Hey Everybody!
This week has been really slow news wise for me. I gave the presentation on Thursday to my Asian History class and preparing for that presentation has pretty much dominated my life since last Sunday. The topic was “Has Women’s Status in China Improved after Employment Reform?” and had me brushing up on resources during my free time. The presentation itself I feel went fairly well. I didn’t feel like an idiot in front of the class which was my goal.
Spring is very pretty here in Bremen. It actually looks a lot like Northern Kentucky, but after the months of gray, rainy days I have new appreciation for green leaves and blue sky. (My allergies are returning in full force though.)
I do have some very exciting news – My mom is coming to visit! She’ll arrive on the 26 May and stay till 14 June. I’m very excited to show her where I’ve been living and take her around to some of the places I’ve enjoyed going to.
I guess that’s about all I have to report for this week. This weekend I’m going to a cultural event at the University celebrating Africa, cooking with Maria, and cleaning my poor apartment which has been neglected for the past two weeks while I’ve run around like a mad woman.
I hope everything is good with you!
Love,
Elizabeth
Friday, April 24, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Hopefully the Craziest Week of the Semester
Hey!
Sorry about the delay in the updates. Once you’ve heard about everything this week you’ll understand.
Last weekend was Easter weekend. I went to an traditional German event - Ostern-Feuer (or Easter Fires if you prefer). It’s this event where people burn giant bonfires of tree limbs and some Christmas trees (I’m way impressed people kept their trees that long).
Easter Sunday I went to mass in the morning and a dinner a friend’s house that evening where we feasted on Indian and Thai food – very spicy, but REALLY good. I also got to talk to my family on Easter Sunday, but that touch off a lot of homesickness. I miss them and our family traditions.
Easter Monday is a huge deal in Germany which I was not aware of - no stores are open and everything shuts down. On Easter Monday the Blue House hosted a dinner where we ate lamb (which apparently is traditional), potatoes (mashed and roasted), steamed veggies, and a variety of desserts including thumbprint cookies I baked, cupcakes, and kuchen. Very yummy! It was my first time eating lamb and I loved it. I will definitely be attempting to cook it once I get back to the States.
Tuesday began the craziest week of the semester for me. This is a week where there is so much school work and just other stuff going on that there is no time to think straight. On Wednesday I had to have had read a book and a thirty-minute presentation on Parisian Culture that I had to present. Thursday I had two major outlines due for my Asian History class. On top of all this I’ve been participating in a play and the performances were Friday for me which meant rehearsals almost everyday this week.
My stress level has been over the top.
Amazingly I got most of this done. The book didn’t get read, but we ran out of time to discuss it, so I got lucky and have another week to read it. The presentation on Parisian Culture went well. I turned in the two outlines (one for a term paper, one for a presentation). Unfortunately the professor did not like either outline and told me I am too much of an “American Feminist”. Really, this is all I have to contribute, my brand of feminism, and I try hard not to be ethnocentric. She asked me, on Thursday night, to rework my entire presentation and send it to her Monday morning.
Friday I spent nearly the entire day doing play related activities including the performance that went very well. I could pick out some of my friends in the audience which was heart-warming. Afterwards we celebrated by going out for drinks.
Other highlights of this week include the two Iranian guys on my floor inviting me to eat with them – they’re getting to be good friends.
Today, Saturday, I am going to start reworking this presentation and then help out with the other performance of the play. Tomorrow, Sunday, I have plans to go to church the shut myself up with this darn presentation. Say a prayer for me that I can get it to wherever my professor wants it.
I hope everything is going well for you. I’d really like to hear what is going on in your lives if you want to leave me a comment or drop me an email.
Love,
Elizabeth
Prelit bonfire - if you look closely you can see the leftover Christmas trees
Easter fire roars to life
On stage performing
Receiving a rose for a job well done - I love flowers :)
Sorry about the delay in the updates. Once you’ve heard about everything this week you’ll understand.
Last weekend was Easter weekend. I went to an traditional German event - Ostern-Feuer (or Easter Fires if you prefer). It’s this event where people burn giant bonfires of tree limbs and some Christmas trees (I’m way impressed people kept their trees that long).
Easter Sunday I went to mass in the morning and a dinner a friend’s house that evening where we feasted on Indian and Thai food – very spicy, but REALLY good. I also got to talk to my family on Easter Sunday, but that touch off a lot of homesickness. I miss them and our family traditions.
Easter Monday is a huge deal in Germany which I was not aware of - no stores are open and everything shuts down. On Easter Monday the Blue House hosted a dinner where we ate lamb (which apparently is traditional), potatoes (mashed and roasted), steamed veggies, and a variety of desserts including thumbprint cookies I baked, cupcakes, and kuchen. Very yummy! It was my first time eating lamb and I loved it. I will definitely be attempting to cook it once I get back to the States.
Tuesday began the craziest week of the semester for me. This is a week where there is so much school work and just other stuff going on that there is no time to think straight. On Wednesday I had to have had read a book and a thirty-minute presentation on Parisian Culture that I had to present. Thursday I had two major outlines due for my Asian History class. On top of all this I’ve been participating in a play and the performances were Friday for me which meant rehearsals almost everyday this week.
My stress level has been over the top.
Amazingly I got most of this done. The book didn’t get read, but we ran out of time to discuss it, so I got lucky and have another week to read it. The presentation on Parisian Culture went well. I turned in the two outlines (one for a term paper, one for a presentation). Unfortunately the professor did not like either outline and told me I am too much of an “American Feminist”. Really, this is all I have to contribute, my brand of feminism, and I try hard not to be ethnocentric. She asked me, on Thursday night, to rework my entire presentation and send it to her Monday morning.
Friday I spent nearly the entire day doing play related activities including the performance that went very well. I could pick out some of my friends in the audience which was heart-warming. Afterwards we celebrated by going out for drinks.
Other highlights of this week include the two Iranian guys on my floor inviting me to eat with them – they’re getting to be good friends.
Today, Saturday, I am going to start reworking this presentation and then help out with the other performance of the play. Tomorrow, Sunday, I have plans to go to church the shut myself up with this darn presentation. Say a prayer for me that I can get it to wherever my professor wants it.
I hope everything is going well for you. I’d really like to hear what is going on in your lives if you want to leave me a comment or drop me an email.
Love,
Elizabeth
Prelit bonfire - if you look closely you can see the leftover Christmas trees
Easter fire roars to life
On stage performing
Receiving a rose for a job well done - I love flowers :)
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Barcelona Escapades
I just got back from my spring break trip to Barcelona, Spain. I learned that Barcelona is in the Catalan region of Spain and has its own thing going on there. They speak Catalan in addition to Spanish, fly the Catalan flag proudly, and have their own traditions that are separate from many Spanish traditions. Barcelona sits on the Mediterranean Sea which lets it have a beach on one side and mountains on the other. I spent 3 days there and really enjoyed each of them. I hope you enjoy reading about my Barcelona Escapades!
Check out my Barcelona online photo albums - lots of pictures here:
Best of Barcelona: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068672&id=164002077&l=3350d9a058
Best of Barcelona II: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068673&id=164002077&l=8cb3f0feb9
I hope all is going well with you. I'd love to hear from you if you have a minute.
Love,
Elizabeth
Check out my Barcelona online photo albums - lots of pictures here:
Best of Barcelona: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068672&id=164002077&l=3350d9a058
Best of Barcelona II: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068673&id=164002077&l=8cb3f0feb9
I hope all is going well with you. I'd love to hear from you if you have a minute.
Love,
Elizabeth
The Barcelona Escapades: Dia Uno
The Barcelona Escapades began very early in the morning. I was up at 3:30 and caught the 4:25 train that took me to the strassenbahn that took me to the airplane that took me to the bus that took me to the metro (subway) that took me to wandering around the Plaça de Catalunya until I asked taxi drivers who spoke no English where my hostel was (the amazing part of this was that I could understand them enough to get the jist of where my hostel was).
The hostel people were very nice. I couldn’t be checked in yet so I left my suitcase with them and got some lunch (a classic ham & cheese sandwich toasted, fruit salad, and a coke) then checked in and took a short rest.
I had done a little bit of research into Barcelona before I went and learned that because Spain hadn’t fought in World War I, there had be an arts explosion resulting in Modernisme. Antoni Guadi was the golden child of the Modernisme movement. I had seen pictures of some of the things he had designed and was anxious to see them so they became my first sightseeing adventures.
I started with the Casa Batlló, an incredible home that Gaudi designed for the Batlló with a nautical theme. It’s so gorgeous there – check out the album for pictures of it! No straight lines, lots of mosaic work. The roof is particularly amazing since it has been designed to look like a dragon’s scaly back.
From there I moved onto Park Güell that is hailed deservedly as one of Gaudi’s greatest creations. It’s a park that has a few show homes all designed by Gaudi, one that has been turned into the Gaudi Museum. The park long curved benches covered with mosaics, this area that has columns and mosaics set into the roof, fountains with giant lizard things, covered walkways. It’s so difficult to describe. It was absolutely beautiful. I loved sitting in the sunshine, eating a manzana verde gelato (green apple gelato), listening to musicians who played in the park, just watching all the tourists.
After the great Park Güell experience I decided to try to find Gaudi’s Sagrada Família Catedral, but couldn’t. I ended up getting lost for the second time that day. Instead I headed to dinner at Origens, a place that had been recommended by my hostel for it’s good, authentic Catalan food.
I ordered escalivada, bread with roasted peppers, onion, and artichoke with some sort of saunce on top, as a starter and canalone, round noodles stuffed with some kind of meat, covered in cheese, and baked, for the main course. For dessert I wrapped it up with goat cheese, walnuts, and honey. It was absolutely delicious! Plus anyone willing to trust me with a giant pot of honey and a dipper just brave. (I did get honey everywhere.)
Back home to the hostel to fall into a dead sleep and recharge for día dios.
The lofts/attic at Casa Batlló that are supposed to remind people of a whale's ridcage
These patterned tiles covered lots of the city and were designed by Gaudi
Sun mosaic at Park Güell
The hostel people were very nice. I couldn’t be checked in yet so I left my suitcase with them and got some lunch (a classic ham & cheese sandwich toasted, fruit salad, and a coke) then checked in and took a short rest.
I had done a little bit of research into Barcelona before I went and learned that because Spain hadn’t fought in World War I, there had be an arts explosion resulting in Modernisme. Antoni Guadi was the golden child of the Modernisme movement. I had seen pictures of some of the things he had designed and was anxious to see them so they became my first sightseeing adventures.
I started with the Casa Batlló, an incredible home that Gaudi designed for the Batlló with a nautical theme. It’s so gorgeous there – check out the album for pictures of it! No straight lines, lots of mosaic work. The roof is particularly amazing since it has been designed to look like a dragon’s scaly back.
From there I moved onto Park Güell that is hailed deservedly as one of Gaudi’s greatest creations. It’s a park that has a few show homes all designed by Gaudi, one that has been turned into the Gaudi Museum. The park long curved benches covered with mosaics, this area that has columns and mosaics set into the roof, fountains with giant lizard things, covered walkways. It’s so difficult to describe. It was absolutely beautiful. I loved sitting in the sunshine, eating a manzana verde gelato (green apple gelato), listening to musicians who played in the park, just watching all the tourists.
After the great Park Güell experience I decided to try to find Gaudi’s Sagrada Família Catedral, but couldn’t. I ended up getting lost for the second time that day. Instead I headed to dinner at Origens, a place that had been recommended by my hostel for it’s good, authentic Catalan food.
I ordered escalivada, bread with roasted peppers, onion, and artichoke with some sort of saunce on top, as a starter and canalone, round noodles stuffed with some kind of meat, covered in cheese, and baked, for the main course. For dessert I wrapped it up with goat cheese, walnuts, and honey. It was absolutely delicious! Plus anyone willing to trust me with a giant pot of honey and a dipper just brave. (I did get honey everywhere.)
Back home to the hostel to fall into a dead sleep and recharge for día dios.
The Casa Batlló
Famous windows at Casa Batlló
A light fixture designed in the style of a whirlpool
A Gaudi "e" - he knew I was coming ;)
The lofts/attic at Casa Batlló that are supposed to remind people of a whale's ridcage
These patterned tiles covered lots of the city and were designed by Gaudi
Curving benches covered with mosaics at Park Güell
Sun mosaic at Park Güell
The famous lizard fountain at Park Güell
The Barcelona Escapades: Dia Dos
Día dios got off to a rocky start with me wandering around for over an hour lost, trying to find something, anything I recognized. I eventually found Plaça Catalunya and was relieved to see the giant "i" that means tourism information. I made a quick decision to get a bus tour right then and there - my feet were killing me and I don’t do well being lost in any city period. The bus tour turned out to be a good idea with two different routes and the hop on, hop off thing. I saw the northern half of Barcelona including the Passeig de Gràcia which has La Pedrera, an apartment building also designed by Gaudi that is meant to resemble rolling waves, the outside of the Sagrada Família Catedral, Mount Tibidabo (the tallest mountain on the outskirts of Barcelona), the outside of the Monestir de Pedralbes (a convent for the order of the Sisters of Saint Clare, but also a museum), the Futbol Club Barcelona, the Diagonal (a shopping district), and where the Museu d’Art Contemporàni de Barcelona (Contemporary Art Museum of Barcelona) is. I confess I didn’t get off the bus for two reasons – 1) I was scared to death of getting lost again and 2) I had signed up for a walking tour in the afternoon and didn’t want to miss it.
By some miracle the bus tour dropped me off in front of the Hard Rock Café where I had a real traditional American cheeseburger and onion rings for lunch (and got another T-shirt!).
After lunch I had more time to kill than I expected to, so I took a walk down La Rambla that my tour guide said everyone should walk down. I had no idea what to expect, but I was very surprised. There were tons of street performers and pet kiosks. You buy your pets from vendors on the street apparently. I took pictures of this to prove it because it seemed odd to me. I eventually found a fabulous market, Mercat St. Josep, which completely overwhelmed all of my senses. There were stalls that sold seafood, meat, fruits, vegetables, candy & chocolate, spices, fruit drinks. It was really cool to wander around. I did buy four small chocolates that were absolutely delicious.
I moved on to my Picasso two hour walking tour. While I was waiting for this tour to start the rain began. The kind of pouring rain that makes a person grateful that they can sit inside someplace warm. I got to go on a walking tour through it. The good news was that I had brought an umbrella with me. The tour was interesting and introduced me to new parts of the city, but even with my umbrella I was fairly soaked by the time we wound up at the Picasso Museum. I took my Aunt Maria´s approach to the museum (walked through it quickly) but enjoyed the gift shop immensely.
After leaving the Picasso Museum I stopped at a beautiful cathedral. It was really peaceful and I loved spending some time there.
By this time it was 6:30-7 and time for some dinner. I found a place so authentically Spanish they barely spoke English. I ordered the daily special salad (very good except for the raw fish on top of it) and paella which I vaguely remembered from a video in my high school Spanish class. I figured this was going to be wonderfully authentic. I was surprised to discover that paella included various kinds of fish, including a whole crustacean skeleton with eyes plus rice and sausage (I think). I ate a considerable portion, but will probably never order it again.
From there it was back to the hostel in the pouring rain. I was fairly exhausted and my feet really hurt. It was great to get back, take a hot shower, dry off, and relax.
By some miracle the bus tour dropped me off in front of the Hard Rock Café where I had a real traditional American cheeseburger and onion rings for lunch (and got another T-shirt!).
After lunch I had more time to kill than I expected to, so I took a walk down La Rambla that my tour guide said everyone should walk down. I had no idea what to expect, but I was very surprised. There were tons of street performers and pet kiosks. You buy your pets from vendors on the street apparently. I took pictures of this to prove it because it seemed odd to me. I eventually found a fabulous market, Mercat St. Josep, which completely overwhelmed all of my senses. There were stalls that sold seafood, meat, fruits, vegetables, candy & chocolate, spices, fruit drinks. It was really cool to wander around. I did buy four small chocolates that were absolutely delicious.
I moved on to my Picasso two hour walking tour. While I was waiting for this tour to start the rain began. The kind of pouring rain that makes a person grateful that they can sit inside someplace warm. I got to go on a walking tour through it. The good news was that I had brought an umbrella with me. The tour was interesting and introduced me to new parts of the city, but even with my umbrella I was fairly soaked by the time we wound up at the Picasso Museum. I took my Aunt Maria´s approach to the museum (walked through it quickly) but enjoyed the gift shop immensely.
After leaving the Picasso Museum I stopped at a beautiful cathedral. It was really peaceful and I loved spending some time there.
By this time it was 6:30-7 and time for some dinner. I found a place so authentically Spanish they barely spoke English. I ordered the daily special salad (very good except for the raw fish on top of it) and paella which I vaguely remembered from a video in my high school Spanish class. I figured this was going to be wonderfully authentic. I was surprised to discover that paella included various kinds of fish, including a whole crustacean skeleton with eyes plus rice and sausage (I think). I ate a considerable portion, but will probably never order it again.
From there it was back to the hostel in the pouring rain. I was fairly exhausted and my feet really hurt. It was great to get back, take a hot shower, dry off, and relax.
La Sagrada Família - it's been under construction for 127 years and still not finished
Hard Rock Cafe Barcelona!
Fruits & vegetables on display at Mercat St. Josep
Spices & goods at the Mercat St. Josep
My paella that featured a crustacean and sea shells
The Barcelona Escapades: Dia Tres
My last day in Barcelona I took it easy and rode the bus tour around for a long time soaking up the sites. I did go into the Poble Espanyol, an exhibit that features 700 years of Spanish architecture in one go. It was built as an example town for the International Exhibition in 1929 that showcases different architectural styles of Spain. There are also stores you can go into watch native craftspeople plying their trade. I bought a beautiful scarf (partly because it was gorgeous, partly because I was freezing in the rain).
I hopped back on the bus for more touring and stopped to get a chicken sandwich that was not like chicken sandwiches at home. I’m still not sure if I liked it or not.
After lunch, more bus tour, more cool Spanish market, and then more bus tour. I saw the Esació de Sants, Anella Olímpica, Fundació Joan Miró, Port Vell, Port Olímpic, Parc de la Ciutadella, and the Barri Gòtic. The Barri Gòtic, the Gothic Quarter, interested me so much I walked around it for a long time. There is supposed to be a museum dedicated to chocolate somewhere in it, but I couldn’t find it (but we all know my propensity for getting completely lost). It was fascinating to walk around it – I did see one of the last examples of the Roman aqueducts that had been built when Barcelona was still a Roman colony way back when.
I hopped back on the bus to the Palau Reial and Pavellons Güell. Palau Reial was first a private mansion for a family, then a palace for Spain’s royal family, now it’s a ceramics museum that I wandered through. The Pavellons Güell are these beautiful gardens surrounding the house/palace/museum. It was raining again, but the gardens were even beautiful in the rain.
I thought to head back to Origens for supper, but I discovered they do not serve dinner till 7 pm so instead I went back to my hostel to pack then eat dinner which turned out to be an excellent plan. I ordered stewed chicken for dinner which I mistakenly thought was chicken stew. No. It was a quarter of a chicken still attached to the bone with skin that had been cooked in olive oil. I created a mess of monumental proportions, but it was very good food. For dessert I indulged in Crema Catalana, the Catalan version of crème brûlée that is an eggy custard with caramelized sugar topping – pretty darn good.
After dinner I headed back to the hostel so I could get up bright and early at 4:30 am to get the bus that took me to the airplane that took me to the strassenbahn that took me to the train that took me home to the Blue House.
I got home around 1 in the afternoon on Thursday and chilled out for the rest of the day.
Prettiness!
The Great Market at the Poble Espanyol
The beautiful gardens at Pavellons Güell
I hopped back on the bus for more touring and stopped to get a chicken sandwich that was not like chicken sandwiches at home. I’m still not sure if I liked it or not.
After lunch, more bus tour, more cool Spanish market, and then more bus tour. I saw the Esació de Sants, Anella Olímpica, Fundació Joan Miró, Port Vell, Port Olímpic, Parc de la Ciutadella, and the Barri Gòtic. The Barri Gòtic, the Gothic Quarter, interested me so much I walked around it for a long time. There is supposed to be a museum dedicated to chocolate somewhere in it, but I couldn’t find it (but we all know my propensity for getting completely lost). It was fascinating to walk around it – I did see one of the last examples of the Roman aqueducts that had been built when Barcelona was still a Roman colony way back when.
I hopped back on the bus to the Palau Reial and Pavellons Güell. Palau Reial was first a private mansion for a family, then a palace for Spain’s royal family, now it’s a ceramics museum that I wandered through. The Pavellons Güell are these beautiful gardens surrounding the house/palace/museum. It was raining again, but the gardens were even beautiful in the rain.
I thought to head back to Origens for supper, but I discovered they do not serve dinner till 7 pm so instead I went back to my hostel to pack then eat dinner which turned out to be an excellent plan. I ordered stewed chicken for dinner which I mistakenly thought was chicken stew. No. It was a quarter of a chicken still attached to the bone with skin that had been cooked in olive oil. I created a mess of monumental proportions, but it was very good food. For dessert I indulged in Crema Catalana, the Catalan version of crème brûlée that is an eggy custard with caramelized sugar topping – pretty darn good.
After dinner I headed back to the hostel so I could get up bright and early at 4:30 am to get the bus that took me to the airplane that took me to the strassenbahn that took me to the train that took me home to the Blue House.
I got home around 1 in the afternoon on Thursday and chilled out for the rest of the day.
Prettiness!
The Great Market at the Poble Espanyol
The Palau Reial
The beautiful gardens at Pavellons Güell
A pergola at Pavellons Güell
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Easter Egg-Stravaganza
Hey Everyone!
I invited nearly everyone I’d ever met and asked Lanie to bring a second egg dyeing kit with her once I realized how many people I’d invited. As it turned out it was just a few of my hard core friends who showed up for egg dyeing. We cooked some frozen pizzas then got into the hard core egg dyeing.
Kate created some beautiful eggs that remind me of stained glass, Maria enjoyed using those shrink wrap covers for eggs (they were her “genius eggs”), Lanie created a smiley face, Lida and Arno created some classic eggs, and I made a sunset egg. Blake was bound and determined to create an American flag egg and, after 2 cracked eggs (one of which got a purple heart) he succeeded.
It was good night and I’m glad I could one of my favorite traditions with my friends.
Maria dyes an egg pink
Kate & her eggs!
Every Good Friday, without fail, my mom, sisters, and I invite people over and dye Easter Eggs. I can’t imagine an Easter season without this, one of my favorite, traditions.
My family gets all into egg dyeing, making sure everyone has a dozen eggs to dye, all the white crayons in the house we can find to write on the eggs (one year it became all the crayons in the house), tape to keep parts of the eggs certain colors, rubber bands for experimenting how they look on eggs, stickers, and anything else we can think of at the last minute that we can put on these plain white eggs.
I wasn’t sure if Germany had egg dyeing kits or not, so I grabbed one the last time I was home and brought it back with me. So my friends here, some of whom had never dyed eggs or hadn’t dyed eggs in years and years could experience the joy of egg dyeing. I didn't think it would be difficult to find white vinegar in Germany, but it did warrent an emergency call to Maria to ask what the word for "vinegar" was (balsamico if you're curious).
My family gets all into egg dyeing, making sure everyone has a dozen eggs to dye, all the white crayons in the house we can find to write on the eggs (one year it became all the crayons in the house), tape to keep parts of the eggs certain colors, rubber bands for experimenting how they look on eggs, stickers, and anything else we can think of at the last minute that we can put on these plain white eggs.
I wasn’t sure if Germany had egg dyeing kits or not, so I grabbed one the last time I was home and brought it back with me. So my friends here, some of whom had never dyed eggs or hadn’t dyed eggs in years and years could experience the joy of egg dyeing. I didn't think it would be difficult to find white vinegar in Germany, but it did warrent an emergency call to Maria to ask what the word for "vinegar" was (balsamico if you're curious).
I invited nearly everyone I’d ever met and asked Lanie to bring a second egg dyeing kit with her once I realized how many people I’d invited. As it turned out it was just a few of my hard core friends who showed up for egg dyeing. We cooked some frozen pizzas then got into the hard core egg dyeing.
Kate created some beautiful eggs that remind me of stained glass, Maria enjoyed using those shrink wrap covers for eggs (they were her “genius eggs”), Lanie created a smiley face, Lida and Arno created some classic eggs, and I made a sunset egg. Blake was bound and determined to create an American flag egg and, after 2 cracked eggs (one of which got a purple heart) he succeeded.
It was good night and I’m glad I could one of my favorite traditions with my friends.
Love, Elizabeth
PS - To see the pictures from egg dyeing go here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068278&id=164002077&l=2b5cce96fb
Egg dye ready!
Maria dyes an egg pink
Maria takes a break from egg dyeing - it's hard work!
Blake and his American flag eggs. Can you see the purple heart?
Lanie and I taking a pause to smile for the camera
Kate & her eggs!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Lanie in Germany: The Adventures
Hello!
This week, as you can imagine, has been busy and fun! Lanie, one of my best friends ever, came to visit which was incredibly nice. She arrived Sunday, 29 March and stayed till Saturday, 4 April.
Sunday I picked Lanie up from the airport and we discovered the box of American goodies my mom had sent hadn’t quite made it all the way to Bremen. It was either in New York or Paris. Thus began a week of calling Air France every evening checking for updates on where the box was. Fortunately Lanie had packed her clothes and other things in a carryon so she wasn’t missing those.
After the baggage/Air France adventure, we headed back to the Blue House to get Lanie settled in and called her parents to let them know she arrived alived. We had döners for dinner then played several hands of nickel till around 8:30 when Lanie went to bed and slept for 14 hours – jet lag is so fun!
Monday was relaxed. We slept late then headed to downtown Bremen and went on a walking tour. I enjoyed learning more about the history of the town I’ve been living in and I think Lanie enjoyed it as well. We also walked around the Schnoor, the oldest part of town that has very narrow streets and had a snack of kuchen, German pastry.
Monday night we hung out and watched movies. It was nice to just relax and be silly.
Lanie braved Contemporary European History class with me Tuesday morning and hung at the Friseur with some of my friends. We went to Bremerhaven to the Deutsche Auswanderer Haus/German Emigration Museum which I had previously been to with my class last semester. Amazingly we stopped at a town called Lübberstedt that we are pretty sure Lanie’s ancestors came from. It’s such a neat museum and I am glad I had a chance to go back. Lanie also really enjoyed it and teased me about how I got sea sick on the replications of the boats used to take immigrants from Germany to America. (Yes, I really did get sea sick.)
Tuesday night we cooked a yummy dinner of pasta, salad, and garlic bread with chocolate torte for dessert. It was pretty darn amazing.
Wednesday was quieter day. I had my three hour long class in the morning which is always a little painful, so Lanie wisely skipped it. She met up with my classmates and me at the Friseur afterwards. In the afternoon, we went back downtown so Lanie could start buying souvenirs and take some more pictures. I headed back a little earlier to go to an evening class.
I had to get some work done on Thursday during the day so Lanie ventured to Knoops Park by herself. We actually got on the same bus back to my house which we put down to best friend timing and got ready for the Easter Egg Dying Extravaganza (which I will describe in it’s own post later today) by going grocery shopping and introducing Lanie to some of the differences between German and American grocery stores.
Friday we journeyed to Hamburg to hit some of sites there. We started off at the Hamburger Kunsthalle (Hamburg Art Museum) which I LOVED. We saw a special Degas exhibit and found paintings by Van Gogh, Pissarro, Renoir, and Rubens in the permanent collection. I was enthralled.
Coming to Europe has given me a new appreciation for art. I don’t need to speak the language to enjoy looking at the art and it’s something I can do on my own no problem. Since I’ve discovered this I’ve been seeking out art museums in most of the cities I go to.
After the kunsthalle, Lanie and I made our way to the famous Hamburg Harbor where we toured the museum ship Rickmer Rickmers. On the ship I got sea sick again (yeah, I know – I’m talented). We wandered through the shopping district and got gelato at a little kiosk (sehr lecker – very delicious).
Lanie and I headed back to Bremen Nord and had dinner at a biergarten where we feasted on schnitzel, kraut salat, and pommes frites (french fries). Lanie also indulged in a Bremen specialty: Beck’s beer.
Back home for Lanie to pack after the biergarten. We watched one more movie together and finished our chocolate torte from Tuesday night.
Saturday morning we headed to the flughafen (airport) bright and early at 7:55 am where we finally got the box my mom had sent with Lanie. I was really touched by all the goodies my momma had sent – peppermint patties, Reese’s cups, pancake mix, a can of Skyline, thin mints, Rolos, Crystal Light, cheddar cheese, and my favorite granola bars.
I am so glad Lanie came to visit. There’s nothing like old friends to reminisce with and to create new memories with. It also meant a whole lot to me to see a face from home.
I hope this past week had been peachy for you!
Love,
Elizabeth
A pretty stained glass window in a Bremen church
Lanie in the Schnoor
Bits'n'Lanie
Smiling through my sea sickness on board the Rickmer Rickmers
Yay! Goodies from home! Thanks Mom!
This week, as you can imagine, has been busy and fun! Lanie, one of my best friends ever, came to visit which was incredibly nice. She arrived Sunday, 29 March and stayed till Saturday, 4 April.
Sunday I picked Lanie up from the airport and we discovered the box of American goodies my mom had sent hadn’t quite made it all the way to Bremen. It was either in New York or Paris. Thus began a week of calling Air France every evening checking for updates on where the box was. Fortunately Lanie had packed her clothes and other things in a carryon so she wasn’t missing those.
After the baggage/Air France adventure, we headed back to the Blue House to get Lanie settled in and called her parents to let them know she arrived alived. We had döners for dinner then played several hands of nickel till around 8:30 when Lanie went to bed and slept for 14 hours – jet lag is so fun!
Monday was relaxed. We slept late then headed to downtown Bremen and went on a walking tour. I enjoyed learning more about the history of the town I’ve been living in and I think Lanie enjoyed it as well. We also walked around the Schnoor, the oldest part of town that has very narrow streets and had a snack of kuchen, German pastry.
Monday night we hung out and watched movies. It was nice to just relax and be silly.
Lanie braved Contemporary European History class with me Tuesday morning and hung at the Friseur with some of my friends. We went to Bremerhaven to the Deutsche Auswanderer Haus/German Emigration Museum which I had previously been to with my class last semester. Amazingly we stopped at a town called Lübberstedt that we are pretty sure Lanie’s ancestors came from. It’s such a neat museum and I am glad I had a chance to go back. Lanie also really enjoyed it and teased me about how I got sea sick on the replications of the boats used to take immigrants from Germany to America. (Yes, I really did get sea sick.)
Tuesday night we cooked a yummy dinner of pasta, salad, and garlic bread with chocolate torte for dessert. It was pretty darn amazing.
Wednesday was quieter day. I had my three hour long class in the morning which is always a little painful, so Lanie wisely skipped it. She met up with my classmates and me at the Friseur afterwards. In the afternoon, we went back downtown so Lanie could start buying souvenirs and take some more pictures. I headed back a little earlier to go to an evening class.
I had to get some work done on Thursday during the day so Lanie ventured to Knoops Park by herself. We actually got on the same bus back to my house which we put down to best friend timing and got ready for the Easter Egg Dying Extravaganza (which I will describe in it’s own post later today) by going grocery shopping and introducing Lanie to some of the differences between German and American grocery stores.
Friday we journeyed to Hamburg to hit some of sites there. We started off at the Hamburger Kunsthalle (Hamburg Art Museum) which I LOVED. We saw a special Degas exhibit and found paintings by Van Gogh, Pissarro, Renoir, and Rubens in the permanent collection. I was enthralled.
Coming to Europe has given me a new appreciation for art. I don’t need to speak the language to enjoy looking at the art and it’s something I can do on my own no problem. Since I’ve discovered this I’ve been seeking out art museums in most of the cities I go to.
After the kunsthalle, Lanie and I made our way to the famous Hamburg Harbor where we toured the museum ship Rickmer Rickmers. On the ship I got sea sick again (yeah, I know – I’m talented). We wandered through the shopping district and got gelato at a little kiosk (sehr lecker – very delicious).
Lanie and I headed back to Bremen Nord and had dinner at a biergarten where we feasted on schnitzel, kraut salat, and pommes frites (french fries). Lanie also indulged in a Bremen specialty: Beck’s beer.
Back home for Lanie to pack after the biergarten. We watched one more movie together and finished our chocolate torte from Tuesday night.
Saturday morning we headed to the flughafen (airport) bright and early at 7:55 am where we finally got the box my mom had sent with Lanie. I was really touched by all the goodies my momma had sent – peppermint patties, Reese’s cups, pancake mix, a can of Skyline, thin mints, Rolos, Crystal Light, cheddar cheese, and my favorite granola bars.
I am so glad Lanie came to visit. There’s nothing like old friends to reminisce with and to create new memories with. It also meant a whole lot to me to see a face from home.
I hope this past week had been peachy for you!
Love,
Elizabeth
A pretty stained glass window in a Bremen church
Lanie in the Schnoor
Bits'n'Lanie
Smiling through my sea sickness on board the Rickmer Rickmers
Yay! Goodies from home! Thanks Mom!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Lanie in Germany
Hey Everyone!
Things are going great here in Germany! Lanie, one of my dearest friends, has come to visit for the week. We are rushing off to Hamburg this morning so I will update you on all of our adventures Saturday or Sunday.
Love,
Elizabeth
Things are going great here in Germany! Lanie, one of my dearest friends, has come to visit for the week. We are rushing off to Hamburg this morning so I will update you on all of our adventures Saturday or Sunday.
Love,
Elizabeth
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