Two Football Games and St. Paddy's Day

Two Wednesdays ago (3/14), I went to a Chelsea vs Napoli game with Kelly.  It was so much fun!  I won the tickets at a Chabad event a few weeks ago, and though I had to skip class to go (sorry parents!), it was so worth it!

We started by buying some Chelsea souvenirs: a scarf for Kelly and a scarf and sweatshirt for me.  Then, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at Pizza Express.  We missed the kick off, but neither of us was too concerned with seeing it.

I guess since I'm not a big sports person, I didn't realize just how serious they take it here.  We got to our seats late, and everyone was already seated and paying very close attention (we were in a no standing zone, and here in London fans aren't allowed to take their drinks back to their seats).  I thought I was annoying the gentleman next me, 1) because I was American and a girl who didn't really know the sport, and 2) because I felt like I kept poking him with the flag that everyone had at their seats.  But, at the end of the game, which we won, he grabbed me in for a big hug, and then pulled Kelly in, too!

It was a confusing game, since they went into overtime, by about 90 minutes, and we didn't know what was going on.  So, we just assumed that soccer here was played in three, 90 minute sections.  Nope.

Then we went to a pub and chatted.  It was a night to remember!

Kelly and me in our new Chelsea scarves

Then, on that Saturday, a bunch of us went to a Fulham game.  This was also St Paddy's Day, so there was lots of 'fun' to be had!  I found a recipe online that included rum, Bailey's, and maraschino cherry syrup/juice.  Supposedly it tastes like a chocolate covered cherry.  I wasn't able to the cherry stuff, but, since it was St. Paddy's Day, I got the Bailey's.  Ahh the red hair is bringing out the Irish in me.

So we all left for the game in different groups.  I missed kick off and the end.  I really just wasn't into this game.  I guess I'm officially a Chelsea fan!

-B

The Zaritsky's and Gina came to London!

Last week (right after spring break) my parents and sister came to visit!

On Sunday (the 4th)  We went out for dinner, then Mom, Dad and I went on the Jack the Ripper tour.  I never knew that these murders were so gruesome.  How can someone be so cruel, so indifferent?  Then we went for fish and chips and dessert, and let me say that it was some damn good dessert!

On Monday, we toured the Tower of London, which was pretty cool.  We got to see some armor, but most importantly, the crown jewels!  Very cool!

The exterior of the Tower of London

Armor in the Tower of London.

Pam and I posing outside the Tower of London.  ROAR!

We saw a show that night, We Will Rock You.  Dad loved it, and the vocals really were strong and fantastic.  The plot.  Not so much.

Tuesday was their last day :( and since the three of them went to Stonehenge and Bath, we met up for dinner at The Queen's Arms, the pub that is not even a block from my flat.  It was a lovely evening and I was sad to see them go!

Pam, Dad, Mom, and I at The Queen's Arms.

However, I was very grateful for the Girl Scout Cookies, Taskykakes, and various gifts that they brought!

Then, on Wednesday Gina F. came to visit!  She was staying in a hotel with her friend Jess, but we got to see each other a lot.  We met up that night for drinks, then on Thursday for dinner (I saw A Comedy of Errors with class, and Gina got tickets for We Will Rock You).  Her reaction to the show was pretty similar to mine.

I wanted to show Gina and Jess the bar/club that we usually go to, Arch Angel, but Jess unfortunately didn't have her ID with her.  Oh well, we still got to pre-game together!

Gina and me

On Saturday, we met up, with Jess, and Crazy For You.  I love those old time musicals!  And my oh my the dance numbers were awesome!  I got tired just watching them!

Gina left the next day, but I was so happy that she was able to visit!

-B

Last day in Barcelona (Spring Break Day 7)

After a week's worth of traveling, it was time to head home.

But not before checking out the Picasso Museum!  We found the museum in the middle of a bunch of winding, almost like back alley, type streets.  I was a bit disappointed that we couldn't take pictures, and that they weren't featuring any of his most famous pieces.  I guess they are displayed elsewhere in the world.  Though it was cool to see his lesser-known works and sketches, which were just as interesting.

After that, we searched for some paella!  Paella is a traditional Spanish dish consisting of rice, seafood, and spices.  We found a place that had a deal: an individual appetizer, paella, desert, and sangria, all for about 11 euros!  It was a steal.  And it was delicious!

The yummy paella!

On our way to the Picasso Museum, we passed a jewelry store that had some interesting pieces.  After eatting, Kelly, who bought a ring from there earlier in the day, and I went back and I bought a pair of earrings, which I can't stop wearing.

Then we headed to the airport, and headed back to London.

-B

The hot chocolate from the breakfast place we went to everyday.
This was more like a pudding than a drink!

A Day of Gaudí (Spring Break day 6)

On the Friday of Spring Break, we saw (almost) all things Gaudí.

The five of us met up with Lauren and Gina, who were now in Barcelona, at La Segrada Família, a Antoni Gaudí designed church (which we had to pay to get into!).  Gaudí knew that it would not be finished in his lifetime, so he left very detailed instructions on how to complete it.  It is expected to be finished mid-century.  What I want to know is, who decided to finance this project for about 200 years?!

Exterior of La Sagrada Família

Inside La Sagrada Família

Then we walked through the northern part of the city to see the park he designed.  It was so big!  And very centered on architecture (duh! he was an architect), so there was not much greenery.  We climbed a small mountain, and the view was incredible!  We could see the entire city of Barcelona, all the way to the ocean. 

Cory and I over looking the park area.

Cory and I overlooking the park.

After the park, we search for a place to eat, and after finally finding a place that was open, we came across the most rude waiter I have ever met.  

I asked if there was a drink menu, he said, "No, we have the usual.  You know, water, beer, Coke..."  

So I asked, "What kinds of beer?"

"What do you mean what kinds of beer?  We have Barcelona beer."

"OK, how much is that?"  He told me the price, then someone asked how much a Coke was.

His response: "Why do you keep asking the prices?  I went to America and we didn't ask for prices!"

Well, sir, that's because we have drink menus in the U.S. that include prices.  And we are broke college students on a budget.

He was rude and I did not like him.  He also kept telling us that he wasn't going to rip us off, that the people across the way would rip us off, but he wouldn't.  The fact that you keep repeating that makes me question you, but OK...

Then we walked to two houses he designed, Casa Milá and Casa Batlló.  Both are distinctly Gaudí, as they are very fluid and surrealist.  We decided not to pay to go in.  Broke college students, what can I say?

Casa Milá

Casa Batlló

(Hope I didn't mix up the two houses!)

Afterwards we headed back to our hostels for a much needed nap, then went out to dinner.  Gina's friend Paula lives in Barcelona, so we met up with her and she took us to a great tapas place.  We had an egg dish, a bread dish, a seafood platter (that was so salty!  I think they caught the fish right there and just put it on the plate), and chorizo.  I ate some of the chorizo, which is a sausage-type meat.  Sorry, it was my Barcelona Exemption!  There was also this delicious tasting alcoholic drink, and we were told it was a vermouth drink, but I don't think it was.  Maybe there was a language barrier there?

Anyway, after that filling meal, we got some Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream (they follow me on Twitter!), the called it a night and headed back to the hostel.

-B

Barcelona! (Spring Break Days 4 and 5)

Sorry for the lack of updates!  It's been a pretty busy week.

I haven't even finished blogging about Spring Break, which ended over a week ago...

So the Wednesday of Spring break the five of us were checking out of Paris and saying "Hola" to Barcelona!

The hostel that we stayed at, Hostel One Barcelona, was better than any hostel I had stayed at before.  this one housed maybe 50 people, and was only two floors.  After checkin, the guy who checked us in sat us down, and gave us a 10-20 minute introduction to Barcelona's touristy spots, complete with circling them on a map.  It was very welcoming, and I loved every minute of this hostel.

The rooms had tiled floors, a balcony over looking the street, and a kitchen!

We went for tapas that night, and one of the dishes I ordered was cuttlefish.  The cuttlefish was the most terrifying thing I have ever seen.  It looked it belonged as an extra in Alien vs. Predator.  Terrifying.

The next day Spencer, Kelly, Nicole, and I (Cory wasn't feeling well) went to the beach.  The beach!  First we found this cutesy cafe place, which we ended up going to for breakfast our entire stay in the city, then we hit up the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.  Though not warm enough to swim, or even sun bath, it was nice to just relax and enjoy the warm weather.

Me, Kelly, and Nicole on the Barcelona beach.

After the beach, we headed to an open market to make dinner for the night.  We decided upon salad, shrimp scampi, and rice, as well as wine/sangria of course!  The market was huge, and Kelly and I decided to split some cactus fruit (or maybe it was dragon fruit?).  Either way, its vibrant fuchsia outer skin led us to think the fruit would be flavorful, and it was not.  Womp womp.  Oh well, we tried something new, and that's what counts, right?

A juice stand at the market.

I wasn't able to get any fresh sangria during our second day in Barcelona, so I settled for some grocery store brand.  The most expensive bottle was about 2.50 euros; so cheap!  And they also had boxed wine that would give Franzia a run for its money...

Boxed wine.  Sort of looks like soup cartons.

-B

Versailles, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower (part duex): SB day 3

On Tuesday, all of us ventured out to Versailles.  It was a bit pricey to get in, and I wished there was a guided, not hand-held, tour that was available.  After walking through the building, we explored the grounds outside.  It was a shame that we couldn't be there during the late spring/summer, since the trees and other greenery are probably gorgeous.

The entrance of Versailles in the background

After Versailles, we went to Notre Dame.  Not knowing that the chapel was free, Gina, Nicole, and I paid a few euros to walk to the top of the building.  Lots of stairs, what a view!  The five euros was worth it just to see the gargoyles.  One of them was sticking his tongue out, another was devouring a fish.  Pretty cool stuff.  We could also see the Eiffel Tower way off on the horizon.  Then the three of us went into the chapel.  Once again, I wish there was a guided tour, but I understand that it is a place of worship (though there were tours available at Westminster, just saying....).

A gargoyle on the roof of Notre Dame

A gargoyle on the roof os Notre Dame (he's the one sticking

 his tongue out!)

After that, we got champagne and started drinking outside of Notre Dame, until a police officer came up to us and informed us that there drinking in public was not allowed.  Oops.

Drinking champagne outside of Notre Dame with Gina, 

Nicole, Kelly, and Laura.

Then, because Cory did not see the Eiffel Tower, we went back.  This time, we brought our champagne, and bought some macaroons.  Which, I must add, we had trouble finding.  We wanted to get them from bakeries, and I found that not many places had them (so it seemed).  It was just as magnificent and magical as it was the first time around.

The Lourve, The Pompidou, and the Eiffel Tour: SB Day 2

Bonjour!

Let me fill you in on some Paris adventures...

On Monday, the day after we arrived, the seven of us ventured out to the Lourve.  However, the metro is quite scary in that I feel we had to rush to get in a cart, or else they would close, leaving someone behind.  That actually happened, and Cory didn´t make it onto the metro.  We called and texted him, ubt his phone was not working, and he ended up just going home, and missing the day.  We were all pretty bummed about it, but we continued our day.

First stop: the Lourve.  Can I just say that this is one of the biggest and most confusing buildings I´ve been to, worse than Anderson and Gladfelter at TU.  But oh my goodness, what amazements it holds.  I got to see a lot of the paintings and sculptures I studied in my art history class freshman year, including the Mona Lisa, Nike, and Venus de Milo.

The Mona Lisa, behind a glass case

Nike

Venus de Milo (My, how female beauty has changed!)

Then we headed to the Pompidou, Paris's museum of Modern Art.  At first, I didn't have much interest, but the museum was kind of neat.  There was one exhibit which played a video.  There was a sign outside that said the video would play every eight minutes.  So, Kelly, Laura, Spencer, and I went in just as it ended.  So we waited, thinking the video would immediately replay.  It didn't.  After a few minutes, I started to think maybe we were the art (such as 4:33, or 3:33, or whatever that orchestration piece is where the instruments don't actually play, and the audience becomes the music).

A piece of modern art.

After the museum, we purchased some cheap wine, baguettes, and from a cheese shop, cheese (the woman spoke no English and was the nicest woman in Paris!).  We headed towards the Eiffel Tour around 7ish.  As we came up to the lawn to set up our makeshift picnic, all of us were in awe of the magnificent Eiffel Tower.  So it was night time, and it was lit up, and as I'm in the middle of telling a story, I turn to see the tower sparkle!  What a sight!  After the wine, baguettes, and cheese, we started walking towards the Eiffel Tower.  In my opinion, this is the best way to see it.  Start on the lawn (not close up, as some metro stations will take you).  Drink some wine, look at its beauty, then start walking towards it.  As the distance between yourself and the tower decreases, and as the Eiffel Tower's magical majestic-ness increases, you will want to cry.  It is so beautiful, and totally not overrated.

At the Eiffel Tower, with wine and a baguette!

I was going to update more, but I am just way too tired.

More to come in the next few days!

B