I AMsterdam! City of Anne Frank House, CRAZY stair cases, Kitties, Van Gogh and sex musesums!

June 21st and 22nd-Amsterdam!
Arriving in Amsterdam was literally like stepping into the movie Anastasia. The city is GORGEOUS with canals and alley ways leading into all different directions. Our hotel was on the main street and located directly above a great fries place.

Once we managed to drag our suitcases up the steepest stairs you could imagine and into our purple room, trying not to hit our heads on the staircase on the way, we headed off in the direction the boys wanted to go and explore the canals a bit.

After they were happy for the afternoon we headed off to the Anne Frank Museum (the most important part of the city for me)and I allowed myself to be immersed in the history of the house that made the Holocaust real to so many people. (You can't take pictures inside so I had to settle for purchasing postcards and the memories I have from there) I took my time walking through every room and touching the same walls she did, experiencing the darkness and coldness of the rooms, looking out at the same canal she hoped she could go out and dance near. I read every caption, watched every video, and examined everything I could. I wanted to remember every moment, every sense and every emotion I had while I was there. It was the point in the trip that I was most thankful for being able to experience everything I had before and I felt so unbelievably thankful for getting to be there. It made me long for home and being able to go through this process with my family, but I know that that is a trip that will happen in the future and I can't wait for it. After walking down the final steps of the museum I stopped at the gift shop to make sure I got a new copy of the diary stamped with the fact that it was from the museum and we headed off to dinner (Italian food AGAIN!)

After a quick nap after dinner we went out to see the Red Light District. While I understand its a "must see" of Amsterdam and there is a large amount of history behind it, I just found the entire experience disturbing and do NOT see myself ever returning there.
The next day I woke up early and went exploring, determined to find Lo's stroopwaffles and enjoy the city by myself for a little bit (After literally 24/7 with the boys it was nice to have a little me time) I found the local supermarket and the infamous blue and white Danish tin she was looking for and then met up with Justin for a canal tour and trip to the sex museum. We enjoyed seeing the sites of Amsterdam and going through the different quarters of the city. Fun fact: there is an extreme housing shortage in Amsterdam and almost 1/3 of the cities population live in houseboats.


From the canal cruise we headed over to the Museum district and took some quick pictures with the I AMsterdam sign and met up with Kenley and Mike for about 5 minutes. The boys headed off to the Heineken museum and I went over to the Van Gogh museum where I spent the extra 3 euros for the audio tour and took my time exploring all of his works. I was somewhat disappointed to see that a lot of his most famous pieces aren't there but enjoyed my time none the less. I found the first real souvenirs of the trip I wanted to purchase (a new tote bag for classes in Nice with Van Goghs almond tree painting on it, a notebook to keep in my purse so I can write down everything I see each day, and of course a magnet for Mom)


I got slightly lost heading back from the museum, but I just chalked it up as another adventure and enjoyed my hour long walk (it should have only taken about 20 minutes tops)finding statues, street vendors and more house boats. I made it back to the hotel and got to enjoy the evening to myself, skyping with Lo,watching friends in ENGLISH! on tv, and enjoying some fries from the shop downstairs. I completed the wish list of souvenirs from people and packed my bag to get ready for the next destination...PARIS!!!
*I will update again tomorrow on the train on our way from Paris to Nice and be all caught up for our adventures in Nice. I also plan on doing a "things I've learned so far" blog just to capture some of the experiences and memories that don't quite fit into a specific city.
Love you all and miss you!

Woops! Left off the pictures!

More Pictures from Brussels that didn't get into the last blog!

Brrrrrrrr Brussels

June 20th-Brussels Day 2
After getting home from the B-Club ridiculously late, I was determined to make Brussels day 2 productive and get in as much site seeing as I could. With such limited time Justin and I decided to leave the hungover boys at the hotel and that the best way to see everything was to get onto one of the double decker site seeing buses that lets you hop on and hop off. We attempted to find somewhere to eat before we boarded the bus but because we were in a religious city and it was Sunday pretty much everything was closed. So despite everything I had promised myself about this trip we ended up at McDonalds for breakfast (to be fair I only ordered orange juice so I didn't really break the rules) Once we found our way to the bus pick up (we had to stop at the most ridiculous hotel here that cost 450 euros a night to ask and borrow a map)we got on board and I insisted we sit on the top deck.

Despite the freezing temperatures(it was barely 50 degrees and raining and I'm from Southern California!)and wind blowing in our faces, Justin and I had a great time seeing the following sites:

Gare Central and Grand Place, Royal St. Hubert Gallery, Tin Tin and the Cathedral
Place Royal where there is the Royal Park, Royal Theatre, Belgian Federal Parliament, Royal Palace Dynasty Museum
Sablon where there was the antiques market, Sablon Church and Garden, the Synagogue, Marollen, and Marche aux puces
Louise Square/Justice Palace
European Paliament including the European Union District, European Council of Ministers, Leopold Park and Place de Luxembourg
Cinquantenaire Park including Autoworld, Royal Military Museum, Royal Museum of Art and History and Triumph Arch

Place Schuman
Place Rogier and Gard du Nord
The Atomium (this was a favorite for me)

The Japanese Tower-Chinese Pavillion where the Royal Residencees of Laken and the The Royal Greenhouses are
North Station
Grand Place where Saint Catherine Church, the Chocolate Museum and Mannekin Pis are

The Grand Place is EXACTLY what its name suggests GRAND! It was the most beautiful site so far on this trip and pictures simply don't do it justice. Hidden amongst a maze of alley ways Grand Place sneaks up on you and leaves you breathless as you try to take in all of the beauty. A pure example of Gothic style architecture combined with old world royalty the square is simply unbelievable. Everywhere you looked there was something new and exciting to see, examine, and question how something that gorgeous could possibly be built by hand. Justin and I took our time exploring the square and found the infamous Belgian waffles and chocolate shops (People in Brussels don't actually eat Belgian waffles but because it is so well known for it plenty of stores have opened up to please the tourists and you can order pretty much whatever you want on them.)I ordered a waffle with chocolate strawberries and bananas and was in heaven the moment I tasted it.

After finishing our waffles and picking up a couple of souvenirs including a chocolate little peeing boy (the mannekin pis) we headed down the alleys determined to find Brussels most famous site the Mannekin Pis (peeing boy) We followed the crowds and giggles and found the tiny statue of the little boy who constantly has to go. We were disappointed to see that he wasn't dressed up this time but took pictures none the less.
After seeing the infamous peeing boy and enjoying our waffles we headed back to the hotel where I got to skype with Mom and Dad and then we headed out to dinner at an Italian restaurant where I tasted frog legs (I did NOT order them, simply tasted Mikes) From dinner we saw the squatting girl statue (female equivalent to the peeing boy statue) and made a quick stop at Delirium (a bar with over 2000 different beers on tap) I headed back to the hotel early as I knew we had to travel the next day early in the morning.
It was an interesting night with Kenley and Mike getting in late and breaking my bed but all in all Brussels was a gorgeous city (once you got to the old parts of it) and I really enjoyed the architecture and history behind it.
Next stop after Brussels is Amsterdam (which is where I currently am while writing this blog)
Miss you all and I will update again soon!

Brussels: Home of Waffles, Chocolates, and Statues of Peeing Boys

June 19th: Brussels, Belgium (It's hard to keep track of what number day it is)
Brussels is a land of juxtapositions and that pretty much describes how our days here have been so far. I'm currently sitting in our hotel room waiting to Skype home while writing this and thinking about everything we've done and seen the past 2 days.
We woke up early on Friday morning and dragged (LITERALLY) our bags down through the Tube to St. Pancras international where we boarded the Chunnel that would bring us through France and up to Belgium arriving in Brussels.

Although getting our bags to that point was pretty much torture it was totally worth it to get another stamp in my passport. The ride went by extremely quickly and I honestly didn't even realize we were underwater at all (minus the constant popping of our ears) The French country side was gorgeous and when I saw the bike riders on the open road I immediately thought of Gabs.

We knew we were in for some crummy weather when the rain started pounding against the windows of the train, and before we knew it we were in Brussels welcomed by gray skies, freezing temperatures (despite Jen and Glabe's warnings I did not pack a warm enough sweater), cars parked on the sidewalks middle of roads and anywhere they feel like it, and very little English.

After navigating our way through the train station we were lucky enough to find a cab that was willing to take all four of us and our insane amount of luggage to our hotel, located as you might have it right next to Brussels very own red light district (Don't worry Mom, its a couple of streets behind us)Our cab driver would have been hired in New York in a second with his skills behind the wheel and with a little off roading and some pretty close calls we arrived at the Best Western City Centre.

We were all relieved when we discovered that not only did the receptionist speak English but there was also an elevator to take us to our room on the 4th floor. We didn't get to explore too much the first day because of travel time and the weather but we found ourselves in the old center of the city and although determined to find a Belgian waffle for lunch we ended at a fried chicken restaurant(it is a HUGE deal in Europe and I totally don't get it)The boys all had chicken tenders and fries and I went with the rotisserie chicken, not a terrible choice.
That night we had plans with Kenley's parents friend Marc who owns the largest club in Brussels, the B-Club. VIP was the word of the night as we were picked up at our hotel by a limo, pulled off into an alley in order to be served chilled champagne, were treated to dinner at Chi-Chi's (a Tex-Mex restaurant complete with Corona, Margaritas and Mariachi band that could have passed as an Old-Towne San Diego hidden treasure if it weren't for the waiters speaking French)and were provided with reserved tables and compensations for everything for the rest of the night. The club is located near Waterloo and the drive over was quite a treat as well, as we got to see the expansive forests that exist in Belgium.



We also met up with Kenley's friend Julian who attends University in Brussels and lives with his parents here. A true gentleman, Julian speaks 4 languages has traveled the world and has manners for days, he definitely puts most American college students to shame. From dinner we headed downstairs for some bowling before the night club (apparently in Brussels Debbye is spelled Daby and Michael is Mikael) From bowling we headed over to a Karaoke and Mini Golf bar that Marc also owns and were entertained by some choice singers who performed in both French and English. Songs by Celine Dion and Enrique Englesias were a big hit and I have officially discovered where the Macarena has retired to. The energy at the Karaoke bar was great and I could totally see a concept like that being a huge hit in the U.S.
The final stop for the night was the B-Club, a youngle/army themed club that could give anything on the Las Vegas strip a run for its money. It was loud, smokey, and filled with Techno Music...totally not my scene but it was a great experience with the boys. Justin and I took a cab back into the city around 2am while Kenley and Mike stayed until 6. It was an epic night for all and one I'm sure I'll never forget.
I will post again soon about Day 2 in Brussels, its about 1:45 in the morning here and we have a train at 9 so I'm going to bed. Love you all and Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Last Day in London

Night 2 and Day 3 in London
I'm a little bit behind in blogging because of crazy internet service over here, but I will try and catch up! I'm currently typing this in Brussels (this is our second day) but for continuity reasons I'll finish up with London and then do another post for Brussels.
Our third and last day in London was more of a continuation of the second night rather than its own. For dinner on the 2nd night, we headed out of the main city a bit and went to a great Italian place near the flat Kenley had rented when he visited London with his family. We also visited the next door pub to enjoy a couple of drinks while we waited for our table to be ready. Being in London for the World Cup, we got the watch the match on a huge tv during dinner and cheer along with the crowd. Later that night we returned to our favorite Hookah bar and then back to the hotel. Determined to see game 7 of the NBA playoffs we found a way to stream the game live using HORRIBLE internet service in our not so amazing hotel and joined together on Kenley's bed to watch Mike's laptop. With time differences the game didn't start for us until around 2:30 in the morning. As much as I love CA, I was determined to get some rest that night and attempted to sleep while the boys watched the game. As you might have guessed that didn't work out too well between the cheers for each basket and curses for each time the internet went out at a crucial point, and I too was up until 4:45 that morning watching the Lakers clench the victory and Mike do the best celebratory dance he could in our tiny room. It was pretty comforting knowing that across the ocean my family and closest friends were doing the same thing and I managed to get through the first email from Mom without crying too much (No I'm not that homesick yet, yes I miss everyone and cry easily.)

After 5 hours of sleep and dressed in a strapless top determined to even out the "tan" (read burn) lines I had acquired the day before,I woke the boys up and we headed back to Buckingham palace to watch the changing of the guard. Being vertically challenged was somewhat of an issue for this, but we were able to experience it for what it was and see the Guards and band live. According to Mike the processional was somewhat different this time as the band played for much longer than he remembered them doing in the past. With song choices such as the theme from ET and What a Wonderful World, we were all giggling at how odd the experience was.

From the palace we hopped on a quick tube ride to head over to London Bridge, the Monument and the Tower of London. We were reminded more times than I can count that the actual London Bridge is in the U.S. and I was asked again if I was from Australia (I took it as a compliment)

The Monument was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London 1666 which burnt for 3 days and destroyed over half the cities homes. It has 311 stairs in a spiral stair case, which we all conquered and allows for AMAZING panoramic views from the top deck. Despite aching thighs that are still causing us all to be a bit slower in our travels it was an experience of a lifetime that I'm glad we stumbled upon.

From the Monument we headed over to the Tower of London, passing the "Walrus and Carpenter" Bar on the way which brought a huge smile to my face (there is ALWAYS something while we're exploring that can remind me of home) We unfortunately did not do the tour of the Tower of London because of time restraints but it is somewhere that I HAVE to go back to so I can experience it more fully. Just like being at so many of the other London monuments you could feel the history surrounding you and feel yourself being swept back in time. It put Medieval Times to shame!

Mike's sister Lauren had a layover in London on her way to South Africa for the World Cup games so we met up with her in Trafalgar square and headed over to a local pub to watch the USA match of the World Cup games and explore the city a bit more, finding St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden and another park (there are so many I don't really know all of their names) We had a great time talking to the locals in the pub we found and were amused and amazed at the amount of beer they can drink and the love they game for the game of "Football." I think they were pretty entertained by us too as we were the typical Americans living the charmed life. After well wishes from them and goodbyes with Lauren our group headed back to our hotels to pack up and make sure we were ready for travel the next day. We then headed out to the suburbs to meet up with Mike's friend from college Jen, who lives out here to join her coworkers in watching the England game. I LOVED getting to see what a real pub was like and experiencing the energy that comes along with an England football game. I can't help but be jealous that the United States doesn't have something that we can come together over. Jen and her friends were absolutely awesome and I truly hope she gets the chance to come and visit San Diego in the future. After an adventurous Tube ride where we thought we were going to lose Mike after he hopped off to use the restroom we eventually all found our way back to the hotel to grab a couple of hours of sleep before we had to say goodbye to London.

For the first city I've been to over here, I must say that London did not disappoint at all and I can not wait to go back. I loved everything about it. From the parks, to the tube and minding the gap, to the history that surrounded you at every corner to my favorite accents, London was simply amazing. I wish I had gotten more time to see more museums, take more tours, and see a show (We didn't get to see Billy Elliot because of time issues) but I am comforted in knowing that I will be back and I will love it even more next time!
Next stop: Brussels (I'm actually already here, but that's ok, just read the next post too!)Cheers and Love you All!

London I'm Yours!

Day 1 and 2: It's official I am in LOVE with London! 2 days in and I wish we could stay here so much longer. I am already confident I will make it back because there is so much to see and do that we just can't get it all in this time around, but that doesn't mean we aren't trying! Our days have been full and long and we are determined to get in as much as possible on our last day as well.
Our flight in was LONG and needless to say we didn't exactly fly first class (don't worry Mom they gave us blankets!).



I watched Valentines Day, episodes of Friends, and attempted to watch Alice in Wonderland which I ultimately gave up on because it was so dark and our headphones weren't the best (I now completely understand Tony's request for nice headphones for his birthday) We were held in a holdover pattern for about 20 minutes before we were able to land in Heathrow, which was only made better by the flight staff's accents. We were then shuttled in to the actual terminal where we took the longest escalator in London to grab our bags and head to the Underground (The Tube). We were absolutely lucky this time and all of our luggage arrived safe and sound (yes mine was overweight)and I learned right away that my rolling duffle is in a pain in the toush. Stairs + REALLY heavy bag does not equal a very fun situation. After a slight misadventure with the Tube, almost getting my bag stuck, and thinking that Berkeley St. and Upper Berkeley St. we finally arrived at our hotel, the Marble Arch Inn. The hotel is located in a great little area close to Hyde Park and the Marble Arch surrounded by restaurants shops, Hookah bars, and Starbucks.

As soon as we checked in, we dropped our luggage off into the room (think a glorified dorm room with a cruise ship size bathroom)and were off to explore! I am so thankful Kenley has been here before as he could navigate the Tube with expertise, and we were able to make it Picadily Circus and Leicster Square no problem. We had lunch/dinner at a pub called Brewmasters where the boys enjoyed a variety of fish and chips with pints of beer and I had a salad with a great glass of wine. I also learned that ice does not come common in London. From Brewmasters we headed to Trafalgar Square which has been my favorite place so far. The fountains, street musicians and statues coupled with PERFECT weather forced me to pinch myself to believe it was all real. It was that moment that secured my love for this city. We took some time to explore the National Portrait Gallery and National Gallery which were both free for public admission (a HUGE plus for us on a budget)From the museums we came back to the hotel and all took naps to try and recover from being awake for 24 hours straight. When we all woke up we headed to one of the local Hookah bars where we enjoyed Pita and Hummus, cappacino. We ended the night with some BBC Crime Watch. (Pictures from Day 1 are on the camera I don't have the cord for to transfer them to my computer so they exist and I love them, but they will be posted soon hopefully)
Day 2 started with Justin finding his way to our hotel and then we were off to Hyde Park where we visited the Peter Pan statue and Pirate Ship Playground which was one of Princess Di's projects. Unfortunately, because of our lack of a child we weren't allowed to go in and play (we looked into borrowing one, but it didn't work out so well.) After walking around Hyde park we headed back to our hotel, picked up Kenley and headed off to all of the big sites. Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace can now all be checked off of my must see in my life list. Gorgeous does not begin to be an adequate adjective to describe how amazing London architecture is. You can feel the history surrounding you as you walk down the streets and on every corner there is another historic building with intricacies that just don't exist in California.


Everything in London is just so rich with culture and beauty that its hard to take it all in at once. Its the small things from the trip I am trying the hardest to remember so I can try and express the feelings that went with each new turn and adventure we've taken. Everything from the decorated elephants around the city to chairs in Hyde park which you can sit in and just enjoy the park (there is a charge for the chairs, but we figured they wouldn't mind us using them long enough to snap a quick picture)to the father and son on the Tube being so openly affectionate towards each other, to the musicians in the underground stations (ALL playing Bob Marley.) For a first time visitor it is just perfect and everything I had hoped being abroad would be.

As I sit in my bed, listening to Kenley's Ipod and watching Mike try and figure out how to watch the Lakers game, I can't help but feel so blessed to be here at this point in my life, able to take this all in and just enjoy whatever happens whenever it comes to us.
Tomorrow is our last day in London and we are making sure we enjoy it to its fullest! I miss everyone from home and truly wish I can someday experience this all with you.

Rolling or folding?

2 days out and that seems to be the most important question at the moment. I of course picked neither, or I guess technically both and discovered that ziploc gallon bags work great as space savers. After 5 hours of laundry, countless shopping trips (I think I started back in October when I bought my first "Europe" item)and 12 zip lock gallon sized bags later I am officially packed (minus everything that got packed in the "test" run that I have to pull back out to survive for the next 2 days)!

It still seems rather unreal to know that I'll be leaving in less than 48 hours, and even the giant purple and pink suitcases sitting in the middle of the family room haven't helped in sink in. I think it wont really hit until I'm on the plane with the boys about to take off, and even then I think the real excitement will happen when I see London for the first time. I literally can not wait to be sitting on one of the double decker red buses listening to our English tour guide tell me all about Big Ben (maybe it will help me miss Little Ben less).

I spent the last few days in San Diego and I am so happy I got the chance to visit one more time before I leave for 2 months. It amazes me how blessed I am to have such wonderful friends there and how close we have become over this year. Getting to see Glabe, Gabbie, Jess and Mully before I leave for 2 months was the perfect thing before I take off, and I can't wait for all of the fun we'll have when I get back. Finding the perfect presents for those girls is going to be difficult!

The only things left for me to do are check in, pick my seats, and get my nails done with Mom, oh ya and finish that pesky quilt square.

I'm sure I'll post one more time before I leave, but for now I'm off to embroider!

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

Bienvenue! Benvenuti! ευπρόσδεκτη! WELCOME! With 5 days to go, I'm officially starting posts for my travel blog! If you're reading this you likely have some interest in the amazing journey I'm about to embark on, and I invite you to "virtually travel" with me as I explore 6 countries and countless cities throughout Europe on what will be a journey of a lifetime. It is my hope that this blog will help us in keep in touch and allow me to capture the endless memories that I know this trip will produce.

While I could claim that the real reason I'm going is to "study abroad" anyone who knows me, knows that I have ALWAYS had a desire to explore Europe and everything that it has to offer. While this trip wont get me to all of the destinations I'd like to stamp in my passport, it will definitely be a great start and I can't wait to get lost in the cities I've learned so much about and have dreamed of visiting!

I thought I would use this post to give the basics: where I'm traveling, who I'll be with the whole time, and how to keep in touch.


Where we're going:
June 15-19=London
June 19-21=Brussels
June 21-23=Amsterdam
June 23-26=Paris
June 26-July 24=Nice (This will be our home location and where we will be taking all of our classes. 3 and 4 day weekends will give us the opportunity to explore continuously while we are there. Planned trips include Monaco, Spain, and St. Tropez)
July 24-25=Milan
July 25-July 27=Venice
July 27-28=Florence
July 28-31=Rome
July 31-August 2=Athens
August 2-8=Greek Isle (Most likely Santorini, Mykonos, and one other location)
August 8-10=Back in Athens
August 10=Back in the USA!

Fellow Travelers:
I have been blessed to get to experience this trip with some of my favorite guys in the whole world. I was lucky enough to have all of my classes with them my first year of law school and can't wait to experience this with them. Kenley and Mike (I will be referring to him as Bustos) both live in Southern California and Justin lives in Arizona. We will be meeting up with a fellow law school student in Amsterdam named Erin, and everyone else will be in Nice.

How to keep in touch!
Email will be the best way to get in touch with me as my phone is set up so I can still check it. So Dbrosent@gmail.com is the best way to let me know what's happening.
Skype-If you don't have it, get it! One of the best ways that we can talk for free! My name is Debrose25 so make sure to add me!
Blog-I will do my best to update this blog as often as possible, so check it frequently!
Phone- I will have my current phone number and be able to receive text messages and phone calls. Calls will be limited though because of the ridiculous cost of them and the time differences which I still don't fully understand. So if you're planning on calling make sure to email/text me first and we can arrange a time.

We're open for suggestions and must sees/dos for all of the places we're visiting so send those comments! I can't wait to share this with all of you and get remarkably turned around in Europe!

Testing

Testing this bad boy out