Heads up! Three blogs in one! I just posted three new entries, so the fun continues after this one!
Catalina and I decided to get up really early in Livorno and hop a train to Pisa. I was instantly reminded of why I didn't like Italy to begin with. We had to get a shuttle from the ship to the bus stop where we caught a bus to the train station just in time to have doors of our train close on us and pull away. Fantastic. Then we get on the next train a half hour later only to be given a ride a block away to where they park the damn trains. A lovely janitor directed us back to the station where we could make our third attempt to get a ride to this stupid tower.
Luckily more of our friends - one who speaks Italian - were also on the train. We got to Pisa and Catalina and I decided to walk through the town of Pisa. Yea... if it weren't for the Leaning Tower no one would ever go to Pisa. We had mediocre pasta for lunch and were charged 4 Euro for a half litre of tap water. Not to mention the 2 Euro charge just for sitting at the table. Grazie Italia.
I did see the Leaning Tower. So there's the silver lining. I illegally walked on the grass - kiss my butt Italy - and took the cheesey tourist picture of me pushing it over. I carried a backpack around the city. Really all I needed was the Hawaiian shirt and the camera to be hanging from aroung my neck to look more stereotypically American. Oh, and a fanny pack... never forget the fanny pack.
In Civitavecchia I had port manning. I'm ok with it. It's the gateway to Rome. Been there, done that. I'll probably try to go in once while we're doing this tour, but just to see the Sistine Chapel and the Trevvi Fountain.
Then there's Naples. Oh boy if you people want me to like Italy we're really going to have to work on where we're sending me. Naples was rainy, dreary and just sad. However, I went out with a large group of friends to a small restaurant the Youth Manager Karen had visited when she worked on Disney. It was sweet. We sat at a sidewalk table (noticing my affinity for sidewalk tables?) and had pizza and the best house white wine ever. After everyone got up to leave Brianna, John and I spent some extra bonding/wine time before we dragged ourselves back to the ship.
And now back to Barcelona to start it all again.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Climb a Steep Hill with a Group of Professional Dancers? Sure! Why Not?
Yea, I don't know what I was thinking either.
Quick sidenote - the Mediterranean has silky sea nights. I haven't seen these since the Arctic. I was beginning to believe it was just a Norwegian thing. I'm pleasantly surprised.
Another pleasant surprise - the rennovation of the Century's crew bar. I didn't know what to expect after they closed it for three days. I swear some crew members were shaking from withdrawal! We walked in to burgundy walls, black leather sofas, mirrors and red lamps, and black and white photos of NYC, Paris and Amsterdam. Who told the Hotel Director my plans for my future living room!? Ok, back to the climbing thing...
Italy has never really been high on my list of favorite European countries (sorry Katie and Tiff). It's just not my thing. I appreciate the history, the culture, the beautiful art and architecture, but I'm much more of a British Isles/France type of chick. I loved Venice when I was there last year. I was charmed by Perugia, but nothing in Italy has ever had the effect of Dublin or Paris. However, I'm pretty sure Portofino is the one thing that will change my mind about this country. What a picturesque village. While we were tendering I found myself in a lifeboat with all of the acapella boys, a few musicians and a bunch of dancers. Now that I'm sans Valerie, I'm often venturing off the ship alone, so I turned to Jenny the Dance Captain and asked if I could tag along. "Of course!" she told me. When we reached shore the big group began to slowly dwindle as folks went separate ways. Me, the genius, I decide to follow the group of dancers climbing the steep path to the top of the hill - just to see the view. So there I am panting at the back of the group with Brian from the acapella group. We're sweaty and gross and the dancers are just gliding along toward our destination. Lovely.
When we got back down I found Jamie, Matt and Anna at a cafe enjoying a beer and pizza. I sat my sweaty self down and partook. It was beautiful. So truly Italian. The buildings along the harbor were something out of a movie set. Yellow, red and orange buildings stuck out of the hills to see the water and boats below, their windows adorned with laundry the way we hang Christmas lights.
It really was the best way to begin to like Italy.
Quick sidenote - the Mediterranean has silky sea nights. I haven't seen these since the Arctic. I was beginning to believe it was just a Norwegian thing. I'm pleasantly surprised.
Another pleasant surprise - the rennovation of the Century's crew bar. I didn't know what to expect after they closed it for three days. I swear some crew members were shaking from withdrawal! We walked in to burgundy walls, black leather sofas, mirrors and red lamps, and black and white photos of NYC, Paris and Amsterdam. Who told the Hotel Director my plans for my future living room!? Ok, back to the climbing thing...
Italy has never really been high on my list of favorite European countries (sorry Katie and Tiff). It's just not my thing. I appreciate the history, the culture, the beautiful art and architecture, but I'm much more of a British Isles/France type of chick. I loved Venice when I was there last year. I was charmed by Perugia, but nothing in Italy has ever had the effect of Dublin or Paris. However, I'm pretty sure Portofino is the one thing that will change my mind about this country. What a picturesque village. While we were tendering I found myself in a lifeboat with all of the acapella boys, a few musicians and a bunch of dancers. Now that I'm sans Valerie, I'm often venturing off the ship alone, so I turned to Jenny the Dance Captain and asked if I could tag along. "Of course!" she told me. When we reached shore the big group began to slowly dwindle as folks went separate ways. Me, the genius, I decide to follow the group of dancers climbing the steep path to the top of the hill - just to see the view. So there I am panting at the back of the group with Brian from the acapella group. We're sweaty and gross and the dancers are just gliding along toward our destination. Lovely.
When we got back down I found Jamie, Matt and Anna at a cafe enjoying a beer and pizza. I sat my sweaty self down and partook. It was beautiful. So truly Italian. The buildings along the harbor were something out of a movie set. Yellow, red and orange buildings stuck out of the hills to see the water and boats below, their windows adorned with laundry the way we hang Christmas lights.
It really was the best way to begin to like Italy.
I Wear Pantyhose Everyday. Does that Mean I'm an Adult Now?
I'm writing this on Leigh's birthday (to be posted at a later date). I hope she has a great 23rd!! I miss her.
So Paris was almost two full weeks ago! Two weeks on a ship can feel like a year. I suppose I should pick up where I left off.
After boat drill the next day I rushed to throw on a swimsuit and meet up with Val and Anna. We were in La Coruna, Spain and I heard there was a beach. Being a beach girl born and raised I'm instantly drawn to the waves and the sand. The minute I got off the ship in Spain I felt like I was at home. The palm trees and Spanish architecture reminded me so much of Florida. So much of the area looks like St. Augustine. We took photos in front of a fountain and the memorial statue of John Lennon and went to the beach. The beach was small and the snad was rough, but the sun was perfect. It wasn't as strong as it is in Florida. God it was great. Then when I got back onboard I got to do something I've missed more than I ever realized. The after-beach-nap is like no other nap. It sounds horrible, but I love crawling into bed in my swimsuit still smelling of sunscreen and passing out. The after-beach-nap is ridiculously amazing.
My next port was Lisbon, Portugal. Valerie and I spent the day touring with our DJ, Jeremy, and our violinist, Nicole. It was nice - we were sterotypically American and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a beautiful little city full of churches and castles. The whole area reminds me of St. Augustine.
Cadiz, Spain proved to be too cloudly to allow me to properly enjoy the beach. I simply walked along it, having some much needed "me" time. The pigeon prints in the sand made me laugh. Oh Europe.
The next day was Gibraltar. I was on a tour for work, so the video camera accompanied me everywhere. Sometimes the camera is a blessing, and sometimes I want to chuck it overboard. Gibraltar gave me a slight Key West feeling. It is in no way a party city, but it's a small city centered on the water. Where Key West has cats, Gibraltar has monkeys. I have to admit, the monkeys are way cooler. They were cute. My amazing tour guide, a sweet old Scottish man named Ian, got a few of the to come to the window of the van. It was fun.
Palma de Mallorca looked beautiful ffrom the ship. Unfortunately I could only walk around for an hour since I had safety training in the middle of the day. It was really nice to just walk along the harbor. The plus side is our new safety officer is actually a decent guy. I'm no longer afraid of safety training.
That night was Valerie's last night before going home so a group of us girls had dinner at the specialty restaurant onboard - the Murano. I am such a small town girl at heart. I felt slightly out of place in a restaurant where the waiter places the napkin on your lap. I was a little like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman." The food was absolutely amazing. We started with delicious lemon pepper bread and then feta cheese on bruschetta. It was intended to cleanse our pallettes. I was excited for the rest of the meal. I ordered the wild mushroom cappucino soup. It came out in a saucer with cappucino foam on top, and underneath was the thickest, best mushroom soup of my life. I've never tasted anything like it. Next was a small goat cheese souffle trapped under a breadstick cage. It was essentially a mound of parmesan cheese sitting in tomoato sauce. It, too, was amazing. Then they brought out the main course. Val and I ordered the filet mignon which they flambe with cognac right next to the table. The whole meal was a performance. Oh, this filet mignon was delectable. I never really knew what they meant by it melts in your mouth - until now! It was complimented by perfectly flavored mashed potatoes, mushrooms and the most crisp sticks of asparagus. It couldn't possible get any better, right? Right... until they brought out the dark chocolate souffle for dessert. It was a little treat and I was a little put off when I saw the waiter come along to puncture the perfectly risen souffle. I forgave him when I saw what was coming next. A delicious mocha, vanilla sauce was drizzled all over my dessert. I didn't eat again until lunch the next day. It was wonderful.
Catalina, Val and I finished her bottle of pinot grigio and went out to the staff bar to celebrate Val's last night onboard. It was so fun. I had a rough time saying bye to my friend. I'll admit, things are different here without her. I now have Catalina, but I miss Val. We did everything together. I have plenty of other friends, but no one quite like Val. Everyone keeps making jokes like, "What are you going to do now?" and "Did they have to surgically remove you two?" Ha. Ha.
The next day was our embarkation day in Barcelona. I really could fall for Spain. I got up at the butt crack of dawn to go with Anna and Katie to Gaudi Park. I'm glad I did. It was a beautiful park full of palm trees and mosaic style benches. I'd never seen anything like it. The clear sky made for a perfect day to tour. I stumbled upon a harpists in one of the little caves of the park. Harps always make my day.
Oh and if I thought there was no way to fall anymore in love with France, I was wrong. Cannes is the most beautiful beach city in the south of the country. Catalina, Julien and I found a beach and made ourselves very comfortable. With our ship visible on the horizon and the clouds creating the perfect overcast comfort, I put on my headphones and enjoyed my latest novel. I couldn't help but smile at the way we looked - an American girl reading in her own little world, and a big hairy Argentinian laying with his arm tucked under the neck of a sweet little Romanian girl. What a trio we made. They went for a walk and I began to people watch. There was a sweet French family next to me with thier toddler little boy. I laughed when I realized he and I probably speak French along the same proficiency. He was cute, throwing sand and testing his parents by pushing the boundaries of his play space. As they got up to leave, the mom approached me and, in French, asked if I would watch their things while she went to wash her feet at the shower. I agreed and felt so good about myself having just completely understood her! When Catalina and Julien returned Julien left us girls to have some bonding time walking along the streets of Cannes. We gawked at all the shops and dreamed of the day we'd be rich enough to dress so chic. We found a little sidewalk cafe and I had another opportunity to feel completely accomplished. I ordered Catalina and myself two galsses of wine in perfect French. It's the little things, really. Great conversation while sipping wine at a sidewalk cafe in the south of France... as Papa C would say, "I just have to shake my head."
That feels like a proper place to stop. :)
So Paris was almost two full weeks ago! Two weeks on a ship can feel like a year. I suppose I should pick up where I left off.
After boat drill the next day I rushed to throw on a swimsuit and meet up with Val and Anna. We were in La Coruna, Spain and I heard there was a beach. Being a beach girl born and raised I'm instantly drawn to the waves and the sand. The minute I got off the ship in Spain I felt like I was at home. The palm trees and Spanish architecture reminded me so much of Florida. So much of the area looks like St. Augustine. We took photos in front of a fountain and the memorial statue of John Lennon and went to the beach. The beach was small and the snad was rough, but the sun was perfect. It wasn't as strong as it is in Florida. God it was great. Then when I got back onboard I got to do something I've missed more than I ever realized. The after-beach-nap is like no other nap. It sounds horrible, but I love crawling into bed in my swimsuit still smelling of sunscreen and passing out. The after-beach-nap is ridiculously amazing.
My next port was Lisbon, Portugal. Valerie and I spent the day touring with our DJ, Jeremy, and our violinist, Nicole. It was nice - we were sterotypically American and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a beautiful little city full of churches and castles. The whole area reminds me of St. Augustine.
Cadiz, Spain proved to be too cloudly to allow me to properly enjoy the beach. I simply walked along it, having some much needed "me" time. The pigeon prints in the sand made me laugh. Oh Europe.
The next day was Gibraltar. I was on a tour for work, so the video camera accompanied me everywhere. Sometimes the camera is a blessing, and sometimes I want to chuck it overboard. Gibraltar gave me a slight Key West feeling. It is in no way a party city, but it's a small city centered on the water. Where Key West has cats, Gibraltar has monkeys. I have to admit, the monkeys are way cooler. They were cute. My amazing tour guide, a sweet old Scottish man named Ian, got a few of the to come to the window of the van. It was fun.
Palma de Mallorca looked beautiful ffrom the ship. Unfortunately I could only walk around for an hour since I had safety training in the middle of the day. It was really nice to just walk along the harbor. The plus side is our new safety officer is actually a decent guy. I'm no longer afraid of safety training.
That night was Valerie's last night before going home so a group of us girls had dinner at the specialty restaurant onboard - the Murano. I am such a small town girl at heart. I felt slightly out of place in a restaurant where the waiter places the napkin on your lap. I was a little like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman." The food was absolutely amazing. We started with delicious lemon pepper bread and then feta cheese on bruschetta. It was intended to cleanse our pallettes. I was excited for the rest of the meal. I ordered the wild mushroom cappucino soup. It came out in a saucer with cappucino foam on top, and underneath was the thickest, best mushroom soup of my life. I've never tasted anything like it. Next was a small goat cheese souffle trapped under a breadstick cage. It was essentially a mound of parmesan cheese sitting in tomoato sauce. It, too, was amazing. Then they brought out the main course. Val and I ordered the filet mignon which they flambe with cognac right next to the table. The whole meal was a performance. Oh, this filet mignon was delectable. I never really knew what they meant by it melts in your mouth - until now! It was complimented by perfectly flavored mashed potatoes, mushrooms and the most crisp sticks of asparagus. It couldn't possible get any better, right? Right... until they brought out the dark chocolate souffle for dessert. It was a little treat and I was a little put off when I saw the waiter come along to puncture the perfectly risen souffle. I forgave him when I saw what was coming next. A delicious mocha, vanilla sauce was drizzled all over my dessert. I didn't eat again until lunch the next day. It was wonderful.
Catalina, Val and I finished her bottle of pinot grigio and went out to the staff bar to celebrate Val's last night onboard. It was so fun. I had a rough time saying bye to my friend. I'll admit, things are different here without her. I now have Catalina, but I miss Val. We did everything together. I have plenty of other friends, but no one quite like Val. Everyone keeps making jokes like, "What are you going to do now?" and "Did they have to surgically remove you two?" Ha. Ha.
The next day was our embarkation day in Barcelona. I really could fall for Spain. I got up at the butt crack of dawn to go with Anna and Katie to Gaudi Park. I'm glad I did. It was a beautiful park full of palm trees and mosaic style benches. I'd never seen anything like it. The clear sky made for a perfect day to tour. I stumbled upon a harpists in one of the little caves of the park. Harps always make my day.
Oh and if I thought there was no way to fall anymore in love with France, I was wrong. Cannes is the most beautiful beach city in the south of the country. Catalina, Julien and I found a beach and made ourselves very comfortable. With our ship visible on the horizon and the clouds creating the perfect overcast comfort, I put on my headphones and enjoyed my latest novel. I couldn't help but smile at the way we looked - an American girl reading in her own little world, and a big hairy Argentinian laying with his arm tucked under the neck of a sweet little Romanian girl. What a trio we made. They went for a walk and I began to people watch. There was a sweet French family next to me with thier toddler little boy. I laughed when I realized he and I probably speak French along the same proficiency. He was cute, throwing sand and testing his parents by pushing the boundaries of his play space. As they got up to leave, the mom approached me and, in French, asked if I would watch their things while she went to wash her feet at the shower. I agreed and felt so good about myself having just completely understood her! When Catalina and Julien returned Julien left us girls to have some bonding time walking along the streets of Cannes. We gawked at all the shops and dreamed of the day we'd be rich enough to dress so chic. We found a little sidewalk cafe and I had another opportunity to feel completely accomplished. I ordered Catalina and myself two galsses of wine in perfect French. It's the little things, really. Great conversation while sipping wine at a sidewalk cafe in the south of France... as Papa C would say, "I just have to shake my head."
That feels like a proper place to stop. :)
Friday, September 11, 2009
If the blog is French, is it a bloguette?
London Wednesday. Paris Thursday? Oh yea, that’s my life. Our ship docked in Le Havre, France and I was lucky enough to be an escort on “A Taste of Paris.” There was a crew tour going into town, but why spend $40 when I knew I could probably go in for free with a bunch of guests? I saw the crew going to their bus, it was filled with my friends, but also some people I’d rather not spend 2.5 hours on a bus with. I was glad I went alone. That would be the theme for the day.
My tour gave us about an hour drive around the major sights of the city – L’Arc de Triomphe, Le Champs-Elysees, Le Notre Dame Cathedral, L’Opera, Le Louvre, Les Hotels des Invalides, etc. – and dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower for four hours of free time. I saw John and Jamie taking photos and rushed to meet up with them and my other friends they were with. I tried to convince Jamie to go shopping with me while she tried to convince me to go sightseeing with them. I did the sightseeing thing last year and the moment I found out about this tour I told myself I was going to stroll the Champs-Elysees and have lunch at a sidewalk café like I’d always dreamed of as a girl. When Jamie and my friends asked me to go I was tempted. It was nice to have company, but I remembered I had a few hours and I’d regret not doing what I went there for. So I said bye and went off on my own. Did I get lost? Nope! I walked on that beautiful French day with the sun shining along the Avenue d’Iene down to the Arc de Triomphe and began my relaxing stroll along the Champs-Elysees. I browsed the shops, drooled at the diamonds in the Cariter window and watched the fabulous people eating their 22 Euro ham sandwiches knowing someday I’ll come back for my own overpriced lunch.
I found a small sandwich shop where I got exactly what I wanted – a jambon blanch baguette (baguette with ham and butter) and a coke – and sat at the table on the sidewalk. I finally did it. I couldn’t help but smile at my progression. A year and a half ago I was eating plain baguettes and bottles of water on park benches, this time it was a jambon blanc baguette and a coke, next time a salad, croissant and glass of wine, perhaps? Before you know it I’ll be staying at the Ritz and buying my own Cartier necklaces!
After a long stroll I still had an hour and a half before my bus came. Rather than rush through the city trying to see something else, I went back to the Eiffel Tower and nestled into a nice soft spot of grass. I laid in the sun closing my eyes just so I could open them again on the Tower. What a thrill to open your eyes to such a sight. I had some brief visitors, Kyle and Natalie from the ship, Sarah and Christina from the ship, and of course John, Jamie, Matt and Marc stopped and sat with me until their bus came. In my last half hour alone I laid in the sun listening to the French around me and watching the Tower.
If love is what I feel for London, then there are absolutely no words to describe what I have for Paris. I’m hopelessly, undoubtedly, entirely, devotedly captured by Paris. I swear that city never disappoints – well, me anyway, sorry Tiff and Kate. : )
My tour gave us about an hour drive around the major sights of the city – L’Arc de Triomphe, Le Champs-Elysees, Le Notre Dame Cathedral, L’Opera, Le Louvre, Les Hotels des Invalides, etc. – and dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower for four hours of free time. I saw John and Jamie taking photos and rushed to meet up with them and my other friends they were with. I tried to convince Jamie to go shopping with me while she tried to convince me to go sightseeing with them. I did the sightseeing thing last year and the moment I found out about this tour I told myself I was going to stroll the Champs-Elysees and have lunch at a sidewalk café like I’d always dreamed of as a girl. When Jamie and my friends asked me to go I was tempted. It was nice to have company, but I remembered I had a few hours and I’d regret not doing what I went there for. So I said bye and went off on my own. Did I get lost? Nope! I walked on that beautiful French day with the sun shining along the Avenue d’Iene down to the Arc de Triomphe and began my relaxing stroll along the Champs-Elysees. I browsed the shops, drooled at the diamonds in the Cariter window and watched the fabulous people eating their 22 Euro ham sandwiches knowing someday I’ll come back for my own overpriced lunch.
I found a small sandwich shop where I got exactly what I wanted – a jambon blanch baguette (baguette with ham and butter) and a coke – and sat at the table on the sidewalk. I finally did it. I couldn’t help but smile at my progression. A year and a half ago I was eating plain baguettes and bottles of water on park benches, this time it was a jambon blanc baguette and a coke, next time a salad, croissant and glass of wine, perhaps? Before you know it I’ll be staying at the Ritz and buying my own Cartier necklaces!
After a long stroll I still had an hour and a half before my bus came. Rather than rush through the city trying to see something else, I went back to the Eiffel Tower and nestled into a nice soft spot of grass. I laid in the sun closing my eyes just so I could open them again on the Tower. What a thrill to open your eyes to such a sight. I had some brief visitors, Kyle and Natalie from the ship, Sarah and Christina from the ship, and of course John, Jamie, Matt and Marc stopped and sat with me until their bus came. In my last half hour alone I laid in the sun listening to the French around me and watching the Tower.
If love is what I feel for London, then there are absolutely no words to describe what I have for Paris. I’m hopelessly, undoubtedly, entirely, devotedly captured by Paris. I swear that city never disappoints – well, me anyway, sorry Tiff and Kate. : )
One Mother of a Blog
Oh how I love technology. My laptop charger sparked up at an internet café in Estonia. I’ve ordered a new one, but now that I think of it in my mad rush to order something before my laptop battery died for good, I may have ordered the wrong part. This means much less internet time and no uploading pictures until I return to the States - unless I can find a working charger for a 7 year old Dell.
This, plus a snafoo with crew passes (such a long story) I haven’t had proper internet access for about two weeks now, and there’s no end in sight.
I realize it has only been about 10 days, but you have no idea how much can happen in 10 days on a ship. In 10 days onboard an isolated ship you can live out an entire semester’s worth of dramas, emotions, and days. I lose track of days out here. I take long naps and wake up thinking things I shot in the morning was actually the day before. It doesn’t help that we refer to everything around here as “Russia Day,” “Copenhagen Day,” “Sea Day,” etc. Even in our memos and e-mails. It makes it feel like Russia was forever ago, when it’s really only been 10 days.
Speaking of Russia! That’s where I left off. I was on a magnificent tour of Peterhoef – the Versailles of St. Petersburg. It was the first day of September and the first day of school for the little Russians. There were adorable girls in their uniforms donning bows as large as their heads in their hair running round the parks. It reminded me of those God-awful bows I used to beg my mom to put on my ponytail on the tippy-top of my head. It also reminded me that for the first time in my memorable life I was not going to have a first day of school. It was an odd thought, since it still doesn’t feel like that. I simply feel like I’m on a study abroad internship.
The gardens of Peterhoef rushed my mind back to France. At one point as I walked down a path lined with square-cut trees if I hadn’t known better I would have sworn I was in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris. We saw the most adorable red squirrels climbing trees and I wanted one. No offense to Elon’s little guys, but these were the most awesome squirrels ever.
I still believe the Baltic States were doing all they could to leave this crew wanting to come back. I had a fantastic day out in Copenhagen with my friend Christina. I have dubbed her “Nina” and I always smile when she calls me “Macka.” When we got back to the Century she had to rush to work and I still had more time. Let’s see, Mackenzie alone in Copenhagen, where would she go? The little mermaid, of course! I walked under the grey sky with the wind wrapping in a tight hug the whole way. I found her perched on her rock, so I set myself on my own rock and popped on my headphones. The sounds of Adelle and John Mayer had me completely relaxed as I watched my mermaid and the water behind her. I sat there for 20 minutes letting my mind wander to various things, but mostly home. I looked at my clock and grinned as I thought all those I love are fast asleep as I make a connection with a statue.
Then the night we’d all been waiting for. We finally got our overnight in Amsterdam! Val and I left almost as soon as I was done with work around 11:45 p.m. In typical ship life fashion, we end up finding the biggest group of crew at the tiniest pub in Holland. The bartender at De Ooievaar gave us drinks and ample entertainment letting Eef jump on his back and taking our photos. It was a great time, and once Julien started doing his special impressions, there was no stopping our loud and obnoxious laughter. I must admit, there’s nothing like walking into a bar and having a large table of people yell out, “Mackenzie!” Our next stop was a stroll along the Red Light District. Wow. I’ll just say, there’s certainly something for everyone there.
Val and I eventually split from the group in search of another bar. Where we ended up was a sports pub with another friendly bartender. He tells us the guys next to us were working on our ship that day, so the two come to talk to us as the bartender gives them a wink. My jaw nearly dropped when one of them turned and was wearing a “Greensboro Grasshoppers” shirt. What a small, small world. I told him I knew of the Grasshoppers and that I had gone to Elon. They told me they were just at Elon two days before! We talked about local stuff and Val was a little scared at how quickly my southern accent came back. It was funny to be in the middle of Amsterdam with two Carolina boys.
After another stroll along the Red Light District, Val and I headed back to the ship pleased with the overnight we’d waited so long for.
The next day was Antwerp, Belgium. Valerie had to work at 2 so she had me get up at the crack of dawn to look around this city. I’m glad we did. It was really peaceful with only a few tourists around. We saw all the big stuff, walked over every inch of the town and had Belgian waffles. We ordered waffles with whipped cream and chocolate. Now I didn’t really think these were going to taste any different from any other ordinary waffle. Oh I was wrong. They were just the right crunchy versus soft ratio. Crispy edges with soft centers, topped with powdered sugar. The whipped cream sat off to the side to be used at our discretion, which was perfect s it didn’t get the waffle all soggy as I devoured it. The best part? The saucer of melted chocolate we drizzled over top of it. Oh these Belgians know their waffles. We did a bit of shopping for chocolate to take home in Grote Park and took photos of the Hand Fountain in the City hall Square. There was one said part to being in Belgium, though. Eef signed off and went home in Belgium. I’m glad she’s decided to go back to school, but I have missed her so much since she left. It was always one of my favorite parts of the day, shooting the International Daily with her. Well, there’s always Facebook.
The NEXT day (yes, there’s another day) was Dover, England. Valerie begged me to go to London with her. Twist my arm, I thought, I’ll spend an afternoon in London. Val had never been, so her face when I first pointed out Big Ben was worth the 2 hour train ride. I knew we weren’t going to fit everything in, but we sure tried. We had the most beautiful walk to Buckingham Palace. The leaves were falling, painting the sidewalk the best browns and yellows as John and Mischa kept Val and I laughing with there obsession with finding a KFC. There was no changing of the guard, but we were entertained by some tourist fishing his sunglasses out of the fountain. While we sat there I took out my “Sense and Sensibility” to read. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw myself sitting at Buckingham Palace with my little novel in hand. I really felt like me, and I loved it. I was doing something I’d dreamed of as a girl. I just felt accomplished even if only for a few moments before John called me an anti-social, nerd. Oh, Johnny.
We found Trafalgar Square and my friends climbed the lions. I took the photos and recalled climbing the same lions just one year ago. I thought of Bernadette, Claire, Chelsey and Katie and how much fun we had struggling for that perfect picture. As we walked down to the Thames to get a better view of Big Ben, I felt the energy of London. There’s absolutely nothing like the rush you get from walking the sidewalks of a big city. It wakes me up and makes me feel alive. We had a pretty great, albeit not typical British, lunch and I got to meet up with Tristan from Elon. It was nice to see a face from home.
The day in London made me so reminiscent of when I studied abroad that Valerie probably never wants to hear the word “Ireland” ever again. I couldn’t help it. Between the candies and cider I hadn’t tasted in a year, the sites I’d photographed with my Elon friends and just being in Europe, who couldn’t help but be a little nostalgic. Especially me – the Queen of Nostalgia.
This, plus a snafoo with crew passes (such a long story) I haven’t had proper internet access for about two weeks now, and there’s no end in sight.
I realize it has only been about 10 days, but you have no idea how much can happen in 10 days on a ship. In 10 days onboard an isolated ship you can live out an entire semester’s worth of dramas, emotions, and days. I lose track of days out here. I take long naps and wake up thinking things I shot in the morning was actually the day before. It doesn’t help that we refer to everything around here as “Russia Day,” “Copenhagen Day,” “Sea Day,” etc. Even in our memos and e-mails. It makes it feel like Russia was forever ago, when it’s really only been 10 days.
Speaking of Russia! That’s where I left off. I was on a magnificent tour of Peterhoef – the Versailles of St. Petersburg. It was the first day of September and the first day of school for the little Russians. There were adorable girls in their uniforms donning bows as large as their heads in their hair running round the parks. It reminded me of those God-awful bows I used to beg my mom to put on my ponytail on the tippy-top of my head. It also reminded me that for the first time in my memorable life I was not going to have a first day of school. It was an odd thought, since it still doesn’t feel like that. I simply feel like I’m on a study abroad internship.
The gardens of Peterhoef rushed my mind back to France. At one point as I walked down a path lined with square-cut trees if I hadn’t known better I would have sworn I was in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris. We saw the most adorable red squirrels climbing trees and I wanted one. No offense to Elon’s little guys, but these were the most awesome squirrels ever.
I still believe the Baltic States were doing all they could to leave this crew wanting to come back. I had a fantastic day out in Copenhagen with my friend Christina. I have dubbed her “Nina” and I always smile when she calls me “Macka.” When we got back to the Century she had to rush to work and I still had more time. Let’s see, Mackenzie alone in Copenhagen, where would she go? The little mermaid, of course! I walked under the grey sky with the wind wrapping in a tight hug the whole way. I found her perched on her rock, so I set myself on my own rock and popped on my headphones. The sounds of Adelle and John Mayer had me completely relaxed as I watched my mermaid and the water behind her. I sat there for 20 minutes letting my mind wander to various things, but mostly home. I looked at my clock and grinned as I thought all those I love are fast asleep as I make a connection with a statue.
Then the night we’d all been waiting for. We finally got our overnight in Amsterdam! Val and I left almost as soon as I was done with work around 11:45 p.m. In typical ship life fashion, we end up finding the biggest group of crew at the tiniest pub in Holland. The bartender at De Ooievaar gave us drinks and ample entertainment letting Eef jump on his back and taking our photos. It was a great time, and once Julien started doing his special impressions, there was no stopping our loud and obnoxious laughter. I must admit, there’s nothing like walking into a bar and having a large table of people yell out, “Mackenzie!” Our next stop was a stroll along the Red Light District. Wow. I’ll just say, there’s certainly something for everyone there.
Val and I eventually split from the group in search of another bar. Where we ended up was a sports pub with another friendly bartender. He tells us the guys next to us were working on our ship that day, so the two come to talk to us as the bartender gives them a wink. My jaw nearly dropped when one of them turned and was wearing a “Greensboro Grasshoppers” shirt. What a small, small world. I told him I knew of the Grasshoppers and that I had gone to Elon. They told me they were just at Elon two days before! We talked about local stuff and Val was a little scared at how quickly my southern accent came back. It was funny to be in the middle of Amsterdam with two Carolina boys.
After another stroll along the Red Light District, Val and I headed back to the ship pleased with the overnight we’d waited so long for.
The next day was Antwerp, Belgium. Valerie had to work at 2 so she had me get up at the crack of dawn to look around this city. I’m glad we did. It was really peaceful with only a few tourists around. We saw all the big stuff, walked over every inch of the town and had Belgian waffles. We ordered waffles with whipped cream and chocolate. Now I didn’t really think these were going to taste any different from any other ordinary waffle. Oh I was wrong. They were just the right crunchy versus soft ratio. Crispy edges with soft centers, topped with powdered sugar. The whipped cream sat off to the side to be used at our discretion, which was perfect s it didn’t get the waffle all soggy as I devoured it. The best part? The saucer of melted chocolate we drizzled over top of it. Oh these Belgians know their waffles. We did a bit of shopping for chocolate to take home in Grote Park and took photos of the Hand Fountain in the City hall Square. There was one said part to being in Belgium, though. Eef signed off and went home in Belgium. I’m glad she’s decided to go back to school, but I have missed her so much since she left. It was always one of my favorite parts of the day, shooting the International Daily with her. Well, there’s always Facebook.
The NEXT day (yes, there’s another day) was Dover, England. Valerie begged me to go to London with her. Twist my arm, I thought, I’ll spend an afternoon in London. Val had never been, so her face when I first pointed out Big Ben was worth the 2 hour train ride. I knew we weren’t going to fit everything in, but we sure tried. We had the most beautiful walk to Buckingham Palace. The leaves were falling, painting the sidewalk the best browns and yellows as John and Mischa kept Val and I laughing with there obsession with finding a KFC. There was no changing of the guard, but we were entertained by some tourist fishing his sunglasses out of the fountain. While we sat there I took out my “Sense and Sensibility” to read. I couldn’t help but smile as I saw myself sitting at Buckingham Palace with my little novel in hand. I really felt like me, and I loved it. I was doing something I’d dreamed of as a girl. I just felt accomplished even if only for a few moments before John called me an anti-social, nerd. Oh, Johnny.
We found Trafalgar Square and my friends climbed the lions. I took the photos and recalled climbing the same lions just one year ago. I thought of Bernadette, Claire, Chelsey and Katie and how much fun we had struggling for that perfect picture. As we walked down to the Thames to get a better view of Big Ben, I felt the energy of London. There’s absolutely nothing like the rush you get from walking the sidewalks of a big city. It wakes me up and makes me feel alive. We had a pretty great, albeit not typical British, lunch and I got to meet up with Tristan from Elon. It was nice to see a face from home.
The day in London made me so reminiscent of when I studied abroad that Valerie probably never wants to hear the word “Ireland” ever again. I couldn’t help it. Between the candies and cider I hadn’t tasted in a year, the sites I’d photographed with my Elon friends and just being in Europe, who couldn’t help but be a little nostalgic. Especially me – the Queen of Nostalgia.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)