BARCELONA

We got back from spring break a week ago, and school has been busier than ever! I have finals in 2 weeks and a ton of homework to complete, essays, a speech, and studying! I am so excited for it to be summer, but as happy as I am to come home and see everyone I have missed so much, it's also bittersweet. It's as if I had just gotten comfortable, just created a life for myself in this new place, to have the carpet pulled from under my feet. There are so many things I miss from home, but now I know there will be a whole new list of things I will miss.
We had soo much fun in Barcelona, we spent a whole week there, in the nicest hostel I've ever stayed in! Its called Equity Point Centric and it is on a famous street called Passeig de Gracia.  This street is all shopping, all designer stores and boutiques, its also the longest shopping street in Europe. We were only a 5 minute walk from the famous street La Rambla, which was so exciting and teaming with people, restaurants, street performers, markets, and tourist shops. Our hostel was only 2 buildings away from a famous Gaudi architecture called Casa Batlo. Gaudi is known for his colors, bizarre roofs, ceramics, eye popping designs, and no straight edges but instead curving and winding walls. Besides the famous Sagrada Familia Church which is still under construction, Gaudi's art-chitecture is sprinkled all over the city. My absolute favorite was Park Guell, on the top of a big hill so you can overlook the city, there are gorgeous views and amazing ceramics all over.
We ate tapas nearly every meal- I was obsessed! Also Paela, a sort of seafood rice plate that is a staple in Barcelona, so delicious. And then sangria, sangria, sangria, everywhere we went! My favorite part of the trip was a bike tour we did on through the city. We had an australian tour guide who lived on the beach and didnt speak a word of spanish. He took us past every Gaudi building, he took us to a local wine bar with fresh wines made in Barcelona, and we ended at the beach where he explained Barcelonas sand came from the Sahara desert, the palm trees were on "rent" from Hawaii, and all these things were put in just before the 1992 Summer Olympics. The Olympics also gave Barcelona a new and wonderfully convenient metro system that we learned quite fast. But after the bike tour, we decided it was the sort of city one could walk. I got tan, I ate fantastic food, made friends, and miss it already!
Love and see you soon
Lindsey

dear blog, 

time to stop neglecting you! I am keeping a small personal journal, but otherwise, this is the best way to remember small details about my travels!

a good friend and I decided to go to Holland for one weekend, it was hectic and beautiful! The dutch language was difficult for me- after feeling relatively comfortable with the french language, it was a definite culture shock

all the street signs were Prinsengraat and Concertgebouw

But besides the names, most everyone could respond in english, so it was perfect!

all the canals winding everywhere and there were canoes, motor boats, tour boats... we even saw a guy on a surfboard (:

the food was good, there were tons of places they don't have in Paris (and food was more affordable as usual)

It was another country that had so much to see, never enough time!!

We got a tour of the Heineken brewery and got to see the big Van Gogh museum (:

I loved the town and the energy, even though the red light district was a scary tourist trap!

I have more trips to catch up on! talk to you soon

love, lindsey

LONDON

I'm sorry it's taken so long to write, life gets hectic no matter the language!
I spent a beautiful weekend in London with my two roommates, it was amazing but there wasn't enough time! I was thankful my friend Caroline from littleton was living in London this semester, she helped us a bit and took us around all day Saturday. I thought "oh a new, big city is going to be hard, but at least english is my native language"... well their metro or should I say "the tube" got us Parisians lost 3 or 4 times! And we kept taking pictures of the names of streets, of tube stops, that were hilarious... "Sheppards Bush", 'Picadilly' or "Cockfosters'... soo british, we kept laughing and wondering, are these real places?
We basically got to see all the tourist places, Big Ben, Parliment, the London Eye (during nighttime with the entire city lighting up and the highest view possible), Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the changing of the guard, and Queensway walk (an adorable area along the Thames river where street performers, painters, people in costumes, magicians all lined the street) We were so lucky to have a warm SUNNY day all day Saturday, which is rare to have completely blue skies in London.
My favorite thing to see was the rebuilt Globe Theatre... it wasnt the original (its been burnt down 3 times since Shakespears day, the thatch roof is to blame) but its very close to the original location and was built using victorian architectural styles like wooden pegs instead of nails to name one. It was an adorable tour where they explained everything about the theatre. On the floor in front of the stage were the cheap seats (standing rather than seats) and it was a chaotic, loud, and smelly place to be. Then there were 3 levels of seating with better views and better air flow. The best and most expensive seats were practically on the stage, a second floor looking down at the stage above the actors and facing the audience.  The guide told us that these were the best seats because they were private, with a great view, and everyone in the Globe would see what you were wearing as you entered. This theatre is outside with an open roof, so they do seasonal plays still today. During their winter hours they let drama schools around London use the stage. During our tour, 2 young actors and a director were practicing "Romeo and Julliet"- they were actually very good! Running around the stage, bursting with old Shakespearian prose, and the Julliet actress was wearing a beautiful white dress that swayed with every movement. Lucky once again- we got a free show with our tour!
Best of all, I was able to eat fish and chips 2 times (: the most delicious fish and batter I've ever had!
But there was not enough time in the world!
I love you, miss you so much.
Cheers!

springtime in paris

I am having the best day ever-- I went to class this morning and took a test on conjugation. My "prof" calls me "TGV", which is the french high speed train, because I finish my tests so fast. But not without getting an A bien sur (:
And then I met a friend for lunch at the Mosque de Paris, which is really close to our apartment. It is soo beautiful, the inside is covered in white and blue arabesques lining the walls. The booths were a deep red velvet and every table is gold. The ceilings are beautifully painted in pinks, blues, whites.  A huge gold chandelier sits in the middle of the dining room and little birds fly in and out the open windows. I got a huge plate of couscous with lamb, and the BEST Moroccan tea I've ever had! They pour the tea starting low then moving the teapot very high, they say the more oxygen in the tea the better the flavor. It was perfect.
Then my friend gave me a ride on his Vespa to class-- it was my first time on one, and with how Parisians drive, I was a little nervous!! He was winding in and out of the traffic, through pedestrians, over the Seine. We passed Notre Dame and the Ilse de la Cite on my left, I felt this huge rush of joy and love, passion, excitement, all at the same time. I was so happy to be here, like I have felt before, but this time was different- it was like falling in love with a place.
And the cherry on top is I got an A on a french test that I was so worried about!! No more worries, none at all.
I love you and miss you all so much <3
"I carry your heart- I carry it in my heart"
love, lindsey

DISNEYLAND PARIS

a little slice of american pie just 30 minutes outside of the city, we had too much fun
the space mountain here blew californias out of the water!!!!!
we might go back because it was too awesome
i love you all <3 miss you turribly

song lyrics to remember

"i like songs about drifters, books about the same they both seem to make me feel a little less insane"

"moats and boats and waterfalls, alleyways and payphone calls, ive been everywhere with you"

"i know that starting overs not what lifes about, but my thoughts were so loud i couldnt hear my mouth"

"when youre walking downtown, do you wish i was there? do you wish it was me? with the windows clear, and the mannequins eyes, do they all look like mine?"

"i used to live in a heartbeat city, i swear i fell in love every minute on the street"

"the days get longer and the nights smell green, i guess its not surprising but its spring and i should leave"

"roads dont move, youre the one that moves"

"maybe theres a god above, but all i ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you"

"and everytime i scratch my nails down someone elses back i hope you feel it"

"i was in heaven i was in hell believe in neither but fear them as well"

the apartment building

We are the only people on the 4th floor, and unlike most apartment buildings, ours has an elevator!! YES we are so lucky. It's so rare and absolutely taken advantage of after going to class on the 6th floor. If you aren't awake, by the time you reach the top of the stairs, you will be. 
Our apartment building is right across the street from a huge high school. The french "lycees" in the city start early, end late, and get really long breaks for lunch. These kids are talking, shouting, and screaming so much I know their entire schedule.
And then we have Opera man. Opera man is a french thirty-something who lives on the second floor. This frenchie is taking opera lessons from a woman every Tuesday and Thursday, and his teacher is actually decent. But Opera man is not. I know for a fact now that, no matter how long you practice, some skills can never be acquired. Opera man is my alarm clock. Opera man is my itunes in the afternoon. We need thicker walls.
And finally, if hell had a shower.  It would be ours.  The tiles were not "water proof" so the wall and carpet into my room was drenched one day-- but wait, we have the perfect solution!! Call extreme home makeover because this idea is brilliant. Our housing coordinator decided taping another shower curtain along the tiles would prevent water from going into them. So we stand there, shower curtains on all sides, sucking in and sticking to your legs, with a hole cut in it for the shower head. Just so classy. Oh and I'm 3 inches too tall for it. Cherry on top.

But even with all these things, I love our apartment. Our area is safe, we have plenty of room, there are 2 other apartments with american students in the building, its perfect.
God bless this mess.