Ford Family Trip

Traveling with my family is an experience like nothing else. It's the best way to do it. Though I love the opportunity to explore various ports of call by working on the ship, my favorites were the ones I spent with my family on board. Traveling to New Jersey and Washington D.C. last week was no different. With family, we create the best memories to last a lifetime. We remember the food, the sites, the laughs. I put together the video montage because I wanted to capture those memories. I also kept a list of some of my favorite moments:


1. “Butt Up!”
2. Oprah went to college…
3. Driving right up to our plane-surreal, I felt like the president!
4. Mimosas on the jet-Cathy with a “C”!
5. The beautiful Princeton campus
6. Hillary’s intense save by her hand
7. "Why is you there!?"- Aunt Sheryl
8. Civil War Cemetery walk
9. John hiding in the backseat and popping up
10. Grandpa trying the chocolate habenero gelato
11. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum with Corona space shuttle-Celeste talking about the secrecy involved and one of her
employees at Stellar Solutions worked on it!
12. Tailgating party outside the museum
13. An amazing dinner at the seafood place- John’s miniture tuna! Grandpa and I had made a bet on what he would order, so
John ordered the most ridiculous and unlikely meal so that neither one of us would win and he would get our quarters!
14. Uncle John, Nathan and I getting “shafted” to the back
15. Another amazing meal at an Italian restaurant where Miranda trys to break open the lobster and drops it on the seat
16. Nathan’s fierce dance moves at the Tiger Inn, “eating clubs” on Princeton campus.
17. Uncle John...enough said
18. Dinner in Chinatown, Washington D.C. at Matchbox and Rita's Italian Ice for desert
19. Tour of the Library of Congress, the Capitol, the White House, National Archives
20. Spending time with my Grandma
21. Dinner at Marrakesh, authentic Moroccan food (which you eat with your hands!) complete with a belly dancing show :)
22. Three sister statue in the street-Reta, Kathleen, & Sheryl!!!!
23. Monuments at night- so beautiful!
24. World War 2 Memorial with my Grandpa
25. Les Miserables!!!!!!!!
26. Cousin time!!!!
27. Every moment with my family!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for making it not only POSSIBLE for me to come, but for making it so special. I will be sending the video out to the Ford fam in Cali, and the rest of you will receive copies on Thanksgiving!!!! :D

Love you all!!!
Shannon <3

The Windy City

Alright, my sincerest apologizes for not blogging sooner, I was caught up in the whirl of work and trying to make plans. Now that I'm more settled, my plans are out the window and I will just be riding the wave from here on out. I'm known for stressing and over analyzing EVERYTHING so I need to focus on taking things as they come, not worrying about the future.

That said, this last month has been an emotional roller coaster, as all big life changes are. But unlike California, there has been more good days than bad! I love the city and its diverse melting pot of people. However, I am feeling much the same way I did in LA about audition life because it is a commitment to years of inconsistent work and I'm not sure I'm willing to dedicate my dance career to just that. I feel I'm stuck in two worlds, that of an academic and one of an artist. And I'm very picky on how I want them to intertwine.

With all these thoughts running freely in my head, I've begun to piece together a sort of tentative 5 year plan. I would like to return to ships to travel while saving money. On my vacations from this "work", I would do some traveling on my own through programs that work with animal conservation around the world. Eventually, I will return to school to, most likely, prepare myself for a career in animal rescue either with an organization, as a animal policewoman, or a scientist dealing with conservation. Or possibly even being a trainer or marine biologist.

I've made a list of things I want to do/see in the time I'm living in Chicago. Of course, most of them are the tourist things, but with the help of locals that I meet or friends that I have in the city, I'm also racking up a list of popular local things to do. :) My idea is to treat this like any other port that I'm visiting. Unfortunately, I don't have the same schedule as my roommates since none of them are unemployed dancers like me (ha ha) so....a lot of these adventures I will have to embark on my own. Sean challenged me to go to a movie by myself, something I argued I would NEVER do because I see it as an activity to do with friends or on a date. He told me to grow up. So, that was my first step towards my goal of soaking up this city. I went to Lion King 3D by myself. Yes, it was weird. Yes, I was slightly lonely and would have enjoyed some company. But I'm independent and I hold myself back if I wait for others to be ready to do the things I want to do. So, my second solo escapade was a trip to the Shedd Aquarium. This was spectacular because I have a real soft spot for animals. My eyes literally teared up because it was my first time seeing Beluga Whales. They were so cute. I was inspired by the live show, where they showed us how the trainers worked with the dolphins and the seals. Unbelievable. I think I would make an amazing dolphin trainer. The make it a game for the dolphins, with only positive reinforcement and treats. There's no whips, no cruelty like what I imagine happens in the circus. The point of the live show was not for our entertainment, the animals were under no pressure to preform. It was to educate us on the way the trainers work with the dolphins for stimulation and even for their own medical care. Dolphins will work on a behavior like laying its tail on the trainer's lap and allow the trainer to rub its tail. This is a training they repeat everyday, but once a month the trainer will draw blood from the tail for a check up, followed by the tail rub. This way, the dolphin knows exactly what to do and what to expect. It's genius.




Ok ok, let me stop rambling on about animals! I'll talk about people now. My roommates are all really cool and so different from me. Laura is my age, so a senior attending DePaul University. She is studying film and might look into marine videographer. I joked with her that she can film me working with dolphins. It could happen. She's also working on her scuba instructor certification. I suggested that if I book a cruise in the Caribbean, she can come scuba dive with me! Laura has the basement bedroom and I rarely see her but we try to make plans together. A few weeks ago we did a mini trip into the city and she showed me some amazing buildings and we has a fabulous dinner at Elephant and Castle, her favorite pub. I saw a few things on my list during this trip! 1. The giant reflective lima bean in the middle of Millennium Park where you can take awesome pictures of the skyline in a mirror. 2. The 26 foot tall Marilyn Monroe on Michigan Avenue, in her famous billowing white dress and "The Seven Year Itch" subway-grate stance. FABULOUS. 3. The Tribune Tower which encases various stones from around the world into its exterior limestone frame. It includes fragments of India's Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt, the Berlin Wall, the White House, and the Great Wall of China. The Tribune is loaded with hidden artifacts and I look forward to creating a scavenger hunt for myself! 4. A stroll down the Magnificent Mile. Of course. Michigan Avenue is prime shopping from couture Burberry, Armani, and Louis Vuitton to a few of my personal favs- Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and Victoria's Secret. I have also found a new love, a fantastic find called Akira, exclusively in Chicago. From wacky boots to amazing apparel, its heaven. And on the cheap side! If only my aunts were here to appreciate my great discoveries!



Roomie 2 is Brooke. She lives across from me upstairs. Brooke graduated and is currently working a grown up, serious job to pay off college, but will be taking her LSATs this week! I remember when I thought I wanted to be a lawyer...HA glad I changed my mind! She is very smart and I love listening to her opinions on various topics from religion and politics to her small minded co workers. But, she has a very loud voice. Even when she is just talking with someone face to face, it's a bit overwhelming. And her laugh carries out around the room, and not in a good way! :/ At least she is nice and sociable, not at all a stereotypical law student!

Roomie 3 is Caitlin. Super nice and funny. She lives next door to me and we are both cramped in the same size room. She also just graduated and is working on paying off her student loans. She just got a job as a preschool teacher and is looking for a serving job. I must say, I am glad to not be in debt! Although I complain about not having money because I work a part time job and it all goes to rent, I can't imagine living this life AND having college bills to pay for....the next 10 years. EEK. For example, Laura has RACKED up some loans since her freshman year she attended school in Hawaii while she was going for a marine biology major. Then she transferred to DePaul, which is an EXPENSIVE school. I can't even imagine how much she will owe when she graduates.

I was considering taking a class or two at DePaul but I'm not sure I will be able to commit to a semester. It's hard for me to commit to anything right now when I'm considering returning to ships to continue more traveling. I looked into volunteering at the Aquarium but they asked for 6 months to a year commitment. As much as I would love that, I can't guarantee that I will be here and available for that long! My tentative plan seems to be the best course of action for now.

Backing up to my first few weeks in Chicago, I will mention the amazing time I had seeing my cuz, Nathan Ford. His girlfriend, Lauren, literally lives a street away from me! It's crazy what a SMALL world this is!!! I had a great lunch and caught up with them. Hopefully, Nathan will be able to steal away from his spy job in Washington to come visit Chicago so I can see him more. It sucks they lived in Cali and we were in Colorado so we rarely got to see each other growing up. But, it made the time they did visit that much more memorable! And now that we are all spread out over the nation, and the world (Chinese Sean), our time together is an incredible occasion. Lauren and I went to the Chicago Air and Water Show the following weekend. Her friend's uncle had a boat docked in the pier so it worked out perfectly. We watched the jets and parachuters perform their spectacular stunts. I would scream in fear and anxiety every time a jet would fly high above then shut off his engine and spiral downward, leveling out just in time. She just laughed at me. This show was just one example of the many incredible events Chicago has to offer, year round. It is a bustling city, but not overwhelming like I believe New York would be.



Cameron and I have started a bit of a tradition to meet up every week or so for brunch at some of the unique and sensational breakfast restaurants. Our first stop was Southport Grocery and Cafe where we dug into delicious Cupcake Pancakes. This coming Sunday we will be hitting up the Orange Contemporary Brunch restaurant where I might indulge in either a Cinnamon Roll Pancake or the Chai Tea French Toast. Cam is a great connection for me into the musical theatre world and loves sharing the knowledge he is getting from school. He will graduate this year then work a few choreography jobs he has lined up and be in a few shows both home and here in the city. Then he will move back to Colorado or stay out here to start building his resume in preparation for New York. Funny enough, I've taken New York off my list. I still want to visit, of course, but I don't want to live there. It's the new way I am thinking, where I want to do EVERYTHING and not spend my time waiting for one chance. I've got a packed bucket list, and I gotta progress thru it all!!!!!

Wrigley Field was also on my Chicago list and last week I went to a Cubs game against the Milwaukee Brewers with my friend, Tim, who just moved to Chicago. Tim was our sound tech on the Vision so I did both contracts with him! We had amazing seats, in line with first base! Not that there were any bad seats, the stadium was SO SMALL. I think Coors Field was modeled after Wrigley, they were extremely similar. Wrigley opened in 1914 and is the oldest National League ballpark still in use. The scoreboard is hand turned and there are beautiful ivy fields along the outfield wall. Wrigley is iconic for its unusual wind patterns off Lake Michigan, which will favor either the pitcher or aid home runs. Maybe that was the original inspiration for the "Windy City" nickname, because it is not significantly windier than any other US city. In fact, Boston has a higher average annual wind speed than Chicago. Some sources claim the nickname was a term being used metaphorically because Chicagoans were supposedly braggarts. Thankfully, the current population is losing this reputation. However, downtown Chicago does earn the title of the "Windy City" as unforseen side effects of the tall buildings sucks the wind into the streets. I did experience this passing the Tribune Tower. While other places are calm, you dip into the skyline and you might have to hold on to your hat!



All in all, the city has a lot of amazing things to offer and I look forward to spending my time here exploring every nook and cranny. I'm excited to have the opportunity to return home for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year and hopefully I will have a few visitors in the new year! (HINT HINT ya'll....come visit!!!!) I'm creating an ever growing list of things I want to do while on land, some are here, some in other cities, like Celine Dion in Vegas. And some are even back home in the 303 because after all my travels, I've realized there are so many amazing things Colorado has to offer that I can take advantage of! :D

The Adventures In Chi-town Begin

So, for all you who have been requesting an update, here it is!

Roadtrip Fun:
Bumbles...late start + need all new tires (eek!) = 4 hours behind schedule, Iowa state fair means "NO room at the Inn, Mary!" for the next 30 miles, flat and boring Nebraska, smelly Iowa, we forgot toothpaste, cop pulls dad over for speeding but really just wants to search our "suspicious" car for drugs with the canine unit

Best part: Guess this artist game with dad. I play Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga and give the hint "crazy costumes". He says Elton John. :D


Chicago's Welcoming Arrival:
Beautiful blue skies and perfect weather turns drastically to grey, threatening clouds, which in turn becomes rain. Rain that is peaceful until it rains harder then hardens into golf ball-sized hail! All within 3 minutes.

Best part: Having lunch at a legit Irish pub. Irish waitress named Brid, Irish rugby game on the tube, and rowdy Ireland supporters drinking their Guinness and Killian's.


Chat with my roomie, Laura who is a wicked awesome girl originally from here, but moved to Hawaii for freshman year marine biology. Now is a film student at DePaul and will graduate this year. Funny thing is, her free spirit reminds me a lot of my old roomie in LA, Kayla. I need to latch on to her energy and hold on for the ride because it's an attribute I so admire.


Accomplishment: Backed into a parking spot!
Goal: Get to know the city and find my happy place!

Second 7 Day Cruise!!!!

Copenhagen
Dani, Jess and I headed off in Copenhagen, our mission was Christiania. When we reached a small square, we stopped to double check our map and find an exchange place for Dani. Jess and I were contemplating where to go when we looked up, and saw a strange man shaking Dani’s hand. He had been standing near us for a while until he finally spoke. He mumbled, clearly under the influence of something, talking about how he was from Australia and asking if we knew where we were. We politely said we knew and he started talking about the “hippest bar in town” and that we should go there. He slurred out something like “I don’t call it ‘prostitution’ I term it boom boom.” We told him to have a nice day and walked away, not sure if he thought we were prostitutes or he was suggesting we could get that job. LOL.
After a bit of walking, we finally reached Christiania. We walked thru the market, and I bought a pair of wool socks from Afghanistan and a scarf. We walked past hash stands, the presentation of drugs was even more open here than in Amsterdam. We stopped at a food stand and ordered lunch. I asked for the bread and cheese, thinking it would be a grilled cheese, but it was quite literally just bread and cheese! It was still good though; they provided some yummy strawberry jam. There were these crazy birds that flew so low and so close to us, we felt their wings brush our skin as they zipped by. I think they were under the influence of something too!
As we ate on the benches, we were visited by the cutest little puppy. He hopped up on the seat like he belonged there too! He was very polite as he begged, we hand fed him and he was a gentleman, taking the food with great caution so he wouldn’t accidently bite us. We laughed as he tried Jessica’s raspberry jam and made a sour face, he clearly didn’t like that! He didn’t touch the lettuce we gave him, he only wanted the eggs and ham from Dani’s scrambled eggs. Eventually, he hopped up onto the table and began licking her plate, finishing her meal for her. The best part was when he looked her in the eyes and snatched her unopened plastic butter tub, jumping off the table and running away before any of us could react. It was so unexpected; we couldn’t stop laughing!
The hippy town was an awesome place to spend our Sunday evening. Although it rained and even hailed a bit, it was a nice day to be out and enjoying the company of friends. We took the train back so we could have time to souvenir shop in the port before getting back on the ship. At the train stop we found a small grocery mart, much like a mini Sams. I bought a chocolate ice cream bar for 4.50 kroner, less than a dollar, and Dani stocked up on wine and candies. In the port Jess and I bought our magnets (we have one from each country), then got back on the ship. :D

Estonia
After boat drill, Holly, Joel, Jess and I headed off in Tallinn, Estonia. We made a few stops in the little market near the pier. Holly bought her sheep booties, made with real wool! We all bought lots of delicious chocolate from the famous chocolate truck we had heard so much about. Then us girls sat on the Wishing Bench, closed our eyes, and made a wish. The legendary bench came from the ocean floor of the Baltic Sea.
Once we had walked into the city, we headed to Molly Malone’s, an Irish pub Joel raved about. I ordered a nice mozzarella, lettuce, and basil sandwich. The internet was great, so I was able to send a few emails and search the web for various things. It was a nice day to just relax and de-stress.
Tonight is our cast dinner in the dining room, to celebrate the end of the contract. It has been a struggle for us all to get here, and we’ve lost a very special person along the way. But we will use the dinner to reminisce on the good memories throughout our time together, and to chatter excitedly about what’s next to come. Most of the cast will be doing other contracts; I’m the only one that didn’t request something. Although I’m not as close to this cast as I was with my last, I wish them all the best with their futures and we will be keeping in touch via Facebook. :D

Russia
After a chaotic morning of organizing tickets for the evening ballet, Jess and I headed off. We only had a few hours before we needed to catch the shuttle back, but that was ok because it was freezing! We wandered for a bit, and stepped into a Chinese buffet place, partially to get some warmth and partially to look at the menu. Theiri door was labeled “we speak English, a little”! Lol. The buffet didn’t look too good so we headed out into the cold again. Next, we came across a nice Italian restaurant that accepted euros as well as roubles, so we stayed here. We had really good thin crust, four-cheese pizza and used their internet for a bit. After our lunch, we walked the streets to get our bearings even though the wind was frigid. We happened across a random coffee place, it was so difficult to find a café that provided coffee. I was surprised because everywhere we had been in Europe had a coffee joint on every corner, but here it seemed rare. We had to literally walk in rubble and construction to get into the place! We ordered our coffee to go and headed back to the shuttle because the wind was too bitter to deal with any longer. Back on the ship, we excitedly prepared for the ballet!
The group consisted of De-Rock, Dani, Michelle, Jess, Philip, me and Holly. It was a great group! On the bus ride to the theater, we tried to remember the Swan Lake story because there are so many versions, like the animated film or the newest movie that just came out “The Black Swan” with Natalie Portman, one of my favorite actresses. We all laughed when I asked, “Is there a donkey in this one?” and then realized I had confused Swan Lake with A Midsummer Nights Dream! After sitting in traffic for the longest time, we finally made it to the theatre. It was not as glamorous as I thought it would be, it looked more like a convention center. I was expecting a palace! We hurried to our seats, and the ballet began soon after. I recognized the music instantly, and even knew some of the variations in the ballet, having learnt them in my years of ballet classes. I was really surprised and amused by one of the musicians, who was texting on her phone rather than playing her instrument during the show. At one point, she put her violin ON THE STAGE and showed a funny text to a musician behind her, who laughed too! It wasn’t like they were hidden away in the pit, like our musicians on the Vision; they were at the same level as the audience. We could see everything they were doing. I wish they had a pit that went down though, because my seat was right behind the conductor, so he blocked my view for some of the dancing. I wonder if this isn’t where the dancers normally perform, if this was just a show for the cruise ships so they brought the ballet here.
At intermission, we toasted the group and the end of the contract, and being at the Russian Ballet in Russia, with the free sparkling wine they provided. A poor server popped a bottle and the cork ricocheted out, hit the ceiling and hit her in the head. She was standing behind us and we saw her face- from the initial pop it looked like she was having a heart attack of fright, then she looked shell shocked from the explosion, then pain when the cork hit her, then embarrassment from the entire episode. :(
We were having such a good time, chit chatting and laughing, until one of the tour guides came over and told us the second half had already started! We had been waiting for an announcement, or for the flashing lights, like all the theatres I’ve been to in America. I felt so bad climbing over the people in my row to get back to my seat! One of the ladies next to me tried to hold my dress down because it was getting all twisted around from being smooshed between chairs and people’s legs. Lol.
Although some of the ballerinas weren’t the best I had ever seen, I really enjoyed the show. The lead was solid in her movements; I miss that. I was very inspired by her. The boys weren’t very good at all, and I feel like this was the younger group from the company. I enjoyed looking for the dancers that gave me passion; that loved what they were doing and performed for us. The joker was really great at that!
When the ballet was over, we had a short question and answer session with two of the dancers. It was interesting because they needed translators to answer our questions. They travel all around Europe in part of their season, and stay in Russia for the rest. The girl had been dancing since she was 11. The guest who had held my dress down gasped when she heard this, thinking it was impressive. I thought to myself, if only she knew I started when I was 3!!!! Lol.
As they ushered us out and back to our buses, we realized that it was 10 minutes to 11:30, which is when our ship was scheduled to sail away! Because we paid for our tickets like the guests, we were on a special security list, or else we would be in big trouble for not being back at 10:30 for crew on board. We weren’t too worried because we knew they would hold the ship for the guests, but it was still a bit unnerving to think that we were so late!
I had another fabulous day in Russia and getting to listen to Tshiacheviosky’s elegant music where it all began, we such an amazing experience. It’s the Russian Ballet afterall; they are like Brazil in soccer or Canada in hockey. They own it!

Finland
Today I got off with Dani, Michelle, and Jess, a girls day out! We ate at Memphis again and I had my delicious sandwich! It was a nice lunch, using some internet to check mail and chatting like girls do. We intended to buy the rubber duck mascots as a souvenir, but the guy just chuckled when we asked and gave them to us. We stopped at a champagne bar; the girl asked if we were all over 20, HECK YES I AM!!!! That’s interesting that it’s 20 here, I thought everywhere in Europe was 18 or maybe 19, but I’ve never heard of 20 before. We toasted to us girls and the end of the contract. We had to squeeze into the little space; a table for two, it was pretty funny. After relaxing in the bar and people watching, we took the shuttle back and souvenir shopped for a bit in the port.

Sweden
Troy, one of our dancers, is throwing a baby fit. Last Rhythm and Rhyme he slid on his knee with a bit more force then he intended, and bruised his knee. He has been complaining about it since, making it a huge ordeal, which we’ve ignored because that’s his character. But its now gotten out of hand because he went to the doctor and we are now rebocking him out of the shows. For our LAST cruise. Unbelievable. The thing with ship doctors is that they cover their butts by ASKING if you can be fit for duty. When I went for a personal issue earlier in the contract, the doctor asked me if I could still work. I was caught off guard, thinking that was his job to determine if I am ok to work or not. Of course, I said I was perfectly fine and could dance, no troubles! But somebody like Troy can manipulate the situation and claim that he can’t work, which is what he is doing. The nerve of him to pull himself out of the shows for a bruise, acting it all up, pulling the same drama fest I used to see from kids all the time at my dance studio. This is a 40+-year-old man, a “professional dancer”. He is letting his team down and he completely ruined all our plans for the day. Most people didn’t get off today in Stockholm, because of the extra rehearsals. And he didn’t even show up for that, he was off wandering around the city! There are various theories as to why he is doing this. He wasn’t offered another contract with Royal and he isn’t getting a job as a choreographer with them, so maybe he is trying to get as much from the company as he can before he leaves. Or he is just pining for attention, like always. Connie has been like that too lately, calling herself fat and complaining of a “fever”. She was supposedly too sick to take a picture with the cast but could party at the Philippines karaoke party. I’m just over these fake people. I’m disgusted that they are needing all this attention, at the cost of everyone else. I’m so glad we have ONE WEEK LEFT! I’m trying to be positive but I’m still pretty frustrated!
Anyways, after rehearsal Jess and I ran off and caught the shuttle to the city. Unfortunately, there was so much traffic that the driver had to let us out about 10 minutes away from where we were supposed to be dropped off. We had originally planned on going to the ice bar, but there was no way we would have enough time, crew on board was in 2 and a half hours. We got our bearings of where we were, and where we needed to be to catch the shuttle back, and headed off to find a nice place to eat.
We looked at a few restaurants but couldn’t understand their menus and everything was expensive, so we asked for a 7-11, always reliable! I ordered a fabulous spicy pesto calzone, and “honey bun”, cinnamon roll. Europe’s 7-11s provide much better food than the ones back home BUT we have the slurpees! :D
Troy showed up to the second Boogie, and had the moxie to come backstage afterwards and congratulate us on a good show with the air of a guest who had come to visit his friends and see the show. I can’t wait to surround myself with real people again, people who are dedicated and hard working and love what they do. Artists who have real passion for what they do, and a WORK ETHIC. Growing up in a military style dance studio has pushed me to constantly demand better from myself, and I’m shocked when others around me don’t have the same drive. I guess it separates the meek from the bold, the weak from the strong. I know what side I’m on.

You Know You're A World Traveler When...

I opened my wallet the other day and counted nine different currencies; reais from Brazil, pounds from England, St. Peter’s Port pounds used just for Guersney in the Channel Islands, roubles from Russia, krons from Norway, krons from Denmark, krons from Sweden (different from Denmark and Norway), euros from countries that have transferred to it, and the US dollars of course. I guess I’m truly an official world traveler!

First 7 Day Cruise!!!!

Tallinn, Estonia
Today was a girl’s day out. The weather was beautiful, a light breeze; Europe’s finest spring offering. After boat drill, Holly, Jess and I headed off into Tallinn, Estonia. Immediately off port was a market full of souvenirs and a money exchange for various currencies. Estonia only just changed to euros last year. I was also able to get roubles (the Russian currency) to be prepared for St. Petersburg tomorrow. I got 1,000 roubles for $50! How crazy is that!?! When the guy was counting out each hundred I couldn’t help but stare in shock, I felt so rich! I guess tomorrow will show me how far that will go in Russia… :/
We glanced at a few stalls as we brisked through the market, and Holly fell in love with a pair of sheep’s wool booties. She, like me, loves animals and said she wouldn’t mind wearing pure sheep’s wool because the sheep NEED to be sheared. Not like fox fur or murderous things like that.
The old town was close to the port; no more than 10 minutes, especially for us fast walkers! Tallinn has two parts to the city; the modern section has a giant shopping center and large, shiny office buildings. And directly inside of it, enclosed by ancient towers and walls, is the old town. When we walked in, it felt like stepping back into medieval times. The people are dressed in attire straight from the Renaissance era; from the floppy, feathered hat to the tights and boots.
It was so nice to have the time today to just wander aimlessly around the town and enjoy exploring random alleyways as we saw fit. The other ports were planned out ahead of time because we only went there once; and I wanted to see everything we could possibly see. But now, I’m so much more relaxed knowing that I will have three chances in each place to experience what it has to offer. We meandered through the various markets, munching on glazed sugar almonds Holly bought from a vendor. We got lost in girl gossip, and I could feel a good bond growing between us all. It’s a hard thing on ships because you become close with the people you have been with basically 24/7 for the past few months. Then, when it’s the end of your contract, you are off in separate directions. Most of your friends from the ship live in other countries far away from you. I’m grateful that I live in the modern age of technology, so I can keep in touch with everyone!
We stopped for lunch at a nice outdoor cafe with great wifi, a luxury that’s hard to come by. I had a tasty sandwich for a cheap price. After our meal we walked around a bit more before stopping in a bakery to get Bavarian cheesecake and lattes. We walked to a park on the outskirts of the town and ate our desert on a bench. We continued exploring random streets that caught our interests, more involved in each other than where we were going. Tallinn is nice to walk around and just be in the middle of the crowd, there’s no need to rush here and there taking pictures because it’s just a quaint little town.
We learned that there is a truck that sells cheap chocolate right next to the ship, so we will have to hit that up next time. We also have to make a wish at the wishing bench, a log that was brought to Tallinn from Africa and promises to grant your wish if you sit, close your eyes, and seek your heart’s true desire. I love Tallinn; it was such a relief after the hustle and bustle of all the other ports in our itinerary. It was the perfect day.

Titanic 2
So we had just finished R & R and Jess and I were in our room listening to music from the animated movie Anastasia to get in the mood for Russia. We heard scraping and the sound of rushing water beneath us. Our room startled rattling too. Instantly, I thought either a pipe burst or we are sinking. Jess calls 1800 and tells them she thinks a pipe has burst and is leaking water on Deck 0. They said they would send someone to check it out. I was very unsettled by this, so I wandered the hallway to try to find the source. I was astonished that nobody else was peeking their heads out in curiosity or alarm. I hiked up to Deck 2 to see if the noise was audible in guest areas. Then I climbed down to Deck 0. I heard a watertight door beeping, signaling someone was closing it. In my head, this assured me we were sinking. As I approached the door, I asked the security guard what was going on. He said we were sailing thru ice. I choked out my words “Ice? As in iceburgs!?!” He seemed confused by my reaction and asked “Don’t you feel that?” referring to the rumbling of the ship. I said, “Of course I do, why do you think I’m down here freaking out!?!” He told me to go upstairs on the outdoor decks and watch the ice float by the ship. I immediately returned to collect Jessica and put on warm clothes. Then we headed upstairs to Deck 5. Floating thru this ice felt exactly like the movie Titanic. Whitney started singing “My Heart Will Go On” and even though I love Celine; that was too much for me in that moment. It was unbelievable to watch the chunks of ice surround the ship, and see in the distance the island of ice we were headed towards. Thrilling, overwhelming, stunning, incredible. No words can properly describe what I felt. We headed back down and prayed that the captain knew how to get us thru the maze of ice and safely to land. I focused on my goal for the next day, diving into Anastasia’s life.

St. Petersburg, Russia
We had an early start the next morning, helping load tours and escorting a tour group out to Pushkin to see Catherine’s Palace. After spending an hour in the immigration security booths, I was understandably annoyed and scared when my tour guide told me that the tour was full and I wouldn’t be able to go! In Russia, this is a huge problem, because you either have to get on a tour or pay for a special ticket to get off. Since I had planned on this tour, and been penciled in by the Explorations manager for this spot, I didn’t buy the crew ticket. If I couldn’t get on the tour, I would have to wait for the HR office to open and by then, all my friends would already be off the ship. Luckily, they moved some people around because there were two buses going to do the same tour, mine and Jessica’s. I even got the best seat in the bus; right next to the driver with a complete open view out of the window of everything that was in front of us.
My tour guide was named Svehana, such a Russian name! She had Jane to help, a girl who was in a 6 month training program. It was so interesting to talk to her because although we grew up in completely different scenarios, we had similar dreams. She also longed to go to New York, Paris and London. What an eye opener it was to be with a girl about my age from the other side of the world, who spoke such a foreign language to mine, yet we could connect on such a personal language. It just strengthens my love for the world. We are all human and we have the same emotions, the same need for love, the same yearning for dreams and the drive for a better life.
Russia’s streets alone were a pretty intense experience. They have a tram system running in the middle of the street! Traffic was horrendous; it reminded me of all those infuriating hours I spent stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic in LA. I enjoyed trying to guess what the signs said, because Russian uses a completely different alphabet! I thought I was being clever with my guessing, until I realized what I thought advertised a chiropractic office, was really a store selling backpacks.
Our tour guide, who was very knowledgeable, used the driving time to inform us all about Russia. St. Petersburg was founded in the early 18th century, but Swiss architects designed and built the original buildings in the city. This was because the Czars didn’t trust Russian architects, so they hired Western European employees and instructed them to make St. Petersburg look “European”. I found this very ironic; even back in the beginning Russians didn’t trust each other! The original name of the city was Dutch, for Peter the Great lived in Holland before becoming Czar and loved the Dutch culture.
St. Petersburg is the biggest seaport in Russia. Smaller ships can tie up right in the Neva river, but our cruise ship is too big! We were on one of the 32 islands of St. Petersburg. While we drove along the river, Svehana spoke of the 18 rivers and canals that divide up the city. December through March these rivers are frozen, and they are not allowed to walk on the ice for safety concerns. On average, there are 30 days of sunshine a year! Russia has the famous “White Nights” from the 25th of May to July 16th, where it doesn’t grow dark. The sky just instantly goes from dusk to dawn. I would love to return to Russia to see this city coated in snow, and to experience the White Nights.
We passed St. Isacc’s Cathedral, the fourth largest cathedral in the world! The 19th century cathedral can hold 14,000 people and has a beautiful dome made of mercury and 100 kilos of gold! The bus driver took us over the first permanent bridge, built in the 19th century. Each bridge is designed differently. We also passed the famous Hermitage, which is 200 miles long! I was lucky enough to go there on a tour last year, but you need at least a week to get through the entire museum!
There were some people in what looked like Militia attire walking along the streets, and Svehana explained that they were students attending St. Petersburg State Mining University (“you-knee!”) and these were their college uniforms. They take oral exams at the end of their semester, which is pretty intelligent because there is little chance of you being able to cheat your way to a better grade. Out of a population of 4.6 million, she told us that there are over 450,000 uni students in the 50 universities of St. Petersburg. She also said that 1.3 million people are retired, so I guess St. Petersburg is like the Miami of Russia. We passed the Morinsky Theatre of Krof ballet, a company created by Catherine the Great. The theatre was built in the second half of the 18th century.
We saw the Cathedral of St. Nicolas, which was active even when communism reigned. There are 200 churches in St. Petersburg and 2/3 of them are Orthodox. There was the Institute of Technology where the famous Professor Demetri, inventor of the periodic table, taught. Although, I think this building appealed to only me because of my love of chemistry! “Speaking of chemistry,” Svehana had said, “we have the ‘perfect composition’ in our 40% alcohol Russian vodka!”
As we continued driving, I noticed there were giant tvs in the middle of the street, billboards to flash various advertisements. I’ve only seen that in pictures of Times Square, New York! We saw the 5th biggest library in the world, with 35 million books, magazines, the sorts! There was the Russian Academy of Fine Arts, one of the most prestigious art schools in the world. The statue of Minerva, the ancient goddess of wisdom, sits atop this building. It was given to the city in 2003 as a present to celebrate the 300th year of foundation. I, of course, heard Minerva and instantly thought of Harry Potter! I didn’t know the story behind the name Minerva, but it totally works for the character she used!
Svehana told us the fastest way to get around were the trains, to avoid the terrible traffic. You can travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow in 3 hours on their speedy trains. She also suggested taking the subway, with trains every 2 minutes. Not only is it safe, St. Petersburg has the deepest tunnel in the world! It was built under marshlands so the escalators run really deep, almost 300 feet! You spend 4 to 5 minutes on the escalator ride to get to the subway!
WWII began for Russia in 1941 and ended for all involved in 1945. We passed Victory Square, a memorial to commemorate the 25 million people that starved during the war. In St. Petersburg alone, 1 million people died of starvation after the Nazis besieged the city. We also saw a building with a hammer and sickle atop the roof. The symbols represent the union of the workers and the peasants. It had originally been built for the government but it was too close to the frontline when the Nazis came in; so the state building remained in the city center.
Svehana pointed out the Lenin statue, mayor in the 1990’s. I made note that I wanted to research more on him, along with most of Russia’s history. I’ve always thought that the way different countries teach and learn history is incredibly bias. Everyone tends to sweep their sins under the rug and distract youth with emphasis on the success of the noble feats. Being in the countries I had learned about, the countries that felt the war hit home, because it was on their land, threatening the lives of the innocent. I’ve learned about the struggle to recuperate after war, to rebuild what was lost. The aftermath of this land, although it’s been several years, is so foreign to me because rarely has the states had this.
As we drove into the countryside of Pushkin, Svehana explained that this town was named after Aleksandr Pushkin, the “Russian Shakespeare”. The earliest Russian railroad was built in the early 19th century with the sole purpose of connecting all the palaces for the Czars. Peter the Great and his second wife, Catherine the First, enjoyed a smaller palace, the original build of Catherine’s palace. But Elizabeth the First of the 18th century was fond of splendor and ordered it to be amplified, making it the magnificent spectacle it is today. It was originally used for receptions in the summer.
Much of the palace was destroyed during WWI. The Nazis didn’t occupy St. Petersburg, but they did occupy Pushkin. The staff of the palace loaded precious art treasures on the only train of the area and tried to evacuate the valuables. When the Nazis were forced to withdraw at the end of the war, they set fire to the palace and left various slow-to-defuse air bombs. Restoration is still going on, but since it’s extremely time-consuming and expensive, they are only halfway through.
The palace was named after Catherine the First, contrary to the popular belief that it was named for Catherine the Great. Legend has it that Peter the Great’s grandson was married to Catherine the Great but fell in love with another Catherine, who was a waitress in town. He sent Catherine the Great away to a convent so he could marry his beloved Catherine the First. We weren’t allowed to bring in coats of oversized bags because the palace had extremely fragile gold leaves used for the décor and we needed to use caution wherever we were. We even had to wear plastic booties over our shoes and were asked to slide rather than walk, to preserve the flooring!
Inside the palace, we saw the illustrious Amber Room, which took 2 billion dollars to restore. Catherine had 15,000 dresses spread throughout her palaces, with jewelry to match each one! In one of the dining rooms, Svehana told us the Royal Family used to mix fake fruit with real ones in the fruit bowls. When they had parties and somebody got too drunk, they would mistakenly take the fake fruit and crack their teeth, and everyone would have a good laugh. The esteemed guests invited to these parties were allowed to take part of the service home, so often you would see respected generals carrying silver away from the palace! That would be pretty humorous to see! :D
The painting room was filled with paintings from all over the world, except (for unknown reasons) from Spain and Britain. The art hung together with only slim frames to separate. Sometimes, the painting was even cut to fit in the puzzle on the wall. My favorite room was probably the green dining room, not only because green is my favorite color, but also because it was decorated with Greek mythological Gods and Goddesses. :D One room contained its original furniture and chandelier. There was a hallway roped off because it still had the original flooring from the 18th century!
Apparently the government and the historical restoration company are in constant battle because the city needs space to expand for the growing population and therefore old buildings are being threatened of demolition to provide this land. As of now, the government is not allowed to move a building without the permission of the historical organization. It was very frustrating to see the modern structures mixed around the historical sites. I found myself hating all the industrial areas because I wanted everything to look and feel like it used to, like the Russia I imagined. I’m happy they are working so diligently on the restoring of these historical places, but I wish I could have been there to see them in their genuine glory. I hate how industrial the city is, I would have loved to been there to see the palace without telephone wires around or cars surrounding it. To be captured by its stunning beauty in the pure state it used to be, that would be unbelievable.
Driving back to the ship, we passed the Annunciation Church. Cathedrals were misused when the Nazis came, like this church which was turned into an artificial skating rink! How terrible, to trash somebody’s sanctuary, to have no respect for something so sacred and special to lots of people. But I suppose that’s how they gained control; by destroying the things people valued and replacing it with terror.
When we got to the pier, Jess and I checked with the explorations manager to see if there was another tour we could join rather than going back on the ship. We lucked out and were able to hop on a canal cruise and shopping tour. Our guide, Marina, was really nice and she kept emphasizing we had big plans for this tour- “Napoleonic plans!” She told us there are 500 bridges in St. Petersburg as we cruised along the canals beneath the city. I was excited when she pointed to a building and I knew before she announced it that this was St. Issac’s cathedral, I felt like a local! She explained that it took 40 years to build the brick church.
St. Petersburg was founded on the 16th of May, 1708. Moscow was the first city mentioned in ancient chronicles, dating back to 1147. We cruised by the winter palace, where a major arrest of city officials occurred. The clock inside the palace has been set at 10 minutes past 2 am to show this mark the time of the arrests. We passed the Hermitage, which was a summer palace for the Czars. I made note to research Rasputin, because she mentioned him being assassinated but I have no idea who he was.
Marina told us the legend behind the popular faberge eggs. Long ago, there was a soon to be emperor, who didn’t believe in Jesus. Lady Magdalene presented him an egg, to which he said if this egg turns from white to red, I will believe in your Jesus. And sure enough, it did! In Moscow, a skilled egg maker presented Nicolas II an egg every year, starting the tradition.
Overall, I absolutely fell in love! The entire time I was here, I was yearning for more time to explore. I’ve been inspired by Sean and I’ve considered looking into a similar program for future traveling! All day I couldn’t get the idea of coming to teach in Russia out of my head. It’s a crazy plan, because it would be difficult with the language barrier and living in a completely different country, but what an experience that would be! What a challenge!

Helsinki, Finland
Toby, our Activities Manager is from the countryside of Finland, so we went off with him when we ported in Helsink. We took the shuttle, which dropped us off in the city center. I labeled him Tourguide Toby. :D All the streets have two names, because they speak both Swedish and Finnish in the city, but only Finnish in the country. They also learn English in school. I’m so jealous that everyone on the ship is at the very least bilingual, except for most people who had English as a their first language. As we walked thru the city, we discussed WWII and how Finland chose to side with Germany and fight for independence rather than become a part of Russia. We talked about how Europe has evidence of their wars, yet the US, being a relatively new country, has had few battles fought on our soil.
In Finland, they don’t have “please”, so they say “thank you a lot” which is “kiitos”. I remember this by “cheetos”, and then adding in the k! Toby showed us some major buildings and monuments of the central city. Then we enjoyed a “Typical Finnish day”, we sat on the steps of the State Senate, overlooking the city. We ate a delicious lunch at Memphis, a fancy diner. I had a sandwich with toasted Memphis bread, grilled chèvre (goat cheese), bell pepper, garlic mayonnaise, Asli sauce, apple, cucumber salad, tomato, lettuce, and marinated red onion. It was SO GOOD. It came with “Dipping Strips potatoes” which are French fries and seasoned mayonnaise as a dip. Memphis had a wall display of rubber ducks, a fish tank filled with their mascots.
I asked Toby where the bathroom was and he told me to go to the bathroom around the corner on the right. There was only one door and it was labeled “m”. I walked in, and immediately walked out. It was definitely a urinal! I asked the waiter where the bathroom was and he pointed to the left. This door was labeled “n”. So now I know, m for males, n for females! Luckily no one was in the urinal when I made that mistake!!!!!!
After lunch we walked to the mall and bought some traditional Finnish chocolate. I bought milk chocolate and peppermint, Jess bought milk chocolate and lemon. We headed back to the shuttle and discussed plans for next Finland; hopefully we could take the ferry out to a castle. It was a nice and relaxed day after the frantic and exhaustive “tourist day” in Russia.

Stockholm, Sweden
This was the port I was most looking forward to, after finishing the Millennium Series, which is based in this city. Jess and I bought the map for the Stieg Larsson Tour and decided we were going to do one of the walking tours on our own. We chose the Södermalm area because it had the most references from the book and the movies.
The first stop was Bellmansgatan 1, where one of the main characters, Mikel Blomkvist lives. We took pictures like we were entering his house. :D The next stop was Moteliusvägen, one of Stockholm’s most beautiful views. Across the river you could see the Stockholm District Courthouse, the scene for various important trials throughout the series. Jessica and I started a video commentary to commemorate our travels.
The next stop was the Lundabron, the Lunda Bridge in Lundagatan. This was Salander’s old apartment, the setting of her miserable upbringing. Walking down Ludvigbergsgatan brought us to Mellqvist Coffee Bar at Hornsgatan 78. Not only was this Mikael Blomkvist’s regular hangout, it was also Stieg Larsson’s own hangout. We bought coffees inside and asked the man what pastry he recommended. He said something in Swedish and pointed to a bun with what looked like poppy seeds. I asked what that was but he just repeated the name again so I shrugged and we bought two. It turned out to be the most delicious thing EVER! It was just the right amount of cinnamon sweetness, with a hint of something fruity.
Adat Jisreal Synagogue at St. Paulsgatan 13 was next. This was where Detective Inspector Jan Bublanski has a meeting with Dragan Armanskij of Milton Security. It’s a random part in the story and Jess and I hardly remembered the significance to this place; because in the midst of all the details logged into the series, this one particular spot wouldn’t stand out. Turning right on Götgatan and on the corner of Hökens gata is Millennium’s editorial office, the magazine Mikael Blomkvist writes for. This location in reality only holds apartments but in the books, it was located above Greenpeace’s and had a glass façade facing Götgatan.
The 7th stop on the map was the 7-eleven Salander always shops at. I was most excited about this part! There are several 7-elevens in Stockholm and around Europe, really. But this specific one marked was so special because of the book. Jess and I ate Billy’s Pan Pizza, something Salander always gets. I had the original, and was surprised that it had ham in it. I guess I’m used to American standards where an “original” would traditionally mean just cheese. I had to scrape off the meat but I enjoyed the micro-waved snack nonetheless!
We then headed all the way down to Tjärhovsgatan to find the Kvarnen club, a regular hangout for Salander and her girls in the Evil Fingers rock band. The bar actually opened in 1908 and is one of Stockholm’s oldest taverns. Next was Fiskargatan 9. Salander comes into some money and buys a 3,800 square foot, 21-room apartment on the top floor of this building. She furnishes only three rooms with IKEA goods and lives in it under the alias V. Kulla. Villa Villekulle is the name of Pippi Longstocking’s house. The building is from the 1910’s and caused a scandal when it was built because it blocked the view of Katarina church from the water.
Traveling by route of Svartensgatan, we made it to Mosebacke Square, where we took a picture of “The Sisters” statue mentioned in the books. The tour ended at The Stockholm City Museum, where they had an exhibit to see part of the film set of the Millennium editorial office. It was an amazing experience to walk in the day-to-day lives of the characters we have fallen in love with in this series. It wasn’t over advertised so it didn’t feel touristy. It’s awesome that I can bring this adventure home with me, and when the movies come out in English, I will be able say, “I’ve been there, I’ve walked that street! Or I drank coffee at that café!” :D
After the tour, we had a bit of a scare getting back to the ship. We got to the port fine, thanks to our amazing map-navigating skills, but thought the Vision was a lot closer than it really was. We saw our ship, but not the two long ships ahead of us! We were cutting it close to the time crew needed to be back on, so we started running. We ran through gates as a car was exiting, because our eyes were focused on our vessel and not necessarily the proper way to get there. As I ran forward, out of the corner of my eye I saw security being radioed and heading our way. We flashed our cards, knowing someone had just called them announcing “THREE GIRLS JUST RAN THROUGH THE GATES!!!!” Luckily, security was nice and pointed to where we needed to be, rather then making us walk all the way back around and take the appropriate route to the gangway. We made it back on the ship just in time!!! :D

No No No NORWAY! I'm not leaving without the Fjords!!!! :D

Today my good friend Pedro left. He had been my neighbor last contract and we grew close on this. He was my bestie on the ship! It was really hard to say goodbye to him and adjust to life on the Vision without him. I normally always go over to his cabin for movies or just to talk. And I went off with him basically everyday. I hope someday I will get to hang out with him again; we’ve talked about Disneyworld or traveling to certain places. Thankfully we can keep in contact with modern technology!
After the difficult parting with Pedro, we grabbed Holly and headed out in Copenhagen. Our first stop was the Little Mermaid statue, from Hans Christian Anderson’s tale. I had seen her sister statue last year, because the original had been moved to China for the World Expo. We continued wandering; Holly eating her sugar covered nuts like always. We stumbled upon a church with a beautiful sculpture and water fountain. I spent some time trying new artistic angles for my photographs of the monument. Beneath the bridge near the church, a swan rested in her nest. I have never seen such a big nest before! It was probably the size of my bed!
Further into town we came across the military quarters. The entrance gate and houses stood brilliantly out; the radiant red paint a shocking contrast to the grey cement and surrounding green scenery. On a hill we found a windmill plopped in the middle of the park. Jessica and I took some fun pictures of us cart wheeling in time with the windmill. I chased a giant bumblebee, trying to get close enough to take pictures of the ginormous fluff ball.
When we made it out of town and into the city, we found the Rosenborg castle, which displays the crown jewels of the Royal Family. We walked in the beautiful gardens; stopping to take pictures beneath the exquisite pink trees that reminded me of the cherry blossoms in Japan. Jessica and I joked that this would have been a perfect place to take senior pictures. I’ve found a lot of bare trees in Europe, they look like the whomping willow! I’m wondering if people plant them because they are easier to manage, being leafless. They may be more manageable, but they aren’t much for looking at! On the grounds of the castle, we watched soldiers march around, dressed fully in uniform and protecting the castle from tourists. Sean and I asked one guard if he could take a picture with us, and he laughed a little, despite himself, and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t stop marching!”
After touring the castle, we ate sandwiches from an adorable bakery and headed back to the ship.

Bergen was our next port of call. This was the cutest little mountain town, a lot like Estes! It had a McDonalds in an old fashioned building, and we joked it must be the world’s first Mickey D’s! Sean, Jessica, and I decided we were going to hike up one of the various trails on Mount Floien. It was a pretty easy hike; meant for the tourists, and certainly nothing for the Colorado experts. When we made it to the top, we had a gorgeous view of city and the fjords below. We headed back down into the town, and walked through the fish market. There were giant shrimp and king crab, the biggest I’ve ever seen. They were even selling smoked whale! Jessica got her seafood for the day, because it’s the recommended local cuisine. We stopped in the 7/11 for the best ice cream sticks EVER, Sean bought vanilla ice cream with caramel filling and a chocolate shell. Jess tried a fruit one, and I tested both of theirs ;)
Outside on the streets, there were several kids in decorative red pants, running around, talking into a megaphone, or even crawling on the floor and screaming. We were in the university area, and these might have been the drama students. We later learned that the awesome red pants they designed themselves were their uniforms! I wanted a pair!
We headed towards St. George’s museum, a hospital that fought against leprosy. It was closed at that time but apparently you can tour where they kept and cared for the diseased people. On our way back to the ship, we passed a perfectly square castle and stopped into a souvenir shop. We found an elk hoof knife! Sean and I took pictures next to the adorably ugly Norwegian troll and their funky “telefon” booth. We also looked in the old merchant homes, buildings that have been there for years. They were leaning quite a bit, but still in tact. It was wonderful to get back into nature today and out of the tourist trap for a bit.

One of the most well known fjords in the world is the Geiranger fjord, which was our next stop! :D We had been told that sailing into the fjord was an experience in itself, so we got up early for a few pictures and breakfast in the Windjammer, before scoring a tour of the bridge for my brother (thanks to my awesome higher-up-connections!) The bridge offered a breathtaking view as the titanic mountains and the fjord swallowed up our ship. It was quiet, serene. One officer told me that this fjord can hold five cruise ships at a time! I was astonished that we could even make it in! The water below is deep enough to house our ship, which seems impossible.
Once off the ship, we began our hike to Storseter Waterfall. About halfway up, we reached the Vesterås gard, a goat farm on the side of the mountain. There were so many goats! You could hear them wandering around with their goat bells swung around their necks. Although the farm was closed, you could walk along the path in the goat pasture. I have never been that close to a goat in my life! I tried to pet babies ones because they were so cute and wooly, but they were too scared to leave their mother’s side. It was a funny scene to have goats scattered along the path, like rocks The goats must have thousands of visitors a year, they were more cautious of us than curious, it seemed like they couldn’t care less we were there. The ones with the horns scared me!
Along the path to the Storsæterfossen (the waterfall), we came across a pile of hardened snow. Now, being from Colorado, Jess, Sean and I took no real interest in this ice mound. But Drew is from Australia and had never seen snow in his life! It was the funniest thing to watch him apprehensively walk on the snow, feel its cold sting, and even make his first snowball. He was a kid again; seeing for the first time on of God’s greatest gifts. We all watched him with great amusement as he explored the pile, laughing at his surprised expression when he sunk in the snow. It was awesome to be there for someone’s first experience of what is so common and even annoying at times for me. He had such joy for something so simple. :D
When we finally reached the waterfall, we took in the vast mountains around us, and the valley way beneath. We climbed into the cavern where you can walk under the flowing waterfall! The rush of the water was so loud and it was an exhilarating experience to be walking under it. We stayed there for a while, enjoying the beautiful weather and the gorgeous view of Norway. I had never thought of Norway as being pretty, or that it would be a place I would want to travel to and hike. But I must say, Norway had entered the top of my list for Europe!
Back on the ship, we had a lovely dinner in the dining room, complete with spectacular view of the fjords as we sailed away. We weaved in and out of mountains. It was a peculiar sensation because the ship doesn’t quite look like it will fit in the narrow channels between the mountains, but it always does. This was certainly one of my favorite ports.

The next day was a sea day, and I spent it with my brother eating and laughing, enjoying our time together. We had a delicious last meal in the dining room and got him all packed for his trip back to Thailand. I was dreading the next day, when I would have to say goodbye.

But of course, the next day did come. We were docked in Copenhagen again. Luckily, Sean had a night flight so he spent the day with Jess and me! We checked at the train station where he needed to go, how often things were running, etc. Once he was confident he knew what to do to get to the airport, we headed deeper into the city.
We stopped for internet at a coffee joint named Baresso. Here my brother helped me find some great deals for my trip with Jess to London! (I have the best family EVER.) We ate amazing pastries from a random bakery and laughed because we couldn’t figure out where the line started or ended, only to later learn that you had to take a number, so there was no physical line. There were a lot of local starring at us like headless chickens running around! At least most of these ports have English speakers!
After about ten more minutes of walking we literally stumbled upon Christianshavns, a self-governing town since 1971. We saw a group of people heading all heading in one direction so we decided to follow them, not sure what to expect. Christiania is a real hippy town. They aren’t a part of the EU; they have their own rules and even their own flag with three yellow dots, the symbolism of that…I don’t know. I’ve heard a rumor that there’s a waiting list for a home in this area of about 25 years. The graffiti was beautiful works of art and we found a market in the center with bargains on various things. Further into the town there were “no cameras” signs, possibly to keep anyone from duplicating it. We didn’t get to spend much time here because we needed to drop Sean off at the station and get back to the ship, but Jess and I decided we would return to do some more shopping and exploring of this unique town plopped in the middle of a major city.
Dropping Sean off at train station was incredibly hard, because it began to sink in that I don’t know when I will see him next. I will never forget him telling me how proud he was of me and that he loved me and would miss me. In the reality of it all, I of course cried all the way back to the ship. I am completely determined to go see him soon if he isn’t coming home for a while, no doubt about that. Until then, emails and blogging will have to suffice.

Elementary, my dear Watson!

On the 29th of April, we were docked in Southampton, England. Jess, Pedro, Sean and I took an adorable mini taxi, with seats facing two directions, so the boys were turned in towards us and driving backwards. I noticed of course that the driver was on the opposite side of the car! We headed into the city center, where a large castle-like structure sat in the middle of all the shops. It turned out to hold art of various rock stars in the upper floor.
There was also a small carousel ride, randomly plotted in the street. I found the circular red poles that are the British postboxes and a “TK-Maxx”, which because J comes before K in the alphabet, America must have had this store first! I saw a blue double-decker bus, not quite the red ones that I fantasize about riding in London, but definitely still British in my eyes. I took a fast snapshot of a dancing man in a chicken suit, advertising for KFC.
We decided to make a few stops for shopping in the indoor/outdoor mall and get some internet. Jess and I hopped into Boots, a Walmart-style store where I could get some make up I desperately needed. Then we went into PriMark, my now favorite store in the entire world, even over the European chains Bershka or Desigual! We met up with the boys in a coffee shop, where I had the loudest bathroom experience of my life. It sounded like every appliance was on and every pipe was having threatening to explode from pressure.
Our group met up with Dave and Michelle, and Danielle with her family, who were spending the day in a pub to watch the wedding. A pub is very English, for an English breakfast or a pint. We decided we wanted to head to the Royal Wedding Street Party, to catch some of the broadcasted event. There were plenty of British party commodities being sold on the street, like hats and flags with the Royal couples’ picture in the center. We joined the commotion just in time, the Royal family stepped onto the balcony to greet the public, and the newlyweds even shared a few kisses! :D
This poor little girl who was in the ceremony, I’m assuming a flower girl, looked so grumpy as she sunk on the balcony and smushed up her face with fists. I joked that she will regret that image the world now saw when she gets older. It was funny because the commentator for the broadcast announced “and the Queen has decided that it is time to conclude the balcony ceremony” as the Queen just turned and walked back inside. He was so prim and proper with this statement, so British.
We bought some lunch from a quick-y-mart and ate it outside in a park. It was the perfect day for a picnic. I had an onion and cheese baguette, with onion and cheese chips for a side! LOL. I was talking about the souvenirs I had been hoping to find in this port (the typical “London/ England souvenirs) were unlikely to be here because it’s more of a local area. That was when Jessica offered the best thing of all to me, coming to England with her after the end of the contract! At first I didn’t think she was serious, but then she explained that flights are so cheap to get around Europe once you’re already there, so it would be easy to get from Copenhagen to London. I couldn’t let such an opportunity pass me by! Sean and I immediately began looking for flights and I spoke with my parents, who encouraged me to go!!! So I won’t be back home in Colorado until June 9th, after I spend 10 days vacation in England. We are doing two days in London, where I can most certainly buy my souvenirs!!! We are seeing a West End performance of Jersey Boys, which I’m sure will inspire me and get me into the musical theatre mode for Chicago. It will be a dream come true to finally be in the incredible London atmosphere!!!! And hopefully, when I get home, I will get a chance to visit New York too! Two in one year, I would be the luckiest girl in the world!!!!


Amsterdam overnight
Our next port was Amsterdam, where we were having an overnight for Queen’s Day, their biggest celebration. Amsterdam is already a crazy place; just try to imagine it filled with thousands of partying people! The number of people that come for this celebration is said to be similar to the crowds in Rio for Carnaval! It was madness! Everyone was wearing the Royal Family’s color orange, and there were party boats cruising along the canals, music blasting from every bar and club, and lots of great food to snack on! We had some delicious pizza slices that were grilled right in front of us. We wandered the streets, not having a real purpose or direction, just sightseeing and people watching. It was nice to have a port that I had been to, especially because I went to Amsterdam quite a few times last year, so I knew the city and where to go.
In the middle of the city, there was a giant carnival set up, with a ferris wheel and other fun rides high above us. All around us were shops, some less tame than others. At one store, there was a display of artistically decorated “plastic wraps”. We knew which “coffee shops” to avoid but I didn’t even dare ordering a coffee from anywhere, just to be on the safe side! Between all the interesting costumes people styled and the festive gadgets being sold, it was hard to know where to look or go next! I made sure we stopped and got some local cuisine, French Fries in a cone with mayonnaise for dipping. We also had the most amazing chocolate covered waffles!
Unfortunately, Jess and I had to run back to the ship to do not one but TWO shows of Rhythm and Rhyme because our cruise director didn’t really think everything through. Half the ship was doing a booze cruise, but most everyone would be off enjoying the festivities. So our first show had barely 20 people, completely pointless. After the shows, we quickly showered and ran off again, to catch the very end of the party. The Queen’s day celebration actually starts a few days prior, and then this day wraps it all up.
I bought a tasty chocolate cake from a small diner. The guy didn’t give me a fork and when I asked for one he said, “You want just a fork?” I nodded, and he gave me a fork but took away my cake! He continued to mess with me by giving me back my cake but taking the fork. Finally, he let me have both. We stopped at one of the only restaurants open, their owners most likely running around the streets drunk somewhere, and ordered pizza and some wine. Our waiter purposely whistled as he talked to amuse us, which was funny at first, but after the hundredth time it just became really annoying. Exhausted from the excitement of the long day, we went back to the ship and passed out.
After a wonderful lie in, we headed off again to explore Amsterdam on a normal day. The streets were rather clean, which was incredibly impressive considering how trashed they were the previous night. I took our group to the café I had eaten at last year, so we could have some famous Dutch pancakes. Sean and I split a fabulous strawberry pancake and Jess had an apple one.
We found vending machines that distribute hamburgers; that’s so much worse than McDonald’s!!!!! YUCK!!!! We saw Anne Frank’s house and the floating flower market. We made a few stops to test scrumptious cheese samples. Our final stop was in an ice cream shop, where we tried various flavors; Jess had the orange basil, Sean had something fruity, and I, of course, had chocolate. Ice cream is always the best way to end the day.

11 Day Cruise, Part 2

The 25th of April we were ported in La Rochelle, France. Today was the day I was meeting up with my brother, who had flown into Paris the day before and took the train into this small seaport. I got off early, after checking and double-checking that all the paperwork was in order and I was aware of the protocol to get him on the ship. I took the shuttle into the town center, stopping right outside the information center, our meeting point. I saw him through the glass, standing inside reading his book. Butterflies started fluttering and I rushed inside. The excitement that was pumping through me was the same as when I flew home from my first contract to see my family, after being away for those 7 long months.
He still hadn’t seen me so I snuck up behind him and said “Bonjour!!!” We were in France, after all. Sean turned as if to reply; “I don’t speak French”, thinking I was someone else. When he realized it was me, his face was so shocked and his crooked smile beamed bright. We hugged each other tight; caught up in joy and disbelief that here we both were, in Europe.
We spent the next few hours swapping stories of home, our travels, and our plans for the future. We were hardly aware of our surroundings because we were so focused on catching up. My brother is one of the only reasons I miss having my cell phone. There have been so many days I would just need to talk to him, but couldn’t. I made a promise to myself to think only happy thoughts while my brother was with me, to not think about the next year when he won’t be in the same country as me. It’s weird to think about going home, and he won’t be there, because he is so much my home. But, these next two weeks were about us spending time together in the present, not focusing on the future.
Eventually, we remembered that we were in a foreign place and we should do some exploring! We stopped at Tour Saint-Nicolas, the oldest tower in La Rochelle, and then headed into the old town. We grabbed delicious chocolate pastries, under the recommendation of Mel. The local delicacy was Blood Pudding, we weren’t eager to test that!
It was a short day in La Rochelle, because we wanted to get back to the ship and make sure he could get on smoothly and have enough time to settle in. He was even able to get a room! We ate some Ben & Jerry’s back on the ship, something Sean had dearly missed in Thailand. It was the perfect day, spending time with my brother, learning what he had been up to and talking about anything and everything. I’ve missed him so much.

The next day was Brest, France. Because we had a show that day, we had tech run in the morning and unfortunately, we didn’t dock in this port for very long. Sean, Jessica and I had just enough time to run off, eat, see the major highlights, and then head back to the ship.
Brest is a part of the Brittany region, meaning it is a mixture of French and Celtic culture. It is the home base for the French Naval Fleet. The first thing you see coming into Brest is the 15th century castle overlooking the harbor. The Romans, under the rule of Julius Ceaser, conquered the area and named it the “country of the seas.” The British inhabited it in the 4th century, giving the region its name and the Breton language, the Celtic language of Brittany, similar to Cornish.
Brittany suffered various attacks from the Vikings and Normans over the following centuries. During the 100 years War between Britain and France, Brittany was reunited with France. Brittany also suffered horribly during WWI, and Brest especially in WWII. The city was heavily damaged from allied bombing attacks as they attempted to destroy a Nazi submarine base in the harbor. It was rebuilt in the 1950’s. The castle is now a naval museum, preserving Brest’s maritime history, culture, and tradition.
We stopped to eat at a street of small restaurants. Picking up a pizza from one place, we walked two shops down to sit at another place and order desert crepes. The lady came out and absolutely refused to let us be there with the pizza. Even after I tried to explain that we were ordering from her too, (she got the menus for us too!) she said “you can not eat that pizza here, it is IMPOSIBLE!” (Imagine it with the French accent!!) I was tempted to tell her, “it’s actually not impossible, watch…” and just sit down and eat but I figured I shouldn’t joke with the French. So we sat at the first place and ate our delicious pizza, then walked right past the crepe restaurant and refused to stop and give them our money. We were quoting her for the rest of the day!!! LOL.
We walked through the city, in search for a crepe place to finish our day off in France properly. I found a carnival booth decorated with Disney characters, including Ariel! :D We wandered into another street of restaurants, and tried to sit down. The lady politely told us that they were only serving drinks now, no food. The kitchen was closed and it was 1 in the afternoon! So we went next door, and the man told us the same thing. My brother practically begged the man to just let us have crepes, and he gave in. We ordered our crepes and sat next to a group of fellow employees from the ship. Pedro found us, he had left the ship before us and had run around exploring the port. We got our crepes, though they weren’t as good as the ones I’ve had from the street vendors in Paris.
As we headed back towards the shuttle bus, Sean and I ran into a crazy man. We thought he had been hitchhiking because as we got closer to him, he was holding out his hand towards the street. But then he pointed at us and shoved his hand, like he was guiding us. He was talking to himself so we quickly got across the street, hoping he wouldn’t try to follow. He continued up to where we just were and started “directing traffic”, before yelling some stuff and heading off up the steps.
We had Rhythm and Rhyme that night. The first show went smoothly but the second show became an instant reblock. The hydrolics that we use had some technical issues at the end of the first show. They are high-pressure systems and because it was rocky that night, when the stage staff tried to bring them down, they collapsed and collided into each other, refusing to flatten down to the level of the stage. There wasn’t enough time for them to fix it between shows, so we had to adjust the show, which uses the entirety of the stage, to less than half of the stage. They kept the mylar and one of the curtains to hide the hydros. Wesley did a great job leading us and we all acted professionally, but it was pretty funny because it felt, and probably looked, like a school talent show. But hey, that’s live theatre! Anything can happen!


April 27th was St. Peter Port, the capital of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. We had to tender into the town and the only seats left were on top of the tender! The wind was freezing, so our group huddled together. As we cruised in, we passed the 13th century castle sitting on the edge of a cliff that jutted out above the sea. My brother and I discussed the stupidity of placing the castle at such a vulnerable location, wide open for an attack.
A lookout tower would have been more appropriate; they can then signal that the enemy is approaching to the castle, which should be tucked away into the town. But, they did things backwards, and as a result, the castle was constantly under siege for over 700 years and control over it continued to switch between countries. The French held it until the 100 years war, when England recaptured it. In the 20th century the German forces occupied the castle, re-fortifying it in the chaos of WWII.
Our group headed to tour the Castle Cornet. Inside, a royal arms guard marched and demonstrated a live canon blast. It was so loud; I jumped! There were several levels to the castle, and we walked the entire maze of it; from the prisoner quarters to the rooftop gun positions. The castle also housed a military museum, displaying various artillery equipment. There was a display with audio sounds of weapons, so you felt that you were actually in the midst of war. After the castle, we weaved our way into the city.
Everything was decorated in preparation for the Royal Wedding. Jessica knew a lot about the typical English cuisine since her family is from England and she’s been there several times. We made a stop in a bakery and I ordered a delicious cheese and onion pasty. Sean tried the traditional sausage rolls.
We stopped in a small restaurant and tried a slice of the Guersney Gâche, a fruit loaf. I didn’t really like it. We had read that the Channel Islands are known for their dairy products, especially their milk. It’s said to be the best in the world, so Sean and I had to try some. He got a glass of milk and though I enjoyed my rich and creamy chocolate milkshake, I wouldn’t say it’s the BEST I’ve ever had. I still hold my organic Horizon milk on a high pedestal.
The locals recommended a fabulous French ice cream shop that sold homemade ice cream. Sean and I had two scoops :D The funny thing about this place is that they have their own currency. They take the Queen’s pounds but their Guernsey pounds aren’t accepted anywhere else in the world but the island!

Normandy
Le Havre was our next port of call, and we decided we were going to drive out to Normandy to see the D-Day beaches. We were waiting for Holly and Pedro to finish working the rock wall, so Sean and I hopped on the shuttle bus and went to explore a bit of Le Havre. There was a lady from Greece who sat in front of us and she struck up a conversation. She asked where we were from and said that her son had lived in Texas, before dying in an accident. AWKWARD. Then she talked about how she had loved visiting Colorado but was never a fan of Texas. “There were a lot of blacks”, she whispered. SUPER AWKWARD. It was the type of conversation where all you can do is nod and sit in the uncomfortable silence.
We were dropped off in the city center. Apparently, it was too early for the French. Even though it was already 9, hardly anything was open! We wandered, trying to find internet. After stopping in a few cafes with no result, we popped into one restaurant with two teenagers and a puppy. The lady from the bus had just sat down too. We played with the cute black lab, but the puppy kept jumping up on the lady and scratching down her back. The teenagers didn’t budge, even though it was their responsibility to keep the dog in check. I couldn’t believe it! Firstly, that the dog was even allowed in the establishment, because it serves food and most people are put off by that combination. But more so because these kids had no reaction to their unruly dog. I know that even when I walk Ozzy around the pond, he needs to be on a leash in all the required areas and that he needs to act appropriately around other dogs or humans. Yet here I was, trying to scold a strangers’ dog for disobedience. I guess the French are relaxed on common courtesy, among other things.
Giving up on our futile attempt of finding internet, we took the shuttle back to the ship. Sean rented a car from the company in the port, and we met Holly and Pedro at the gangway. Renting the car was easily the cheapest way to get around, the taxi tours were absurdly overpriced and between the four of us, we each spent somewhere around $40 with gas and everything! Our car was so cute and tiny!
Omaha Beach was about an hour and a half drive away from the Le Havre port. Holly and I shared a bag of “crisps” (chips that were in the shape of French Fries, super addictive!) and we all chatted about various things. Sean drove because he was the only one with a proper license. It was his first time driving out of the states! Finally we made it to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.
The museum was filled pictures and artifacts to tell the cataclysmic story of June 6th, 1944, the day that changed the course of history forever. There was an eerie hallway that spoke the names of those lost to the battle, and the walls were covered with individual accounts of true heroes. I read about the courage of Elizabeth Richardson, a woman who died helping the American Red Cross. And about the Niland brothers, whom Saving Private Ryan was based around.
Holly and I watched the video that played, which described the terror these men faced as they fought for liberty. When I saw that they took on such a difficult mission, a certain suicide operation, it left me speechless. I can hardly watch violent movies; but these men were so brave to sacrifice everything to defend the world from the threat of the German forces. I saw the astonishing pictures of the coast guard who ran on the beaches amidst the hail of gunfire, and those who scaled the cliffs to disable the German guns. I tried so hard to conceive how they must have felt, but I know there is nothing in my life that will ever help me comprehend this depth of sheer terror.
After the museum, we walked out to the beach. Utah and Omaha beaches were the landing sites of US soldiers, the British on Gold and Sword beaches, and the Canadian troops on Juno beach. As we walked down the steep slopes, we tried to imagine being the soldiers and tirelessly hurtling towards the German attackers at the top of the hill. The death toll was fewer than had been envisaged on the other beaches and the operations there were considered a success. But the soldiers struggled on Omaha, and I believe it’s because they were at such a topographical disadvantage. The Germans could see the American forces from the safety of the hills and cliffs. It took vast numbers of audacious men and their unyielding determination to finally break through the enemy defenses, eventually leading to the retreat of the German forces.
Having the opportunity to walk on the beach was such an anomalous experience. The area is so beautiful; it was hard to accept that only 67 years ago it had been tainted with the hellacious setting of war. There were people further down the beach enjoying the day, playing water sports and spending time with their family and friends. Yet this exact beach, the one I was standing on, was once strewn with thousands of valiant soldiers, gallant til their last dying breath.
Above the beach, we found the remains of bunkers and gun positions. I sat in a hole dug into the earth and tried to visualize that day. There were several monuments commemorating the efforts of the courageous battalions. We walked the path to the other side of the memorial, where the cemetery was. It was here they filmed the scene of the thousands of white crosses in Saving Private Ryan. As we weaved our way among the graves, it became overwhelming to realize how many there were. I stood in one spot and looked out at the sea of white crosses; it’s just unfathomable. I had read that 93,000 Americans were killed in WWII. At this memorial alone, there were 9,387 headstones and 1,557 names inscribed into the annular wall of the missing. There were Star of David headstones too, not just the Latin cross. Three Medal of Honor recipients were buried here. We found the gravestones of Preston and Robert Niland, respectfully placed beside each other. I overheard a guide telling his group that the Roosevelt family had extracted their son that died in World War I and brought him to lay with his brother, a victim of World War II. Only the Roosevelts, with their power and influence, have been allowed to take a grave from the original military burial site.
Two statues representing France and the United States stood at the west end of the cemetery. In the middle, there was a chapel with a mosaic ceiling depicting America blessing her sons as they depart by sea and aid, and a grateful France bestowing a laurel wreath upon the American dead. The trip to Normandy was inexplicable. I’m so glad I was able to learn about this imperative day that marks the start of the new world. I have a newfound appreciation because I was able to, in a very mild sense, live the experience myself. It wasn’t like when I learned about the war in my seat in high school. I walked the beaches the soldiers walked, I saw the trenches and I can now grasp the entirety of the situation. I hope to have more opportunities to visit other historical sites and throw myself into the authentic setting.
My brother drove us back and we grabbed some food at a grocery mart, similar to Whole Foods. I had two Nutella crepes and a coffee éclair, to end the day in true French spirits. Although visiting the memorial and the cemetery made me solemn and a bit somber, it was created in a way to honor those that had fought and died, and to inspire a change in the world. I felt it spoke a message of love, that it’s purpose is to promote peace and unity, so that those who lost their lives, would not have done so in vain.

Footnote....

I’ve found that in some places of Europe (ie. France, Spain, Portugal) it’s normal for businesses to close for several hours as a siesta/break. I think this is so interesting because I can compare that to America, where that NEVER happens. We are lucky to get an hour break for lunch, yet here in the EU, employees have various hours off. They stare at us weird when we try to eat at their restaurant and it’s either too early (9 am is too early for a café to be open?) or it’s the afternoon break (I’m guessing 1-3). Maybe because I’m used to the states customs, I find this rather curious. How can their business make enough money to successfully operate and earn a profit, if they are closed for about half the day!?! Are Americans working too hard or are they not working enough…?

11 Day Cruise, Part 1

The 18th and 19th of April was our overnight in Lisbon.

Day 1
Jessica, Pedro and I got off together and headed towards Belem District. We ate Bolinho de Bacalhau (a traditional ball of breaded cod) and Pasteis de Belem, a creamy pastry with glazed sugar on top, a delicacy Portugal is known for. Back on the road we admired the intricate detail in the doorway of Jeronimos Monastery.
We passed the Museum of Royal Coaches and stopped at the Conquerors’ statue, depicting Christopher Columbus leading the people of the land. As we headed towards Belem Tower, there was a perfect view of “25 de Abril Bridge”, sister to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. They aren’t real clever with their titles of landmarks, apparently! Lisbon also has a miniature replica of Cristo Rei statue, which I’ve been lucky enough to see the bigger and better known brother in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. :D
Inside Belem Tower, we had a great photo shoot in every nook and cranny of the building. At one point I was in the fireplace, poising in a yoga position. Then there was the entertainment of watching Pedro duck way, way down in the old prison quarters, because it was suitable only for dwarfs like in Snow White!!!
We took the tram and passed the Orient station. Stopping at Baixa (downtown) we headed into Commercio Square, walking by the MuDe, a design and fashion museum. We saw Santa Justa Elevator, very similar to the elevator in Salvador. There was an arched walkway, which resembled the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. I swear Lisbon just copies monuments from around the world rather than creating new innovative ones!

Nightlife
When it was night, Whitney joined our group and we headed out into the freezing cold rain. We stood waiting for a taxi for so long, Jessica finally got impatient and ran to the middle of the street to stand on the platform and hail a taxi from either side. I knew this was a terrible idea but before I could yell at her to come back, what I predicted would occur happened right before our eyes and there was nothing we could do to stop it! Rainwater had been gathering on the streets due to Portugal’s lack of drains. There were deep and daunting puddles surrounding her and of course, a car came from one side of the street and a bus on the other and both splashed buckets of water, drenching her instantly. Her purse, shoes and jeans were soaked through. Luckily, we were able to hail a taxi soon after that and get her into a bit of warmth inside the car.
We journeyed out to Bairro Alto, known for it’s nightlife of bars and clubs. Our taxi driver suggested various restaurants, so we had him choose for us. The establishment was really pretty, but most importantly, heated! I had pizza along with fabulous bread and assorted cheese and jams for appetizers. After dinner, we wandered the streets, determined to learn what Fado was. We knew it’s Portuguese music, but it’s hard to know what you’re listening for when you’ve never heard the style before!!!! We stopped into a small pub when we heard a man singing with a guitar, only to soon recognize that he was signing a Brazilian melody.
I’ve impressed myself with how quickly I can determine what language someone is speaking in, because I can tell the difference not only from Portuguese to Spanish, but also with how people from various countries speak the same language a bit differently. I can hear the slurring of their words, the differences in pronunciation. It’s all so new to me, actually being able to understand people from other cultures speaking a foreign language. It used to be jibberish to me, but now if I’m focused, I can comprehend a lot. I’m excited because it feels like I’m on the right track to picking up another language, if I dedicate myself to it.
We continued heading down the streets in search of this mysterious music we had heard so much about, and ended up, literally, being pulled into a Mexican themed bar. The owner must have been on some kind of drug because he was all over the place, clawing the ceiling, salsa dancing with us, and at one point, trying to take Whitney downstairs! You just couldn’t help but laugh along with him; it was too extreme. I enjoyed the music so we stayed to dance for a bit, but soon decided it was time to call it a night and head back to the ship.

Day 2
For our second day in Lisbon, we decided to head back to Baixa. There were quite a few of us in the group so we took three taxis and made a meeting point of the Hard Rock Café in the center of downtown. When he had all arrived, we walked towards Commercio square; stopping a bit for souvenir shopping and money exchanging. Inside Rossio Square we tried Ginja, a shot of cherry flavored alcohol. It was super strong and so disgusting. Pedro said to drink it slowly to enjoy it to the fullest, but that was like sipping vodka, it just burnt your throat too much, I had to shot it. I didn’t even bother with the cherry at the bottom, because it had soaked up too much of the alcohol. BLAH.
The big group I started out with divided so people could go off and do different things, so I ended up with Jessica, Pedro and Bot for the rest of the day. We ate some really nice Italian food on the streets in Commercio Square and people watched. We made sure to buy some Pasteis de Belem before we headed back to the ship.

After a sea day, we were docked in La Coruna, Spain. Holly, Drew, Pedro, Jessica and I took the train out to Santiago de Compostella of Galicia. This city is the end point of numerous pilgrimages that people take. The trek starts in various countries and travelers are walking for months. It was déjà vu for me because I had escorted a tour here last year, and I remember this city was one of the first reasons I fell in love with Spain. The architecture and the gardens are so beautiful. I remembered walking in this place and feeling so peaceful, and wishing to return here and attend college because it’s a college town! Our group made a pit stop to feed our bellies but mostly to get out of the rain that started to pour on us. I had delicious spinach and cheese pasta and we took in the exquisite interior decorating of the café.
When the rain had stopped, we found our way to a ravishing park and got a bit carried away with a photo shoot. Back in the heart of the city, we watched as a group celebrated at having finally reached the end. They looked a bit rough, having stayed in hostels for several months, sometimes not getting a proper shower or bed. It was very moving to see the joy in these people’s hearts because I know this commitment of journeying here was not always an easy one; but to be victorious and finish your quest, would be so rewarding.
We toured the church where they swing the incense burner, possibly in hopes of masking the stench of the exhausted travelers. ;) The burner is so massive, it takes several men to lift it high above! I’ll have to look back at my research I learned when I was first here, because I think that Napoleon Bonaparte was involved with this church and the incense burner. If I remember correctly, my guide had shown me a replica of the incense burner, the original having been stolen by Napoleon.

Following La Coruna was Gijon, also in Spain. Gijon started as a fishing village 3,000 years ago but has now grown so successfully, its main port of El Musel is one of the largest in the north of Spain. Pedro and I were again, having an intense “best photo” competition. Europe provides so many artistic elements; it’s not hard to capture stunning images. Although it was raining, we enjoyed walking through the market in the center of the square. Jess and I found these awesome magnets that were rocks with alluring pictures of the countryside painted on them. We walked under the cover of our umbrellas to a giant monument on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the ocean. The wall that leads up to the structure was once part of a military blockade to protect the city. I’m not sure if the monument has an actual shape or if it’s just meant to be abstract art. The top is two rounded beams that almost close to a full circle, and the middle provides a window view out to the sea. I stood for a while in this gap; closed my eyes and listened to the crashing waves miles beneath me. I felt as if I could just dive right off the end and soar out above the water.
A short walk later we were back in the center of the small city. We saw a church that was preparing for the celebrations of Easter, with several decorations on floats. Then we headed to peek into a museum built around old Roman bathhouses, but we weren’t keen to pay to see the entire museum. The walk along the beach was beautiful because there were green moss patches that grew near the bridge. The green of these patches were such an extreme contrast to the rest of the colors of the beach and the city, it looked as if someone had painted over the pictures I took.
The sky was still cloudy but lots of people were out enjoying the day. An archery field was even set up on the beach, which reminded me of the time I taught archery to young elementary students when I volunteered at Outdoor Lab. We found a cute little diner and ate a really cheap and awesome lunch. I had two sandwiches! One of them was an egg and cheese sandwich. They cut a perfect hole out of the top of the toast so you could break the sunny-side-up egg that was inside. After lunch we wandered the shopping streets and came across a pastry store that had chocolate Ariel and other various animated characters in their display window. So, of course, we had to go inside! I ended up with a chocolatey donut and Jessica tried a pastry we had never seen before.
We still had some time before we had to be back to the ship, so we decided to walk in the city and make our way slowly back to the shuttle stop. I saw a Suzuki store and thought of my brother and his silly (and in my opinion, useless) jeep.
I enjoyed taking various pictures of the architecture, from the churches to the randomly colored boutiques. I love buildings in Europe; even the simplest ones, like apartments, seem so stylish and chic or ancient and full of history. I also thoroughly enjoyed maneuvering through the city and leading everyone with my map skills, which are ever improving with each new city I’m challenged with.
On the shuttle back to city, I played with Pedro’s hair and spiked it, drawing inspiration from the Who’s in How The Grinch Stole Christmas (the version with Jim Carey). :D


Bilbao was our next port, on Saturday the 23rd of April. According to my research, (which I had done for every European port) Bilbao is Spain’s sixth-largest cities, and one of the more expensive and upper class areas to live in. I could see why the instant we were on the shuttle and driving away from the port. The houses were absolutely stunning, surrounded by lush green lawns and parks. It was such a lovely day, lots of people walking their dogs or laying out in the sun, just enjoying the weather. The shuttle bus dropped us off in the city center, an interesting mixture between old churches and new, modernized skyscrapers. Everywhere I look in Europe, there is something interesting to take a picture of, from beautiful monuments to interesting forms of “art.” I’m learning more and more how that term is subjective. I also really like their shuttle buses; they remind me of ants because the side view mirrors poke out in the front, resembling antennas.
We walked around the center, hoping to find an exchange place but everything was closed for Easter holiday. Again, I wonder how Spain can survive if everyone takes a week or more off each holiday! We get the day off if we are lucky, never an Easter holiday week!
Bilbao is home of one of the famous Guggenheim Museums, like the one in New York. I did a bit of history research on Meyer Guggenheim, originally from Switzerland, who became an industrialist in the US in around the 1850’s. Together with his seven sons, he established several mining and metal processing companies. His son Solomon set up several foundations that supported the arts, including the museum in New York.
The Guggenheim of Spain was built in 1997. On the walk towards the museum, you can see a red suspension bridge peeking out in the middle of the city. “Puppy”, a giant collection of flowers shaped into a dog, sits waiting to greet visitors in the front of the museum. The architecture of the museum itself is art; its unique shape an extreme polar to the common building form. Not to mention the various works of art surrounding the museum; bubbles rising above a pool of water, and a giant spider that of course, I played on.
Just opposite the museum, we headed into the city center and waited in a long line for the shuttle. At one point, Holly, Jessica and I snuck off to grab some pastries from a shop. :D I tend to end the day with some sort of desert but hey, why not finish on a sugar note!?!