London Part 1
After spending some time not knowing what the hell the French and Spanish were talking about, it was good to finally have an English speaking country on the horizon. I landed at Stansted Airport which is about an hour from the center of London. After paying way too much money for a shuttle into the city, I finally arrived outside the place I was staying. Located right near Regents Park, I was a tube ride away from anywhere in the city. After meeting up with a friend of a friend, we decided to have a typical English classic for dinner, Chipotle. All jokes aside, this burrito was better than many I have had in the states and even better than the one in France. Once we had stuffed our faces enough, it was time to explore the city. Eric (the guy I stayed with) went back to study and go to sleep. I on the other hand was ready to see this new city. I walked around Regent's Park for a while, taking pictures that came out looking like a horror movie scene. After darkness came, I hit the lit up streets alone and with lots to see. My first stop was Big Ben and the London Eye. I managed to figure out the tube AFTER my first ride which put me in a part of the city I did not want to be in. Finally figuring it out, I was where I wanted to be, standing in front of a massive clock on top of a bridge looking at a ferris wheel (seems strange huh). This was one of the most iconic places in the world and it was truly remarkable to experience this. Me being the dumb tourist that I am, I had no idea the Tower of London was around the corner so I went looking for that for a while. As I marched down the street with little to no knowledge of where I was, I ran into a familiar looking building. After about 30 seconds it finally hit me that I was standing at the gates of Buckingham Palace, the residency and principal workplace of the monarchy of the United Kingdom. It was strange to me that a place that was so famous just popped out of nowhere, but you get a lot of that in Europe. At this point is where I knew I was there, it started pouring rain on me in the middle of Buckingham Palace square. The rain, however, did not keep me down. I walked through the famous St. James Park just beside the palace and into Parliament square. Another famous place that I have marveled at before on television. After walking around a bit more, it was time for me to head home and get ready for some dinner. The place nearest to my room was called the Globe, so I walked in. I sat down to eat some ACTUAL classic English food. Fried shrimp, french fries, and mashed peas all smothered in ketchup, salt, and pepper and of course 4 or 5 very strong beers to wash it down. It was delicious. I had eaten, drank, walked, and now it was time to sleep. The next day was sure to be a busy one.
My second day in London was long and eventful. It started around 11 because I got a late start to the day (slept in). I took the tube all around the city because I wanted to see as much of London as I could. I walked in what I thought was "downtown London" looking for a restaurant recommended to me by my aunt. After finally finding it, turns out they were hosting a business event and were not serving breakfast. First mission now was to find breakfast, and I did with the recommendation of a bell hop outside a hotel. A small little restaurant tucked around a corner with no signs or anything provided me with a great breakfast to start the day. I indulged on two huge blueberry muffins, a bowl of oatmeal, fresh fruit, and a couple heaping glasses of OJ, the perfect start to any day. After finishing breakfast, it was time to hit the street again. I walked basically everywhere you could (without wanting to pass out). I walked all the way back to Buckingham Palace to get a good view of it in the day time. It was so cool to see the guards out front in full retard regalia. I watched them do their funny walk and keep a straight face until I couldn't keep one. After this, I walked into St. James Park for an ice cream at a little cart right by the entrance. A double scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough would be just fine for now. With ice cream dripping from my beard and chocolate chips stuck in my teeth, I made my way over to the nearest tube stop and jumped on. About 3 minutes later I was on the complete other side of the city and near one of the most famous parks in the world, Hyde Park. Outside the park was a mix of horse drawn carriages, locals getting in an afternoon workout, and street performers providing some mid-day entertainment for people walking by. I stopped to soak it all in but knew I was on a strict schedule if I was going to see everything, so I snapped a few pictures of the park and some squirrels running around and off I went. Next stop, Brick Lane. A famous street near the outskirts of the inner city, it truly was confusing. At first I almost left after passing about 40 Middle-Eastern restaurants until I hit the part I have been hearing about. In a blink of an eye it switch from Little Iraq to almost like Seattle (or what I would imagine Seattle to be like considering I have never been there). A G-Shock store, Nike store, vintage clothing stores, and best of all, little food carts with the most amazing food. Naturally I was hungry again, so I stopped to eat and look around. I waited in like for about an hour at a cart called "Home of the Meat Porn" and boy was it worth it. I got a pulled pork sandwich with pickeled red onions, homemade BBQ sauce, and a side of freshly made sweet potato fries. All cooked to perfection, it was the best way to watch the sun go down, with a messy face covered in BBQ sauce and salt from my plate. Once I had finished, it was time to find my way back (easier said than done). I jumped on the tube and it took me to a stop I had never been before, halfway between where I was staying and Big Ben. Another big square with another big building, but this time I had no idea what it was. I took about 100 pictures of the statues out front because they were the biggest statues of lions I had ever seen. 5 lions surrounded what looked like a giant pencil in the middle of this well lit square hosting probably another parliament building. I stopped to watch a street performer for a while and before I knew it, it was getting to be around dinner time. I headed back to my room to change and get a sweatshirt (because unlike SLO, other places around the world get cold). By this time, I was so tired I was up for anything close and good. Down the street was the Globe where I had eaten the night prior, so naturally I knew what I wanted and went there again. This time, I ordered the fish and chips along with mashed peas (which is now my new favorite way to eat peas) and another several rounds of beer (this number I'm not proud of). The waitress remembered me from the previous night, so most of the night was spent talking to her, drinking beer, and watching rugby. After finally mustering up the courage to walk home, I finally stumbled out of the bar and got on the elevator to go to sleep. I passed out in about 30 seconds. With about a day and a half left in London, I still had plenty to do.
More on that Monday with part 2 of my London excursion. Ciao for now.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
Barçelona
The flight from Paris to Barcelona was right around 2 hours. I was stuck in the back row in the farthest seat on the window getting dry humped by the couple next to me. After about 2 hours of hell with them, we finally landed at El Prat, one of the coolest airports I have seen. Located right on the water, it feels like you are about to land in the ocean then a quick left turn and you hit the runway. After fighting my way through the terminal, I exited the airport to find the bus I needed. My Spanish was a little rusty, but I was able to muster up enough to find the right one. The bus took me into the center of the city and after a short walk to the apartment I was staying at, I was finally settled in. Linking up with friends is an awesome way to save money and have a blast in a foreign city. The first day there was soon coming to a close but I had not had dinner yet. The girls took me to a local favorite, Bo De B. I had no idea what to order but they helped me out. A chicken plate was certainly a good choice. A healthy mix food compiled many different layers and flavors. The plate was full of freshly seared and seasoned chicken and a heaping pile of delicious rice. Surrounding this was a spread of lentils, cucumbers, lettuce, dressed tomatoes, avocado, and an array of sauces. So many simple yet delicious flavors combined into one amazing meal, served along side warm bread and a nice 2 euro glass of water (ya, its not free). After dinner, we came home to just watch tv and hangout. The next day was sure to be a good one.
We woke up around 10 o'clock and were all starving. The girls led us to a great breakfast place just a block from their apartment, Brunch and Cake. We only waited a few minutes and were seated in a small table in the corner next to the window. After ordering, our food came within a few minutes. I was presented with pancakes smothered in a fruit chutney and drizzled with maple syrup. Along side that, I got a bagel. Not your ordinary bagel though. Toasted to perfection and loaded with eggs, turkey, and feta guacamole, it was something to cherish. Not to mention, the bagel was bigger than my head. After breakfast, we headed back to the apartment to get ready for the day. Cori and I left the apartment ahead of everybody and walked around a bit. We walked down to the Port of Barcelona through the main street, La Rambla. Lined with soccer shops, restaurants, and street vendors, it was a daily party on the street. We walked through La Rambla on to the pier and across the water. Across the pier was a large mall filled with shops that you would see in America, G-Shock and Gucci for example. After we had enough at the mall, we walked back down La Rambla watching street performers and listening to the different sounds of people and street bands. We met up with the guys at an outside restaurant along the street. We stopped for large glasses of sangria, which is famous in Spain. After small appetizers and more sangria than I am willing to admit, we made our way into the casino next to us for dollar beers and a little degenerate gambling. We stayed in there for what seemed like an eternity, drinking and losing money on slot machines in Spanish. We had a lot planned for that night, so we were trying to get home and shower up. Cori and I ended up passing out in the apartment for the night. I woke up around 3 AM and was so confused as to what was going on, but we missed the whole night.
The next morning came quick and just like the previous, it started at Brunch and Cake, except today everyone was leaving. After breakfast we walked around for a bit. We headed over to the famous Sagrada Familia and boy was it big. Apparently its been under construction for over 100 years and they say it may be under construction for another 100. We didn't go inside because it was 15 Euros (that's a lot on a college budget to enter a building). After buying bottle openers and magnets, watching street performers, and marveling the amazing building, we walked across the street to the FC Barcelona soccer store. It was everything Barcelona and more. So much bright orange, purple, and blue, it looked like a SLO sunset sky. Obviously everything was overpriced because they know tourists will buy it. After we were done looking around, we caught a cab back to the area of La Rambla. The rest of the group had to leave and return to their respected countries, but I wasn't leaving until the next morning. The rest of the day, I walked around alone and saw some amazing places and ate some amazing food on the streets of Barcelona. Barcelona has great places to get friends and family gifts, especially on La Rambla.
With the night coming to a close, the girls wanted to take me out to a traditional Barcelona dinner, tapas. I thought tapas was a meal in itself but instead tapas are just small dishes. We ordered several things. Fries with a fried egg and smothered in hot sauce, braised short ribs on skewers, sauteed shrimp with garlic lime sauce, and some small sandwiches that the girls said were a must. Of course accompanying our meal was a healthy glass of sangria and bread. After dinner, we were about to call it a night before walking past a bar that the girls loved. We walked in and they made me take a "sombrero shot" or something like that immediately. I'm not going to lie, it was delicious. A shot lit on fire and covered in cinnamon, not bad. The rest of the night was the girls studying and me watching the Giants get crushed back in the states (they still won the World Series). My eyes closed around 3:30 AM and before I knew it, it was morning and my time in Barcelona had come to an end.
After gathering up my things and finding my stuff, it was back to the airport for another short flight to another very different country, but this time ENGLISH!
As sad as I was to leave Barcelona, I could not wait to see what London had in store for me. Barcelona was such a cool place with so many things to offer every type of traveler. I did not get too intertwined in the famous club scene there, but that will be saved for another time. London, here I come. Ciao for now.
The flight from Paris to Barcelona was right around 2 hours. I was stuck in the back row in the farthest seat on the window getting dry humped by the couple next to me. After about 2 hours of hell with them, we finally landed at El Prat, one of the coolest airports I have seen. Located right on the water, it feels like you are about to land in the ocean then a quick left turn and you hit the runway. After fighting my way through the terminal, I exited the airport to find the bus I needed. My Spanish was a little rusty, but I was able to muster up enough to find the right one. The bus took me into the center of the city and after a short walk to the apartment I was staying at, I was finally settled in. Linking up with friends is an awesome way to save money and have a blast in a foreign city. The first day there was soon coming to a close but I had not had dinner yet. The girls took me to a local favorite, Bo De B. I had no idea what to order but they helped me out. A chicken plate was certainly a good choice. A healthy mix food compiled many different layers and flavors. The plate was full of freshly seared and seasoned chicken and a heaping pile of delicious rice. Surrounding this was a spread of lentils, cucumbers, lettuce, dressed tomatoes, avocado, and an array of sauces. So many simple yet delicious flavors combined into one amazing meal, served along side warm bread and a nice 2 euro glass of water (ya, its not free). After dinner, we came home to just watch tv and hangout. The next day was sure to be a good one.
We woke up around 10 o'clock and were all starving. The girls led us to a great breakfast place just a block from their apartment, Brunch and Cake. We only waited a few minutes and were seated in a small table in the corner next to the window. After ordering, our food came within a few minutes. I was presented with pancakes smothered in a fruit chutney and drizzled with maple syrup. Along side that, I got a bagel. Not your ordinary bagel though. Toasted to perfection and loaded with eggs, turkey, and feta guacamole, it was something to cherish. Not to mention, the bagel was bigger than my head. After breakfast, we headed back to the apartment to get ready for the day. Cori and I left the apartment ahead of everybody and walked around a bit. We walked down to the Port of Barcelona through the main street, La Rambla. Lined with soccer shops, restaurants, and street vendors, it was a daily party on the street. We walked through La Rambla on to the pier and across the water. Across the pier was a large mall filled with shops that you would see in America, G-Shock and Gucci for example. After we had enough at the mall, we walked back down La Rambla watching street performers and listening to the different sounds of people and street bands. We met up with the guys at an outside restaurant along the street. We stopped for large glasses of sangria, which is famous in Spain. After small appetizers and more sangria than I am willing to admit, we made our way into the casino next to us for dollar beers and a little degenerate gambling. We stayed in there for what seemed like an eternity, drinking and losing money on slot machines in Spanish. We had a lot planned for that night, so we were trying to get home and shower up. Cori and I ended up passing out in the apartment for the night. I woke up around 3 AM and was so confused as to what was going on, but we missed the whole night.
The next morning came quick and just like the previous, it started at Brunch and Cake, except today everyone was leaving. After breakfast we walked around for a bit. We headed over to the famous Sagrada Familia and boy was it big. Apparently its been under construction for over 100 years and they say it may be under construction for another 100. We didn't go inside because it was 15 Euros (that's a lot on a college budget to enter a building). After buying bottle openers and magnets, watching street performers, and marveling the amazing building, we walked across the street to the FC Barcelona soccer store. It was everything Barcelona and more. So much bright orange, purple, and blue, it looked like a SLO sunset sky. Obviously everything was overpriced because they know tourists will buy it. After we were done looking around, we caught a cab back to the area of La Rambla. The rest of the group had to leave and return to their respected countries, but I wasn't leaving until the next morning. The rest of the day, I walked around alone and saw some amazing places and ate some amazing food on the streets of Barcelona. Barcelona has great places to get friends and family gifts, especially on La Rambla.
With the night coming to a close, the girls wanted to take me out to a traditional Barcelona dinner, tapas. I thought tapas was a meal in itself but instead tapas are just small dishes. We ordered several things. Fries with a fried egg and smothered in hot sauce, braised short ribs on skewers, sauteed shrimp with garlic lime sauce, and some small sandwiches that the girls said were a must. Of course accompanying our meal was a healthy glass of sangria and bread. After dinner, we were about to call it a night before walking past a bar that the girls loved. We walked in and they made me take a "sombrero shot" or something like that immediately. I'm not going to lie, it was delicious. A shot lit on fire and covered in cinnamon, not bad. The rest of the night was the girls studying and me watching the Giants get crushed back in the states (they still won the World Series). My eyes closed around 3:30 AM and before I knew it, it was morning and my time in Barcelona had come to an end.
After gathering up my things and finding my stuff, it was back to the airport for another short flight to another very different country, but this time ENGLISH!
As sad as I was to leave Barcelona, I could not wait to see what London had in store for me. Barcelona was such a cool place with so many things to offer every type of traveler. I did not get too intertwined in the famous club scene there, but that will be saved for another time. London, here I come. Ciao for now.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Paris
4 girls, 1 guy, an amazing city, and tons of amazing food.
So plans didn't start very well when our flight to Paris got cancelled about 7 hours before it was supposed to take off. So 300 Euros and a lot of stress later, we were on our way to Pisa to fly to Paris. We arrived in Paris around 7 PM local time and had just enough time to get dinner. 6,000 miles away and where do we go? Chipotle. What I didn't expect was that Paris Chipotle was going to be better than American Chipotle (it could have been better or that I was deprived of it for almost 2 months). As we walked back from Chipotle, we saw our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Lit up with sparkling lights, it truly was a masterpiece. Since we were tired from a long day of travel we had decided to not stay out too late. After we navigated the subway, we made it to the Eiffel Tower stop. Walking passed street vendors, food stands, and tons of tourists, we made it to the Tower. You don't get a sense of how big it actually is until you are standing underneath it. Side note, it sparkles every hour on the hour, so make sure you see the tower at night on the hour, so worth it. We stayed there taking pictures and soaking it all in for a while until we were all too exhausted to stand up. On our walk back to our place, we passed a crepe maker on the street right at the subway stop. Yup, got one. Crispy and soft at the same time, smothered in Nutella, and wrapped around a split banana, it was one of the best crepes I had ever had. Before we had even made it back on the subway, I had finished my crepe. We thought the subway ride was going to be just like normal but instead we got a full blown concert in the subway car at around 11 PM. Seemed to be a great way to conclude a night. Back to the Air B&B we went. At this point, the Giants were still playing so I stayed up to watch the game until about 4 AM.
The next day was a big day for me. We walked around a lot and saw some amazing places. Where our place was located was a street away from the Arc de Triomphe, so on our way out for the day we got to walk right past it. After a short ride on the subway, we arrived at our next place of importance, Notre Dame de Paris. Right along the river, the giant cathedral was packed with people. Almost confused as to why there were so many people, we noticed a procession of priests and cardinals. It just so happens that on that day, they were revealing a statue in the garden of the cathedral. With perfect harmony of singing and a cavalry of high religious officials, they proceeded into the garden. The courtyard crowded with people awaiting the revealing of the statue. We took our wait down to the river with a perfect view into the courtyard. No one really knew what was going on but was still a wonderful thing to see. A little ways down from the cathedral was the famous Lock Bridge. All the girls I was with locked away their love and launched their keys in "perfect coordination" into the river (I had to avoid a clown the whole time while taking their picture, clowns are scary as hell).
Once the girls had sealed away their love, we headed into the Latin Quarter for lunch. The Latin Quarter is an area of Paris closed off to cars and flooded with pedestrians. Amidst the thousands of locals and tourists alike are hundreds of different restaurants, bars, and food windows with many different types of food. One of the main foods in the Latin Quarter is Mediterranean, which means gyros. A pita wrap with schwarma chicken, french fries, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce topped with a spicy chili sauce was on the menu for lunch. Loaded to the brim, it was an appetite filler for sure. A gyro is such a simple food but these had so much flavor and depth to them. After lunch we walked around the Latin Quarter a little more and found a crepe place. I obviously indulged in a big crepe filled with Nutella and strawberries and, believe me, it was as good as it sounds. After the crepe, I had to leave the girls. My night was a little differently planned then theirs. I was on my way to watch Paris Saint-Germain take on Bordeaux at the Parc de Princes in Paris. I ran back to the place we were staying, grabbed my ticket and a scarf, and was off on the subway for around 20 minutes until I reached the stadium. I had bought my ticket online for around 78 Euros ($100) and was super excited to finally go to a game. When I reached the stadium and finally entered, I was thinking I would be in the upper deck or tucked in a corner of the stadium. Wrong. My seat was situated in the third row and I am still to this day in confusion how that happened. PSG won 3-0 on two penalty kicks and an amazing far post header. The atmosphere of the stadium was like nothing I had ever experienced. Unlike any American game, the fans sing and dance all game long, even if their team is down 3 goals (the Bordeaux fans proved that to me). After the game, I took the subway back to meet the girls around the Arc de Triomphe. After a long day of walking and filled with excitement, we decided to buy hotdogs in baguettes and eat them at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Somehow avoiding illegal street vendors and holding off on buy overprice champagne, we devoured our dogs as we watch the Eiffel Tower work its light magic. We sat around and talked for another hour or so and jumped back on the subway to return home (of course we stopped for another crepe at the same little stand). After watching most of the Giants game, I finally dozed off to sleep for around 4 hours and had to wake up again.
The girls and I walked down the street from our place to a small coffee shop. Breakfast was several sweet croissants, delicious coffee, and a nice view of Paris. Unfortunately after breakfast, my time in Paris had come to an end. However, onward I was going. Our week of break had just begun and so did my trip. The rest of the week ahead of me, I was eager to continue my journey. My flight left around 11 AM that morning headed for Barcelona, Spain.
Paris was truly a breathtaking experience. From all the amazing sights to classic and some not-so-classic meals to seeing one of the best soccer teams in the world, it was time for me to leave. Paris, you were amazing. Tomorrow, I continue my journey in Barcelona. Ciao for now.
4 girls, 1 guy, an amazing city, and tons of amazing food.
So plans didn't start very well when our flight to Paris got cancelled about 7 hours before it was supposed to take off. So 300 Euros and a lot of stress later, we were on our way to Pisa to fly to Paris. We arrived in Paris around 7 PM local time and had just enough time to get dinner. 6,000 miles away and where do we go? Chipotle. What I didn't expect was that Paris Chipotle was going to be better than American Chipotle (it could have been better or that I was deprived of it for almost 2 months). As we walked back from Chipotle, we saw our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Lit up with sparkling lights, it truly was a masterpiece. Since we were tired from a long day of travel we had decided to not stay out too late. After we navigated the subway, we made it to the Eiffel Tower stop. Walking passed street vendors, food stands, and tons of tourists, we made it to the Tower. You don't get a sense of how big it actually is until you are standing underneath it. Side note, it sparkles every hour on the hour, so make sure you see the tower at night on the hour, so worth it. We stayed there taking pictures and soaking it all in for a while until we were all too exhausted to stand up. On our walk back to our place, we passed a crepe maker on the street right at the subway stop. Yup, got one. Crispy and soft at the same time, smothered in Nutella, and wrapped around a split banana, it was one of the best crepes I had ever had. Before we had even made it back on the subway, I had finished my crepe. We thought the subway ride was going to be just like normal but instead we got a full blown concert in the subway car at around 11 PM. Seemed to be a great way to conclude a night. Back to the Air B&B we went. At this point, the Giants were still playing so I stayed up to watch the game until about 4 AM.
The next day was a big day for me. We walked around a lot and saw some amazing places. Where our place was located was a street away from the Arc de Triomphe, so on our way out for the day we got to walk right past it. After a short ride on the subway, we arrived at our next place of importance, Notre Dame de Paris. Right along the river, the giant cathedral was packed with people. Almost confused as to why there were so many people, we noticed a procession of priests and cardinals. It just so happens that on that day, they were revealing a statue in the garden of the cathedral. With perfect harmony of singing and a cavalry of high religious officials, they proceeded into the garden. The courtyard crowded with people awaiting the revealing of the statue. We took our wait down to the river with a perfect view into the courtyard. No one really knew what was going on but was still a wonderful thing to see. A little ways down from the cathedral was the famous Lock Bridge. All the girls I was with locked away their love and launched their keys in "perfect coordination" into the river (I had to avoid a clown the whole time while taking their picture, clowns are scary as hell).
Once the girls had sealed away their love, we headed into the Latin Quarter for lunch. The Latin Quarter is an area of Paris closed off to cars and flooded with pedestrians. Amidst the thousands of locals and tourists alike are hundreds of different restaurants, bars, and food windows with many different types of food. One of the main foods in the Latin Quarter is Mediterranean, which means gyros. A pita wrap with schwarma chicken, french fries, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce topped with a spicy chili sauce was on the menu for lunch. Loaded to the brim, it was an appetite filler for sure. A gyro is such a simple food but these had so much flavor and depth to them. After lunch we walked around the Latin Quarter a little more and found a crepe place. I obviously indulged in a big crepe filled with Nutella and strawberries and, believe me, it was as good as it sounds. After the crepe, I had to leave the girls. My night was a little differently planned then theirs. I was on my way to watch Paris Saint-Germain take on Bordeaux at the Parc de Princes in Paris. I ran back to the place we were staying, grabbed my ticket and a scarf, and was off on the subway for around 20 minutes until I reached the stadium. I had bought my ticket online for around 78 Euros ($100) and was super excited to finally go to a game. When I reached the stadium and finally entered, I was thinking I would be in the upper deck or tucked in a corner of the stadium. Wrong. My seat was situated in the third row and I am still to this day in confusion how that happened. PSG won 3-0 on two penalty kicks and an amazing far post header. The atmosphere of the stadium was like nothing I had ever experienced. Unlike any American game, the fans sing and dance all game long, even if their team is down 3 goals (the Bordeaux fans proved that to me). After the game, I took the subway back to meet the girls around the Arc de Triomphe. After a long day of walking and filled with excitement, we decided to buy hotdogs in baguettes and eat them at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Somehow avoiding illegal street vendors and holding off on buy overprice champagne, we devoured our dogs as we watch the Eiffel Tower work its light magic. We sat around and talked for another hour or so and jumped back on the subway to return home (of course we stopped for another crepe at the same little stand). After watching most of the Giants game, I finally dozed off to sleep for around 4 hours and had to wake up again.
The girls and I walked down the street from our place to a small coffee shop. Breakfast was several sweet croissants, delicious coffee, and a nice view of Paris. Unfortunately after breakfast, my time in Paris had come to an end. However, onward I was going. Our week of break had just begun and so did my trip. The rest of the week ahead of me, I was eager to continue my journey. My flight left around 11 AM that morning headed for Barcelona, Spain.
Paris was truly a breathtaking experience. From all the amazing sights to classic and some not-so-classic meals to seeing one of the best soccer teams in the world, it was time for me to leave. Paris, you were amazing. Tomorrow, I continue my journey in Barcelona. Ciao for now.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Torino
Not too proud of this trip but boy was it an interesting one. Our school (CEA) was nice enough to take us on an overnight trip to Torino, a French-influenced city in northwest Italy. A short train ride away and we were there. The day started with a big lunch which consisted of meat filled-ravioli-like pasta, bread, (obviously) and some delicious sliced meats with cheese. After lunch, we walked to some really interesting museums including one that housed an old style court room. Later in the day, we visited the Cinema Museum, which was actually really cool. A huge amphitheater scattered with personal massage chairs with speakers to watch a film included in the tour. Once the tour was over, we were on our own for the remainder of the evening.
Walking around a foreign city with a group of college kids can get you lost quite quickly. However, after navigating through the streets, somehow figuring out the subway, and using maps without great wifi, we ended up at some Chinese restaurant. We sat down, ordered a beer, and immediately left (the food looked terrible). Instead, we ended up walking next door to an Irish pub and getting some of the best food we had had so far on the trip. The pub had a pool table and high alcohol content beer so naturally we thought we should stay all night. After about an hour of drinking 10% beers, myself and several others blacked out. Not knowing what we were doing, we somehow found ourselves at another bar ordering 2 for 5 Euro beers (allegedly). Next thing I knew I was being served water in bed around 8:30 the next morning by the one and only Jeff, or GodSent as we nicknamed him. The next day was clearly a struggle, but the night prior was so worth it.
Torino was not the coolest city I have been to, but it was awesome to see another side of Italy, especially a part so influenced by the French. Of course before we left we had to get some Italian gelato, as if we hadn't had enough. Grom, one of the best gelato places in Florence, has it's original shop in Torino so we went there. Absolutely delicious. White chocolate with dark chocolate was definitely the way to go.
All in all, Torino definitely had it's ups and downs but we really did enjoy ourselves there. For anyone looking to travel to a different part of Italy then what you traditionally think of, Torino is a cool town with lots of history, great food, and amazing sights.
Tomorrow will be the start of the week off we had during the semester where I found myself in Paris with no plans and 4 girls. Ciao for now.
Not too proud of this trip but boy was it an interesting one. Our school (CEA) was nice enough to take us on an overnight trip to Torino, a French-influenced city in northwest Italy. A short train ride away and we were there. The day started with a big lunch which consisted of meat filled-ravioli-like pasta, bread, (obviously) and some delicious sliced meats with cheese. After lunch, we walked to some really interesting museums including one that housed an old style court room. Later in the day, we visited the Cinema Museum, which was actually really cool. A huge amphitheater scattered with personal massage chairs with speakers to watch a film included in the tour. Once the tour was over, we were on our own for the remainder of the evening.
Walking around a foreign city with a group of college kids can get you lost quite quickly. However, after navigating through the streets, somehow figuring out the subway, and using maps without great wifi, we ended up at some Chinese restaurant. We sat down, ordered a beer, and immediately left (the food looked terrible). Instead, we ended up walking next door to an Irish pub and getting some of the best food we had had so far on the trip. The pub had a pool table and high alcohol content beer so naturally we thought we should stay all night. After about an hour of drinking 10% beers, myself and several others blacked out. Not knowing what we were doing, we somehow found ourselves at another bar ordering 2 for 5 Euro beers (allegedly). Next thing I knew I was being served water in bed around 8:30 the next morning by the one and only Jeff, or GodSent as we nicknamed him. The next day was clearly a struggle, but the night prior was so worth it.
Torino was not the coolest city I have been to, but it was awesome to see another side of Italy, especially a part so influenced by the French. Of course before we left we had to get some Italian gelato, as if we hadn't had enough. Grom, one of the best gelato places in Florence, has it's original shop in Torino so we went there. Absolutely delicious. White chocolate with dark chocolate was definitely the way to go.
All in all, Torino definitely had it's ups and downs but we really did enjoy ourselves there. For anyone looking to travel to a different part of Italy then what you traditionally think of, Torino is a cool town with lots of history, great food, and amazing sights.
Tomorrow will be the start of the week off we had during the semester where I found myself in Paris with no plans and 4 girls. Ciao for now.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Munich
One of the biggest and well known festivals around the world comes for only 20 days from the end of September to late October. It's name, Oktoberfest. A celebration of God knows what brings together thousands of tourists, locals, and hooligans alike. A short flight away from Florence would have been ideal but that is not even close to how we got to Munich. The one and only Molly "Shackles" Sackles and myself took an over night train to get there and boy will I never do that again. A small cabin that smelled like fart, bad breath of the two foreigners next to us, and rotten eggs all mixed together was our "luxury" form of transportation. After all that, finally made it to Munich and got in around 6:30 AM local time.
Our first morning was a bit hectic trying to find our hotel but without the lovely Shannon Carroll, we couldn't check in yet, so Molly and I hit the streets of Munich just as the sun was coming up. Walking down what looked like the main street, we stumbled passed a Bayern Munich store and an Apple store just before running right into Munich's Rathaus (parliament building). One of the most interesting buildings I have ever seen, it looked like a new building built to model an old building with the way it looked. Molly and I adventured through this area for just a little while longer before meeting up with Cara Emard and Emma Kuchera. Of course they wanted to go walk around, so we turned right back around and walked to where we had just come from, but this time got our first taste of Germany.
At this point we had been kicked out of our hotel (thanks Shannon) and were left homeless for several hours. A friend from high school was there luckily to house the 4 of us for the weekend and became our new tour guide for the weekend.
With no idea where we were, we sat down to order some food and (of course) beer. 4 steins, 4 pretzels...Nothing more (except cheesecake). One of the best pretzels I had ever had and a great beer to wash it down. That was around 11 and I had nothing for breakfast that day so I was already kind of buzzed. After lunch we met up with Rory near the center of the square and he led us on a pretty long, amazing tour. Bringing us to around 6 PM, we decided to head back to get ready for the night. We ended up meeting up with some of our friends from Florence at the famous Hofbrau Haus. Singing, dancing, drinking, and eating, what more could college kids want while "studying"? We kept the buzz going through the night while eating some amazing food. I ordered a typical German meal, Weisswurst and a stein. Served in a pot of steaming hot water and a side of sweet brown mustard, it was the perfect dinner. Some of the other people in our group ordered giant pork knuckles, German versions of the hot dog, and more pretzels. After a sufficient amount of beer and food, it was time to call it a night and get ready for the morning.
Rise and shine. Imagine waking up at 5 AM knowing the only thing on your agenda was to get drunk, stand on tables, and sing American renditions of traditional German songs. That was our day in a nutshell. We got to the festival around 7 AM and it was already packed. The line for the main German tent was around 3 football fields long (these people take it very seriously). Instead of waiting that long, we cut the line with some friends studying in other countries (Lila, Madi, Fran, Haley, Kara, etc) and got right to the front of the door at the Hofbrau Haus' tent. Killing time, we drank, hung out, took pictures, and finally the mob was ready to enter the tent. A rush through the double doors led to some bad behavior (I'll be honest, I think I shoved a girl) and a charge to find a table. Within seconds, all the tables seemed to be full except one. We pounced. However, the beer would not be flowing for another 3 hours so we had some time to kill. Since we came the first day, we had to wait for the first keg to be cracked until our tent could start drinking, and once it did, it was madness. Large German women filing out through the crowd with armfuls of steins (14 at a time) and then immediately running back for more along with huge plates of chicken, pretzels, and more. Commence singing, drinking, and dancing. Sweet Caroline, Happy Birthday, random chants for crazy Australians, nothing was off limits. Fading, fading, fading, aaaaaaand gone. Next thing I knew I was walking with some girls basically being Dr. Phil (your welcome Nikki) and, what felt like 2 minutes later, was then in a coffee shop eating and drinking someone else's food and coffee. After a long day, it was time to wrap things up for the night.
Sunday was our last day in Munich so naturally we go to one of the saddest places there is, a Nazi concentration camp. Only a short train/bus ride away, we arrived at Dachau and started our self guided tour. It was interesting, sad, amazing, devastating, and emotional all at once. Seeing such a cruel and disastrous time first hand that you really only see in textbooks was shocking. After about 3 hours, we had enough sadness and decided to return home. With still several hours to kill before our train left for Florence, Molly and I had a final dinner on the main drag in Munich. Can you guess what we had? Nailed it, brats, fries, and beer. The perfect ending to an amazing weekend in a wonderful city.
Munich, for those who haven't been there, is one of the coolest cities there is. With a rich history, amazing food, and more beer than you can imagine, it shows why it is one of the most visited cities in Europe. Oktoberfest weekend was unlike any I had experienced and proved why it is one of the most well-known festivals in the world. Munich, I will be back soon.
Check out tomorrow's blog when I talk about our overnight trip to Torino (NorthWest Italy). Ciao for now.
One of the biggest and well known festivals around the world comes for only 20 days from the end of September to late October. It's name, Oktoberfest. A celebration of God knows what brings together thousands of tourists, locals, and hooligans alike. A short flight away from Florence would have been ideal but that is not even close to how we got to Munich. The one and only Molly "Shackles" Sackles and myself took an over night train to get there and boy will I never do that again. A small cabin that smelled like fart, bad breath of the two foreigners next to us, and rotten eggs all mixed together was our "luxury" form of transportation. After all that, finally made it to Munich and got in around 6:30 AM local time.
Our first morning was a bit hectic trying to find our hotel but without the lovely Shannon Carroll, we couldn't check in yet, so Molly and I hit the streets of Munich just as the sun was coming up. Walking down what looked like the main street, we stumbled passed a Bayern Munich store and an Apple store just before running right into Munich's Rathaus (parliament building). One of the most interesting buildings I have ever seen, it looked like a new building built to model an old building with the way it looked. Molly and I adventured through this area for just a little while longer before meeting up with Cara Emard and Emma Kuchera. Of course they wanted to go walk around, so we turned right back around and walked to where we had just come from, but this time got our first taste of Germany.
At this point we had been kicked out of our hotel (thanks Shannon) and were left homeless for several hours. A friend from high school was there luckily to house the 4 of us for the weekend and became our new tour guide for the weekend.
With no idea where we were, we sat down to order some food and (of course) beer. 4 steins, 4 pretzels...Nothing more (except cheesecake). One of the best pretzels I had ever had and a great beer to wash it down. That was around 11 and I had nothing for breakfast that day so I was already kind of buzzed. After lunch we met up with Rory near the center of the square and he led us on a pretty long, amazing tour. Bringing us to around 6 PM, we decided to head back to get ready for the night. We ended up meeting up with some of our friends from Florence at the famous Hofbrau Haus. Singing, dancing, drinking, and eating, what more could college kids want while "studying"? We kept the buzz going through the night while eating some amazing food. I ordered a typical German meal, Weisswurst and a stein. Served in a pot of steaming hot water and a side of sweet brown mustard, it was the perfect dinner. Some of the other people in our group ordered giant pork knuckles, German versions of the hot dog, and more pretzels. After a sufficient amount of beer and food, it was time to call it a night and get ready for the morning.
Rise and shine. Imagine waking up at 5 AM knowing the only thing on your agenda was to get drunk, stand on tables, and sing American renditions of traditional German songs. That was our day in a nutshell. We got to the festival around 7 AM and it was already packed. The line for the main German tent was around 3 football fields long (these people take it very seriously). Instead of waiting that long, we cut the line with some friends studying in other countries (Lila, Madi, Fran, Haley, Kara, etc) and got right to the front of the door at the Hofbrau Haus' tent. Killing time, we drank, hung out, took pictures, and finally the mob was ready to enter the tent. A rush through the double doors led to some bad behavior (I'll be honest, I think I shoved a girl) and a charge to find a table. Within seconds, all the tables seemed to be full except one. We pounced. However, the beer would not be flowing for another 3 hours so we had some time to kill. Since we came the first day, we had to wait for the first keg to be cracked until our tent could start drinking, and once it did, it was madness. Large German women filing out through the crowd with armfuls of steins (14 at a time) and then immediately running back for more along with huge plates of chicken, pretzels, and more. Commence singing, drinking, and dancing. Sweet Caroline, Happy Birthday, random chants for crazy Australians, nothing was off limits. Fading, fading, fading, aaaaaaand gone. Next thing I knew I was walking with some girls basically being Dr. Phil (your welcome Nikki) and, what felt like 2 minutes later, was then in a coffee shop eating and drinking someone else's food and coffee. After a long day, it was time to wrap things up for the night.
Sunday was our last day in Munich so naturally we go to one of the saddest places there is, a Nazi concentration camp. Only a short train/bus ride away, we arrived at Dachau and started our self guided tour. It was interesting, sad, amazing, devastating, and emotional all at once. Seeing such a cruel and disastrous time first hand that you really only see in textbooks was shocking. After about 3 hours, we had enough sadness and decided to return home. With still several hours to kill before our train left for Florence, Molly and I had a final dinner on the main drag in Munich. Can you guess what we had? Nailed it, brats, fries, and beer. The perfect ending to an amazing weekend in a wonderful city.
Munich, for those who haven't been there, is one of the coolest cities there is. With a rich history, amazing food, and more beer than you can imagine, it shows why it is one of the most visited cities in Europe. Oktoberfest weekend was unlike any I had experienced and proved why it is one of the most well-known festivals in the world. Munich, I will be back soon.
Check out tomorrow's blog when I talk about our overnight trip to Torino (NorthWest Italy). Ciao for now.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Croatia
During my time abroad, I had the ability to travel around Europe from country to country uncovering cool facts and having some great meals along the way. An impromptu weekend trip landed us in beautiful Split, Croatia. Upon arriving in the morning, we hopped off the bus and immediately went to breakfast. I think I can safely say the three days of breakfast in Croatia we had were the only three meals of my 4 months that I did not enjoy. Dry yellow cake, boiled hot dogs, and cheese squares were on the menu for breakfast.. Sounds good huh? It wasn't but I sure did eat a lot of hot dogs.
After eating breakfast and getting settled, we wound up walking to a semi-hidden beach just a couple minutes out of the main square of Split. What a cool area it was. Lawn chairs lined the sanded beach and babes on babes walked through the ankle deep water. Of course the day started well with super cheap Croatian beer and snacks we had brought for ourselves. A group of about 12 of us ended up staying there all day and just hanging out in the water under a partly cloudy, gloomy sky. After we had had enough of the beach, we walked back to find a place to eat dinner. After just a few minutes of looking, we landed at a small local restaurant just down the pier. One of the waiters walked by us with a gigantic plate of calamari and fries. It looked like 4 portions but nope, one. Instead of indulging in the mountain of calamari, I decided to choose the seafood risotto. Pieces of fresh crab, white fish, and medium sized shrimp made this an easy choice. Along with another large beer, our food came out in only a couple minutes and boy was it good. After dinner we got ready for an adventure we were not ready for. A tropical storm rolled through Split just before we started a bar crawl through downtown, which kind of threw a wrinkle into things. However, when you are with a group like this, nothing gets you away from an open bar, even a huge storm. We battled through it and eventually had to battle through waking up the next morning.
Wake up was at 7:30. Why so early after a night like that? Simple, a all day booze cruise through the Adriatic with snacks, island hopping, and lunch. Best day of my life. All we did was cruise through the Adriatic on a pontoon boat, drink cheap Croatian wine and vodka (homemade 120 proof, basically rubbing alcohol), and eat delicious food. After about 4 hours of relaxing and swimming, we stopped at an island for what I thought was a simple lunch. Boy was I wrong. Local fisherman and boat crew were docked at the island cooking us an unforgettable feast. Whole, indigenous fish cooked low and slow over an open wood pit served with warm bread, wine, and shredded salad, it truly was a meal worth remembering. Somewhere there is a picture of me kissing a fish right after I had eaten it's eye. Gnarly? No actually not bad. Kind of had a circular sunflower seed texture with a fishy inside. The rest of the afternoon was spent cruising back to port alongside a $20 million yacht and seeing some of the coolest islands in the world.
After returning from the cruise, everyone was exhausted and drained from being out all day in the sun. Instead of trying to find a new restaurant, we decided as a group to return to the same restaurant. Again, not disappointed. I had slow roasted veal in a mushroom sauce with a heaping portion of gnocchi and, yup, another large Croatian beer. (Croatia is on the Kuna currency, don't freakout if the bill is somewhere near 800, it isn't dollars and is a pretty darn cheap country for how awesome it is).
On Sunday, our final day in Croatia, we spent the morning driving through the countryside to Krka National Park. During this time, California was in a drought. Croatia, the opposite. There was so much water I thought I was dreaming. In fact, we weren't allowed to swim under the waterfalls because there was TOO much water. One of the coolest parks I had ever been too and some of the best food too. Lunch was a Nutella crepe along side chicken and french fries (not all together, I just love Nutella crepes). 30 GoPro videos, 200 pictures, and a huge lunch later, we were back on the road headed for Florence.
A cool side story, they were filming Game of Thrones during our tour of the castle in the center of town.
Croatia was like no place I had ever seen. For most of it actually, I thought we were on the Mediterranean but nope, Adriatic. Split, although not the greatest city ever, gave us one hell of a weekend. The entire ride home I watched movies and thought of how I would one day be back to Split. In just 5 days, I would be headed to Munich for one of the world's biggest festival, Oktoberfest. Ciao for now.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Hey people of the world,
So I'm new to this whole blog thing, but with my recent travels and love for food, it's time to explore my accounts and future places of interest. I left for Europe on September first of last year and was there until late December. I visited 9 countries, enjoyed many different cuisines, and learned a lot about food, culture, and lifestyle of these very distinct countries. Florence, Italy, the land of pizza, pasta, and gelato, was my temporary home.
Italy
My first night in Italy was exactly what I expected, pizza. A sausage, saffron oil, and stracchino cheese pizza was the perfect way to start the semester. As the days drew on, I had some very indescribable meals. Some of my favorite meals I had were at local Osterias and Trattorias ran by local Italians and their families. I can recall the first time I went to Zaza's Trattoria, I ordered the gorgonzola and truffle gnocchi. It was as good as it sounds. Of course complimented by house red wine, free bread, and free water (believe me, free water is essential), this meal could not be compared to by anything I had ever eaten. Another favorite of mine in Florence was Osteria Santo Spirito. Tucked in the corner of Piazza Santo Spirito across the river from me, it truly was a hidden gem. Gnocchi seemed to be a theme during my time there, so naturally I got gnocchi every time I went to Santo Spirito. Truffled and baked, it rivaled the dish from Zaza's. After dinner, it was always a short walk down the street to some of the best gelato in the world.
Everyday for lunch was a Pino's sandwich. If you have ever been to Florence, you know Pino (or at least someone Pino knows). Salumeria Verde opened at 10:30 and we were there everyday at 11 to get a sandwich, drink, and enjoy the good company of both locals and tourists. Many different types of meats, cheeses, veggies, sauces, and side dishes, it was the perfect lunch for college kids on a budget. Pino himself, the man. No more needs to be said about him. Always full of life and some Italian that I didn't understand, he made sandwiches that were out of this world (but, had to request for "abbrustolito" or extra crunchy bread).
Not only were the restaurants amazing but always the 4th meal locations (kabobs). It seemed like throughout Europe, on every corner, was another kabob shop. The best two in Florence were conveniently located next to our favorite bar and our favorite club. Istanbul kabob, across from Red Garter, was a must after a long night singing karaoke in the back of Red Garter and playing dirty jenga at Kakuya. Our other favorite was a small little joint behind our house next to Space Discoteca. We had no idea what name of it was, so the name just became "Space Kabob" to us. If you said Space Kabob, everyone knew what you were talking about. It seemed almost like clockwork that once we were over the club or bar or wherever we were that night, the next thing on the agenda was find a kabob, girls included. It seemed every night ended with a kabob. Usually around 3-4 euros, it usually was paid for in coins accumulated that night from buying drinks or from splitting the check at dinner. All in all, you can never go wrong with a kabob.
There is so much more to say about the great city of Florence but I will save it for a later time. Ciao for now.
So I'm new to this whole blog thing, but with my recent travels and love for food, it's time to explore my accounts and future places of interest. I left for Europe on September first of last year and was there until late December. I visited 9 countries, enjoyed many different cuisines, and learned a lot about food, culture, and lifestyle of these very distinct countries. Florence, Italy, the land of pizza, pasta, and gelato, was my temporary home.
Italy
My first night in Italy was exactly what I expected, pizza. A sausage, saffron oil, and stracchino cheese pizza was the perfect way to start the semester. As the days drew on, I had some very indescribable meals. Some of my favorite meals I had were at local Osterias and Trattorias ran by local Italians and their families. I can recall the first time I went to Zaza's Trattoria, I ordered the gorgonzola and truffle gnocchi. It was as good as it sounds. Of course complimented by house red wine, free bread, and free water (believe me, free water is essential), this meal could not be compared to by anything I had ever eaten. Another favorite of mine in Florence was Osteria Santo Spirito. Tucked in the corner of Piazza Santo Spirito across the river from me, it truly was a hidden gem. Gnocchi seemed to be a theme during my time there, so naturally I got gnocchi every time I went to Santo Spirito. Truffled and baked, it rivaled the dish from Zaza's. After dinner, it was always a short walk down the street to some of the best gelato in the world.
Everyday for lunch was a Pino's sandwich. If you have ever been to Florence, you know Pino (or at least someone Pino knows). Salumeria Verde opened at 10:30 and we were there everyday at 11 to get a sandwich, drink, and enjoy the good company of both locals and tourists. Many different types of meats, cheeses, veggies, sauces, and side dishes, it was the perfect lunch for college kids on a budget. Pino himself, the man. No more needs to be said about him. Always full of life and some Italian that I didn't understand, he made sandwiches that were out of this world (but, had to request for "abbrustolito" or extra crunchy bread).
Not only were the restaurants amazing but always the 4th meal locations (kabobs). It seemed like throughout Europe, on every corner, was another kabob shop. The best two in Florence were conveniently located next to our favorite bar and our favorite club. Istanbul kabob, across from Red Garter, was a must after a long night singing karaoke in the back of Red Garter and playing dirty jenga at Kakuya. Our other favorite was a small little joint behind our house next to Space Discoteca. We had no idea what name of it was, so the name just became "Space Kabob" to us. If you said Space Kabob, everyone knew what you were talking about. It seemed almost like clockwork that once we were over the club or bar or wherever we were that night, the next thing on the agenda was find a kabob, girls included. It seemed every night ended with a kabob. Usually around 3-4 euros, it usually was paid for in coins accumulated that night from buying drinks or from splitting the check at dinner. All in all, you can never go wrong with a kabob.
There is so much more to say about the great city of Florence but I will save it for a later time. Ciao for now.
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