2003 Music City Bowl

29 Dec 2003 - It's a bit of a different situation going to a bowl game this year. Instead of traveling solely as a family unit, this year, some of Cassie's friends are joining us. Mom & Dad left Sunday night to go to Waupaca. They would be dropping her [Grandma Maxine] off at her sister's on the way down. Cass & I got up bright and early, when we began our leg of the journey. We were taking off to Germantown, where we would meet up with the three other kids (Brian & girlfriend Sheri, and Cass's boyfriend Braden.) Going down via Appleton, we made great time and had time to kill before the designated hour. So, I started looking for anything familiar, since I lived in that town from 1-5 years old. Eventually, I found the way to our old housing complex. I don't think Cass remembered it much. By that time, we got over to Brian's house just as Sheri & Braden were pulling in. After a bit of chitchat, we loaded up the van and we were on our way. The drive was pretty uneventful. I spent it either reading, napping, or watching whatever movie they'd put in up front. Through it was raining pretty hard when we got in to Nashville, we managed to find our hotel. About a half-hour later, Mom & Dad showed up. Pretty early night for all of us.

30 Dec - The next morning, when we were all up and breakfasted, we drove over to the Opry Mills Mall to do some shopping. The college kids took off while I wandered around with Mom & Dad. My big purchase was an Old Navy sweater for $15. Eventually, we met up with the others around 2, and decided it would be a good time to go downtown. We drove and got lucky with parking. Since we hadn't eaten lunch, we stopped at the Old Spaghetti Factory for food. After that, the kids went off while Mom, Dad & I did some exploring. We stopped for drinks at an Irish pub Mom had visited before while in the city. They got to talking with another couple and all sorts of "small world" stuff came out. I nearly had to drag them out, because we were supposed to be meeting Cass & Co for the Battle of the Bands. It was the UW Marching Band vs. Auburn's, and there was no contest. I think Badger fans outnumbered Auburn's 10-1. Badgers played a good 5th Quarter show. Auburn, popular music. Booo. They were like my old high school pep band, only worse, because there were more dancers and baton twirlers. After that, Mom, Dad & I headed out for some food before bed. Ended up at the Taco Bell down the road. Pool night!

View of the Battle of the Bands from a parking structure

31 Dec - We were up and out bright and early this morning, but that didn't matter much as we got stopped in traffic. It took an extra hour to reach the stadium. Not having as much time as we hoped, we did a quick tailgate with the kids before heading in. It was a little confusing where our gate was, so we walked around nearly the entire stadium. Our neighbor in Rapids, Mike Daly, got us great tickets in the club level (= swanky) of the stadium. It was a beautiful day. Relatively cloudless skies, temps in the low 60s. Too bad the game wasn't as nice. Putting up with an obviously biased announcer and a huge Auburn fan contingent was one thing. But putting up with our near-complete lack of game was another. If the game had ended six minutes sooner, we had a chance to win, but it didn't and we blew it. The one highlight for me was tracking down Kendra and Paul after 5th Quarter. After the game and some tailgating, Mom, Dad & I headed back downtown to do some souvenir hunting. We stopped in a few shops, bought Cass a new fake ID, got my picture taken with a wooden Elvis, and had a very nasty pint before going back to fetch Cass & Braden before getting Mexican for dinner. That was about it. I wasn't even awake when the clock struck 12. Happy New Year.

Cass, Braden, Sheri, Brian with the sign Cass & I made

Love me tender, wooden Elvis

1 Jan 2004 - Drove up to Dearborn w/Mom, Dad & Grandma. They moved me out of my apartment the next day. Bless 'em!

{transcribed 1/14/2020}

Ireland 2003

16 Oct - I took the day off [from working at Ford in Chicago] in preparation for going to Ireland on vacation. Finished packing, said bye to the kittens [Rugby and Cricket], and got my ride to the airport. Traveling was pretty good. I few on the smallest plane with the chattiest flight attendant. After a few hours' layover in Philadelphia, I found myself in the very back row of my international flight. I had a Philly-area bartender playing copilot next to me. Even bought me a drink during dinner. I managed to catch a little bit of shut-eye before I woke to the faintest glimmerings of dawn as we made our approach into Dublin.

17 Oct - Dublin - I am currently sitting in the bar on the 6th floor of the Guinness Brewery, pint in hand, writing while the sun beats down on my back. So far, I've managed to make the most of my time here in Dublin. Since I packed light and carried on all my baggage, I was quick out of the airport. I had bought a bus ticket into town, so I spent the next 45 minutes accustoming myself to everything. I was dropped off next to Trinity College, then I hoofed it through the early morning (9 am) crowds to my hostel. It was too early to check in, so I dumped my bags, ate some breakfast and headed out. I brought my jacket along, but as the morning warmed, I didn't need it. I had a bit of trouble with my camera, but a quick stop into a camera shop got it all sorted out. From there, I walked back towards Trinity College. I wanted to make sure I got all of my purchases while I could, and I found a great little shop that had everything. I got Aran Island sweater for mom and me (€125 each! ouch), as well as an Irish crystal vase for Becky & Andrew's wedding present, small vases for the grandmas for Christmas, and a small bowl for myself. With shipping, $411 all told. I decided to ship it so I wouldn't have to lug that much extra stuff with me. I'm keeping my sweater along for the ride, though. From there, I went to see the medieval Book of Kells, an illustrated gospel. The detail in the drawings was amazing. Those monks were either very dedicated or had far too much time on their hands. From there, I walked (sense a theme?) to the Dublin Castle to explore the grounds. I took a few really neat pictures. Then I trekked on all the way to the Guinness Brewery. I took the tour to learn how the wonderful Black Magic that is Guinness (their take, not mine) is made. So now, I sit, resting my feet and nursing my pint. I know I'm not doing it justice. It's cold, think, rich and smooth. I'd better finish it soon, because I have more places to visit and a nap to take.

Just as I was leaving the Brewery, I was struck again by the fact the first think you smell going there is not beer, but rather horseshit from the carriages for tourists. I was walking down the street when I got asked to be in a picture with a random guy. Turns out he's a Swede living in Amsterdam so I spoke a little Dutch with him. How bizarre. I walked along, feeling slight aftereffects of the Guinness until I got to St. Patrick's Cathedral. I took a few pictures, then walked back to the hostel. Got my room - a tiny little private. I managed to fall asleep for a couple of hours, then lay in bed for a bit debating if I really wanted to get up. I finally did, and after making myself presentable, I went out in search of dinner. I stopped at a vegetarian restaurant just up the street. I'm not sure what I ended up eating, but it was pretty good. I walked back to the hostel to continue my quiet night. I should be downstairs socializing and I should be going out to a pub, but I'm alone, female, and too damn tired right now. Maybe next Thursday after my tour. But tonight, it's going to be "LotR: The Return of the King" and me. Sidenote - the sweater I got was handknit by J.W. Loowe. I really wanted to get one in the "Cara" style (naturally), but they were all too big. I forgot that after going to the Dublin Castle, I got a sandwich and tea at a little shop, then I bought a claddagh ring a few doors down. It's not the traditional type, but rather looks like this [drawing]. Today, I bought all of the souvenirs that I really wanted from Ireland - the sweater & the ring. The crystal bowl was definitely a why-not? I figure it will come in handy. I'm really excited about seeing the true Ireland starting tomorrow.

Dublin Castle

Me and random gigantic Swede

18 Oct - I nearly had a heart attack last night when I found that my travel voucher said I was traveling on the 20th. Lost a little bit of sleep thinking about that. No worries, through. The front desk called and confirmed that I was indeed on today's tour, and at 9:40, I was on the bus. Everybody is pretty young (about my age [23]) and very friendly. I shared a seat with Tiana, who's from Austrialia but is now working as a nanny in London. We took off from Dublin in our little bus and headed south. Along the way, we stopped and climbed about the ruins on the Rock of Dunmase. It was a gorgeous sunny day, with a nip in the air and a bit of haze on the horizon. From there we stopped in Abbeyleix for a spot of tea and scones at a half bar/half shop called Morrissey's. From there, it was on to Cashel in Tipperary Co. We ate lunch and chatted a bit with our driver/tour guide/entertainment, Oliver. I met two other girls from the US - Renee and Anne. Then we all (minus Ollie) took a little walk towards the ruined abbey before getting a group tour of the Rock of Cashel. That was a pretty cool collection of cathedrals/church buildings and a cemetery with lots of Irish crosses. The wind picked up in the mid-afternoon and definitely started to get chilly. We all (there were 22 of us - some on the 3-day tour, others like me on the 6) piled back on the bus and headed south one more. we stopped off for provisions in Mitchelstown, then finished the rest of the day's driving, ending as the sun set, in Cork. We're staying in Sheila's hostel tonight - 8 of us (7 girls, 1 guy) in our room. Tiana and I went out to get some dinner, walking through the streets of Cork. I ended up with some deli salads from the supermarket that we ate at the hostel. A bunch of folks and I got together to play a few hands of asshole. I got online and watched the end of the Badger game. Afterwards, we all headed down to a pub. Tiana & I drank our pints (Balmurs [for her] & Murphy's for me) with Kendra & Liza from Canada. Had nice long conversation while getting progressively pissed. At about 10:30-11 we walked back to the hostel and threw ourselves in bed.

Our tour guide Oliver is from Barry. Where? Barry!

Me near the Rock of Cashel, ruined abbey behind

19 Oct - Morning came far too early. After a shower and quick check of email, I ate breakfast with everyone. Special K, soda bread with Nutella & tea. I had to pop by a shop to pick up some cameras because one of my two camera batteries was already dead. After a bit of standing around in the cold, we got on the bus and headed for the Blarney Castle. After a short drive, we arrived just prior to opening. Tiana, Jason (from Australia) & I climbed up the castle to the top first to kiss the Blarney Stone. I wasn't going to, but I figured, what the heck, and gave it a quick smack, hanging upside down and grasping bars a couple stories about the ground. That having done, Tiana & I went to explore the grounds. I thought the grounds were much better than the actual castle itself. It was almost magical - trees, paths, boulders all over - like a fairy land. I could have played all day there and klettered about on the rocks. After a while, we got back on the bus and headed southwest. Our next stop was at Killarney National Park. It's an area of three lakes and a mountain ("very tall hills") range. We hiked up and saw the Torc waterfall. It was about 70 ft of water falling over mossy rocks. I climbed up right next to the water and had a drink. Nice and cold, a little mossy, through. :) Then we continued our climb up and took a hike through the woods. Quite a nice hike. It was a little cooler and cloudier than it has been in the past couple days. When we all got back on the bus, we drove into Killarney and grabbed a bite of food for the road. From there, we made the decision to try to get to the Cliffs of Moher today versus tomorrow. We went through Tralee to Tabert where we took a windy ferry ride across the Shannon River. we drove on some more along the coast. This area is really what I thought Ireland would look like - really green, gentle rolling hills, stone walls. We finally got to the Cliffs. Oh. My. God. They were absolutely breathtaking. We jumped over the safety fence (like everyone else) and got down near the edge of the cliffs. It was about a 600-650 ft drop to the ocean below. I slowly crept toward the edge on my stomach and looked down. It was a bit windy, but I didn't feel like I was going to be blown off. We walked around a bit to get different views. Finally after getting plenty windblown, we got back on the bus. Oliver gave two girls a bit of a chase to get on. From there, we drove on about ten minutes to Doolin and our hostel (Paddy's Doolin Hostel). We checked in, changed, then headed to Gus O'Connors for some good craic and toot. Got myself a pint of cider and vegetable lasagna. Then we went into the main room of the pub for a bit of live Irish music - me, Tiana, Kendra, Liza, Aaron, Bruce, Joby & Matt. How's the craic? Oh, it's grand! We were joined by everyone else on the tour and just sat around chatting. Matt, Bruce & Aaron treated us to a New Zealand Haka (All-Black rugby). At about 11, a few girls & I headed home. We were just getting ready for bed when the Kiwi guys came to tuck us in. Matt gave me a lovely kiss good-night. (The stars were absolutely gorgeous!)

Torc Waterfall

Cliffs of Moher

Tour group in Doolin

20 Oct - We got up this morning, ate breakfast and froze while waiting to go. We headed up the road a bit to the Burren - this area by the ocean full of cracked limestone and very green plants growing in the cracks. Took a couple good pictures. Matt & I climbed up to the higher cliff and built our won little rock pile like others we saw up there. Then we got back on the bus and drove along the coast into Galway. We all ate lunch at the King's Head, watching some rugby. Then Matt & I wandered around the city a bit. The 3-day people were taking off then to head back to Dublin. Matt was supposed to be going but he decided to stick around to be with me a while longer. Aw! After a group photo, the 6-dayers headed out. We drove up the coast a bit more and went through the Connemara. We stopped quick to see a monument in a tiny town. We got back in the bus to drive through huge craggy hills. We got out again to learn about peat bogs. After driving along the fjord of Killam Harbor, we stopped in a village for a hot toddy. It started raining for the first time on the tour. We drove on past Croagh Patrick before coming into Westport. I was completely knackered from lack of sleep, so as soon as I got my bed, I settled in for a nap. Matt cam by to tuck me in again. After a refreshing bit of R&R, Matt & I made a stir-fry dinner in the kitchen. We ate and had a nice chat. It was raining, so it didn't seem like a great idea to head to a pub. We played a game of snooker, which I, amazingly enough, won. It was getting late and I was getting tired, so we headed to bed. Damn fine night.

Building a rock pile on the Burren

Connemara

21 Oct - It stopped raining just as we headed out of the hostel this morning. Of course, it started up soon after we got on the road. As we drove through the countryside, Ollie told us about some of the history of Northern Ireland. Pretty interesting stuff that is the reason why the North has the troubles it does. After a bit of a drive, we stopped to climb a big huge hill [Knocknarea] to see Queen Maeve's tomb. It must have been 300-400 m tall, and very windy. I thought I was going to slip and fall more than a few times. When we got to the top, we took some photos of the gorgeous panoramic views. Ollie told us then the ending of the story of Queen Maeve, and we tossed stones onto her tomb for luck. Since we were all rather cold and windblown, we stopped shortly after in Sligo. Matt & I headed to an internet cafe, then got soup for lunch at a little cafe. After that, a quick walk around the downtown because we had some time to kill. After heading a bit out of Sligo, we got a few of Benbulben and stopped at a church that is the final resting place of W.B. Yeats. A little ways on from there, we stopped at a 3000 BC burial tomb. We drove on through the rolling green countryside until we nearly got to the border of Northern Ireland. We drove up the hill until we got to Griannan an Ailleach. It was a small round fort built a long, long time ago. Great views, but very cold. Then once again, back on the bus and headed into Derry. Ollie told us some of the history and troubles of the city as he drove us around a bit. Then we checked into our hostel. I was a wee bit tired, so I had an invigorating nap. Matt & I headed out at 9 to meet up with the others at the Ice Wharf. Had dinner, drinks and some good craic. Then we moved on to another little Irish pub (Peadar O'Donnell's) that was playing live music. It was about 12:30 when we headed back to the hostel. (we stayed at the Derry Independent Hostel).

Knocknarea panorama

Freezing on Griannan an Ailleach

22 Oct - This morning, we gathered in the cold at 9 for a tour of the city walls of Derry. Fantastic bit of history, especially that dealing with Bloody Sunday. After the tour, we stopped at a cafe for a bit of light food and warmth before heading back to the bus and out of the city. We drove up and along the coast until we got to Dunluce Castle. We got a talk and walked around the ruin perched at the edge of the ocean. From there, it was just a short drive to the Giant's Causeway. That was really spectacular to see all these strange columns of basalt sinking into the ocean. It started to rain a little bit as we climbed back up the hill. Matt & I got a cup of coffee and a slice of cake before getting back on the bus. I tried to take a little nap as we drove towards Belfast. When I wasn't sleeping, I was treated to views of the green Glens of Antrim and the ocean. Ollie gave us a quick spin about the nicer area of Belfast before setting us down at our hostel. Spent some time reading, and catching up on my journal when I met up with Matt again. At about 8, we walked down to the deserted shopping district in the freezing cold to grab a quick bite at McDonald's. I like that European Mickey D's at least try to accommodate vegetarians by offering veggie burgers. We finished eating and walked back to the hostel. I was beginning to feel a bit down, because this was the last night everyone from the tour was together. Plus, it was that much closer to when I'd have to say farewell to Matt. But I was determined to enjoy myself, so I pushed that stuff out of my mind. We met up with the others from our hostel to be driven to a pub downtown. It was called The Crown and it was fantastic! It was built around the turn of the 20th century (1910-ish). Tin ceiling that was black, little cubbies with tables and seats inside that be closed off to others. Pretty cool on the whole. A whole gang of us from the tour - Matt, Aaron, Bruce, Liza, Kendra, Anita, Sharon, and the two Australian guys that started the tour late - crammed into one of those little nooks. Lots of good craic. I as nearly dead tired by the time midnight rolled around, so a few of us headed back to the Linen House Hotel [on Kent St near Union St]. We were just settling in when the noise of people coming back from the pubs kicked into high gear. And then after a long while, that was replaced by the cacaphonic symphony of snorers. Rough night.

Giant's Causeway

In a snug

23 Oct - So needless to say, I was a wee bit tired this morning. We had to be up and ready by 9 to go on a Black Taxi tour of Belfast. Matt, Bruce, Aaron, Anita, Sharon and I were in a taxi together. Naturally, it wasn't black, it was green. Our driver was neat - he didn't feel like being in the caravan with the other taxis, so we got a personalized tour. He started explaining the history of the troubles, then took us first into the Catholic side of the city. We visited a few memorial gardens and learned of some of the incidents that occurred there. Then we stopped a few times to see some murals. The ones on the Catholic side were pretty artistic and mostly memorials honoring the dead. We stopped at the Sinn Fein bookstore for a look around. I could have bought IRA propaganda, had I been so inclined. We drove on into the Protestant side of as a comparison. The murals were a lot more aggressive (also about 5 years newer than the Catholic ones). A bit of history on what happened in the Protestant sector, and then our tour was over. Oliver gave us an hour before we were going to leave. Matt & I checked email, then walked down to the nearby Tesco for sandwiches and fruit. I had to get another pack of Starburst. Mmm. Blackcurrant. After the remaining folk got on the bus, we headed back towards the Republic. Along the way, we stopped at Monasterboice. There was an old tall round tower, and some fascinating 10th century Irish crosses. Ollie had a great time explaining the scenes depicted on them. A few of the guys kicked around a rugby ball and managed to get it stuck in a tree. Aaron was the lucky one who got to go up and shake it down (but not after a mop and pieces of peat where thrown at it). Then back on the road for a while before stopping at Slane Castle. We didn't get out, but Ollie told us a story about going to a U2 concert there. As we wound our way back towards Dublin, sun shining straight in my eyes, I got email addresses from the people I got the closest to on the trip> We finally pulled into Dublin and said our good-byes. I accompanied Matt to the bus station. He had to figure out a way to get to Edinburgh by Saturday. After he booked a flight, we walked to the Avalon House where I had a room. Matt stayed with me so we could have a bit more time together before we both leave. We were both knackered, so we took a mightily invigorating nap. At about 8, we showered and headed to a restaurant called Wagamama for dinner. Trendy place that served Asian-style food. After dinner we just headed back to the hostel because we were tired & Matt was feeling a bit under the weather.

Catholic mural

Protestant mural

Monasterboice

24 Oct - This morning came far too quick for my liking. We got up and out of the hostel at 10. We decided to catch a bite to eat for breakfast before I had to catch my bust to the airport. We found ourselves at the Dome restaurant at Saint Stephen's Green shopping center (Matt actually gave up watching New Zealand play in the Rugby World Cup to stay with me). He got the massively huge cooked Irish breakfast, while I got a scone and some fruit. And tea. Mmm. After we ate, we had to look around a bit before we found where the aircoach picked up. I was pretty sad to see the bus round the corner, because I would have to say good-bye to Matt. I gave him one last wave as the bus pulled away. I don't know if I'll ever see him again (I hope I do!) but I wouldn't trade the time I was with him for anything. Sitting here at the crowded airport gate helps me to realize how incredibly magical and wonderful this whole trip was for me. Definitely one in a lifetime through I wouldn't mind a repeat.

I very nearly missed my flight back to the US. I didn't realize I had to go through Customs before I checked in, so I sat waiting at the gate. Oops. But, I wasn't the last to keep the flight waiting. The flight wasn't bad, merely long. I watched The Italian Job. Right about when we started out descent, I started talking to the older gentleman next to me. Turns out he was from Belfast. So, I told him about being there, then showed him my pictures of the rest of the trip. If I have to be back, I'm looking forward to getting to my apartment again.

[Postscript - I kept touch with Matt for a while via email, but we fell out of contact, and I have yet to see him again.]

{transcribed 1/8/2020}

Chicago 2003

23 May - My friend Celeste [& I] headed out after work [Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, MI] on Friday for a Girl's Weekend in the Windy City. By leaving later, we managed to avoid most of the traffic, until we hit the end of the Indiana toll road heading to the Skyway. It was really backed up there from all the merging traffic, so we attempted to take a more local route and go up Lake Shore Drive. Even though I lived in Wisconsin for so many years, I never got an opportunity to actually visit downtown. We found our hotel (Holiday Inn-City Centre) and checked in. Pretty nice place. We were a bit hungry, so we walked out in search of sustenance. It was a little more difficult finding a place that was open at 10 pm. We ended up at a Chinese restaurant called Big Bowl. It was very trendy and good. From there, we tried to go to a piano bar, but we were turned away for not having the proper "business casual" attire. So, we walked on further, past the Hard Rock Cafe, and found another bar that looked good - O'Callaghan's. At least they wouldn't turn us away. We had a beer there, then headed back to the hotel to sleep.

24 May - We had told Julie the night before we would probably be heading to Navy Pier around 10, so we were up and out by then. Instead of heading to the lake, we went the other direction toward Michigan Avenue to do some shopping. We hit up Sephora and spent about 2 hours looking at all the make-up and fragrances they have there. I got a little multi-purpose compact, and Celeste spent a small fortune. Form there, we walked to Navy Pier. It was a gorgeous, cloudless day in the low 70s, so it was a pretty busy place. We strolled along, stopping to watch a clown perform. Then we headed to a biergarten at the end of the pier for some refreshments and to play with our make-up. :) Julie then called to say that she and Nick had finally made it to the Pier. After apparently passing right by them, we met up. I hadn't seen Julie since we left Ann Arbor after last summer's internship at Ford. She was the real reason we were visiting Chicago. Her boyfriend Nick was also an intern and a friend of ours, so it was great to see him as well. We caught an early dinner with them on the Pier, then parted ways until later in the evening when we would meet up at a bar to see Pat McCurdy play. Celeste and I then walked through the museum of stained glass on the Pier before walking back to the hotel, after getting a quick coffee drink at a nearby bakery. I think we had intended to nap before getting ready to go out, but it was 6 when we got back to the hotel and we wanted to leave ~7. So, we got ready and found our way north on the L. We were going to a bar called Crush for dinner and to get a good table to see Pat. I was a regular at his shows in Madison in the fall, and it's no coincidence we chose this weekend to go to Chicago. When we got to the bar, we were asked if we were with the party or for the band. We paid our cover, got our wristbands and went in. There was a couch with a table right in front of the stage, so we staked our claim. A few minutes later, a woman came over and bitched us out for crashing their party. Sorry, we're not bothering you, we're not taking your drinks or food, and we already paid cover. It was still a long time to wait, so Celeste & I drank and played cards. It turned out to be a loooong wait. He was supposed to start at 9, so I was nearly ready to fall asleep when he started at 10:30. But the wait was worth it. In terms of songs, enthusiasm and everything, I think it was the best show I've ever been to. Pat didn't know I was there, but during the first set, he played Chokin' the Gopher, which has a female verse that I've sung before in Madison. He looked down at me, gave me a 'you wanna sing?" look, which I answered with a 'hell yeah!' look, and he replied with a 'get up here, then' look. This whole conversation took ~ 5 seconds, so it surprised my friends (Nick, Julie and Julie's friend Matt joined us a little after the start of the show) when I jumped up on stage and started singing. I got a great amount of cheering from the crowd. Good thing, Celeste got it all on video on my camera for me. Man, it was so much fun! After the show got done, it was too late to take the L back, so Julie was nice enough to drive us back to our hotel. What a good night!

25 May - Celeste & I were up again around 10 this morning. My voice was so scratchy from signing the night before. We didn't have any big plans for the day. We tried to catch a bite to eat at the coffee show we went to yesterday, but the line was really long. Instead, we tried to locate a theater nearby that was showing "A Mighty Wind." We found one a good walk to the north of where we were, so we started walking. We stopped at an Italian deli at the base of the Sears [Hancock] Tower for lunch. Then we popped into a mall. I spent ~$200 on a dress, shoes and wallet at J. Crew. Oh, boy. We got to the theater a bit early, so we bought our tickets and went across the street to a gallery that sold original vintage ads. Beautiful, expensive works. I had to drag Celeste out of these so we wouldn't be late. The movie was great - the most serious of the three Christopher Guest movies, but I'll definitely buy it on DVD. After the movie, we headed back south, this time along Rush St. We stopped at Aldo, where Celeste bought herself a pair of cranberry red loafers. There was an Urban Outfitter there across the street. I decided it would be a perfect time to buy a birthday present for Cassie. I ended up talking to both Dad and her trying to decide what to buy. Celeste found a t-shirt with a devilish cat on it that I loved, so I got one for Cass, too, along with two sets of tea lights. I'll just have to mail it soon. I decided no more spending after that, considering the small fortune I blew today. So then Celeste and I walked back towards our hotel, making a detour to Starbucks. There, we decided what we were going to do for the evening. We wanted to see a show. Second City was sold out, so I went with Celeste's recommendation of seeing "Puppetry of the Penis". I really had no idea what I was getting into, just that it was funny. The show was to start in only 2 hours, so we grabbed dinner at a nearby Chipotle, changed at the hotel (me in my new outfit, Celeste in her new shoes) and took a cab up to the theater. The show started with a comedienne. Then.... it was two naked men on stage making shapes and things with their penises and balls. It was hilarious, and disturbing, and somewhat awe-inspiring. I had no idea male genitalia could be so flexible and artistic. After the show, we walked in search of a nice bar. There didn't seem to be any in the neighborhood, so we caught a cab and went to a bar that I had seen on the Travel Channel called Sugar. We got a table and began to peruse the menu. The place served desserts and drinks only. It wasn't the best experience, though. The waiters were haughty and inattentive. We ended up just getting a dessert to share (creme brulee with roasted pineapple - ohmigod it was divine!) and a drink each. The guys at the table next to us were friendly, asking Celeste about the cigar she was smoking and about our jobs. When we finished up there, we headed back to the hotel. It was early, but I wanted to get sleep, since were were going to leave before 8 the next day. I don't know if I've had a more painful walk in my life. The hotel was close enough that it didn't make sense to get a cab, but long enough that it wore some patches of skin completely off my feet. Ow.

26 May - We were up and out ~ 8 the next morning. Good thing I took out cash the night before, so we could pay the $60 total for leaving the car in the hotel parking ramp. That hurt about as much as my feet. The ride back was nice and pretty light because it was so early. We listened (okay, sang along to) the musical Chicago on the way out of town, then to the new Pat McCurdy CD that I bought at his show. Celeste mostly slept. I hope we go on another road trip soon - this was a ton of fun!

{transcribed 1/6/2020}

2002 Alamo Bowl

26 Dec 2002 - My first trip as a graduate, no longer a student of any sort. All my new "adult" adventures call for a new travel log. This adventure takes us to San Antonio. For what may be one of our last family road trips, Mom, Dad, Cassie & I packed the day after Christmas to begin the drive to Texas. We got a later start than usual because we had to drop Sadie off at the kennel. Through Wisconsin, the little bit of Minnesota and all of Iowa, we got good weather. Kansas was a different story. We weren't supposed to get any poor weather on the way down. Instead, we got hammered by snow. It made the roads slow and we lost time on the way to our stop for the night, Oklahoma City. When I wasn't driving, I napped, read the 2nd Lord of the Rings book (just saw the movie twice) or looked at the paper. After it got dark, there really wasn't much to do except watch the snow and traffic, and daydream. I made a quick call to the guy I'm seeing (Bob) to say hi. We finally pulled into our hotel at 10:30 pm.

27 Dec - After getting breakfast, we headed south once more. It was pretty foggy for a while. The skies were clear and bright when we got to Texas. It got a lot busier traffic-wise the further south we drove. We finally pulled into San Antonio around 4:30. We had a bit of difficulty finding our hotel. The Embassy Suites here is beautiful inside - lots of tile and iron work. After getting settled, we drove to the downtown Riverwalk. The larger trees had multicolored Christmas lights streaming down from them, twinkling as night fell. We walked along until we came to an Iris pub. It seemed like a fun place, so we stopped for a few pints. I must be becoming a lightweight again, because that beer hit me pretty hard. There was a guy playing the piano and singing songs. He'd play the fight son whenever Colorado or Wisconsin scored a "touchdown" (a tip was put in a marked bucket). He got Cassie up there to do the motions to the Unicorn Song with him and two others. After that, we went in search of a place to eat dinner. Every place had a pretty long wait, because the whole area was packed with people, including lots of fellow Badger fans. We found a place to eat, got margaritas and food. After dinner, I started to feel a little sick and tired, so we headed back to the car. We found one of the Cows on Parade and got a few pictures. I called Bob to say hi and then we went back to the hotel. I crashed pretty well when we returned, but because Cass chose to sleep on the fold-out bed in the other room, I got the double all to myself. Sweet.

28 Dec - (I'm writing this the next morning because I honestly couldn't keep awake any longer). Wow, what a day that was. I don't think I ever thought it would end as it did. We slept in this morning, which was more than nice. Once we got ready to go, we headed out under the cloudless skies to a little artisan's village. It turned out to be a lot less than we expected, so we didn't stay long. We next drove downtown to the Mercado to have a look. Cassie got some neat stuff, like a sun mask to add to her collection, but I didn't find any silver jewelry I was interested in. We then drove over by the stadium to scope out parking and ended up leaving the van there. Since it was around 2 in the afternoon, we walked towards the Riverwalk to a mall where we found a place for lunch and got to watch some of the Eagles-Giants game. You could tell there were a number of Packers fan there because of all the cheering when the Giants won. (If the Pack wins on Sunday, they get home field in the playoffs). Cass and I found a Forever 21 store in the mall, the best source for cheap going out clothes. I got a top for New Year's Eve, but it took quite a while to pay, so we didn't shop much more after that. we walked along the rest of the Riverwalk that we didn't get to before. We stopped at a "British Pub" to kill some time before the game. Cassie and I walked next door where we found a gift shop that sold magazines. I picked up a couple. After a bit, we made our way back to the van. From there, we gathered up our stuff and walked to the stadium. It is a very interesting looking dome... Got in and found our seats - high up on the lower deck, on the goal line, but at least among mostly Badger fans. There were some Colorado fans behind us. Each seat had a pack of inflatable Thunderstix (strange things - they're just tubes of inflated plastic, but if you hit the upper part together, they make a resonant tympanic sound). Cassie & I played with ours a bit. They're so annoying, but really hard to put down. After all the pregame stuff was over, we settled in. Cass & I went down and said hi to Kendra [Kaiser], who was sitting with the rest of the band in the end zone. The "student section" was right next to them. The Badgers got the ball first and were driving well until Bollinger threw an interception that was returned 91 yards. Ugh. After about half of the first quarter, Cassie and I went down to be with the other students. We just went in a row near the back, and right in front of me were two of my ME friends (Hackel & Doyle). And right then, I looked a few rows down and saw Krista [Hongisto] and Jen [Hrycyna] (friends from Rapids and/or the dorm). I got a picture with both groups each. Not only seeing them was neat, but it was amazing how many people I recognized in the small section. I guess it comes from being so old. The Badgers finished the first half with a 21-14 lead over Colorado. Half-time was okay - our band rocked, their band, not so much. Once the band returned to their seats, I grabbed Kendra and brought her over to Krista and Jen. It was nice to sit stand and talk to them. The Badgers decided to leave their game in the locker room and gave away two more touchdowns. We just could not seem to get a break. And we were getting upset because they kept showing the Colorado band, cheerleaders and fans on the Jumbotron and rarely us or ours. Grrr. we finally got into desperation play during the last two minutes. Down by a touchdown and we needed to score. I don't know how it happened, but we made two long 4th down situations. The last one was precluded on 3rd down by an incompletion on the goal line that just slipped through the receiver's arms. Right then, I thought we were done. You don't get two chances like that. But then on 4th and 12, Bollinger threw a completion to Darren Charles at the 2 for a first down. Badger fans went nuts. And then to score the typing points moments later... We went into overtime. We won the toss and elected to defend. Colorado went on offense and to our amazement, missed their field goal attempt. Right then, we new we'd have the game. Our offense went out there and our kicker made the field goal. I was screaming and jumping around with everybody - it was so cool. I really didn't have any expectations for the game. We were 8-point underdogs coming in, playing the #14 ranked team. Ha! 'Bout time they played just above the level of the competition. Cassie & I went back over by Mom & Dad for the award ceremony and 5th Quarter. Oh, that was so much fun! We finally left the stadium after 11:30 to make our way out through traffic and back to the hotel. We then ate dinner (leftovers) and stayed up until 1:30 am to watch the highlights on Sports Center.

29 Dec - We drove a long, long way today. We left San Antonio around 7:15 and headed north. There really wasn't anything eventful during the day's drive. I didn't feel that great and didn't eat much, but I did drive from Tulsa to Rolla, Mo. That was long, and like Mom before me, I was fighting this wind the whole way. We stopped for the night in St. Louis, which will give us a much shorter day tomorrow.

{transcribed 1/6/2020}

Outer Banks 2002

23-24 March 2002 - As this was my last spring break in college, my parents allowed me to spend the week with my friends. After a lot of searching and discussing, Nag’s Head, NC, because the destination for Kendra, Paul, Anne, Jessica, Jim, Kyle and myself. We got an oceanfront cottage that was quite a find. Since we couldn’t check in until Sunday afternoon and the drive was going to take about 19 hours, we left after dinner. Kendra, Paul, Anne and I were in Kendra’s car; Jim, Jess and Kyle were in Kyle’s. We met up in Janesville to go over the route, then we were really off. I drove the first leg from Madison to Indiana. I tried to sleep a little when I wasn’t driving or navigating, but I don’t think I ever really fell asleep. We stopped about every three hours to change drivers, get gas and stretch our legs. The drive actually wasn’t all that bad – the roads weren’t congested much and the weather was good. Both cars had CBs, so we were able to keep in touch with each other as we drove and if we got separated. {When we drove into Ohio, Kyle started chanting, “Oh-HI-oh OOOooo,” to which a random trucker replied, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”} Sometime around noon on Sunday, Paul left our car and we got Jess. Sweet – all girls car. That led to a battle of the sexes of sorts. I spent some time reading and crocheting. We finally made it to Nag’s Head. The rental agency was nice enough to let us check in a half-hour early. We drove up to the cottage – a little yellow box on stilts right on the oceanfront – maybe 50 ft from the waves. It had a full kitchen, living room, three bedrooms and a great view. I got the room with a double all to myself {selfish me…}. We went to a crab house for dinner. I ate the only vegetarian options on the menu: salad and baked potato. Half of us went to K-Mart and the Brew-Thru while the others went to get food. I didn’t feel all that well afterwards. I started to watch the Academy Awards with everybody, but I got too tired and went to bed.

25 March – I slept in this morning. This morning, we went to an equipment rental place, where Kyle and Paul got wetsuits and boogie boards. We got back, and they played with those while the rest of us played frisbee and made a sand castle. I went in and took a nap for a while. Then I took a shower and sat around for a time. Kendra and Paul went out to get dinner on their own, and the rest of us went to the grocery store. We came home and cooked a feast of fettucine, alfredo, veggies and wine (they had salmon, too). That was really good. When Ken and Paul got back, we played drinking games until around midnight when I went to bed.

26 March – It was rather gray and blustery this morning. The ocean was pretty wild. Kendra, Anne and I went to the Gap outlet nearby. Got some nice deals – I got a pair of jeans, khakis, a dress for work and a tank top for only $70. It started pouring as we were driving there and kept on for a little while. When we got back, there wasn’t much to do, so I watched two lectures, read a bit, and played some cribbage. Jessica, Anne, Kyle and I went to buy some salt water taffy. Once we came back, we all went out to dinner at a pizza place. We were the only people there, but it was really good. Kyle, Kendra and Paul went to see Blade 2, so the rest of us came back and chilled around the TV for a while. A few rounds of hearts, then we (Kendra, Paul and I) went for a walk on the beach. Even though there were some clouds, the moon shown really brightly on the shore. We watched the news and played some more cards.

27 March – There was a store sometime last night, but I was only barely conscious of it. This morning dawned cool and blustery, and it stayed that way for most of the day. I watched two lectures when I got up this morning. We played some sheepshead until about 1, when we decided we should do something with the day. We drove over to the Wright Brothers park. The museum was closed for renovation, so we weren’t allowed in. That was disappointing. Instead, we traced the path and walked up the big dune to the monument. The wind was gusting up there – so much so that it made my ears hurt and me not a happy camper. We took some pictures and made our way back down. We decided to drive up to the Currituck Beach lighthouse next. The clouds were starting to clear, and the sun came out to help us admire the huge, gorgeous houses along the way. After a nice winding drive, we made it up there. Since I had climbed it before, I saved my $6 and waited below while everyone else went to the top of the lighthouse. Once they came back down, we poked around the gift shop before driving down to the kite store in Duck, the same one I bought my kite at. Kendra and Paul bought one, as did Anne. We drove back down towards Kitty Hawk. Some people weren’t hungry enough for dinner yet, so we poked in a few shops for a bit. We were going to go to a buffet, but for $19/person, it was too expensive. We drove to the Crabby Shack instead, where I had multiple vegetarian items to choose from on the menu. I settled on stir fry. Yum. The girls went home afterwards, while I ran to Walmart to buy a replacement crochet hook and some charcoal, so we could grill out tomorrow night. I came back and called home to say hi to Mom and Dad. I had some frozen yogurt for dessert, then took a shower. I spent the rest of the evening catching up on my reading.

28 March – It was again cold and windy today, but at least the sun was shining all day. We went over to Jockey’s Ridge once everybody was up and awake. Anne, Kendra and Paul went over earlier than the others to fly our kites. The park was really neat looking – huge expanse of sand and scrub – if it was warmer, it would be just like the desert. The wind was nice and strong. Too strong, actually, because by the time we left, my ears were hurting, and I was cold and cranky. We went grocery shopping for dinner afterwards – everyone else was having grilled seafood, so I got a can of soup. I took a nap while they made dinner. Oh, I forgot that I got up early and watched three lectures. After my nap, I helped a little with dinner and ate mine. We watched some TV after a discussion about leaving. I wanted to leave really early so we got back at a decent time, but the other car wasn’t willing to do that (I was not happy, but I was outnumbered…). Fine, whatever. Went to bed early and did a little reading beforehand. Apparently, we’re going to have one more nice day here tomorrow. I hope so! I could use a little more sun. We hadn’t had warm enough weather to play on the beach since Monday. That would be lovely.

29 March – Our last full day here. I’m happy for that because I am ready to go home. I got up earlier than the rest again, as usual, to watch one last lecture. Slowly, the others started getting up as I had a fight with my laptop. Everyone else took off to run different errands, but I stayed back and read more of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Really good book so far. After a while, I decided to go out in the sunshine and walked the ~2 miles to the pier up the beach. That was a nice, long, peaceful walk – a good thing because I wasn’t terribly happy with the trip or everyone. After my walk, I did more reading and took a nap. We went to the Black Pelican, a fancier restaurant, for dinner our last night there. Good food – I got a portabella quesadilla. We didn’t actually eat until ~9. When we got back, packed up and cleaned.

30 March – Up early for a long day of traveling. I drove the first leg from Nag’s Head to halfway through Maryland. Very tiring. We got to Madison ~9:30 and to Rapids ~12 am. Long day, but a lot better and faster than the way down. Goddamn Cracker Barrels!

{It didn't sink in until later, but I was in the midst of a bad bout of seasonal affective disorder this trip, which made me and everyone that had to deal with me unhappy. I wish I would have realized it sooner so I could have gotten something for it.}

{transcribed 2/18/2020}

New York 2001

26 December 2001 - Less than 24 hours after deciding on Christmas Day that we wanted to go to New York to see Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center stood, we were on the road. We dropped Sadie off early at the kennel, hit the grocery store, then headed on the road. we drove all the way to Youngstown, Ohio. I drove all the way through Ohio. The rest of the time, I either slept or crocheted. We've done this so many times as a family that it was quite easy to pick up and go. It was snowing when we got to Youngstown. We stayed at a Hampton Inn and ate at a nearby tavern. Had an early night.

27 Dec - We got another early start this morning. Ate our complementary breakfast then headed out. Pennsylvania was very snowy and mountainy. I didn't get much sleep last night, so I slept a lot in the car. We stopped for a bit in New Jersey, but got a little sidetracked because traffic was backed up and the traffic lights were out. Traffic got heavy in New Jersey. We made it to Hazlet, then found a hotel somewhere down the line. We sat around in the hotel room. Dad and I played Sheepshead. We got dinner at Outback and ate it in the room. Steve came over and chatted for a while. He took tomorrow off, so he's going to come to the City with us tomorrow and be our tour guide.

28 Dec - I got up bright and early this morning at 6:45. Uncle Steve met us at 8, then took us to a local restaurant for breakfast. I had oatmeal with fresh strawberries. Then we drove to Steve's house and walked the block to the train stop. After waiting in the nippy cold for a while, we got on the train. It took about 45 minutes for us to get to Pennsylvania Station in New York. We got maps and our bearings. We took the subway to Chambers St, then walked to the area around the World Trade Center site. We weren't able to get very close, but we were able to see the destruction around the area and walk past memorials people set up nearby. It was very sobering to see how much support people from around the country were sending. I was surprised at the number of people drawn to the area. There were crowds of people all over. We walked on in the cold and the wind to go to the New York Stock Exchange. Didn't go inside, but we walked around it and saw their holiday display. We walked on to Pier 17. There, Mom, Dad and Steve went to a pub while Cassie and I shopped. I got a neat pair of pants and a tank. We got a bite of Chinese for lunch. We all walked on to a subway station through some neat streets with interesting people. We took the subway to Grand Central Station and walked from there to Rockefeller Center. It was a lot smaller than it looked on TV and in movies. There were flags lining the ice rink, and the big colorfully lit tree. It was pretty. We walked on towards Radio City Music Hall, and then we walked down towards Time Square. I was amazed by all the people, lights, signs, traffic, theaters and studios and everything. Wow. We walked on to Harold Square past Macy's, then on to the Pennsylvania Station again. We just caught a train back to Hazlet. I was at least awake on this trip back. Steve drove us back to the hotel and we settled in. Mom and Dad went out to get dinner, while Cassie and I stayed in. I got a cheese and broccoli pizza  - way too much cheese and too large for little old me. Steve came back for a while. Lori would have come, but she's recovering from the flu.

Cassie, Mom, Cara, Dad at Rockefeller Center

29 Dec - I got up again nice and early. At least I slept the whole night last night. Steve was going to come with us to the city today also, but he called and said he had come down with the same bug Lori had. Eek, I hope I don't catch it! We got some cereal from downstairs, then got ready to catch the 811 train from by Steve's house. The train was pretty crowded - more so than usual, probably because they were opening an observation platform to the public at Ground Zero today. We finally made it to Penn Station in the city. We bought daily metrocards for the subway. From there, we walked to the Empire State Building. It took about 1+ hours waiting in line before we finally got up to the 80th floor. From that point, we decided to walk up to the final 6 flights to the observation deck. It was a rather cold day already, and the winds up there weren't too pleasant. Since it was a cloudy day, the visibility wasn't great, but we could see where the WTC should have been, and the tiny-looking Statue of Liberty to the south. Lots of other buildings everywhere else. Once we exhausted looking around, we made our way back down to the lobby. We began our trek up to Saks on 5th Avenue. We stopped at a souvenir shop - I got a shot glass that said I ♥ NY. The sidewalks got a lot more crowded as we made our way up to Saks. We took a half hour to look around, then fought our way back out. The merchandise there was nice (beautiful ball gowns), but terribly expensive (a picture frame for $400 - ouch!). We found the nearest subway station intent on going to Central Park. We got on the wrong train, which sent us way up to 125th St when we wanted 81st. Got off and caught the right one. We started walking through the park. It's amazingly serene for being in the middle of Manhattan. There were walkers, joggers and bikers all over. We meandered our way around on the paths before we hit 72nd St. We stopped to get a look at the flowers someone had placed in memory of George Harrison on the Imagine mosaic in Strawberry Fields, a section of the park. We bought some hot huts from a vendor (one of the better smells of the city). Then we took the subway back towards the madness of Times Square. Cassie and I marveled as we found ourselves in the fabric district. We were going to eat lunch at the ESPNZone restaurant, but there was some sore to mix-up and it would have been expensive. We were going to go to Applebee's until we saw a Mexican restaurant that looked good. Had a pretty nice meal there, complete with margaritas. Yummy. We decided to take the subway back to 54th St. We dashed into Macy's where Mom took her sweet time picking out Christmas ornaments. It was incredibly crowded there. We went back to Penn Sta to catch the 506 train back, but it wasn't there. We had to wait a half hour for the next one, which was also crowded. The ride back took about 1.5 hours - long. We said hi to Steve and Lori, before heading back to the hotel. Relaxed for a bit, packed up and had an early night.

Dad & Mom at the Empire State Building

Cassie, Cara, Mom in Central Park

30 Dec - Woke up at 3:38 ET this morning to get ready. We decided we were going to drive the 16:17 hours straight home. Ugh. I tried sleeping for the first few hours, but couldn't get comfortable. I tried sleeping, crocheting and reading as we drove and drove.

{transcribed 2/18/2020}

Paris 2001

Grand Tour of Europe 2001 – Paris

25 April – I should just avoid travel days at all costs. It would be much less nerve-wracking that way. I got up early and got breakfast in the hostel. To avoid missing another important train, I opted to take trains that would get me to Geneva an hour earlier. The first two trains weren’t bad. I was lucky to get on the one going to Bern early, because it got so crowded. The train to Geneva was lower grade, but that didn’t matter much. I was ready Into Thin Air, and it was quite foggy out. I sat in the Geneva station for a while, then on the TGV train that would take me to Paris. I started fighting a little stomachache. That train ride wasn’t bad – I read and dozed and read some more. I got into Paris right on time – 4:16, then proceeded to try using the Metro. Bought my ticket and headed for the platform. On the way to it, I noticed the air was very dusty/smoky. When I got to the entrance area, there were police officers denying passage to line 1. I tried to find out what happened and one of the officers mumbled something about the train being kaput. Huh. I’ll have to see what that was all about. Luckily, I was able to take another route to my hostel. Just as I was approaching it, it started to rain. The hostel itself (Aloha Hostel) was in the midst of remodeling or something, so it didn’t look at that great. Found out I was booked in a double room – uh, no… too expensive – so I ended up with a mattress on the floor. Fine, whatever. I tried to work out where I’ll be staying for the next few nights. I got frustrated, and coupled with a foul tummy, I wasn’t a happy camper. I called Mom to make me feel better, and it worked. I decided I didn’t want to go back to the hostel just yet, so I bought a cheese sandwich and a small glass of wine at a bar. So Parisian. I called another hostel and got a place there for the next few nights. Whew. Then I decided to walk on towards the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. My feet took me past Les Invalides and down towards the palaces. I walked along the river towards the Eiffel Tower. It was getting late enough that I didn’t think I’d have to wait overly long to see it lit up at night. I bought a chocolate crepe and walked up to the Palais de Chaillot to get a better view. Took a few pictures, then watched these massive black clouds move their way in and start raining. Stood in the rain for a little while getting soaked before the sky started to clear. As it did, a rainbow appeared, arching right over the Tower just as the Tower lights started going on and off like random flashbulbs. Ooh la la! It had to have been one of the most magical things I’ve seen in a long time. I hung around there for a little while until the sun was about to set, then walked back to the hostel. I talked with the two Canadian girls who are sharing the room before they left, and I got ready for bed. I can’t unpack much, only being here for one night.

26 April – I got up early this morning, ate my free breakfast of half a baguette and orange juice, and took my stuff over to my new hostel. It took a while before everything could get straightened out, but I’m good. I bought a 3-day Paris Visite card for the metro use, then went to the Louvre. I spent a nice long time waiting in the line, but at least it wasn’t raining, merely cloudy. Finally got in to the museum around 10. To my pleasant surprise, museum workers were on strike and so it was free. Saved me a couple bucks. I headed straight to the Mona Lisa, so I could get that out of the way. I spent the next few hours looking at the paintings, sculptures (Venus de Milo, etc.), antiquities and the like. I was really impressed by the collection. Since a good chunk of the museum was closed, I got to see all of the open exhibits by 2:30. I decided enough was enough and left, I found La Comedie Français after a bit of walking. I wanted to see that – Re: The Scarlet Pimpernel. I just might try to go in… From there, I walked to an internet place to check my mail. Got some interesting news {um, not sure what it was, don’t remember it}. And I Hate French keyboards! I decided to go to the Cimietiere Pere Lachaise. Huge cemetery full of sepultures and tombs. I saw the graves of Jim Morrison, Heloise and Abelard, and George Bizet. It would have been really easy to get lost there, so I didn’t stick around long enough to do so. I came back to the hostel to put my stuff in my dorm room – nice, own shower, 4 beds… I did some grocery shopping, which took a while because I was torn on what to get. Chatted a bit with my roommates Jade, Esther and Mary Claire before going down and making dinner. I talked more with Jade during and after dinner. Then I decided to have a go getting up the Eiffel Tower at nightfall. As I got there, the lines and the tiredness of my feet didn’t make climbing to the second level too appealing. So, I decided to take the Metro over to see Notre Dame lit up at night. Turned out it wasn’t anything special, and my feet were killing me, so I decided to go back. Got ready for bed, read a little. It’s going to be nice sleeping in tomorrow!

Outside the Louvre

Jim Morrison's grave

27 April – Got up late, ate my baguette with jam, took a shower and headed out to the Eiffel Tower. I decided that it would be best if I went up it early, before I walked my feet off. I practically had no lines and no waiting. I huffed and puffed my way up to the second level, then bought a ride up to the very top. The view was decent – it was hazy/cloudy, so I couldn’t see into the distance very much. I went down to the second level, bought a cheesy mini Eiffel Tower to commemorate climbing up it, then walked back down. I passed a group of Kindergarteners heading up – good way to have them burn off energy! From there, I took the Metro to the Opera. I was a little disappointed, because the performance area itself was so dark as they worked on lighting for a show, so I could barely make out the splendor of the decoration and the chandelier. Appeased myself with an expensive pack of mini postcards. The stairs and the foyer were absolutely gorgeous, though. I walked from there trying to find a market or bakery, with no success because it was too touristy. Walked and walked and walked. I really didn’t know where I was. I bought a camembert sandwich, a lemon crepe and some strawberries and ate those as I walked. I realized I was getting into Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur, so I made my way up (no, not up!) there. Passed through what was obviously a fabric district. I bought another crepe (bad me) and walked up to a bench to enjoy it (nope) and sit for a bit. I hadn’t been up there too long when a {large Middle-Eastern-looking} Frenchman sat beside me and started ranting on and on about English and other languages. {For some reason, he assumed I was Dutch.} I was polite, then when I tried to make my escape, he put his arm around me and kissed my cheek a few times. Pulled out of that as quick as I could and practically flew down the stairs. I walked to the nearest Metro station which definitely took me through the ethnic heart of Paris. I took the Metro to the Bastille. I thought the prison was still there, but alas{?}, no. Just a statue and an opera house. It was starting to rain, so I went back on the trains. This time, I headed for Rue Plumet, to see if I could find No. 55 (from Les Miserables). Again, no luck, as the highest number was 25. I walked back to the hostel. Since it was too early for me to go to my room, I bought a coffee. French coffee comes in tiny little cups. At 5, I went up to the room and rearranged my stuff, talked with the other girls and read a bit. Since I ate lunch late, I’m going to wait and make a late dinner. Same thing as last night – pasta with sauce, spinach, half a baguette and cheese. When dinner time came, the kitchen was so busy, so I just settled for another cheese sandwich. I talked with Jade and Mary Claire, then read a little before going to bed.

Inside the Eiffel Tower

View towards Palais de Chaillot

Sacre Coeur

Haughty Parisian Stop-man

28 April – My last full day in Paris, and I sure took my time getting ready for it. I ate breakfast at 9:30 with Jade, then came back and took a shower. Said goodbye to the girls, then left around 10:30-11. I headed out to Notre Dame. After waiting in line under threatening skies, I finally made my way into the church. In terms of cathedrals, I was pretty disappointed. I think that was mostly due to the fact that they had the nave blocked off, so I couldn’t get into a good position to see the famous rose stained-glass windows. I eschewed the line to climb the tower. The skies were gloomy, and my legs were sore, plus I didn’t feel like paying. Maybe next time {regretting that now, post-fire}. From there, I wandered my way towards the internet place. I did a little emailing, then went to a café. I paid a lot for the privilege to sit inside while it rained, drank hot chocolate while I wrote out a postcard home. I realized I had to go back to the internet place to find out how I could get to the airport in Charleroi from the station. Found out that the last bus to the airport was a lot earlier than I was getting in, so I made my way back to the hostel to get my reservation, then went back to the train station to change my reservation. There must have been problems with the Metro, because the trains were few and far between, and crammed like sardines. Ugh. I finally found where I could get my ticket, and happily, I got it changed at no extra cost. From there, I took the Metro to see the Place des Vosges. Nice park, nice houses. I was a naughty girl and bought a pastry. I found a supermarket and bought some dried fruit. From there, I walked to WH Smith and went nuts buying books. I headed back to the hostel. I had to wait to make dinner, so I finished up the book I was reading, then ate. After dinner, my new roommates came in and we talked a bit, then some other people came in and pow-wowed. We finally got them to leave around midnight.

Notre Dame

Place des Vosges

29-30 April – I slept in again, because I knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight. Ate breakfast and gathered up my stuff and left the hotel around 11. I ended up leaving a good amount of stuff there – things that I had brought along specifically for the trip that I probably wouldn’t use again. I set off, backpack on, for the last few places I wanted to see in Paris. I walked all the way to the Arc de Triomphe, an awful long walk. I wanted to climb up it, because it was a bright, sunny day with puffy clouds, but they couldn’t let me go up with my backpack and I had nowhere else to leave it. Then I walked down the Champs Elysse (sorry – can’t spell in French) with hordes of other tourists. I escaped them for a bit in a pretty park, where I nursed my feet. Then I walked on past the Place de la Concorde, Madeleine, and even though it was early, I headed for the train station. The route I took was absolutely dead, and I was starting, so I walked until I found a café where I got a sandwich. Sat for a little while, then set off again for the train station. Walked through a pretty ethnic area to get there. Bought an ice cream cone on the way and another in the station because I was quite warm, and I needed to use up my francs. I was two hours early for my 3:55 train, so I sat down and read until it was time to board the train to Brussels. Nice, short ride. I had a bit of a panic at that train station, because I wanted to find an ATM, but couldn’t. Ended up exchanging a traveler’s check to have some Belgian francs. I caught the train to Charleroi. Even though I got there in time to catch the bust to the airport it was nowhere to be seen. I waited a while, finally, giving up and taking an expensive taxi ride there. It’s a lot smaller and low-key than Stansted. I called home and talked to the folks for a good, long time. I was famished, so I got a cheese sandwich at the cafeteria before setting myself on some seats to read and wait for Madeline. That was about 8. Madeline finally showed around 11. We talked about what we had done since we parted ways. By 1:30 am, we were the only people in the entire airport, except for some security people who were nice enough to turn the lights off for us. That allowed me to get a few hours of sleep until 4, when we were rudely awakened by the radio coming on loudly. Ergh. I gave up on sleep. We finally got to check in, made our way to the departure gate, then got on the plane. I slept a little bit on the less-than-hour-long flight. Once at Stansted, we grabbed our stuff early and tried to catch the bus to Victoria, so we could hopefully catch the earliest bus to Swansea. I slept most of the way to London, but it became clear with the traffic, we weren’t going to make the 9:00 bus. We bought tickets for the 11:00 instead. Bought sandwiches there. Unfortunately, on the bus, we sat behind two people who insisted on talking loudly the entire trip to Cardiff. I wanted to either read or sleep, but it was hard to do either. We made a bus change at Cardiff, and soon enough, we found ourselves back at Swansea, our great adventure at an end.

Successfully asked a woman in German to take this picture of me

Trip favorites (no order):
Best tourist city – Munich, Berlin, Paris
Best inhabitable city – Oslo, Verona
Best hostel – Oslo, Verona (for looks), Interlaken
Best showers – Berlin (also best breakfast)
Favorite building – Schloß Neuschwanstein, Louvre, Deutsches Museum
Favorite sites – Holmenkollen, Eiffel Tower, Gedächtniskirche, Alps
Best weather – Italy and French Riviera (sun at last!)
Best experiences – shuffling Oslo palace guards, free beer in Copenhagen, train on the ferry to Berlin, Vulcan warship 3D sound headgear, Mike’s Bike Tour, drooling cat, flunch!, rainbow over Eiffel Tower, free Louvre

{transcribed 2/17/2020}