Hellooo Europe

Barcelona was great!

Wednesday night, we arrived in a luxurious hotel, in comparison to the others.  A few of us ventured off for tapas, per a recommendation.  It took an hour to get a cab, and 45 minutes to get seated at 10 p.m.  A good sign.  The place was bustling with cafe tables outside, people everywhere, and pitchers of sangria.

I wish I could remember all that we ate.  The waiter laughed at us when we ordered a whole second round of tapas.  Fried potato shred with a egg yolk sauce, specialty ham on slices of bread, an artichoke, goat cheese, and pepper concoction, calamari, a spanish omelette.  Everything.  I’ve eaten tons of things that I “don’t eat,” but screw it.  It was delicious!  Best meal of the entire trip

We spent the entire next day in Barcelona.  Saw the Segrada Familia—an ancient church who’s mentally insane architect died without leaving notes.  The two sides of the church are drastically different, with the original so intricate and pretty, and the other looking like a star wars set.

We also went to see a Bull Ring and museum where they kept live bulls.  Don’t really want to think about their fate, but it was cool to see.  We walked around Las Rambas, a market-like, main pedestrian strip with vendors and street performers.  Strayed away to a crazy local food market for lunch, then hit the beach in Barceloneta.

That night was dinner and a Flamenco dancing show.  That was okay.  Then a club with the group in the Olimpic club district.

My Spanish actually did come in handy at times.  I’d like to see more of Spain.

Onto Bordeaux, France.  Comments pleaseee.

Xo K

We spend the last two nights in Nice, the French Riviera—a 40 kilometer area that spans the French coast and Mediterranean sea, just across the Italy border.

That night, we went to Monaco for dinner—probably one of the wealthiest countries in the world where you need special permission from the government to move there.  Dinner was delish and then we went to the Monte Carlo Casino.  If I had seen more movies, i might have know that that was the casino from James Bond.  It was super intense and full of high-rollers who wouldn’t even flinch if they won thousands.  Pretty cool to see.

The first full day in Nice, we rented lounge chairs and towels right along the water front.  Despite the title of this entry, the beach was actually not nice on the feet, because it was made up of large stones rather than sand, but it was still an amazing sight.

We also went on a “fly fishing” boat, which is a massive banana boat that turned practically vertical when pulled by the speed boat.  It was so scary and fun and we all fell of at least once :-X

Later that night, we met on the beach for a picnic–which consisted of only wine and sangria (gotta love Contiki), went to a group dinner, and ended the night at a cool bar with a sweet cover band, where its awkward if you’re not dancing on the tables.

Anyway onto Barthelona? Barcelona.  We will arrive in the city around dinner time.  Yay for a country I can semi-communicate in.

Peace, Love, and Europe.

Xo K

Florence was ridiculous.

After arriving Friday, we went to a group dinner and then this bar called the Red Garter.  I was hoping to meet some sexy Italian men—but not so much.

I sang karaoke for the second time in my life, the very first being in the Swiss Alps a few nights earlier.  My Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” duet was impeccable.

After that bar, a group of us wandered around the city for a few more hours.  It was tough finding a cab because not only was it a bank holiday, but there was also a big football game that evening.  Their football is the most barbaric and gruesome game—so bad it is not even televised.

The next day was super long.  We had a leather demonstration, a walking tour of the city from a cute little Italian lady, went to a great local cafe, and just wandered for a few hours.

The city of Florence was highly impacted by the Renaissance.  The massive naked sculptures are amazing.  Apparently the city was spared during WW2 because Hitler had become particularly fond of it while visiting Mussolini five years prior.

We didn’t get to see the David, sadly, but checked out a cool church.  There was a replica in the main square so we can pretend…

Anyway, after an extremely long day, we had dinner at a monastery where there were alleged monks serving the food.  I personalyl didn’t see any and was a little shocked to hear the Macarena and the YMCA, but who knows.  We ended the night at a night club with the whole group.  Space Electronic Disco.  Sweet name.

Onto the French Riviera.  So excited for some sunshine and laziness, minus the added 5 pounds to my not-so-bikini-ready body.  Who cares haha.  Comments please.  Until then. xo K

We only got a little lost, actually.

The past two nights were spend in Venice.  It was amazing there!  The first night after dinner, a small group of us wandered off for dessert and wine.  There were not many restaurant options outside the city where our hotel was, so we stopped at the first one we came across.

Apparently it’s not appropriate to just get drinks and dessert in Venice.  The servers were giving us the stink eye the entire time and took our napkins and silverware away.  Oh well–lesson learned.

The area we stayed in was no extremely nice and honestly a bit dodgy.  I named it “Little Brooklyn.”

The entire next day was spend in the city.  We took a water taxi to Venice.

Venice is a series of 119 islands build centuries ago on marshland.  There are no cars at all.  Over 400 bridges, water taxis, and gondolas help people get around.

The main square is San Marcos—an area with a huge, well-preserved Basilica.  The irony around this is that a basilica is a church dedicated the tomb of a saint.  The founders of Venice wanted so badly to be recognized on the Catholic map, that they stole the body of St. Marc in order to build a church in his honor.  Yay Catholicism.

Anyway, the weather was nice and hot.  We walked down tight alley ways drinking Bellinis—peach champagne, ate a ton, and did lots of shopping.

We had a Murano glass blowing demonstration, a gondola ride on the Grand Canal, and an awesome dinner with a musician.

Loved, loved, loved Venice and I’m super excited for more Italy.  We will be in Pisa soon, then Florence for two nights.  Definitely going to suggest Venice to my parents.

Until later! xo K

Comments pleasee