Today I ran into my friend Steph at school. She's leaving for home tomorrow, so I asked her how she felt. She gave me the same answer as everyone else: "I'm not sure. I just feel weird."
So do I. This afternoon I bought an old Wonderful Copenhagen poster which reads simply, "A fairy tale." And that's what it's been: a fairy tale. It's not real life, and I think when I land in Minneapolis on Friday I'll feel like I never left, and that these last four months have been a film I saw in a theater once.
I don't know what to expect of real life when I get back, but I know it'll be good.
But while I'm still here, I'll bequeath to you my final adventures in Europe.
Amsterdam
Day 1
It's 10 p.m. Kylie and I are wandering Amsterdam in search of Sarphati Park, the name of the street our hostel will allegedly be on. It's never a for-sure thing, directions to hostels. They always say, "Turn right out of the station. Go straight, you'll run right into it!" But what Europeans don't know is that in the U.S., the roads are straight, like ruler-straight, and you turn when there's a stop sign and a 90-degree intersection.
After missing our tram stop twice, we walk and find the sign: Sarphati Park. Que trumpet sounds. We follow the signs, looking for number 58. But between 57 and 59, there's nothing. We step back, puzzled.
Whizzzzzzzzzz, goes a bicycle, two inches from my back. I'm paralyzed with fear, knowing that I'd nearly suffered death by bicycle. I always knew I'd die this way, I thought. The biker, a blurred man in a gray suit, narrated my near-collision mockingly: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Surprisingly, we find our hostel. I say surprisingly because another thing Europeans don't know is that it's illogical to name every street adjacent to said park the same name.
Day 2
Visited the Van Gogh Museum, but really just marveled at the gift shop because we didn't have enough money to go inside. We remain however unsurprised by this recurring theme.
Dani, our third adventurer, felt sick the night before and had flown out of Copenhagen this morning at 8, so Kylie and I ate waffles and drank Coke by the canals as we waited.
Experienced the Heineken Experience, as it's a brewery and a party combined. I had forgotten my ID and asked the ticket guy if I would be able to get in. He responded, "You know the drinking age in Holland is 14, right? I think you'll be fine." At the gate, we stated our nationality on request. The gate guy responded, "Ah, American. (Checked three marks by U.S.) You're winning!" The rest of the countries have only a few marks each. The American box is densely filled with black marks. Again, not surprised.
Made music videos to send to our parents. We're truly gifted singers, so please listen to this clip.
http://www.heinekenexperience.
This Experience with our three free beers was a good precursor to the Anne Frank museum. Otto Frank upon gifting this museum requested that every room remain unfurnished, giving it a very spooky, melancholy feel. The first floor is Otto's office and below that is the warehouse, where the workers didn't know about the Franks hiding in the annex on the second and third floors. From the secretarial room, you ascent an incredibly steep staircase up to the secret annex, where the paint is peeling, the absent furniture has left shadows on the walls, and the windows are covered with blackout shades so no outsiders could see in. The Franks could never speak or walk around during the day due to the presence of the workers in the warehouse.
We also couldn't photograph the rooms out of respect for the memory of the families, but here's an amazing online guided tour of the house. It's worth looking at. I would also consider drinking a Heineken as you view it. Because that's what I did before and it helped. http://www.annefrank.org/en/Subsites/Home/.
On the way back to our hostel for the night, Dani had to throw up. So she ran to KFC and paid 50 cent euro to throw up in their bathroom. Kylie and I got on the tram, but then felt bad for leaving her alone in the KFC bathroom in Amsterdam on a Friday night. But she came back, so that was good.
London
Day 3
The first item on our agenda was to eat British pub food. I ordered an extremely delicious and immensely filling steak and ale pot pie, topped off with sips of Dani's Strongbow when she wasn't looking.
On our way to the underground, a little boy ran his scooter into Kylie and yelled at her with a British accent. Too cute to take seriously. Though she didn't, because she yelled at him for running into her.
Went to the Natural History Museum. London's fabulous for three reasons: every woman wears a pencil skirt and stilletos, London black cabs, and the museums are all free. This museum was enormous, and we wished we had more time. I did especially, because I found out that my lack of science classes since the 10th grade had a pretty prevalent impact on my knowledge of geology. Thankfully I'm taking Nature in the City this summer, where we will learn how to identify plants and animals in Minneapolis city parks. Yes, this is a class. I know now you wish you didn't take o-chem.
Ate cheesecake at Harrod's and admired the designer purses.
Saw the Tower of London and London Bridge.
Checked out the Globe Theater. Got snickered at by the ticket guy when we tried to get in for half price (hey, the play was half over!) because the tickets were sold out for two months.
Ate Indian food. Got treated very poorly (and thus did not tip, saving us money anyhow) by the waiting staff because we didn't order enough. Talked to the two guys sitting at the table next to us. Explained the geographical location of Minnesota. "It's below Canada. No, that's Iowa. No, Chicago is in Illinois. Yes, very cold."
Walked across Waterloo Bridge and saw the London Eye at night.
Day 4:
Searched for Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross per Dani's request. We're still waiting for our letters, but we thought we'd give it a try anyway.
Got harassed by shopkeepers at Camden Market. Kylie impressed us both by eating falaffel and liking it.
Checked out Trafalger Square. Were complimented for having nice teeth. Saw Parliament and Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey.
Saw Buckingham Palace. Frolicked in Hyde Park.
Saw mummies and other amazing ancient artifacts in the British Museum. Drank tea in the courtyard. Correction: Spit out my first cup because Dani sipped hers and yelled, "Hot hot hot!" And all the Brits stared at us and wondered how we could be so unladylike.
Saw St. Paul's Cathedral and Millennium Bridge.
The most important thing I've learned about traveling is to always carry on. No matter how long you're going to be away, it can always fit into a backpack. Then you go through security very quickly and never have to wait for or worry about your luggage.
Dani did not follow this rule.
On one of the London underground's mile-long, 75-degree-angled escalator mountains, a large woman fell. People screamed, and Kylie saved the day by lunging at the emergency stop. Therefore, we carried Dani's large checkable suitcase up probably 200 steps.
Slept at the airport. Ran out of money, but needed to buy dinner.
So do I. This afternoon I bought an old Wonderful Copenhagen poster which reads simply, "A fairy tale." And that's what it's been: a fairy tale. It's not real life, and I think when I land in Minneapolis on Friday I'll feel like I never left, and that these last four months have been a film I saw in a theater once.
I don't know what to expect of real life when I get back, but I know it'll be good.
But while I'm still here, I'll bequeath to you my final adventures in Europe.
Amsterdam
Day 1
It's 10 p.m. Kylie and I are wandering Amsterdam in search of Sarphati Park, the name of the street our hostel will allegedly be on. It's never a for-sure thing, directions to hostels. They always say, "Turn right out of the station. Go straight, you'll run right into it!" But what Europeans don't know is that in the U.S., the roads are straight, like ruler-straight, and you turn when there's a stop sign and a 90-degree intersection.
After missing our tram stop twice, we walk and find the sign: Sarphati Park. Que trumpet sounds. We follow the signs, looking for number 58. But between 57 and 59, there's nothing. We step back, puzzled.
Whizzzzzzzzzz, goes a bicycle, two inches from my back. I'm paralyzed with fear, knowing that I'd nearly suffered death by bicycle. I always knew I'd die this way, I thought. The biker, a blurred man in a gray suit, narrated my near-collision mockingly: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Surprisingly, we find our hostel. I say surprisingly because another thing Europeans don't know is that it's illogical to name every street adjacent to said park the same name.
Day 2
Visited the Van Gogh Museum, but really just marveled at the gift shop because we didn't have enough money to go inside. We remain however unsurprised by this recurring theme.
Dani, our third adventurer, felt sick the night before and had flown out of Copenhagen this morning at 8, so Kylie and I ate waffles and drank Coke by the canals as we waited.
Experienced the Heineken Experience, as it's a brewery and a party combined. I had forgotten my ID and asked the ticket guy if I would be able to get in. He responded, "You know the drinking age in Holland is 14, right? I think you'll be fine." At the gate, we stated our nationality on request. The gate guy responded, "Ah, American. (Checked three marks by U.S.) You're winning!" The rest of the countries have only a few marks each. The American box is densely filled with black marks. Again, not surprised.
 |
| Don't worry, if you'd like a break from your Experience, you can sit in these green chairs and watch Looney Toons. |
 |
| Bottles make up the ceilings in this rave room |
Made music videos to send to our parents. We're truly gifted singers, so please listen to this clip.
http://www.heinekenexperience.
This Experience with our three free beers was a good precursor to the Anne Frank museum. Otto Frank upon gifting this museum requested that every room remain unfurnished, giving it a very spooky, melancholy feel. The first floor is Otto's office and below that is the warehouse, where the workers didn't know about the Franks hiding in the annex on the second and third floors. From the secretarial room, you ascent an incredibly steep staircase up to the secret annex, where the paint is peeling, the absent furniture has left shadows on the walls, and the windows are covered with blackout shades so no outsiders could see in. The Franks could never speak or walk around during the day due to the presence of the workers in the warehouse.
We also couldn't photograph the rooms out of respect for the memory of the families, but here's an amazing online guided tour of the house. It's worth looking at. I would also consider drinking a Heineken as you view it. Because that's what I did before and it helped. http://www.annefrank.org/en/Subsites/Home/.
On the way back to our hostel for the night, Dani had to throw up. So she ran to KFC and paid 50 cent euro to throw up in their bathroom. Kylie and I got on the tram, but then felt bad for leaving her alone in the KFC bathroom in Amsterdam on a Friday night. But she came back, so that was good.
London
Day 3
The first item on our agenda was to eat British pub food. I ordered an extremely delicious and immensely filling steak and ale pot pie, topped off with sips of Dani's Strongbow when she wasn't looking.
On our way to the underground, a little boy ran his scooter into Kylie and yelled at her with a British accent. Too cute to take seriously. Though she didn't, because she yelled at him for running into her.
Went to the Natural History Museum. London's fabulous for three reasons: every woman wears a pencil skirt and stilletos, London black cabs, and the museums are all free. This museum was enormous, and we wished we had more time. I did especially, because I found out that my lack of science classes since the 10th grade had a pretty prevalent impact on my knowledge of geology. Thankfully I'm taking Nature in the City this summer, where we will learn how to identify plants and animals in Minneapolis city parks. Yes, this is a class. I know now you wish you didn't take o-chem.
 |
| Advertising the big bang theory. And Pluto as a planet. |
 |
| This refuses to rotate, but the rock crystals are still beautiful sideways. |
Saw the Tower of London and London Bridge.
Checked out the Globe Theater. Got snickered at by the ticket guy when we tried to get in for half price (hey, the play was half over!) because the tickets were sold out for two months.
Ate Indian food. Got treated very poorly (and thus did not tip, saving us money anyhow) by the waiting staff because we didn't order enough. Talked to the two guys sitting at the table next to us. Explained the geographical location of Minnesota. "It's below Canada. No, that's Iowa. No, Chicago is in Illinois. Yes, very cold."
Walked across Waterloo Bridge and saw the London Eye at night.
Day 4:
Searched for Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross per Dani's request. We're still waiting for our letters, but we thought we'd give it a try anyway.
Got harassed by shopkeepers at Camden Market. Kylie impressed us both by eating falaffel and liking it.
Checked out Trafalger Square. Were complimented for having nice teeth. Saw Parliament and Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey.
Saw Buckingham Palace. Frolicked in Hyde Park.
Saw mummies and other amazing ancient artifacts in the British Museum. Drank tea in the courtyard. Correction: Spit out my first cup because Dani sipped hers and yelled, "Hot hot hot!" And all the Brits stared at us and wondered how we could be so unladylike.
 |
| Courtyard/cafe |
Saw St. Paul's Cathedral and Millennium Bridge.
Dani did not follow this rule.
On one of the London underground's mile-long, 75-degree-angled escalator mountains, a large woman fell. People screamed, and Kylie saved the day by lunging at the emergency stop. Therefore, we carried Dani's large checkable suitcase up probably 200 steps.
Slept at the airport. Ran out of money, but needed to buy dinner.
Me: I have 40 pence (cents). What can I get?I love London.
Server man: What do you want?
Me: A grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.
Server man: Sounds good, here's a Coke as well.
