Dave the Kitten

Camels ready for a ride

Street outside my Riad



Remember that time I said I was hot?

I take it back, I take it all back. It is actually hot here. Marrakesh is 45 degrees, and everyone here is saying it is a cool day. Oh, man! It is supposed to cool off to about 30 at night, and with the old clay walls in the Riad in which I am staying, it should be a tolerable night- plus I have AC. I am in a little house (Riad) within the walls of the old city in Marrakesh. These buildings are almost 1000 years old, so they have perfected the art of keeping cool. My place is really great. The staff are so friendly, and they even invited me to join them in a Ramadan breakfast with them as the sun went down tonight. It was really neat! I am stuffed though. Not sure what the rest of the night will bring, but I am sure it will be an adventure!

Oh Valencia, how I needed you!

After a few homesick and sullen days in Mallorca I needed a change of scenery. Boy, was Valencia the perfect medicine! The trip started out well, when I was upgraded to business class for my flight (which was only 45 minutes, but it was still nice)- especially since I was up at 3:30 AM to catch a shuttle to the airport. Since I arrived in Valencia early in the day I had some time to kill before I was able to get into my room. I immediately liked it here- there are palm trees everywhere and the architecture is so beautiful. I decided I would make the trek to the Ciudad de las artes y las ciencias (City of the Arts and Sciences), which is a huge complex of buildings that include an aquarium (Oceanografic) and the main building that is like a science center. I was really looking forward to seeing the aquarium, but didn't anticipate the literal trek it would take to get there. An hour and a half later, in the 33 degree heat I finally made it there, after twisting both ankles and getting a bit lost. I had just about lost all of my patience, but decided to go in and try to enjoy it, and I really did. It is like a zoo, made up of about 15 interior exhibits, which are surrounded by beautiful blue waters where other animals dwell. You walk on bridges above the water to get from place to place. In spite of the heat (and my swollen hands, which are a sure sign I am dehydrated) I had a great time. I love animals, and the exhibits there were terrific! There was no flash photography though, so bear with the photos I have posted below! I have half a day here tomorrow, and then I am off to Marrakech!

The Agora building

Umbracle (left), Hemisferic (center), Museo de las Ciencias (right)

Sharky

Jelly Fish

Wrapping Up Mallorca

So unfortunately I didn't enjoy my time in Mallorca as much as I thought I would. It was beautiful, and the weather was lovely, but there wasn't really anything to do where I was. In hindsight perhaps I should have stayed in the main city, but a lot of good that does me now! I think I prefer to travel to larger cities, at least large enough that they have a good bus and metro network. I felt as if I couldn't go anywhere in Cala d'Or (Gold Cove). That being said- it was nice to sit on the beach and relax! Though anyone who knows me will understand that it was really hard for me to do nothing for 4 days! These are the only 2 pictures I took in Mallorca after my last post, and they pretty much sum it all up!

A 'natural' smile while out for dinner

'Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur'

 (quick- where is that from?!)

See you in Valencia!!

Where I've Been

Thought this would be a good time to update my "Where I've Been Map"- it feels like I've been to a lot of places, but it says only 6% of the World! I have a long way to go!

Mallorca aka Little Germany

Hola from Cala d'Or on the island of Mallorca! What a change from Edinburgh! It is soooooo warm here! Over 30 degrees, but it feels much hotter than that. I can certainly tell I am on the Mediterranean again! When I got here I was really grateful to have a cell phone- that would be my best new travelling trip. Buy a cell phone wherever you are going. The phones and the minutes are cheap, and they can really come in handy. I knew my hotel had organized a transfer for me, since it is about 1.5 hours from the Palma airport. I called them to get the details and once it was sorted guess what I was greeted with? A BUS!!! haha, I couldn't believe it. I think it was even the same bus, just decorated in a Spanish way. The roads weren't as windy though, and I managed to feel great the whole drive.

My hotel was a little underwhelming, but I have my own balcony which really makes up for what the room lacks. It is simple, which is fine, since it is too hot to spend much time in it. The hotel also has a small pool, but there isn't much space so I think I will avoid it- today it seemed like people saved their places around 7 AM, much too early for me!

Today was my first full day here, and I ate breakfast at the hotel before making my way to the beach. It was nuts down there, sooooo many people, but the surroundings made up for it. I found a lounge chair and rented it and an umbrella for 7 euros. I enjoyed a few hours at the beach and in the salty sea before going to grab some lunch. I didn't bring anything of value with me since I didn't know what the set up was like and got bored pretty quickly. I bought a National Geographic (not much English selection) to keep me busy tomorrow.

I had a light lunch and went back to the hotel. Most of the shops here close between 2 and 5, so I had myself a little siesta! I then wandered around the town, looking at the shops and deciding what to have for dinner. It turns out that a lot of people from Germany come here, and that a lot of the Spanish people here speak German. I was not expecting that- almost all of the shops have signs in Spanish and German. I should have listened more all those times Matt was talking to me :)

I am now enjoying a nice breeze on my balcony, listening to the sounds of a busy town!

Palma Airport

My new morning hangout (except I came back later in the day to take this!)

One of what I am sure will be many self-photos!

Buenos Noches!!!



Scottish lochs and lots of rain

I decided to spring for a tour on my last full day in Edinburgh, thinking it would be fun to get out of the city and explore a little bit more of the country. And it was fun, aside from the bus ride. The roads in Scotland are very windy, and in combination with an older bus my stomach was not happy with me. I remember thinking: "I am never going on a bus tour again". I was able to keep it together, thankfully, and decided that keeping my eyes closed while driving was my best bet to keep the nausea at bay!

The day started with a pickup at the Edinburgh castle, and we drove to Loch Lomond in the West. It was absolutely pouring that day, so we actually didn't end up seeing more than a few hundred meters of the Loch because there was so much mist, but I think it made it kind of authentic!

Map of our Route

The area around Loch Lomond looks a lot like Alberta!

After our short trip to Loch Lomond we drove to a town called Aberfoyle, where we had a lunch break. It was pretty underwhelming, except for the rare sheep they had around the main building.

This guy was my fave!

We then went to my favorite place on our journey- the Trossachs, and Loch Katrine. This Loch inspired the Lady of the Lake poem by Sir Walter Scott. Even through the rain it was so beautiful. I opted out of the boat cruise, and walked around the Loch for some fresh air and wonderful views. It even stopped raining for about 30 seconds at one point! It was so lush and green- truly breathtaking.

The final stop on our tour was Stirling castle, which was just lovely. Unfortunately the lineup was too long for us to go in and see it, but we were able to spend some time in the town and get a good look at the outside of the castle.

Stirling before the fog lifted

Old Stirling Cemetary

Stirling Castle

I really enjoyed the tour, especially our driver. He was so knowledgable about Scotland, and was able to tell us lots of great stories. We even drove through the battlefield where William Wallace (from the movie Braveheart, which is, by the way, apparently very innaccurate :) won his most famous battle.

Scotland is such a great country, the people are incredibly friendly, and it is so beautiful. Kind of like Canada with a brogue.

Rain, Rain Go Away

I have been in Edinburgh for a 5 days now, and have had 2.5 days of beautiful sunshine and 2.5 days of some terrible rain. There are almost 1 million tourists in Edinburgh right now, and in addition to the 500,000 that live here, the city is PACKED! Add umbrellas to the mix and it can be really hard to get around when it is really busy.

Breanne came to visit me for 3 days as a side trip from London where she is visiting another friend of ours! We fit in a lot in that time- 2 comedy shows, plenty of shopping, exploring the city and visiting the castle here. It was so nice to see a friend again- I was lonely on my 1/2 day by myself :) We saw Tom Green and a set of local comics, which was great fun. The festival atmosphere makes the city come alive. There is a street performance on every block, and lots of people enjoying every minute. There is so much to do in this city, and I feel like you could spend a lifetime exploring the streets and alleyways!

Tomorrow I am off to explore the Highlands on a day trip, which I am really excited about!

Enjoy these pictures!!

Dinner at a French Bistro

Victoria Street

The Royal Mile

Breanne & I out for drinks!

View of the castle from my front steps

Edinburgh from the castle

Another view

Viva Italia

I certainly enjoyed a wonderful 5 days in Italy with great company. Heather, Frank and Janet greeted me at the airport in Rome- I wasn't expecting it to be so hot right when I got there! The clothes I had worn on the airplane were not the best for the 33 degree Italian heat. We embarked on the 2 hour journey to our place in Umbria, and it was so nice to catch up on all of their adventures so far. The place we stayed was lovely, it was our own little apartment tucked away in the corner- it even had its own terrace! The first night was pretty low-key- just a few glasses of wine and a delicious dinner courtesy of Janet. We were in bed by 9:00!

The view from our terrace

View from the living room

Heather & I trying to point West

We started every morning with a few hours in the sun by the pool. It was such a nice treat to be able to lay out and enjoy the Italian countryside! On my first full day there we went into a small town to do some sight seeing and shopping- so much fun! We even ran into Winnie's doppleganger there :) That night we enjoyed a few bottles of wine and another wonderful meal!

The beautiful (and cold) pool

Heather & I on the steps of a cathedral



Frank, myself, & Heather- A typical Italian evening!

On day 2 we went into Perugia, which is the largest city in the area. We again did the usual- gelato, views, and shopping. The cities here are so beautiful! The buildings are old and magnificant! Since there isn't much grass they make up for it with piazzas full of statues, fountains and flowers!

We went to Assisi on our third day, which is the home of the basilica of St. Francis, and completely filled with monks and nuns. It was really cool to see them all on the street, going into shops and sitting eating gelato!

Nuns in Assisi

Heather & I by a great door in Assisi

Our final day was jammed full of things to do and see. In the morning Heather, Frank and I ventured to Castiglione del Lago, which is a little walled city on the edge of Lago Trasimeno. We lasted about 20 minutes in the sunshine by the lake before we had to move to the shade. It was by far the hottest day we had so far. We ate a great picnic lunch by the water and then made our way up into the city, where we browsed through shops and stopped for gelato and a cappuccino. We didn't stay long because we had to be back at our place to go on a vineyard tour. I have never been on one, and was really looking forward to it. It surely did not dissapoint. First we took a 20 minute drive up-hill to the vineyard in electric jeeps, and were able to see the many vines that grow such a delicious treat! We drove back down the hill, and went on a tour of the fermenting vats and oak barrels where they age the wine. We finished the tour with a wine and cheese tasting! Yum! We then had an olive oil tasting at our place, which was also really nice. To end our day we went to a local pizza place recommended by the woman who owns the property we stayed at. It was sooo good, but hard to finish the whole thing!

Lago Trasimeno

In the olive trees of Castiglione del Lago

Jeep on the way to the vineyard

Umbrian Vineyard

Oak Barrels

I would have to say the most common sights of my time in Italy were vineyards, whether in someone's backyard or covering acres and acres, olive trees, and wasps, much to my chagrin! We had so much fun while we were in Italy, and the place we stayed was so nice. It was such a treat to spend that time with Heather, Frank and Janet. What a great way to start my trip!!





Lucky 13

Well, 13 days left until I leave. Looking forward to seeing lots of good friends! Not looking forward to being away from my love and family for 4 weeks, but soon enough I will be home! Until then I am dogsitting and finishing up a lot of school work. Did a practice pack and everything seems to fit- it's just a matter of how much it weighs!

Meeting up with Heather, Frank and Janet on the 31st for 5 days in Italy! Can't wait!

Countdown...

I leave in 25 days! Almost ready to go, just a quick trial pack is needed to make sure it all fits and doesn't weigh too much.

I am also really looking forward to spending the next 25 days in Calgary enjoying our summer!

Where I'm going

Take a look at where I'm headed:

-Perugia, Italy
-Edinburgh, Scotland
-Mallorca, Spain
-Valencia, Spain
-Marrakesh, Morocco
-London, England

The countdown is on and I can't wait!