Being back in SF is like, well, being back in SF. At times it seems a big city like San Francisco lies outside the realm of time and history. Memories I have are easily recaptured as the physical landmarks linked to them are still present. It is also amazing to link new memories to old landmarks. Places I never thought I would be connected to are now intimate parts of my life... My new house in the Sunset, my little parking spot where I check the surf, my secret Sunday breakfast spot, and the little grassy knoll in the quad where Philly Cheese Fridays leads to some of the best people watching in the world. Knowing that life never lets you know what is coming next makes for some good fun, and trusting in the Lord truly makes this crazy life something worth living. A crowded bus ride becomes a good story, new friends are made, and you forget that you have five minutes till class starts. As the midnight rain begins to pour down, your pace slows from a near jog, to a quite stroll. Soaking wet you smile and look at the smiling faces around you, no one seems to mind, though no one is properly dressed, and you even stop every so often to make the moment last just a bit longer.
You write the papers, study for the tests, and stare blankly at the ceiling as nothing comes to mind, but you get it done because that is what you are here for. One final year, thirty-two weeks to milk it for all its worth. The day you realize that, everything seems rather bearable, rather exciting, and incredibly limitless. I am seeking to find a story everyday, something that makes me smile, and someone to make laugh.
Already halfway through semester one, and I like my odds. Let's do this San Francisco, you and me. Twenty-four more weeks of pure, unhindered living of life. I want to tell yesterday's story, live through today's, and get stoked for what tomorrow's will be about. The Pirate Crew sails bravely on.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Entry 22- My Golden City
The crew is restless once again.
North we went in search of gold, and gold we did find. Not in the ground, but fashioned in two red towers that glisten like gold in the late afternoon sun. Where Lady Liberty looks only out, wishing to keep those who pass her in, our Golden Gates swing two ways. They swing open to the bay, calming the soul of the weary traveler, and swing out, sending the steadfast explorer on his way. Yet, the gold of the North does not stop in the bay, just inland the scarred hills and tattered streams are tattooed with the numbers one, eight, four, nine. Here is where the largest migration on American soil occurred. Here is where pirates of new, stole not from wooden ships, but robbed and pillaged the rocks and soil. They dug and blasted until California's gold laden breastplate was nothing more.
Yet, like the dynamite in the hills, a new San Francisco exploded onto the scene. A liquid environment meshing freedom seekers, free thinkers, travelers, and business folk. San Francisco is something of fiction and lore to those outside, and some kind of twisted dream or fantastic nightmare to those inside. Visiting will leave you with a taste for more, and living there will never satisfy you. Some love it, others find our lucky number seven to be rather unbearable, with over 700,000 humans packaged into a neat seven mile by seven mile radius. A square tip of glory seated at California's greatest natural harbor.
A few hours south of the Golden State's Golden City you can find the dust of Steinbeck's muse sticking to the back of your neck. North of South of the shining gates lie territories still largely untouched by man, the craggy Lost Coast, and the dense forests of Big Sur are yours for the taking if you have the spirit and the time. Those who stray away usually stray back though, as the city calls in a way rarely explainable.
The cold, grey waters surrounding California's golden handcuff keep most locked on shore. Ocean Beach, pretty and windswept to those seeking a photo op, it likes to watch those who take to her waters suffer for glory. Like a bitch in heat, she'll look at you with sweet eyes one moment, beckoning for you to draw near, and then rip your hand off the moment you get too close. But take some blood with your sand, and glory to you she will bestow. A golden breastplate all the new, and all the more shiny. Worn in secret, but seen by those who wear it as well.
Someone once said, you're never more than ten feet from a good meal in San Francisco. They were right, and I dare you to prove me wrong. Little gems lie everywhere, from the sandwiches of Ike's, to the daring flavors of Bi-rite ice cream. From the dusty floors, and hole in the wall burrito joints in the Mission, to the loud and brightly colored section of California street, know to all as China Town. Venture off of Market and find any type of food you could ever want. With one dollar or one thousand, there is a meal for the taking in San Fran.
Last but not least, the people. If you are not a people person, San Francisco may not suit your fancy. It is a city built on the backs of people, and has survived only because of the diverse population it calls its own. Stay in your room and it will forever be a cold and grey place. Yet venture out, and check your judgements at the door, for on the foggiest night, during the coldest spell, San Francisco can be a bright and warm place.
So to my Golden City, I missed you, and in one day you captivated me again. Together again soon we shall be.
Heading Far South,
The Pirate Crew
North we went in search of gold, and gold we did find. Not in the ground, but fashioned in two red towers that glisten like gold in the late afternoon sun. Where Lady Liberty looks only out, wishing to keep those who pass her in, our Golden Gates swing two ways. They swing open to the bay, calming the soul of the weary traveler, and swing out, sending the steadfast explorer on his way. Yet, the gold of the North does not stop in the bay, just inland the scarred hills and tattered streams are tattooed with the numbers one, eight, four, nine. Here is where the largest migration on American soil occurred. Here is where pirates of new, stole not from wooden ships, but robbed and pillaged the rocks and soil. They dug and blasted until California's gold laden breastplate was nothing more.
Yet, like the dynamite in the hills, a new San Francisco exploded onto the scene. A liquid environment meshing freedom seekers, free thinkers, travelers, and business folk. San Francisco is something of fiction and lore to those outside, and some kind of twisted dream or fantastic nightmare to those inside. Visiting will leave you with a taste for more, and living there will never satisfy you. Some love it, others find our lucky number seven to be rather unbearable, with over 700,000 humans packaged into a neat seven mile by seven mile radius. A square tip of glory seated at California's greatest natural harbor.
A few hours south of the Golden State's Golden City you can find the dust of Steinbeck's muse sticking to the back of your neck. North of South of the shining gates lie territories still largely untouched by man, the craggy Lost Coast, and the dense forests of Big Sur are yours for the taking if you have the spirit and the time. Those who stray away usually stray back though, as the city calls in a way rarely explainable.
The cold, grey waters surrounding California's golden handcuff keep most locked on shore. Ocean Beach, pretty and windswept to those seeking a photo op, it likes to watch those who take to her waters suffer for glory. Like a bitch in heat, she'll look at you with sweet eyes one moment, beckoning for you to draw near, and then rip your hand off the moment you get too close. But take some blood with your sand, and glory to you she will bestow. A golden breastplate all the new, and all the more shiny. Worn in secret, but seen by those who wear it as well.
Someone once said, you're never more than ten feet from a good meal in San Francisco. They were right, and I dare you to prove me wrong. Little gems lie everywhere, from the sandwiches of Ike's, to the daring flavors of Bi-rite ice cream. From the dusty floors, and hole in the wall burrito joints in the Mission, to the loud and brightly colored section of California street, know to all as China Town. Venture off of Market and find any type of food you could ever want. With one dollar or one thousand, there is a meal for the taking in San Fran.
Last but not least, the people. If you are not a people person, San Francisco may not suit your fancy. It is a city built on the backs of people, and has survived only because of the diverse population it calls its own. Stay in your room and it will forever be a cold and grey place. Yet venture out, and check your judgements at the door, for on the foggiest night, during the coldest spell, San Francisco can be a bright and warm place.
So to my Golden City, I missed you, and in one day you captivated me again. Together again soon we shall be.
Heading Far South,
The Pirate Crew
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Entry 21- The Crew Loads The Ship
Sit back, take a deep breath and image this with me...
You're sitting on a plane. Excited, nervous, scared, and slightly shaking from adrenaline and fear. You have no clue what lie ahead of you, and you think you are ready for anything... invincible if you will. Your family has driven away, and the plane lifts off the ground. You can't sleep for the ten hour flight, but even so, it seems to pass quickly. You land in London, everyone speaks English, but it may as well be a different language because you can't understand a word. For one week everything is perfect, new and exciting, then reality sets in.
You get to school in a little town outside of London, things are different than you imagined, your expectations were not met in any of the ways you think they were going to be. For weeks on end, the only place you want to be is home, with family, with friends and loved ones. But that is impossible, because you are on the journey of a lifetime, a journey that will make you grow and see the world in a new light. You just don't know that yet.
Things get better but they still aren't great. There are good days and bad days, and soon the good days seems to be outweighing the not so good. Right when they seems too easy to be true, something that seems unrelated to this life experience in England pulls the world out from under your feet. All seems lost again, and all seems unfathomable. But there is your family, they pull it all together for you for a while, and then you are right back in the mix of things. You travel Europe, try to figure things out and then realize you can't do everything on your own. That cocky kid who thought he was ready to grow up needs to go away, and you need to broaden your chest and face the facts that life throws your way sometimes. You need to actually grow up. You didn't expect it, but it ends up playing a major role on how you are going to grow while in a new country.
Second semester starts, and this time things are different. You aren't relying on your own will power to get up in the morning, but trusting that the Lord is going to do it for you. You throw your problems His way, He looks at them, solves them, and then says "Pick your chin up and move on, I've got work for you." So you do, and the days aren't so long, and your family doesn't seem so far away. Sure some days are better than others, but all in all life has a flow to it again. You travel some more, and meet some amazing people, traveling is where you feel the most comfortable, where no one knows you, and you can be whoever you want... so you decide to be yourself. It's comfortable to be yourself. You also realize that home is where people love you, and you realize you have that in London with a very special family.
Then you look in the mirror one night and realize that kid from Laguna isn't the same kid you saw in the mirror a few months prior. The boy from back home is still sitting in the airport in Los Angeles, waiting with his expectations. Home will return a young man. He will walk past the boy in the airport and quietly nod, aware of his expectations, and content with new ones. This young man, not fully grown up, still a kid a heart, but a man firm in what he believes. Firm in his belief that the world is still a big place, that people are people and everyone deserves a chance. Firm in the belief that the Lord will always provide, and firm in the belief that you can still get off the map.
Before it all ends ends, your family comes to see you. You travel together and experience more of what the world has to offer. They tell you how you've grown, and for brief moments you can actually see who you really are to another human being... things are going to be alright. Your last nights you spend with your closest friends you've made in England. You laugh about the funny times, speak candidly about the serious times, and wonder cautiously about the future. You get a little teary eyed as the bell rings, and the bar staff begin to wipe down the counters. You are the last to leave, and for good reason, no one seems to want to let it all go. Being the first to leave, everyone seems to realize the end is near, not forever, but for now. You hug, shake hands, high-five, push, bring it in close, and stare into different sets of eyes, each one as sincere as the last. You say "Thank you" to everyone, and tell them truthfully, "This time wouldn't have been the same without each one of you". Like that bar of bittersweet chocolate, it won't last forever, and it really is bittersweet all the way through. You think about it though and realize, that is exactly the way a goodbye should be, bittersweet. Bitter because you have to leave, but every so sweet because you had the time together. You crack one last joke about yourself and everyone laughs, leaving all on a good note. Smiles fade into deep sighs, and everyone turns into shadowy figures in the cool spring night.
You room is nearly empty, just a computer and few random items cluttering the desk. So much happened in that little room of yours, you can't even begin to mull through it all. You stand there for a moment, not sure of what emotion is going to leap out of your chest, and then you simply smile. All that needed to be accomplished was accomplished. It came and went ever so perfectly. It seemed so impossible in September, and now it seems so unreal, so perfect, so not meeting your expectations, that it turned out to be the perfect curveball. And guess what, you smashed that sucker right over the big green wall, leaving the seems behind, and calling out "Elvis has left the building!" as you watch it sail out of there. You say goodnight to those four walls for the last time, and that's it. Ending just like it started... with you getting ready to board a plane, excited, nervous, sad, and happy all at once, and full of expectations. Some that life will meet, others that it won't. But this time was perfect, this time is what you needed, and that little room in England, those close friends, that house in London, those hours on Skype, and those hours upon hours spent in new and exciting places, are the times that you will remember, and forever will they help you grow.
So take a deep breath and imagine all those things, and maybe, just maybe you will get a glimpse of how incredibly amazing my year abroad has been. The Pirate Crew set sail, and let me tell you, sail we did. The crew grew and at each new port, a new member stood proudly on deck. So this is to The Pirate Crew, all of you who came along for the journey, here in England, Europe, or the United States. This is not the end of our journeys, but just the beginning. We will continue to sail around the world, and at each new port, add new faces to our memories. I am beyond blessed, and by that I mean my blessing are unable to be attached to a number, for that number does not exist. Continue to tune in, for the Pirate Crew will continue to post, but for now, Europe is behind us. What seemed to be a storm without a port, was actually a port in the storm all along. So, until next time... Vaya Con Dios.
Blurry eyed, and Sails Abreast,
The Pirate Crew
You're sitting on a plane. Excited, nervous, scared, and slightly shaking from adrenaline and fear. You have no clue what lie ahead of you, and you think you are ready for anything... invincible if you will. Your family has driven away, and the plane lifts off the ground. You can't sleep for the ten hour flight, but even so, it seems to pass quickly. You land in London, everyone speaks English, but it may as well be a different language because you can't understand a word. For one week everything is perfect, new and exciting, then reality sets in.
You get to school in a little town outside of London, things are different than you imagined, your expectations were not met in any of the ways you think they were going to be. For weeks on end, the only place you want to be is home, with family, with friends and loved ones. But that is impossible, because you are on the journey of a lifetime, a journey that will make you grow and see the world in a new light. You just don't know that yet.
Things get better but they still aren't great. There are good days and bad days, and soon the good days seems to be outweighing the not so good. Right when they seems too easy to be true, something that seems unrelated to this life experience in England pulls the world out from under your feet. All seems lost again, and all seems unfathomable. But there is your family, they pull it all together for you for a while, and then you are right back in the mix of things. You travel Europe, try to figure things out and then realize you can't do everything on your own. That cocky kid who thought he was ready to grow up needs to go away, and you need to broaden your chest and face the facts that life throws your way sometimes. You need to actually grow up. You didn't expect it, but it ends up playing a major role on how you are going to grow while in a new country.
Second semester starts, and this time things are different. You aren't relying on your own will power to get up in the morning, but trusting that the Lord is going to do it for you. You throw your problems His way, He looks at them, solves them, and then says "Pick your chin up and move on, I've got work for you." So you do, and the days aren't so long, and your family doesn't seem so far away. Sure some days are better than others, but all in all life has a flow to it again. You travel some more, and meet some amazing people, traveling is where you feel the most comfortable, where no one knows you, and you can be whoever you want... so you decide to be yourself. It's comfortable to be yourself. You also realize that home is where people love you, and you realize you have that in London with a very special family.
Then you look in the mirror one night and realize that kid from Laguna isn't the same kid you saw in the mirror a few months prior. The boy from back home is still sitting in the airport in Los Angeles, waiting with his expectations. Home will return a young man. He will walk past the boy in the airport and quietly nod, aware of his expectations, and content with new ones. This young man, not fully grown up, still a kid a heart, but a man firm in what he believes. Firm in his belief that the world is still a big place, that people are people and everyone deserves a chance. Firm in the belief that the Lord will always provide, and firm in the belief that you can still get off the map.
Before it all ends ends, your family comes to see you. You travel together and experience more of what the world has to offer. They tell you how you've grown, and for brief moments you can actually see who you really are to another human being... things are going to be alright. Your last nights you spend with your closest friends you've made in England. You laugh about the funny times, speak candidly about the serious times, and wonder cautiously about the future. You get a little teary eyed as the bell rings, and the bar staff begin to wipe down the counters. You are the last to leave, and for good reason, no one seems to want to let it all go. Being the first to leave, everyone seems to realize the end is near, not forever, but for now. You hug, shake hands, high-five, push, bring it in close, and stare into different sets of eyes, each one as sincere as the last. You say "Thank you" to everyone, and tell them truthfully, "This time wouldn't have been the same without each one of you". Like that bar of bittersweet chocolate, it won't last forever, and it really is bittersweet all the way through. You think about it though and realize, that is exactly the way a goodbye should be, bittersweet. Bitter because you have to leave, but every so sweet because you had the time together. You crack one last joke about yourself and everyone laughs, leaving all on a good note. Smiles fade into deep sighs, and everyone turns into shadowy figures in the cool spring night.
You room is nearly empty, just a computer and few random items cluttering the desk. So much happened in that little room of yours, you can't even begin to mull through it all. You stand there for a moment, not sure of what emotion is going to leap out of your chest, and then you simply smile. All that needed to be accomplished was accomplished. It came and went ever so perfectly. It seemed so impossible in September, and now it seems so unreal, so perfect, so not meeting your expectations, that it turned out to be the perfect curveball. And guess what, you smashed that sucker right over the big green wall, leaving the seems behind, and calling out "Elvis has left the building!" as you watch it sail out of there. You say goodnight to those four walls for the last time, and that's it. Ending just like it started... with you getting ready to board a plane, excited, nervous, sad, and happy all at once, and full of expectations. Some that life will meet, others that it won't. But this time was perfect, this time is what you needed, and that little room in England, those close friends, that house in London, those hours on Skype, and those hours upon hours spent in new and exciting places, are the times that you will remember, and forever will they help you grow.
So take a deep breath and imagine all those things, and maybe, just maybe you will get a glimpse of how incredibly amazing my year abroad has been. The Pirate Crew set sail, and let me tell you, sail we did. The crew grew and at each new port, a new member stood proudly on deck. So this is to The Pirate Crew, all of you who came along for the journey, here in England, Europe, or the United States. This is not the end of our journeys, but just the beginning. We will continue to sail around the world, and at each new port, add new faces to our memories. I am beyond blessed, and by that I mean my blessing are unable to be attached to a number, for that number does not exist. Continue to tune in, for the Pirate Crew will continue to post, but for now, Europe is behind us. What seemed to be a storm without a port, was actually a port in the storm all along. So, until next time... Vaya Con Dios.
Blurry eyed, and Sails Abreast,
The Pirate Crew
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Entry 20- Going Live
Oi There!
The Pirate Crew is going live on this next one... could become a tradition if the ratings are good enough.
First off sorry about the lighting, it makes me look kinda creepy, but I'm working with a desk lamp and a halogen at 2:00 am haha. Well, I hope you all enjoyed that at least a little bit, and more so I hope life is throwing so many blessings your way you can't even handle it!
Sunny Decks and Windy Sails,
The Pirate Crew
Monday, March 7, 2011
Entry 19- The Happiest Place On... The European Continent?
We are gaining speed now! Two posts in one day, and maybe even more to come... "Get out of town!", you might be saying to yourself. But believe it, because here it comes.
After a semi frustrating train ride from Austria to France, the whole time of which I was paranoid about missing a train, falling asleep, or pissing people on the train off by eating a hot kebab in close quarters. Well, we did not miss a train, I did not fall asleep, and who cares if people were pissed off about my kebab, it was delicious. There was no way that I was going to be in Europe, so close to another Disney park, and not go. For those of you who do not know, I'm a bit obsessed with Disneyland, Disney, Walt himself, and basically everything that surrounds the company. So as stated above, Disneyland Paris was a must do for me.
We made it to France safely, and thanks to dear ol Mum and Dad, Becca and I had two, two-day, two-park, park hopper tickets to Disneyland Paris Parks, which includes Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios (which for those who are unaware, Walt Disney Studios is one of the parks at Walt Disney World, but is made to give the California, Hollywood experience). It just so happened that the day we arrived in Paris, it started to rain. That however, was in no way going to put a damper on our Disneyland Paris adventure, so we ponied up some cash, and bought some awesome plastic ponchos. Disneyland Paris is a lot like Disneyland back home, with similar rides and an almost identical layout, expect everything is much more compact due to lack of space, or so they say. Let me tell you something, besides Disneyland, there is nothing out in that end of France. We hit the main park first, and had heard that their Space Mountain had a loop in it, so we decided to head over there. Their Space Mountain definitely has a loop, a couple cork-screws, and I would say goes legitimately faster than the one in CA. Our Indiana Jones however, completely dominates theirs, as theirs is just a roller coaster, and not the full on Temple of The Forbidden Eye experience. I could go on and on about what was different and what was similar, but one thing to note is that The Haunted Mansion in Paris, or Phantom Manor as it was called was way darker and scarier than ours. It was quite sketchy and you even went through hell at one part... I don't know if French kids are into that stuff or what, but I was throughly creeped out.
Walt Disney Studios was incredibly fun too, as they had some great roller coasters. The Aerosmith roller coaster, which exist in Florida, shot you straight into a loop, and kept you on an adrenaline rush for the rest of the ride. The general consensus favorite came as the last ride of the trip, and was called Crush's Coaster, inspired by Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo. You sat in a shell, spun all sorts of different ways, and I believe Becca and I were laughing our heads off the entire time.
After two days at Disneyland Paris, it was time to part ways with the European continent and head pack to England. Becca was set to fly out of Paris, but due to mainly my failure of turning off the alarm too quickly, she missed her flight, and instead had to fly out of Stansted in London. So, we jumped on the Eurostar, through the Chunnel, and over a month away, I was back in the Queen's Country.
After a semi frustrating train ride from Austria to France, the whole time of which I was paranoid about missing a train, falling asleep, or pissing people on the train off by eating a hot kebab in close quarters. Well, we did not miss a train, I did not fall asleep, and who cares if people were pissed off about my kebab, it was delicious. There was no way that I was going to be in Europe, so close to another Disney park, and not go. For those of you who do not know, I'm a bit obsessed with Disneyland, Disney, Walt himself, and basically everything that surrounds the company. So as stated above, Disneyland Paris was a must do for me.
We made it to France safely, and thanks to dear ol Mum and Dad, Becca and I had two, two-day, two-park, park hopper tickets to Disneyland Paris Parks, which includes Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios (which for those who are unaware, Walt Disney Studios is one of the parks at Walt Disney World, but is made to give the California, Hollywood experience). It just so happened that the day we arrived in Paris, it started to rain. That however, was in no way going to put a damper on our Disneyland Paris adventure, so we ponied up some cash, and bought some awesome plastic ponchos. Disneyland Paris is a lot like Disneyland back home, with similar rides and an almost identical layout, expect everything is much more compact due to lack of space, or so they say. Let me tell you something, besides Disneyland, there is nothing out in that end of France. We hit the main park first, and had heard that their Space Mountain had a loop in it, so we decided to head over there. Their Space Mountain definitely has a loop, a couple cork-screws, and I would say goes legitimately faster than the one in CA. Our Indiana Jones however, completely dominates theirs, as theirs is just a roller coaster, and not the full on Temple of The Forbidden Eye experience. I could go on and on about what was different and what was similar, but one thing to note is that The Haunted Mansion in Paris, or Phantom Manor as it was called was way darker and scarier than ours. It was quite sketchy and you even went through hell at one part... I don't know if French kids are into that stuff or what, but I was throughly creeped out.
Walt Disney Studios was incredibly fun too, as they had some great roller coasters. The Aerosmith roller coaster, which exist in Florida, shot you straight into a loop, and kept you on an adrenaline rush for the rest of the ride. The general consensus favorite came as the last ride of the trip, and was called Crush's Coaster, inspired by Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo. You sat in a shell, spun all sorts of different ways, and I believe Becca and I were laughing our heads off the entire time.
After two days at Disneyland Paris, it was time to part ways with the European continent and head pack to England. Becca was set to fly out of Paris, but due to mainly my failure of turning off the alarm too quickly, she missed her flight, and instead had to fly out of Stansted in London. So, we jumped on the Eurostar, through the Chunnel, and over a month away, I was back in the Queen's Country.
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| You get launched through a cannon into space... |
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| Castle by day. |
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| The Castle again. |
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| Their Thunder Mountain goes way longer than ours. |
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| We had to wait in line, and bust little kids out of the way to get this shot. |
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| I love the way this shot turned out for some reason. |
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| Alice In Wonderland Labyrinth. Pretty rad! |
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| Sadly no Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, but they did have a Toad Hall Restaurant. |
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| Dad, this one is for you. We always love going on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride together back home. |
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| It was a pretty massive entrance. |
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| That's a wrap. This was especially poignant as I took it on our last day there, as we were leaving the park. |
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| I think this is my favorite photo from the trip. |
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| The magic never gets old. |
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| Castle at night from Main Street. |
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| The Main Mouse himself. He's a natural at the parade thing. |
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| Another shot I really love from the trip. |
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| Disneyland Paris, as Disneyland back home seems to gain just a bit more magic at night time. |
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| Goodbye Disneyland Paris! |
Well, that brings me to a close on my Christmas Break adventures (finally for all those who have been patiently waiting). I have done quite a bit since then, and will do my best to get those posts up in the next two weeks. However, in less than 48 hours I fly out for Barcelona, so it probably wont happen before then, but check in starting the week of the 14th for some more updates.
Sun dried decks today,
The Pirate Crew
Entry 18- Mozart Land
Dragging Anchor I Have Been!
Well I failed again at any timely blog posts, but have come up with another sea worth excuse for not pulling into port lately. It is for exactly that reason, as I have not taken refuge in the port of dear ol Norwich very few times in the last few weeks. I have been all sorts of places, but before I recount all such journeys to you, I must first finish conveying my journeys that happened back in January.
So after Munich, Becca and I hit the road, train actually, and headed to Salzberg, Austria. There we were set to meet up with my dear friend from high school Bud, and his girl friend Annika. It was a joyous reunion with all sorts of laughter and debauchery haha. Salzberg is a small, but very beautiful place. Being the home of Mozart, his face is basically on everything, including delicious balls of chocolate that had some magnificent filling inside, consisting of marzipan and something else. Salzberg has an awesome fortress that dominates the skyline, so we obviously all went to check it out. Now I'm not sure if the english audio tour just didn't translate right, or if they just really didn't check into many facts about the fortress because the dude narrating it to me did not have much to say. We'd be walking down a hallway and the audio man would say "This used to be a cannon balcony where the Salzberg battalion would defend the city from invaders... now it is a hallway. In the next room...". Seriously!?! First who's idea was it to turn a cannon balcony into an average hallway, and second, who decided we wanted to know that something rad like that was now just a hallway. Anyways, the top of the fortress was definitely worth it for the view. Besides being absolutely freezing up there, you really could see the entire surroundings, and it was absolutely beautiful seeing all the snowcapped mountains of Austria.
Our hostel was pretty rad, being that it played the Sound of Music on repeat everyday. Bad part was, we seemed to walk into the room at the same point in the movie... every day. I think it took the full four days before I got to the end, and only the dear Lord knows if I ever saw the beginning. However, I can more or less sing "So Long, Farewell", and "Edelweiss" word for word now. We met some great people in our hostel, and even ran into some guys from the Bay Area. It really is a small world after all... which leads me to my next post.
All in all, it was a great visit to Salzberg, and it was awesome to see Bud and meet Annika. As they headed off, Becca and I tracked down the sole Mexican food restaurant in Austria and then headed of for France the next morning.
Well I failed again at any timely blog posts, but have come up with another sea worth excuse for not pulling into port lately. It is for exactly that reason, as I have not taken refuge in the port of dear ol Norwich very few times in the last few weeks. I have been all sorts of places, but before I recount all such journeys to you, I must first finish conveying my journeys that happened back in January.
So after Munich, Becca and I hit the road, train actually, and headed to Salzberg, Austria. There we were set to meet up with my dear friend from high school Bud, and his girl friend Annika. It was a joyous reunion with all sorts of laughter and debauchery haha. Salzberg is a small, but very beautiful place. Being the home of Mozart, his face is basically on everything, including delicious balls of chocolate that had some magnificent filling inside, consisting of marzipan and something else. Salzberg has an awesome fortress that dominates the skyline, so we obviously all went to check it out. Now I'm not sure if the english audio tour just didn't translate right, or if they just really didn't check into many facts about the fortress because the dude narrating it to me did not have much to say. We'd be walking down a hallway and the audio man would say "This used to be a cannon balcony where the Salzberg battalion would defend the city from invaders... now it is a hallway. In the next room...". Seriously!?! First who's idea was it to turn a cannon balcony into an average hallway, and second, who decided we wanted to know that something rad like that was now just a hallway. Anyways, the top of the fortress was definitely worth it for the view. Besides being absolutely freezing up there, you really could see the entire surroundings, and it was absolutely beautiful seeing all the snowcapped mountains of Austria.
Our hostel was pretty rad, being that it played the Sound of Music on repeat everyday. Bad part was, we seemed to walk into the room at the same point in the movie... every day. I think it took the full four days before I got to the end, and only the dear Lord knows if I ever saw the beginning. However, I can more or less sing "So Long, Farewell", and "Edelweiss" word for word now. We met some great people in our hostel, and even ran into some guys from the Bay Area. It really is a small world after all... which leads me to my next post.
All in all, it was a great visit to Salzberg, and it was awesome to see Bud and meet Annika. As they headed off, Becca and I tracked down the sole Mexican food restaurant in Austria and then headed of for France the next morning.
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| The locals in the park were a bit underdressed. |
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| Mozart was everywhere. Plus we thought it was crazy this place almost spelled Becca's first and last name. |
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| Pegasus fountain they dance around in The Sound of Music. I asked Julie Andrews to show up but she was busy... |
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| These horses were smaller than big horses, bigger than mini horse, and definitely not donkeys. Still not sure what they were. |
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| That would be the Fortress and the All Knowing Gold Ball of Salzberg. |
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| You can always find a little bit of home somewhere... |
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| Mountains behind Salzberg. |
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| Salzberg via the Fortress roof. |
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| Anytime we saw these little bundled up babies we couldn't help but laugh. We named them Starfish Babies, they just sorta waddled around the whole time. But heck, they were definitely warm and stoked on life. |
I must apologize for the short amount of pictures, but I am desperately trying to catch up on blog post, so I promise to do a whirlwind photo tour of my year abroad at the end of the semester, which incredibly is only five weeks away. Time is beginning to fly my dear friends. Well, off we go to Paris... Disneyland Paris that is!
Wind in Our Sails,
The Pirate Crew
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Entry 17- Visions of Munich
Yup, I failed at getting them up sooner, and sticking to my plan of updating my blog yet again. Well, better late than never. Therefore, I give to thee.... Munich Photos.
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| Hauptbanhof Station... They sold really good pretzels inside. |
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| They know baked goods in Germany. Especially dough and salt! |
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| New Town Hall. (Fun fact: Because Old Town Hall was bombed out during WWII, and was replicated in it's original spot, New Town Hall is actually older than Old Town Hall.) |
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| Sometimes Becca has trouble getting her gloves on... |
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| That party lassshhh night wassss schoooo lame right? (say with a lisp) |
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| This one is for you Ben. |
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| The Jagerhaus. |
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| She's holding a lot of snow... I'm guessing for the first time. |
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| Paul: King of Ducks |
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| Neuschwanstein Castle... Inspiration for the Disneyland Castle |
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| Liberation plaque at Dachau |
Well, that goes for the Munich pictures. Austria and Disneyland Paris post and pictures will follow soon. School and the such has been a bit crazy, which is why I am behind. Gotta get those essay's done.
Anticipating Spring Winds,
The Pirate Crew
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