England, Ireland, France, Spain

Since we last met in Germany, the travels and adventures have continued. After spending four days in fascinating Berlin, I flew to London to see my friends Andrew and Alexis. I spent days walking around the city, and evenings drinking in pubs with them. The weather was beautiful, and I took advantage of the sun by just wandering around London and spending more time in the parks than in the museums. It was SO great to see Andrew and Alexis again, and to play in the sophisticated city. We rented a car to go up to the Lake District and my boyfriend Arnaud flew up from Carcassonne to see me and come with us.

We spent four very romantic days in the Lake District, staying in bed & breakfasts, and one night at Andrew's aunt's house. Arnaud was introduced to the fine cuisines and pastimes of England (scotch he enjoyed, “cured beef” not so much). We went back to London for one night, and Arnaud and I walked around the city til 4am looking for something to eat, see, or do. But there was NOTHING going on! We were shocked! London is Europe's biggest city, and nothing was open in the night. Arnaud left the next day, and I stayed in London for three more days, hanging out with my friends and having picnics.

After a few days in England, I flew to Dublin to meet my mom. We spent two nights in Dublin, during which we tried to see and do everything, but alas, we didn't make it to the Guinness Factory! So, who's going back with me? After a couple of days in Dublin, we rented a car and drove to Cork, in the SouthWest of Ireland. We stayed in that area for three nights, seeing the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, and lots of castles.

The experience was pretty amazing, not to mention stressful, with my mom driving on the opposite side of the road and me navigating our way through the most ridiculous tangle of streets and cities! We were both exhausted by the end of the trip, but we had a great time!

Mom and I flew then to Paris to meet her best friend Bev. We stayed for two nights in Paris, and went to Versailles, which was pretty incredible. I also took my mom to Giverny to see Monet's garden, and that was quite lovely! After Paris, all three of us took the train to Carcassonne, and here met my auntie and uncle. We spent the weekend together (ok, I ditched them a couple of times to see Arnaud, but for the most part we were all together), visiting Carcassonne. Then on Monday, Mom, Bev, and I rented a car and went to the Perigord for a week.

We stayed in Bergerac, Brantome, and Sarlat, and saw so many villages, castles, and gorgeous things that I can't even keep it straight now! At the end of the week, I was so tired. I had planned this whole trip, and was trying to take care of every detail since meeting my mom in Dublin. While we were in France, it was great because I knew our surroundings a bit, but very tiring because there I did everything from ordering dinner to translating entire tours and documents. It was a good experience, though, and made me start thinking a lot about what I want to do in the future.

We came back to Carcassonne, Bev left to go to Rome, and mom and I hung out for a couple of days. She met Arnaud, which went very well, and she met many of my friends, which made me happy! On Monday, we left to go to Barcelona. We spent two nights in Barcelona in a beautiful apartment/hotel that I found, and my mom finally saw things that she had always dreamed of, like the Sagrada Familia. We had so much fun together, but I was freaking out about my trip to Greece. It had been bothering me for several weeks, and the last few days before leaving, I was really stressing about it. I'd just had enough of traveling for the moment, and just wanted to be home. I know it's ridiculous, and just in my head, but it really made me panic.

In the end, I knew I couldn't go. I don't know why I freaked out so badly, but I did, and I had to call the girls that I would have been traveling with and tell them that I wasn't going. I am so nervous about what they think of me, and I hope that they are not too angry. I called Arnaud, I was nervous about that too because I didn't want him to think that I am as weak and ridiculous as I am, and told him that I was going to take the train and come home. He said that he would come pick me up in Barcelona, and we could spend the weekend there.

So, I took my mom to the airport and said goodbye to her. That was hard, especially since we'd spent the last three weeks together every day and night. Then I went back into town to wait for Arnaud. I spent all afternoon at the port in the sun, and got a nice sunburn on my legs! Arnaud came around 6pm, and we got a drink and looked for a hotel. There was absolutely NOTHING available because Friday was a holiday and everything was full. So, we decided to just party and stay up all night. We ate dinner around 11 and then found a bar. Around 3am we went to a nightclub, and hung out till 5, when we left and hung out with the other kids in the street. At seven, we were desperately seeking coffee, but finding nothing open, settled in for a quick nap on a park bench. Around 9, we found coffee and (finally) the car, which we had lost underground somewhere. We started the drive back home, which took longer than usual, and getting off the autoroute to eat, we had a small car accident. We were stopped in traffic, and a huge truck ran into the door. So, we had to deal with that, and Arnaud was stressed about it cause his car is actually a work car, and he'll have to tell his boss about it. We finally got back to Narbonne where Arnaud lives and slept for about 14 hours!

This morning, I woke up around 11am, and ate the croissant that Arnaud had brought for me from the boulangerie. Then we got ready to leave, and went to have lunch in town. After, he took me to Lagrasse to visit the abbey. We drove back to Carcassonne and went to la cite, and finally I went home and saw some friends.

Now I'm back in Carcassonne trying to figure the next steps (looking for jobs, making plans, etc.).

WHEW!! I think that very briefly catches up the last month! Hope you are all well!

Germany- Big Portland?

The question I pose tonight is not just the idle rambling of a homesick traveler...non! It the fact that the things I hold most dear and delightful about Portland (bikes, beer, and a weird yet comforting atmosphere) are to be found in every corner, street, and square of both Leipzig and Berlin. If not for the different language, I would feel very much at home here.

Leaving Carcassonne was difficult, but I made it through with a week of parties, meals, and fun. I had a party on Thursday night at the pub (after a dinner party for friends where I cooked a Thai curry that was too spicy for their delicate French palates!), and then spent the weekend with friends before leaving from Narbonne on Saturday night. I took the night train to Strasbourg (I tried to sleep, but didn't much succeed), and once I got there, caught a train to Kehl, Germany, where I bought my Good Weekend ticket. This ticket (only on Saturdays on Sundays) allows travel on regional trains all through Germany for 33 euros. I had to get from Southern Germany to just south of Berlin, in one day, on only regional trains. 12 hours passed (with 11 different train changes!), and I was finally in the loving arms of my friend Jana.

I spent a couple of days with her and her family, and we saw the region, many small perfect villages, and went to the sauna. Then we went with Jana's boyfriend Sascha to Halle, where they live. We spent a few relaxing days in Halle, Weimar, and Leipzig, and then on Friday, Jana and I got a rideshare to Berlin, where we spent the weekend together! Berlin is one of the coolest cities ever (so I say that for almost every city I visit, but it really is AMAZING!!), and I've been having so much fun just hanging out here, walking every where and being amongst so much modern history! Jana left on Sunday evening, we were in Potsdam, so I've spent the last day or two just rambling around on my own, meeting people and seeing things.

Tomorrow I leave to go to London to stay with Andrew and Alexis (my old roommates and very good friends!). I am very excited to see them, and to visit London and the UK!

I hope you're all doing well! Stay in touch!

The Annual Great Easter Battle

One sunny Spring afternoon, my mom got home from her life drawing class with a big smile on her face. I assumed that she had drawn Ginger again (one of her favorite models), or maybe Drew with the massive shoulders and matching parts. But no, my mom had a better reason for smiling- she had an idea.

“Rebecca! We gotta go to the store!” She said to me. “We need Peeps! And toothpicks!”

“I hate Peeps!” I said back. My brother is a big fan of the sickly sweet marshmallow chicks (of most chicks, really!), and in college I lived with a girl who loves stale Peeps, but for me they had always been the worst part of Easter.

“I know, but we're not gonna eat them!” My mom responded. “We're gonna fight them!”

“What?” I said, laughing.

“Yeah, see, you get the peeps, and then you put toothpicks in their hands and put them in the microwave, and they fight each other!” My mom was ecstatic, her green eyes wide.

“Mom,” I tried to explain, “they're marshmallows. If you put them in the microwave, they'll just expand and melt all over the place.”

“No, they'll get bigger and move around and fight each other!” She was so excited, imagining the little creatures coming to life and wreaking havoc on each other. “Let's go to the store!”

We drove to Bi-Mart, and roamed the candy aisle. My mom couldn't decide. Should we get two colors of chicks and fight them, or should we get a team of chicks and another of bunnies, and really let the games begin? We settled on Chicks and Bunnies (yellow and pink), and a big box of toothpicks (to arm the soldiers), and then drove excitedly home to pop them in the microwave and watch the sugershed!

My mom was meticulous with the weaponry. Each little fighter got a toothpick, and some (call them the first line of defense) got two! She picked out a hardy-looking Chick and a Bunny with something to prove, and set them up, mono el mono, on a paper plate, which she then placed in the microwave and shut the door.

“How long should we leave them in for?” My mom asked me.

“Until there is a clear victor!” I answered. Or until the microwave is covered in pink and yellow goo.

Turning the dial on the microwave, my mom was as excited as a Roman spectator. The plate rotated slowly around, giving us a full view of the battle, and we were captivated by the intensity of combat. The Bunny welded his sword with the might of a, well, bunny, and the Chick began to grow to an intimidating size, his little weapon getting lost in a liquefying mass of sugary terror.

Three minutes later, when I was wiping marshmallow off the sides of the microwave and my mom was despondently removing toothpicks from other Peeps, I began to appreciate the role of these gooey snacks in my Easter basket. They weren't so bad, just as long as you didn't ingest them.

Every Easter, I get a package in the mail covered with drawings of Chicks and Bunnies, armed to the beak, and ready for war! Inside, I find my very own set of spongy soldiers, and a little note proclaiming, “The Great Easter Battle!”. Peeps have now become my favorite thing about Easter.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!