Ask the Oracle

20 February 2008
Yesterday, we explored the ruins of Delphi as well as the museum. Delphi was where the ancient Greeks went to get advice from the Oracles, who channeled the gods and stuff. I found it really amusing that in reality, the Oracles were really inhaling Methane Gases and giving advice and predictions that were vague as horoscopes and the people were really serious about it. We arrived in Athens late last night and did a little exploring, but we had a guided tour of the acropolis planned for the day. Today was sunny, warm, eventful and exhausting. We were followed by a couple of stray dogs as the guide led us up the hill. The walk was beautiful and the view from the top, even more so.
What can I saw about the acropolis? I was just so excited to by outside in the sun, but the fact that I was exploring a famous landmark and historical site made it even cooler. After exploring the acropolis for a while, we caught to metro to the National Archaeological Museum where we saw sculptures, from the Mycenaean to the Greek Hellenistic eras. It is pretty amazing what humans are capable of—even that long ago.
The guide left us and I grabbed some lunch with Allison, Catelyn, Milan, Linda, Sarah C., and Clint. They all had gyros, but I only had cheese fries and the food I’d stolen from breakfast. We each had shopping goals and wandered around the modern day agora until the stores began to close. We went back to the hotel, exhausted. I snoozed for an hour or two before dinner, which was an entertaining meal because we discussed movies, Disney movies, and politics. Now, I am going to sleep, excited about tomorrow. I am going to Aegina, a nearby Greek island, renting a moped, and being reckless!!!

Animal House

18 February 2008
Yesterday, we were in Meteora, visiting some Greek Orthodox monasteries. They were on top of these tall, narrow buttes and looked like a Dr. Seuss book, come to life. We visited three monasteries and admired the icons as Anna explained them and told us a bit about the Greek Orthodox denomination. We also played with the many cats that were wandering the monasteries.
For lunch, I ate a huge pile of cabbage and drank some wine. Then, I looked around the city of Kalambaka with Allison, Denise, Milan, Catelyn and Sarah B. It was very cold and we were all wearing skirts (a requirement). We eventually decided to get a coffee at a little café and wait for the bus.
After dinner at the hotel, us crazy UP kids had a toga party. Getting ready was more fun than the actual event, but that was OK. We did our very best to imitate Greek statues and had numerous photo shoots in our togas. We are such nerds.

Another Lonely Night in Amsterdam

16 February 2008
I have been awful about keeping my blog updated. As I write, I am in a hotel in Rome, Italy. Three weeks ago, I was in Amsterdam. I had flown up on Friday morning, then checked into the hostel and walked toward the van Gogh museum. Unfortunately, we are mere mortals and hadn’t eaten all day, so we stopped in a little pancake house. I enjoyed a small plate of pancakes, coated in powdered sugar and butter. They were delightful.
The van Gogh museum was amazing—just as I had expected. I spent a few hours on my own, taking in as much as I could. Maybe it is just “trendy” to like van Gogh, but I do because his style, though not realist, is unique and intriguing. There is also a little to be said for his tragic life.
On the tram up to the Plein, I listened in on a Dutch conversation. I am not a fan of Dutch for two primary reasons. Firstly, after studying German, there are moments when I think I can understand them, only to be mildly frustrated that it’s not German and I can’t understand them at all. Secondly, it is one of those really throaty language, even more than German (or at least Austrian German).
True to form, we ended up wandering quite a bit. I bought some Ben and Jerry’s chocolate chip ice cream (yummmm) and saw the “coffee houses” and souvenir stands before taking our time when walking back to the hostel. We went to bed really early because it had been such a long, exhausting day.
The next day, I insisted on renting a bike and looking around a bit on my own. Having a bike was the best idea of the trip because I could get pretty much anywhere quickly and with ease (though the traffic was a little intense at times). I rode up to Anne Frank’s house and took the tour. As I went through, I constantly thought of Natalie. She would have loved the place, I thought. At the end of the museum, there was a little place where you could learn about new civil rights issues around the world and vote on what you think should be done about them. I was there for about an hour!
I spent the majority of the afternoon cruising on my bike and exploring the city. Around 4, I decided to check out the Bols Bartending Academy and Museum. It was my favorite part of the weekend. Basically, I could go through the museum and learn about all the different flavors of liquors and genevers that the Bols brand had to offer. Then, I answered a few questions and was recommended a Double Dutch Cosmopolitan. It was tasty, classy, and ice cold. The bar tender even informed me that it was a “very healthy cocktail” made with natural, organic cranberry juice. Well…what more can you ask for? After drinking my cocktail, I was allowed to sample as many flavors of genevers as I wanted. I tried a few and chatted with the (very cute) bartender for a while.
Then, I rode my bike back to the rental place (my time was almost up), and met up with Joe and Val. We agreed to get some dinner and head back to the hostel early because we had to be up by 4 am for the airplane. We arrived back in Salzburg happy, healthy and unscathed.
The next weekend, I went tobogganing in the Alps. It was amazing and very fun. Mid term week went by, fairly well. I feel that it all went on…
Then…SPRING BREAK BEGAN!

Herr Salzburg

SALZBURG, AT

Tension and excitement penetrated the air in the Frauhaus and Penthouse this last Thursday night as young women from all accross the United States gathered for the big event. VIP, Father Jim Connelly also put aside his important duties as director to see what the fuss was all about.

No. It wasn't the Vienna Opera Ball.

It was the Mister Salzburg Competition, 2008. The theme being "step yo' game up" and the fine young lads of Mannerstrasse certainly did that.

The mistress of ceremonies, Valerie Vernale, kept the crownd in suspense as the men prepared for the Evening Wear portion of the program. As the competetors were introduced, the crowd could hardly contain their excitment. They became even more undone with Isaac Otto's shirt buttons. Joe Hanson-Hirt owned this segment of the competition, sporting a vinyl overcoat and looking suave as could be.

Vernale conducted the interviews, covering many importatnt topics: philosophy, world policy, interpersonal relations, and UFOs. The audience was thrilled to see the deeper, more sensitive side of the competitors. Smooth operator, Clint Niehus impressed the judges the most with his interview skills.

As is to be expected, the talent segment of the competition was the most exhilarating and eventful. Otto shared a beautiful and graceful ballet to Swan Lake with the lovely and talented Seonaid Squires. Niehus came forth with a rap full of angst and brutal honesty. Aaron Ragsdale melted the hearts of the audience with his original song, "Does She Know?" It is certain that every single girl in the crowd secretly wished he was singing to her. The audience was soon dazzled by Hansen-Hirt's well-executed ribbon dance. Finally, Kevin Mowery exhibited runway technique that would put even Derek Zoolander to shame. Mowery took home the prize for most talented.

Vernale kept the crowd entertained as the men prepared themselves for the Beer Chug portion of the competition. Not only were they judged on their frat house skill but also their class. Otto came out on top in the beer chug, though Hansen-Hirt certainly brought the class.

As the judges tallied the points, I overheard Hansen-Hirt exclaim, "I told them to step their game up...and they actually did."Otto came out as runner up in the competition, but Ragsdale took home both the Mr. Congeniality and the Mr. Salzburg awards.The dining room was cleared out and the beer pitchers washed and the UP center threw an after party that would put Sean Combs to shame.*

*major exaggeration

Bohemian Rhapshody

It has been a while since my last entry. Since then, I went home for Christmas, which was wonderful and helped me sort out a few things. School began, full throttle. Classes are interesting, but also tough. I'm doing my best to stay on task.

Since school began, I have also had two amazing weekends. The first one was spent on a retreat with the group. It was nice to be away from the Center and learn a few things about myself and my colleagues that made me feel a little less alone. After the retreat, we returned to Salzburg and I went down to O'Malley's Pub with a group of Seahawks fans and watched Green Bay slaughter Seattle. It was a fun night.

This last weekend was spent in Prague. As soon as I lookoed out my train window and a small Czech town, I could see how different it is from Austria. It seemed more truely "old country" or something.

Allsion, Ashley, her cousing, Carly, Linda, and I got off the train, took 1000 Krowns from the ATM and found our hostel, where a cure Irishman worked. We put our stuff in the room and set out to explore the city. We wandered through the Jewish Quarter and peeked into the ancient cemetary. The buildings of Prague are unique and colorful. It was really neat. We also chilled with the Franz Kafka statue for a bit.

At twilight, we crossed St. Charles Bridge. The view is beautiful from the bridge. I could see the massive St. Vitus Cathedral, towering over the city. We then grabbed some dinner at a small cafe. Eager to try some genuine Czech beer, we ordered 4 Budvars. Well--Budvar is kind of available in America, too--under the name Budweiser. We were a little depressedappointed (Allison's new word).

After supper, we began walking back to the hostel, when I saw a sign for a Salvador Dali exhibit. We went in to check it out. The art was definitely weird--some even a little disturbing--but there were several different styles exhibited and it was really quite cool.

We went to bed a little early, since we were all exhausted. We vistited the palace the next morning. THe portrait gallery was a bit mundane until Allison, Ashley, and I began noticing small hillarities in the backgrounds of some paintings--like dogs pooping and humping off to the side. Call us immature, but it was pretty funny.

Things are fairly inexpensive in Prague, so we did a little shopping. I bought a stein--oh heck yes! We then saw a guy go a runnin' because he had robbed someone. Allison and Linda made up a very amusing little anecdote, involving a bayonett and a purse. Then we found the John Lennon wall, which is basically a memorial to him that is now covered with graffiti. We only had a ballpoint pen, but I decided to write, "As soon as you're born, they make you feel small" on the wall. I know--not the most original thing I could have done, but I felt a bit like I was immortalizing my trip. We watched the extra special Atomic Clock in the City Center chime. As the clock chimes, each apostale comes to the window of the church--like a giant coo coo clock. I also ate an amazing Hummus Platter at Bohemian Bagel before we caught the train home. The excitement never stops--they stopped our train to arrest someone and we saw it all from our window. It was a pretty successful trip.

Dark Christmas

Salzburg is in a festive glow and the Christkindlmarkts are busy with shoppers, buying toys, ornaments, Gluhwine, and sweetend nuts. I have been taking peaceful stolls along the river by myself after dinner, but that may have to stop, now.

There's this tradition in Austria called the Krampuslauf, traditionally taking place on December 5, the night before St. Nicholas Day. Apparently it came from some old pagan tradtions of the area, before it was Christianized...and it's still around. The Krampus arrive with St. Nicholas and hit or kidnap pretty girls and terrorize the people.

I joined some friends at Hellbrunn for a traditional Krampuslauf last night. Before the Krampus showed up, I had the pre-rollercoaster jitters, but I did not expect it to be bad. Plus, we were told that it was "family friendly" which led me to believe that there would be no beatings or kidnappings. Well--I was wrong. The Krampus paraded in with torches and sparklers, wearing huge scary masks and growling. At first, they seemed nice--like they were just going to parade on by--but then, they began to attack. The area around me cleared out and everyone ran away. I closed my eyes out of fear, and opened them and there was a huge, gruesome white face, inches from mine. Before I was fully aware of what was going on, I screamed, "no!" pushed him away and ran. Then, a candle burning nearby was knocked over, and the red-masked Krampus had grabbed Jenni.

I was so scared. I knew that they were just guys in costume, but the fire and the masks and the whips...I just couldn't really take it...so I left the center, and hid in the petting zoo. Now that I'm writing this, I know how incredibly pathic I was. The others managed to suck it up. They took some tackles and beatings, but I was chillin' with the goats. Well--don't call me a chicken, just yet. I present to you some amazing photos of the Krampus, and maybe you'll understand.

Sipping Tea with the taste of the Thames.

A weekend in London is only enough to graze the tip of what that city has to offer. It was actually strange to be in an English-speaking nation, though. I was actually shy to speak with people because I'm so used to having difficulty with communication. Oh geez.

20 of us boarded the same flight to London and some even continued on the same bus. Linda, Clint and I were the only ones in our hostel, so we boarded the underground at Baker Street (elementary, my dear Watson) and soon arrived at our hostel. Let me tell you--this place was the epitome of places where a poor college student would stay. It was loud and gross and the shower was placed awkwardly in the same room as the beds. I thought it was pretty funny, personally. Linda had a sleep sheet and Clint slept in like 5 layers of clothing, including his hoodie. I just had my PJs and I was pretty content. We didn't have any roommates the first night, but I still only got 2 hours of sleep. We had a share session, (hey...let's abuse eachother and then tell each other why we are friends). I learned that I should go back to my natural hair color, I listen to angry music too loudly in my headphones, and I need to be more confindant because I'm a cool person. Yay, world.

Linda and I were on our own for the entire weekend. I don't want to be mean or negative, but she and I are not very compatable travel buddies. I wanted to see and do everything I could...and not shop, and she wanted to shop and she hates museums and gets tired easily. But I don't want to dwell on that, and I don't want to think about regrets. We saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Linda did the majority of her Christmas shopping in a little shop nearby before the guards changed. After that, we went on the Westminster Walk, starting at Big Ben and Westminster Abby and heading toward the National Gallery. It was a nice walk, in my opinion. As we coninued, I realized that we were really close to Leicester Square and Covent Garden and the the Noel Coward Theater, where Avenue Q would be playing later that night. We just kept walking, although we did stop for lunch at a Subway sometime in there...haha.

It is difficult to name and comment on everything we saw that day. I felt as though I was being pushy and we were both really tired, so we strolled around the theater and looked at all these odd little shops where they sell everything from foreign currency and stamps to old, out of print novels. We visited a nice market in Covent Garden and browsed an honest to god tea store. I really enjoyed the low stress and chillness about it, but I could not wait until 5:30, when Avenue Q would finally begin!!!

Avenue Q is a theater experience unlike any other. Puppets portray all the trials and tribulations of real life. I knew the music, but not the story. It's about a recent college grad (with a BA in English) who is looking for his purpose. The backup characters are also going through personal struggles of their own. It was presented really well and I couldn't stop laughing...and I could relate with so much throughout the production! As a plus, the actor who played/operated Nicky/Trekkie Monster/Blue Bad Idea Bear was absolutely gorgeous! Ha.

We ate dinner at Pizza Hut (just taking full advantage of the Americanness...ugh) and headed back to the hostel.

The next day, we got a late start and ended up at Tower Hill, near the London Tower and Tower Bridge. Been there, done that...but I was looking forward to a nice walk along the Thames. We did walk along the Thames and it was very nice, though windy. We visited the Clink Museum on our way to St. Paul's and the Tate Modern Museum (I was totally dictating this whole ordeal). I had wanted to attend Evensong at St. Paul's but it did not appear to be free and there was a carnival all around, and I wanted to play with the games.

I was much more excited to visit the Tate Modern Art Museum, though! It was my first famous modern art experience, and it was astounding! I saw Jackson Pollock, Picasso and Monet (Mo' Money, Mo' Lillies) and I even spotted a Klimt piece from about a mile away (see what Austria's done to me???). There were also galleries dedicated to film and photography. Of course, there was a lot of abstract and surreal art. I could have stayed there for hours, but I could tell that Linda hated every minute of it (and she said so later...grrr).

The day had seemed disappointing and it ended so, as well. It's a long story, but in short, Linda's wallet was stolen. The moral of the story is that I need to return to London and go with a bigger group of people with more options and more in common with me.

I sound overly displeased, but I'm not. I am trying not to have any regrets...but the one I do have is not saying the second day--"Hey, Clint...could I join you guys today?"

Du hasst mich...

3 November 2007
The drive home was long and tedious. We had a few stops, including Rheims, France. I attended another French Catholic mass because the cathedral choir sang so beautifully. Then, I ate a Snickers Bar and the cheese and croissants that I’d stolen from the hotel. We went to the Champagne caves and I learned about the delicate process that every little bottle undergoes, and the expensiveness all made sense to me. We were each allowed a glass, and it was quite tastey!
There was a lot of driving through mountains and fields, but I slept a great deal.
Today, however, we visited Neuschwanstein Castle—and it did indeed look like something out of a fairytale. I hiked up the mountain beyond the castle and it was gorgeous! I decided that I will go hiking in these here Alps, sooner or later! It was my only experience of Germany, but it is funny to note that Rammstein was playing in the ibis, where I ate lunch. Now, I am safely and happily in Salzburg and it is my mom’s birthday. I will now call her before fixing myself some dinner!

I'll meet you at the Cemetary Gates

31 October 2007
Chartres is a charming little town near Paris with a world famous pilgrimage cathedral. There, we had a really interesting tour and informed lecture on reading stained glass windows. I was not there long, only long enough to get some lunch, and we returned to Paris for a free afternoon and evening.
I went to the Cimetiere du Père Lachaise. It seemed fitting on Halloween—but I really like cemeteries and there are famous people in this one! With a little help from Rick Steves, we saw the graves of Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Jim Morrison, Frédéric Chopin, Baron Haussmann, and Rossini. It was a perfect autumn day for a stroll through a very old cemetery. Wilde’s grave definitely had the most personality. The Egyptian symbol of homosexuality is proudly carved into the stone that emits a strong odor of lipstick. For clarification, I did not sniff the monument—you could just smell it! Many people have applied lipstick and kissed the monument over the years, despite a sign that says that it should not be defaced in any way…oh well!
We are but human, and we had to eat. We took the metro to the Student Quarter for some dinner and Crème Brule, in honor of my dad! After supper, we came across a huge concert near the Pantheon. A gospel choir caught our attention and we stayed for an hour, rocking out to P.U.S.H—a French Christian and. It was a lot of fun, even though we didn’t understand the language. We caught “Hosanna” and “Amen” and I vaguely understood a phrase here and there. Later, I wrote a little poem about the experience:

We stumbled on a celebration,
Versaille fresh in our minds.
A strange culture, new nation
But the music made it all fine.

Unsure, lonesome and a bit homesick
I walked toward the light
The dancing and loud music
The magic in the crowd that night.

Avec lui, pour lui.
Everyone knew. Everyone understood.
Avec lui, pour lui.
I didn’t understand.

Cares melt away,
Lifted by a feeling.
I’m carried to a new day,
A new life, a new me.

We decided to return to the Louvre and admire the glass pyramid at night. There, we were interviewed by some students who work for NBC World. Maybe we’ll be seeing that online—
“They aren’t representing. They aren’t even dressed up!”—Americans, Peter Pan and Elvis on the Paris Metro.

Just Like Marie Antoinette

30 October 2007
The Chateau de Versailles is a symbol of the extravagant lifestyles of the French monarchy, as their little people starved in the dirty streets of Paris.
But I digress. The history was interesting, the palace, beautiful. However, the gardens were what I had come for. The trees were dressed in autumn splendor and the canal waters were smooth and calm. I set off by myself—cheap therapy. I wandered toward Marie Antoinette’s little “peasant” estate. I met up with Mary, Maria, Clint, and Catie (fun to say). I felt a bit out of place, and didn’t want to deal with people, so I left them behind after exploring Marie Antoinette’s residence a bit.
When I wrote in my journal that night, I noted that I was homesick and had kind of been hurt. I suppose that my entry was a little negative, since the feelings I had been fighting began pouring forth into my travel journal. Oops. For the sake of honesty, I recorded a bit of that pessimistic attitude here…sorry.
Anyway—If I ever return to Versailles, I would paint a picture and ride a horse through the garden.
The Musée D’Orsay was fabulous! We toured with Dr. Loos and she explained Manet, Monet, Degas, and Renoir—among many others. It was crowded, but still an amazing experience. I stood in front of van Gogh’s self portrait and my heart skipped a beat as I looked into his eyes. That sounds so weird, now—but it was like being in the presence of greatness.
Another painting that completely grabbed my attention was by Eduard Detaille, called La Réve. It depicted a battlefield of slaughtered soldiers from several nations. However, you could see them in the distance, on a cloud, marching to heaven. It depicted the miseries of war, but also presented the hope of maintaining faith. I searched for a postcard of it, but couldn’t find one. I photographed it, the best I could.
The Opera, Tosca was cancelled because of a strike. No trip to Paris is complete without a strike of one type or another. I’m going to drink some wine with my gal pals! Tee hee.
“Um…I don’t know how to tell you this, but he’s not exactly a hunk.”—Emily.