Part 2: How painted horses and more acceptable that zebras

Okay, now that I have had some Käsespätzle I feel ready to continue...

We left Harrods and headed to the train station to hop on the Eurostar to Paris. My dad was super pumped about going through the chunnel or something and then slept through the whole thing. We had delicious Marks and Spencer salad meal things that Amy and I ate a ton of last summer. Nomz.

8. Paris

9. Hotel sneaking

We got to Paris and got over to our hotel, I had to wait outside and sneak in later because once again I was not a real guest. *That sounds bad, but really it was great because I felt like a spy in stealth mode*

The hotel was very close to the Eiffel Tower so we walked over there and looked at it for a bit. It did its spastic sparkle thing on the hour for five minutes and the creeps tried to sell us champagne, wine, beer, water, keychains, cigarettes, babies, monkeys, drugs, themselves, everything in the world.

10. Walking Tour

The next day we did a walking tour and saw some of the major things: some street called the fishing cat street or something because cats used to fish in that street when the city flooded and French people are creative....Notre Dame, Louvre, other museums, egyptian pillar obelisk thing and more. Then came this:

11. more walking

12. more walking

we did SO MUCH WALKING. We only realized the extent of the walking when we got to:

13. Top of Tower

We went all the way to the top and looked at all of the Parisian things, and charted our walking and it was IMMENSE. and thennnnnn I used the bathroom at the top and I think that was the tallest bathroom I have ever used. (except on planes, but still) THRILLING. Also, these Paris things are out of order because I think we did the Louvre before the Top of the Tower. and before MK+A so we'll get back to that.

15. Louvre

Went in the Louvre and looked at the art things and I had to see this stupid lady again:

Mona's hot younger self on the left. More about that here, and everywhere on the internet.

14. MK+A

After looking at the things, we did the walking because I think the Louvre was in the middle of that and then later on we did some fencing with baguettes in front of the Eiffel Tower. I'll add photos later...

16. D'Orsay

Next day we stored our luggage at the train station then went and looked at the Musee D'Orsay and saw some Degas, Renoir, Monet things. I liked the Degas sculptures. We also went and walked around Montmartre and went in the Sacre Couer, I don't remember when this was, but I illegally took this photo(shhhhh, don't tell anyone, internet people):

We also went in the Notre Dame, again not sure when this all fit in to the Paris timetable...

17. Night Train

That night we took the night train to Hamburg from Paris. There was a mix up and Deutsche Bahn attached the wrong sleeping car to the train and we had a slightly less plush sleeping car. Still cool though. The train guy was ultra german and he tried to explain the whole ordeal to me in German because I answered his 'Do you speak German?' question with 'a little' mistake. He had to re-explain in English.

18. Hamburg

We arrived in Hamburg around 9 am and headed to my place to drop off our things. We wandered around the schanze for a little bit and checked out the weird people before heading to the city center to do some shopping and eating on Mönckebergstraße. I got a new coat for my birthday! Now I won't freeze. (20. Shopping for everything)

19. Apartment

We headed back to my neighborhood to check in to the apartment we rented. The apartment was HUGE. It had a living room, kitchen table room, and large bedrooms. My bathroom was nicer though, toilet and shower in the same room! It was interesting to compare the two apartments. 

21. walking tour/Hafen City

We did another walking tour in Hamburg. I liked this tour guide more than the last one I had in Hamburg. Despite his weirdly giant pants... We saw all the things and then wandered around the Hafen City... we made it down to the Unilever buidling, which looks a bit weird on the outside, but has a cool atrium. After some internet searching we learned that it is a suuuuuuper green eco building and has won awards for that. Get it Unilever.

22. ferry boat

We took a ferry boat taxi metro public transport boat trip around for a little bit(2 HOURS!) It was freezing but there were some entertaining German children at our table. I was eating a granola bar and they were watching me and then pulled out some cookies and candy. You showed me, children. You win.

22.5. Fischmarkt

Don't know why this wasn't on the list. We did soooo many things my brain is mush. We got up super early Sunday morning to head over to the Altona Fischmarkt. It is a huge deal in Hamburg. The fish people sell the fish to drunken partygoers and early risers. There was also delicious waffles, baked goods, pasta, clothing and an auction hall with a live band. I have been to the Fischmarkt once before but I was in the other category of visitors last time, so this was a whole new, much colder, experience. 

23. Blankenese

We headed to Blankenese on Sunday. It is the Treppenviertel stair town stair quarter stair something... It was cute! lots of stairs and winding streets that lead to the water. It reminded me more of Italy than Germany so that was interesting. In one of the stores there, this was on the wall:

I'm pretty sure that was real. blegh. poor little guy. I'm telling myself it was a painted horse, somehow that makes me feel better about it.

24. Hamburger Meile

Monday we hit up the Mundsburg center and Hamburger Meile shopping mall. It was GREAT! We bought shoesssss. I posted this on facebook:

Parents are doing Europe RIGHT! I also got some new boots to help with the winter and horrible weather, some cool high top sweater tennis shoes and some cool heeled short boot shoe things(photos soon). Also bought a pair of black ankle boots to replace the pair I bought last year in Amsterdam, but they are suuuper squeaky and loud, so I am going to try to return them tomorrow.

25. Wheelie

26. Future fabulous life

These two really go together. Wheelie is the three-legged dog I will have in my future life. It was determined that my future life will be fabulous and expensive and I will have a lot of excellent leather luggage and purses and wallets and things and an adorable three-legged dog with a wheel named Wheelie. This is super important to me.

BONUS

We ate so many delicious things over this trip. Breads, more breads, delicious potatoes from this place near me, must go back often, beers, wines, noodles, cheeses, desserts(mom and I had waffles for dinner at this place in London, YUM!) 

and then Dad ordered this:

It is a pig knuckle. And it had hair on it. Sooooo there's that. Good beer though.

8. Paris

9. Hotel sneaking

10. Walking Tour

11. more walking

12. more walking

13. Top of Tower

14. MK+A

15. Louvre

16. D'Orsay

17. Night Train

18. Hamburg

19. Apartment

20. Shopping for everything

21. walking tour/Hafen City

22. ferry boat

23. Blankenese

24. Hamburger Meile

25. Wheelie

26. Future fabulous life

Okay, so that's the end of the trip! They headed home with suitcases packed full of shoes and wine and candy and presents and things... I had a great time! See you guys for Christmas!

I will hopefully upload some more photos soon! Still need to transfer them from my camera... and now that I have home internet I should probably post some more photos from the last 3 months... but I just keep watching internet television. Caught up on White Collar! and now all the Fall shows are starting, I don't know how I will make time for it all...

Happy almost birthday to me!

22 just sounds so much more real that 21. Maybe it's time to start looking for Wheelie

I need to hibernate

Okay, Hi!

*I posted this earlier and the formatting was crazy, hopefully this is better*

Not on the list:

My birthday is approaching. Huzzah. I have plans to make a delicious birthday treat on Sunday to bring to work Monday. Duh, it's Puppy Chow. I bought some German peanut butter. or Erdnusscreme... here's hoping that works... Also after Sunday I can say 'Ich bin zweiundzwanzig Jahre alt.' score.

I am also planning a trip to Florence to buy leather goods for my future fabulous life(#26, more later). I will try to mix in some other cultural things, but I think the leather markets count as culture, and really I just want to buy leather things. If I like you, maybe I'll buy you a present. But I will probably selfishly buy a billion things for myself.

I have home internet now and it is AMAZING. Bad timing though because it is approaching hibernating season and now I have a great reason to stay in bed all day and watch internet television and never go outside. Also yesterday I accidentally(on purpose) bought a TON of candy... stockpiling for the winter, it will most likely be gone by Sunday. Tomorrow I have made plans to attend a fitness class though, so I think it's fine. Also, fitness class!! Who am I?!

I went to German class last night and I wasn't too lost... We are learning more about grammar and tricky language things that I can't really handle in English... soooooo we'll see.

alright, time to tackle the list... these things seem like they happened sooooooo long ago.... sorry if it is jumbly and virtually incoherent(but really, aren't all of my posts jumbly and incoherent?) 

0. The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

I bought this book after seeing it twice in the airport. I didn't know I would have internet, so I didn't want to wait and buy the Kindle edition. Also the book cover is nice. 

I am about halfway through this book and it is GREAT! This super old man decides to ditch his 100 year birthday party and then shenanigans occur. Murder, elephants, death by elephant... it's great. Get it. Or wait until December 19th and you can borrow it from me.

1. london luton

2. london hotel

3. sleeping on the floor like a high-class hobo

Combined: 

I flew into London Luton airport and the border control guy was mad at me because I didn't have the address written down on my entry card. I took a bus to a train to another 2 trains to get to the hotel. The hotel was SWANK. I am glad I brought my leather duffel bag instead of my backpack. I still felt like I didn't belong though. Maybe in my future life. I was not techincally allowed to stay at the hotel since the room was booked for 2 people and I slept on the floor on a bed of throw pillows lined up. They were about 2 inches wider than my body. I probably should have moved in to the bathroom because there was a tv in there and heated floors. Now I know for next time. 

4. changing of the Horse Guards and Mitt Romney's prancing dancing pony

Saturday morning we went to go see the changing of the Horse Guards, which looked a lot like Red Rover for a little bit. I entertained myself by making up conversations between the horses... one looked like he was struggling. must have been out too late the night before. Pictures and captions to follow. I think it would have been more entertaining to watch Mittens' pony dance around, but I'll take what I can get.

5. London Bridge

6. London Tower

*bonus: Tate Modern Revisited, Chipotle, Harry Potter Bridge

We walked around London some more and I wasn't allowed to eat Chipotle. I am going back to London this Thursday–Sunday, so I plan to eat Chipotle at least 12 times. We ended up walking around the water and going in the basement of St. Paul's, I made the mistake of going in the Diaper changing bathroom stall, the things I smelled in there will scar me for life. We walked across the London Bridge(this might all be in the wrong order) and looked at the London Tower compound/area. My mom said she read somewhere(or made up) that the workers get to live in some rooms in there. Could be cool, or super creepy, or both. We then went in the Tate Modern because it is free and full of hilarious things. My favorite piece: a mirror glued to a canvas was still there. Also I'm pretty sure I saw someone I recognized from Cincinnati, if that was you.... let me know. It was on September 15th.

7. Harrods

Harrods is GIGANTIC! and super fancy. I found a lot of things for my future life. Like spectacular Burberry trench coats. Yum. The sales lady recommended that we go to the Toy World when I asked her which part of the store was the best.

I bought these. and paid way too much for them apparently. But look how cute they are!

Okay, time for lunch. I will write more later... but this should keep you all occupied for now.

0. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window and Disappeared

1. london luton

2. london hotel

3. sleeping on the floor like a high-class hobo

4. changing of the Horse Guards and Mitt Romney's prancing dancing pony

5. London Bridge

6. London Tower

7. Harrods

8. Paris

9. Hotel sneaking

10. Walking Tour

11. more walking

12. more walking

13. Top of Tower

14. MK+A

15. Louvre

16. D'Orsay

17. Night Train

18. Hamburg

19. Apartment

20. Shopping for everything

21. walking tour/Hafen City

22. ferry boat

23. Blankenese

24. Hamburger Meile

25.Wheelie

26. Future fabulous life

not really a real post...

Hi people!

things I need to blog about:

0. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window and Disappeared
1. london luton
2. london hotel
3. sleeping on the floor like a high-class hobo
4. changing of the Horse Guards and Mitt Romney's prancing dancing pony
5. London Bridge
6. London Tower
7. Harrods
8. Paris
9. Hotel sneaking
10. Walking Tour
11. more walking
12. more walking
13. Top of Tower
14. MK+A
15. Louvre
16. D'Orsay
17. Night Train
18. Hamburg
19. Apartment
20. Shopping for everything
21. walking tour/Hafen City
22. ferry boat
23. Blankenese
24. Hamburger Meile
25.Wheelie
26. Future fabulous life

Pies

Hello,

Baked a couple pies this week. I couldn't find any pre-made pie crusts so I had to make that myself... it was difficult. delicate balance of butter chunks and flour(Mehl) and then I was using a silicone pie pan thing and it kept bending and my pie crust was a mess. It tasted okay though.

Update: Nina says: The pie wasn't ok, it was deliccccious!!

I was also converting cups to grams or mL or something and that was also tricky. Probably not going to be baking anything for a while. I want to make puppy chow for my birthday snack, but I can pretty much guess on quantities for that.

I don't really have much else to say... Sunday evening I went to a Wasserlichtkonzert at a park. It was music and lights and the fountain water jumping around. Apparently they do the show everyday at 9pm during September, get ready parents.

Sunday a few of us from work also stumbled across a concert happening in front of the Rathaus(Town Hall) with Spanish rappers and then some other bands.

I haven't done much lately though, mostly sleeping a lot and then meeting up with work friends to get food and look at Hamburg things. I will have plenty of things to write about after my vacation with the 'rents starts tomorrow night! I'll be meeting them in London tomorrow night, then we go to Paris and then end up in Hamburg.

Tonight I am going shopping with Nina, she leaves Saturday morning... tragic. We will be reunited in Cincinnati in January and we can continue eating tons of Vietnamese food.

Be back after the Urlaub,
Michelle

Dublin, Ireland

Hallo Leute,

Before I get to the Ireland information, I have a confession to make. I am an addict. 

I am addicted to buying animal print and animal patterned leggings. Seriously. I need to be stopped. I now have two pairs of the same cat leggings in different colors, a pair with elephants all over them and a silky leopard print pair(those aren't really the correct size, hoping I can exchange them...) UPDATE: exchanged them... they are apparently supposed to be high-waisted... totally weird.

Out of control.

Back to the regular scheduled programming:

Ireland:

I left for Dublin on Thursday morning, hooray for a short work week! The morning was less than pleasant, Nina and I had a little German Wine Wednesday, so I was up pretty late packing after that!
I took a few trains to get to the Flughafen(Airport) and then breezed through security and wandered around the duty-free shops. I got my fill of the tester products and left before buying all the things. I got a breakfast pretzel and was juggling my water bottle, phone and pretzel when they all started to fall... the pretzel was obviously the most important so I reached to save that first. Priorities. (my cat-like reflexes kicked in and I saved everything, no worries)

The flight attendant on the plane to Dublin had the BIGGEST sock bun I have ever seen(foreshadowing), so I couldn't stop staring at her head. Arrived at the Dublin airport and it was glorious. They had FREE WIFI. Being internet-less makes me soooo obsessed with wifi. I love it. wifi + adorable Irish accents all around me = glory. The bus I took to get to the city center also had free wifi. I love you Dublin.

Checked in to the hostel and all of the reception people knew who I was because of my billion emails I had sent them changing our reservation. It is hard booking for a group! Dropped my bags off in the luggage room and went to abra-kebab-ra for some food. Went back there 2.5 hours later when everyone else arrived.

I watched a movie in the basement and then once Amy, Ben, Aaron and Danny got to the hostel we wandered around Dublin a bit and then came back to wait for Sophie(she was delayed)

We went to look at the Tall Ships Thursday night. They were... tall.  We got some donuts and street food and then headed to the pub for some live music and Guinness/ciders.

Friday morning we went to the Guinness Storehouse, it was very similar to the Bourbon Trail. We learned how to pour our own Perfect Pint and then had some Guinness/veggie soup and delicious bread before heading back for a nap/ Sophie and Aaron went and looked at a church. After the nap we went and met at Penney's to look for more Tiger suits. They have changed the design and now the suits have a tiger head on top and a tail... the stomach area has a white circle thing happening though, so I think mine from last year is still better. I bought a new party purse and an excellent sock bun donut, I can't really figure out the best way to use it though, my hair keeps falling out... Friday night we went to a different pub and listened to the live music and the bartender was weird, Sophie and I stayed later than everyone else, because we didn't have to catch flights in the morning.

Saturday we wandered around Dublin and looked at stuff and did some shopping, H&M was closing soon though, so we weren't allowed to try anything on in the fitting rooms... that combined with the UK sizing on the tags made purchasing the correct size difficult... had to make some returns/exchanges... Hamburg H&M was not pleased with me. Went to the Temple Bar bar Saturday night for a little more live music and then headed back to the hostel early to prepare for our flights.

Sunday morning we headed to the airport at 4am... my flight was delayed 2 hours though because one of the flight attendants didn't show up. Lots of time spent in the duty free shops and sleeping on whatever semi-comfortable chairs I could find in the airport...

Finally got home and slept all day.

Last week...

Sneak peek Monday: Expendables 2. It was pretty funny... allllll of the action stars were in it so that was crazy to see them all interact and make fun of each other/themselves.

Tuesday: German class, that was HARD. I had missed Thursday's class to go to Dublin and I was soooooo far behind on Tuesday. By the end of the class I had sort of caught up, and everyone else was just as confused as I was, so that was nice.

Wednesday: Nina and I wandered around and did some shopping/ate delicious Vietnamese food.

Thursday:
work: prepared some things for the work party Friday night. We made bunting banners for our Intern Dolce Vita party, and that was a mistake, we made more for this work party...

German class, realized that everyone else has paid for 2 months, and I have only paid for 1... I guess they were all issued reminder payment slips, and I never got one... strange. I should probably ask about that tomorrow night, but maybe I will just wait until next week, skip month 2 and pay for month 3. Free German.

Friday: Work party celebrating 15 years of Landor Hamburg. The interesting thing there was that all of the past employees were invited... even if they were fired. During the day a few of us were in charge of blowing up(with helium, not our lungs) a billion balloons. We had a boy with 2500 balloons, but I think there was only enough helium to inflate 1000 of them. One burst on my arm and now there is a small scar. Balloon danger.

Saturday: I spent most of the day sleeping and then went to the store, bought some candy and milk and came home to do 5 hours of laundry while watching Sex and the City.

Sunday: went in to work at 11 to work on an After Effects animation project. Stayed until midnight.
I'm hoping I get really good at it and maybe can use After Effects to make something for my Capstone project... blegh, Capstone. I have no ideas for that. If anyone has any ideas for a project that I won't get tired of after 4 months, let me know. I need to brand it or something... and solve a problem... or something... maybe I should look that up.

Sneak Peek tonight! Here's hoping I don't fall asleep. Some people online think it will be the Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter movie. That could be okay.

Future things:

Parents are coming to Europe soon!!

hoping to get internet at home some time soon.

also need to be better at cleaning. Sorry roomies, I know I suck! I think this might be the week... Tomorrow night after German class = cleaning time.



-Michelle


Sorry this post kinda sucked and was disorganized and boring... I'm tired.

Ich bin Simba

Hi,

So I have a really hard time pronouncing the German 'r' and this morning I was practicing on my walk to work, like a freak, when I realized that I am Simba.

Seriously... Simba trying to roar = me trying to pronounce any German words with an 'r' in them.



STRUGGLES.

sorry I haven't posted anything in a while...

I have been super busy with work things.

I came in and worked for 12 hours yesterday.

On Sunday.

Labor Day weekend...

Laboring.


happy monday!

sneak peek night, can't wait to see what movie it is!

also, meine Eltern kommen!!!!

See ya in 2 weeks, Parental Units!