When in Rome..

Hey Guys!

Okay, so I know its been forever since my last post. Really its only been a week. BUT, SERIOUSLY, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE DONE IN THE PAST WEEK? I thought not. So, as a result. I shall update you as much as possible, and include Haikus whenever appropriate. :)

First off, let us start with the beginning of the trip: LONDON.

What is there not to say about London? Other than: I AM IN LOVE WITH THAT CITY. Quite literally. London was clean, and... well, there's just a ton of history there. We saw big ben, parliament, westminster abbey ( although never got to go into it - but don't fear, we tried.. TWICE), I WENT TO TEMPLE CHURCH -- SOOO AWESOME!!, Saint Paul's, The National Art and Portrait Galleries, The British Museum (mummies = WAY COOL), and finally we saw Phanton of the Opera performed at her majesty's theatre. That's right, I can offically die happy.
I could have spent YEARS and YEARS in the british museum. and OH!! MARG, LIZ, and HOLLY : I SAW THE STUFF FROM SUTTON HOO. That's right. there will be facebook pictures of the infamous belt buckled tagged of you. Professor Neuschel would be proud. I will be going back to london. why? Because its awesome, that's why. its so great, it should be haikued.

london. i love you.
from big ben to westminster,
please mind the gap. tube! *

* the london metro is called the tube. there are signs that tell you to mind the gap between the train and the platform. its love. :)

Next City: FRANCE

okay, so, the tourist - y stuff of France completely rocks. as a matter of fact, its awesome. the city as a whole on the other hand, sucks. it smells. and the people have no clue about clean restrooms. on that note, i'm convinced that the french don't use toilet seats OR toilet paper. THAT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE, but a different post all together. on to the cooler stuff...

So, we went to the Louvre. Which was, literally, the coolest thing on the face of the planet. I could spend the next five years in there. Just looking at the art. WAY WAY WAY awesome. I found the Mona Lisa to be a little.. over rated, maybe? I don't know... I think that some of Da Vinci's other works... like, say... the Madonna of the Rocks, are so much more. But, then again... Mona does smile at you like she has some secret .... either way, that building has so many different masterpieces it in, that it really would take a life time to study them and appreciate them to the fullest.

Then, we also went to Versallies. ( SWOONS* home of Louis the 14th, 15th, 16...) So much history. So wonderful! And the hall of mirrors? Its literally beyond words. I mean, its no wonder that the French Government was broke and the people eventually rioted and the Revolution occured... all of the money had to have been spent at Versallies. Its amazing that the king and court could have been living in that extent of splendor whilst the people starved.. anywho, I'll save you from the historical commentary. :)

( speaking of historical stuff... this trip/Europe is like the historian's field day... there's something awesome literally like every way you turn...)

So, we did the Champs-Elyse, Arc de Triumph, which was way cool, because we were there on May 8th... which is Victory Europe Day. ( world war two, people) - and they were having memorial services everywhere for those who had died. Way neat. ( not the people dying, the memorial services. get with it. )

Then, we ended France with going up in the Effiel Tower at night. And, I must say, Paris is much more beautiful at night, from above, than it is during the day. I only went to the second level, but the view was breath taking. I spent about an hour just looking over the city. So peaceful. If you go up in the Effiel Tower, do it at night. Seriously.

And, finally, we went to Notre Dame, and The Basillica Santa Cres ( i think that's how you spell those) they were beautiful. duh. loved it. We also ate our fair share of baggets and crepes. My favorite was on our last day, on the way to the Basillica, we ate at a little hill side cafe. :)

So, France :

smelly. dirty. ew.
madonna beats mona
effiel tower. night.


Okay, So: I actually need to get to bed, we're getting up early to go to ... THE SISTINE CHAPEL. ( i'm beyond excited). literally.

But, let me sum up my two days of rome so far:

ITS GREEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAT.
If I could marry a city, it would be Rome.
The people are waaaayyy friendly. :)
The Colosseum was so cool!
We've been to Santa Maria Maggiora, The Trevi Fountain, The Spanish Steps, The Basillica of Saint Mary and the Martyrs, Piazza Populo, ( and like a million other Piazzas that I can't name from off the top of my head) and oh yeah, we've gone to Saint Peter's Basillica TWICE. That's right, TWICE. Because ITS JUST THAT AWESOME.

DID I MENTION THAT IT HAS THE PIETA?!?!!!!?!?!!??!?!?!?! yeah, I kinda flipped out with that. Its magnificent. I'm telling you, Micheangelo was a genius. The church is literally breath taking - and over whelming at the same time. Its crazy. There is so much detail every where - its obvious that he planned out every aspect, from the way the light shines in the highlight the high altar piece to the way all of the statues in the various niches in the church work together to pull your attention in the direction of the altar. BEYOND COOOL. WAY BEYOND COOL.

and oh yeah, GELATI ( that's right, i'm writing it in Italian - WATCH OUT!! least, i think that's it) is BEYOND GOOD. So is the pasta and pizza. YUM. The food here has been great. Every restuarant you sit out side and eat... its... awesome.

So, in sum, I'm living the history nerds dream right now. If only I had more time in each place. Oh well, guess I'll just come back... hahaha. :)


anyway, I must go.

sorry its been so long between posts. MORE TO COME, SOON!!! :)

love and hugs to all!!

:)