I amsterdam - Day 2

We left our hotel with all of our luggage because it was time to check out and we had to go back to Brussels later in the afternoon. We of course left very early and since we had too many people in the room we had to sneak out. Once we left the hotel we went to the I amsterdam statue. Luckily for us, no one was there since we were up so early. Usually the place is very crowded but we had enough time to take lots of pictures without having to worry about any other tourists. It was fantastic. After taking our typical tourist pictures we went to the Anne Frank House.

I amsterdam statue.

D is for Danielle.

I am.

Once again we got through the line quickly. Unfortunately, since we checked out of the hotel we had to carry our backpacks with us throughout the tour. The people who run the Anne Frank House make you carry your bag on your chest instead of on your back which after a very short amount of time proves to be VERY annoying. The house was very interesting to see. There was nothing really in it except for pictures and information about Anne Frank and her family. I always found it amazing that they were able to live in the attic for so long. The experience was also very informative because I always thought that the attic was very tiny but it is bigger than I realized. However, the size is not that important since they still had to stay in the same spot for most of the day so that nobody in the lower floors would know that they were there. I also found it interesting that Anne Frank told her father that she was writing her diary for herself and that she wanted no one else to read it. When the diary was given back to him after he was let out of the concentration camp only to find out that his whole family was killed, he thought for a little bit about what to do with her thoughts and feelings from the years they lived in the attic. Eventually, he decided to go against what Anne originally wanted and to publish the diary.

Liz, me and Christine in front of the Anne Frank Huis.

After the tour was over we went and had a typical Amsterdam experience and then we went to get some pancakes at a pancake house that was recommended to us. The pancakes were delicious. They were flat and there were so many to choose from but each of us got ones that we really enjoyed. I not only had a pancake but I also had a beer. I had yet to have a Heineken so I decided it was a must before I left Amsterdam. My pancake had cinnamon and sugar in it. I went for the basic type of pancake but it was delicious none the less. After we got food we ran to catch our bus back to Brussels.

Christine and I experiencing Amsterdam.

Drinking my Heineken while waiting for my pancake to be ready.

After a long bus ride back to Brussels, we found our hotel which was a little sketchy. It was far from the center of things or so it seemed and it wasn't huge. But the reception lady was very nice and we had a room for three people and it was cheap. The room was clean and we really only needed a place to sleep. Once checked into the room we changed and left to go find the Manneken Pis. We decided it was the only place we really wanted to see in Brussels. However, it took us forever to find the statue (a theme of the weekend). At one point I asked the millionth person where the statue was and it was literally directly behind me. I felt like such a tourist. After we took a quick picture of the very tiny peeing man and then we went to eat some more waffles. I had a Belgium Waffle with vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries. It might have been the best one I had the entire trip.

Manneken Pis Statue.

Belgium Waffle with vanilla ice cream and strawberries.

After getting food we went to Delirium Cafe. This place is supposed to have the best beer around with almost 2500 different types of beers. There are also over 200 beers on tap almost all of which are at least 8% alcohol content. Christine had the Delirium Tremens which was pretty good and I had Chamay which I already knew I loved. The place was a big hit in my book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who goes to Brussels, although I would look up the address before hand because we had a very hard time finding it, especially since no one seemed to know where it was.

Delirium Cafe.

Me drinking my Chamay beer at Delirium Cafe.

Christine, me and Liz at Delirium Cafe.

A couple of beers later we headed back to hotel where we fell asleep until the next morning when we left early for our flight back to Ireland. I wanted to leave early because Erica Riccobono was going to be in Galway for the weekend with her friend. Overall, although the weekend was a blast and I got to experience a lot of different things, this trip was one of the more annoying and harder trips so far. The language barrier was very difficult and although everyone was very nice and helpful, there were still times that we had no idea where we were going and none of us spoke any French. We learned how to read maps very well and I finally got comfortable asking everyone and anyone for directions.

Off to the land of Waffles and Beer - Day 1

This weekend it was time for another trip. I left for Brussels on April 1st with Christine and Liz again. We decided we were going to fly into Brussels, then take a bus to Amsterdam where we would spend one night and then we took a bus back to Brussels where we spent a second night. We left early on a Friday and came back on an early Sunday flight. The only problem with the really flights out of Dublin is that I live in Galway which means that it takes me to 3-3.5 hours to get to Dublin airport. I took a very early bus around 2a.m. to get to Dublin airport in time for my early flight. Once I got to the airport, I went through security and found my terminal and waited for Christine and Liz to get there. They live way closer than I do so they can sleep later and get there later. I got myself a much needed Starbucks coffee and waited for them to arrive. Once they got there we waited for our flight together and then got on the plane and we were off to Brussels.

Christine was a little tired when we were waiting for the plane.

Once we got to Brussels we had to figure out how to get to the city centre which was very difficult. The people do not speak a ton of English and it takes a train and some underground trains to get there. Once we finally got to Brussels we decided to walk around for a little and get some Belgium waffles. The waffles were amazing and we had all different times. On our first day I had one that had melted chocolate on it and the next two waffles I split with Liz and Christine. We had the two waffles as our dinner with some beer. One of the waffles had vanilla ice cream and whipped cream with fresh strawberries on it and the other waffle had bananas with chocolate on top. They were both beyond delicious although the strawberry one was way better in my opinion. After we were finished eating we left to catch our bus to Amsterdam.

Waffle #2 with strawberries and vanilla ice cream.

Waffle #3 with bananas and chocolate.

We are ready for opening day. GO SOX!!

The bus took a couple of hours and we ended up getting into Amsterdam pretty late and of course we had to figure out where we were and how to get to our hotel. Once again we decided to trick the hotel and book a room for two people even though we had three. This was mainly because most of the hostels in Amsterdam require you stay at them for a minimum of 2-3 nights which makes it close to impossible to find one if you are only staying for a night. Liz and Christine went into the hotel and checked us in while I stayed outside. We had become pretty good at the sneaking people in so we knew to give my luggage to Christine or Liz so that I could walk in a couple of minutes later. We decided we would meet on the third floor and I waited for what seemed like forever until they finally came up and got me and we went to find our room. The room was spectacular and the bed was really comfortable. It looked huge and I was so tired at this point that all I wanted to do was lay down in bed and sleep until the next morning. However, as per usual we had places to go and places to see.

Our bed in the hotel.

Now you see her!

Now you only kind of see her!

The weird stuffed animal that was in our hotel room.

Once we got settled in and dressed for the night we headed for the red light district. Liz was scared and nervous to go because she didn't want to get attacked or anything. I told her we were going regardless because you can't go to Amsterdam and not see the Red Light District at night. It was worth seeing and not scary at all. I cannot believe that this is how people actually live. After we had walked up and down the Red Light District we decided to head back closer to our hotel to get some drinks. We stopped in this area that had outdoor seating and lots of umbrellas. The area drew us in and we searched for a place to sit. We then got a couple of beers and hung out for awhile. It was a great place to sit outside and people watch. When we were done we headed back to our hotel which was quite an adventure because we got really lost. The streets are hard to navigate and difficult to read the signs and maps. Also, everyone rides their bike so it is hard to ask for directions. I got to the point where I asked someone who was riding their bike for directions, luckily they not only got off their bike but they also spoke English which was a double win. We found our hotel after a few bumps and then got right into bed so that we could get up early and roam around Amsterdam.

Me in the Red Light District.

A coffee shop in the Red Light District.

Our three beers in Amsterdam.

Liz and me with our beers in Amsterdam.

Time to Buckle Down

After an amazing weekend with my friends in London, I left Monday morning to go back to Shannon Airport. Christine, Liz, and Michelle left really early in the morning to go back to Maynooth but since I was flying to Shannon instead of Dublin my flight was later than theirs. I left the hotel by myself and headed to the airport on the tube. Once I got to Shannon I bought a bus ticket back to Galway. Once I got there I unpacked and rested up after a long weekend. I have less than a week of classes left (3 days) but I have 6 papers to write and a quiz on the last day of classes (March 31st). It is safe to say that I had a lot of work in front of me and not that much time to complete it because I wanted to have all of my papers written before I left for my next trip. I wrote almost all day for the entire week so that I could finish all my papers. Even though it was hard, I was able to complete all the papers before April 1st.

ICE ICE BABY - Night 3

For our third and final night in London we decided to go to the London Icebar. Even though it is kind of expensive, we found a coupon and went on a night that was less expensive (a Sunday). For those of you who have never been to an icebar - GO! and for those of you who have no idea what an icebar even is, let me tell you. You walk into a waiting room and stand in line for your time to be called. Once it is your time to go into the icebar, you are given a very warm cape with a hood and gloves attached. Then you walk into the a bar that is made completely of ice and is kept at minus 5 degrees all year round. Everything is made out of crystal clear ice that comes from the frozen Torne River in Jukkasjarvi, Northern Sweden. The stools, walls, benches, cups, etc are all made out of ice. You are allowed into the icebar for 40 minutes and get one drink with entry. Since we had a coupon, we paid the regular price but got two drinks. The drinks were delicious and the cups made it amazing to drink out of it. It was definitely an experience that I would not have wanted to miss for anything in the world and I was skeptical at first because of how expensive it was. But with the coupon (or even without) I would not have missed this opportunity.

Christine, Me, and Liz waiting to go into the Icebar.

My first drink in the Icebar.

Loving the Icebar.

Just sipping on a cold drink in a glass made out of ice.

Christine and Me on a bench made out of ice.

The group in front of the Icebar London sign.

Time for Some London History - Day 3

It is amazing how much we saw in just two days in London and we still had another whole day of sightseeing around London. We had seen many of the touristy locations except for the Tower of London and Abbey Road. I was excited for Abbey Road and to take a Beatles picture but not as excited for the Tower of London, mainly because I did not know much about it.

We started our day at Abbey Road, which if you had never seen the famous Beatles album then you would not recognize this road or you would think it was literally just a road. It is nothing special except that the Beatles choose to use this road as the picture for the cover of their album, "Abbey Road." When you get off the tube stop for Abbey Road you see tons of Beatles merchandise and once you actually find Abbey Road you see a lot of tourists all trying to be like the Beatles by taking their picture in the middle of the road. When you think about it, it is a little dangerous because cars are indeed driving by and to get the picture just right the photographer has to be standing directly in the middle of the road as the pedestrians walk across. Let's just say it was not an easy task and it took us quite some time to get the picture just right. Not only do you have to be crossing the street but you have to be crossing the street on the opposite side as the one you walk on from the tube stop. Therefore, you cross the street, then your photographer checks for cars and gets in the middle of the road, and then you cross the street again, praying for a good picture. Luckily for us, we had our photographer Danny with us so at least we had four people in the picture. One guy on Abbey Road must have crossed the street at least a dozen times while his wife or girlfriend took his picture.

Michelle, Me, Christine, and Liz crossing Abbey Road.

Abbey Road sign.

After we were done channeling our inner Beatle we headed for London Bridge. Almost every child remembers singing the famous song, "London Bridge" as a child and now that I have actually seen this famous bridge I almost wish that it would fall down. The bridge was not pretty like you would imagine but rather dull looking. Overall, London Bridge was a great disappointment. After seeing the bridge we headed to the Tower of London and to get there we had to cross over another bridge called the Tower Bridge. This bridge was gorgeous and quite the site to see. It was built magnificently with two giant towers in the middle of the bridge with two walking bridges connecting the two towers. Once we crossed Tower Bridge we were finally at the Tower of London.

The "great" London Bridge.

The girls in front of The London Bridge.

The Tower Bridge.

The Biddies in front of the Tower Bridge.

When we got there, I ended up getting pretty excited for the tour and to experience some of the history surrounding London. We bought our tickets (and paid a small fortune) and then waited inside for our beefeater tour guide. The beefeaters are the guards at the Tower of London and one comes to give you some background on the Tower of London once you walk in. They are not with you for the entire time you are at the Tower of London but they do give you some history. The Tower of London was founded at the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. William the Conqueror built The White Tower in 1078 as a resented symbol of oppression inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The Tower of London gets its name from The White Tower. The Tower of London was initially used as a royal residence but since at least 1100 it has been used as a prison. The Tower of London is made of several buildings (towers) within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. In the 16th century, the Tower of London received its reputation as a grim prison because it started to house many prisoners especially religious and political people who went against the monarchy. Between 1540 and 1640 there fore 48 recorded cases of the use of torture. Many people were held and execute at the Tower of London but one of the most famous is Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife. She gave Henry VIII a daughter, Elizabeth I of England, but failed to produce a mail heir which angered Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn had three miscarriages and this was the final straw for Henry VIII so he investigated Anne Boleyn for high treason. She was arrested in 1536 and sent to the Tower of London where she was found guilty of high treason in front of a jury of peers. She was beheaded four days later on Tower Green (a lawn). The charges against her were incest and adultery. Once Elizabeth I of England became queen, Anne became a martyr and a heroine of the English Reformation. The Tower of London ended up being really interesting and one of the highlights of my trip, but then again almost everything was a highlight. We saw the monarchy jewels, the torture devices, the various towers, the different kings' armor, and where Anne Boleyn was beheaded.

The Biddies with a beefeater.

The Tower Green where Anne Boleyn was beheaded.

I finally got my picture with a guard.

Me in the tower where they kept prisoners.

Liz, me, and Michelle in front of the Tower of London.

After the Tower of London, we searched for a red telephone box, because when in England you have to go inside one of these. Luckily for us, one was easy to find. We each took turns going inside and taking pictures and pretending to call people. After the telephone box we went to get dinner. After dinner it was time for the Jack the Ripper tour. We knew very little about him except that he was an unidentified serial killer in London in 1888. The name was given after a letter was given to the media calling himself "Jack the Ripper." The murderer was also called "The Whitechapel Murderer" and "Leather Apron." The murderer usually attacked female prostitutes from the slums. When he attacked them he cut their throats and then cut their abdominal regions, mutilating them. He even removed the internal organs of at least three of his victims. The letter that was sent, that gave him his nickname, was mailed with half of a preserved human kidney from one of his victims. Five victims are linked as being killed by Jack the Ripper and these five women are Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. They have become known as the Canonical five. The tour we went on followed the murders of these five women around the streets of London. The tour was pretty good except it left us with many questions about the deaths and the serial killer himself. There were also other Whitechapel murders and some that do not fall into the Canonical five or the Whitechapel murders. Jack the Ripper is said to have done eleven Whitechapel murders along with various other killings. The eleven murders are known as the Whitechapel murders because they were all done in and around the Whitechapel district of London. Jack the Ripper was never found. The tour was interesting but I wish they had explained more on the tour.

Me in a red telephone box.

Our Jack the Ripper tour guide.

Touring London - Day 2

We woke up early on our second day in London and got breakfast. After breakfast we went to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards. It was AMAZING. I absolutely loved it and took way too many pictures of the guards. Unfortunately, the Queen was not in London which was kind of upsetting. I did not know what to expect from the changing of the guards but it was definitely something to see. It was also amazing to see how many people were there to see the changing of the guards. After we spent a significant amount of time watching the changing of the guards we headed to a park to go on a tour of London.

Buckingham Palace.

The new love of my life...a Buckingham Palace Guard.

The changing of the guards.

Danny, Michelle, Me, Liz, and Christine outside of Buckingham Palace.

Just protecting Buckingham Palace. Nbd.

The tour company is called NewEurope Tours and it is a free tour company. It is run by people our age and costs us nothing to go on. They run completely on tips so the tour guides are really good because they want to make some money. The tour took us all around London, we saw Buckingham Palace again, Horse Guards Parade, St. James's Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, among other things. The Horse Guards Parade is where the 2012 Beach Volleyball Olympics will be held. We were standing where they are going to be playing volleyball in a year or so. It was so cool. Our tour guide also told us that they are going to put sand where all the rocks are now to prepare for the beach volleyball games. When we saw Buckingham Palace again we got to take more pictures in front of it. St. James's Palace is the Queen's official royal residence. If you ever want to write to her, you send it to that address even though she does not live there ever. Since the Queen was not in London, there were no guards at St. James's Palace which was upsetting because if she had been in London I could have gotten my picture taken with one of the guards. However, since she was not there and there were no guards we got to go into where the guards stand when they are there and pretend to be guards. Westminster Abbey was awesome to see since Prince William and Catherine Middleton will be getting married there in a little over a month. London was already buzzing with excitement for the wedding which is definitely going to be something to see. Our tour guide told us an interesting story about protestors who protest just about anything and are camped outside near Westminster Abbey. One of the protestors has been there since 9/11 happened and this year would have meant that he had been living on the street for 10 years. However, with the upcoming nuptials all of the protestors are being forced to clear the streets meaning that the protestor will not get his record of being on the street for 10 years.

St. James's Palace.

Practicing to protect The Queen.

Horse Guards Parade.

Christine, Me, and Liz in front of Westminster Abbey.

Westminster Abbey.

Me, Liz, and Christine in front of Big Ben.

William and Kate Forever...a sign from the protestors.

Me in front of Big Ben.

When we thought we had seen everything the tour had to offer we left the group and went to the see the London Eye. It was really expensive to go on and it was already very late in the day and I still had more I wanted to see so Liz, Christine and I decided to not go on the London Eye and instead head the Portobello Road to go to the market. E had told me that Portobello Road was a must-see in London and she was right. The stands were really cool and I even found bar towels for my dad at one of the stands and I had been searching for some for a long time. After we walked all the way down Portobello Road we headed back to the hotel and grabbed sandwiches on the way.

The London Eye.

Portobello Road.

Buildings on Portobello Road.

We then got ready and met back up with Michelle and Danny to go on a pub crawl offered by the same company as we did the tour with. It was called the NewEurope Pub Crawl and although we had to pay for it, it was cool because we got a free shot (if you can call it that) at each venue we went to and we did not have to pay the cover charges to get in anywhere which I am told by people who are studying abroad in London and by my friends who had already visited can add up quickly. Some places charge 15 pounds just to get in! We went to a couple of places on the pub crawl and had a great time. We also got discounted drinks and deals since we were on the pub crawl so in the end it was a great way to spend one of our nights in London. Luckily, the tube was even running when we finished the pub crawl so we were able to hop right on the tube and take it back to our hotel. Once again we had another early morning because we still had lots of sightseeing to do.

Me and Liz at the Pub Crawl.

Me and Christine at the Pub Crawl.

The Biddies do a Pub Crawl.

Me and Michelle at Bar Number 1.

Me and Danny at Bar Number 1.

Just living it up like we always do.