Kane - No Surrender (The Opposites - Big2 remix)

the whole picture

On the blog its hard to show all of my photos, so I'll direct you to my facebook photo albums now that I have finished uploading (for now)...

Even if you don't have facebook, you can check them out!

London:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=213537&id=815068329&l=9c2d1b05c7

Ireland:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=217254&id=815068329&l=20774084eb

Paris:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=217293&id=815068329&l=a16438aa38

Munich:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=217460&id=815068329&l=2fdaaf4517

Oktoberfest:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=217471&id=815068329&l=bad6adb3b3

Happy Birthday...

I turned 20 in the Hague! :)

on to Holland

taking the train to Den Haag (the Hague) to stay with my friend RoAnne for 2 weeks!

Wiesn aka Oktoberfest!

I have never seen such an amazing event as Oktoberfest (or Wiesn as its called in Germany)...

14 beer "tents" (actually huge buildings), rollercoasters, great food, masses of beer, loud music, and over 6 million new friends- it truely was outstanding. Everyone sings and dances on the tables and benches, you make friends with everyone around you, people are dressed in traditional Lederhosen for the men, and Dirndl's for the women. And you cheers every ten minutes :)

PLUS I got the special treat of this year being the celebrations 200th anniversary! This year Wiesn was bigger, better, and longer than ever.

Such a great time..
PROAST! (cheers)

Surfing in Munich

München

WOW...

I'm in love with Munich, Germany.

The city is amazing, a lot of people, big- but not too big. Nice people, Bavarian culture, music, and food. In the center of the city there is a HUGE 'English Garden' where people walk/run, play games, eat, drink, swim in the river/lay on the beach, swim in the big canal network, even go surfing! In the canal out from under a bridge the water makes one big, continuous wave- which is filled with surfers taking their turn to jump on.

The city itself is really beautiful with nice buildings, and really takes care of itself; I even saw one building that they were renovating so they covered the whole front of it with this big canvas picture of what the building looks like, so you dont have to see the construction!

Beautiful city, people, fun times, and of course... OKTOBERFEST

Cheers

long time no update...

Between sketchy hostel internet and staying so busy- I havent updated in a while, and a lot has been going on.

First off, after 5 amazing days in Ireland I flew to Paris for 2 beautiful nights...

Paris was nice- a big city, a lot going on, and of course... the Eiffel Tower

I landed at Paris Beauvais Airport, 1 hour by bus outside of the city. Driving in I was dozing off in my seat and I opened my eyes and realized we were driving on the right side of the street! After 2 weeks of being in countries that drive on the left, it was so familiar to be back to normal.

I saw the Eiffel tower for the first time at 11:53pm, bright and twinkling with lights. The next day I was determined to visit it... you would think it would be the easiest thing in Paris to find.. its not. Walking around, you can't see it... once you turn the corner its gone. So I walked and walked and looked at my map the wrong directions, asked people around me using broken french, but eventually took a taxi right to it. Wow, it was unreal to be standing below it... the first thought in my head was "Its brown????" I always assumed it was metalic or something.. but no.

The Charles de Gaulle was so beautiful too, huge and picturesque. Notre Dame was almost as I imagined, gothic and medievel, big, but the gargoyles were very small compared to what I thought it would be... odd observations I guess.

I think thats all on Paris, it was a nice stay, but I dont think I was there long enough to form a major opinion... It really is a romantic city though.

and my last day in Ireland...

was spent hiking along ocean cliffs, walking on the beach, and panoramic views of the Irish Sea..

"Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going"

tip: click on photos through out the blog to make them bigger

Over the Top Tours

This group does great tours in Ireland- very affordable, and they know a TON about the country and its history...

http://www.overthetoptours.com/

there is something majestic about Ireland...

The music, the people, the landscape... I dont know what it is.

I love it here. In Dublin- you have a city of over 1.5 million people, castles and medievel cathedrals mixed in with homes and modern buildings... The river Liffey splitting the city north and south, with grand canals on both sides of the city. Once outside of Dublin there is the beautiful Sally Gap, Wicklow National Forest, Knowth and Newgrange, and so much more.

I spent yesterday hiking in the mountains, exploring waterfalls, cliffs, and lakes.

Its a beautiful country, have a look:

Day 13

I miss my family... a lot.

ON TO IRELAND

a few of the sights...

Over the last few days I really grew to love London- its' diversity, the huge amazing parks, the beautiful sights, and the nice people. Its somewhere I would visit again...

The London Eye:

Big Ben Tower:

Buckingham Palace:

Regent Park:

A few others...

Clothes Shop - Little Miss Jocelyn

A little British comedy haha this lady is so funny..

The Queen is out of the Palace

London isn't so different... there are a lot of differences, but over all- its pretty similar.

The people have been really nice, it's very diverse, the style is better, obviously they drive on the opposite side of the street (not only that, they walk on the opposite side, and the escalators are on the opposite side), it's expensive, the cars are completely different, the city is really clean, and the cars are different.

Its interesting... There are SO many people here in London but the space is actually very small... when looking at the map it looks so far, and the tube stretches all over- but when you walk it, you realize how close everything actually is!

So far I've seen Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Picadilly Circus, Big Ben, and various parks (huge beautiful parks), there is some more to see- and tomorrow night I am going to the Thames River Festival! I tried to visit the Queen ;) but apparently she holidays in September/October and the Palace is empty.

Photos soon..

phone...

I bought a little phone yesterday.. so anyone who wants it, below is my nubmer:
CHANGED: 00447586734211

I miss my blackberry already :) haha

Welcome to the UK

I arrived in London all right and have been having a good time!
Haven't seen a ton yet because I've been catching up on sleep and getting adjusted, but I've seen the London Eye and Big Ben.. Picadilly Circus and a few others by night.. and they were beautiful!

Today it's raining, but I'm going to go out and see some more..
I'll get some photos up soon!

au revoir

Hi everyone... I'm writing to you from Colorado, where I have spent my last few days in the U.S.

Last Wednesday I said goodbye to my friends, my brother and sisters, and my mom and dad. It was touch, but my last two weeks home was spent together- dinners, the fair, etc. and made for a good 'farewell'!

Here in a few hours I will say my final goodby'es to all of my family here..

I'm as ready as I'll ever be!