...um I don't get it...

Someone please explain why every celebrity in America is passing away? I guess it is not safe anymore to be a celebrity... 

Lots and Lots....

On the morning of the 26th, I got up to help Carlijn's friend Fifi move out of her parents house and into her brand new home. It was really interesting. In Europe it is very commonplace to find re-dunk-u-lous-ly steep staircases - Especially in homes. Fifi's room in her hold home was on the 4th story attic. 3 steeps flights down, we had to take the larger things like the bed and mattress, tables, chairs etc.. by hand carrying them through the streets to her new home. At which point we had to climb another steep staircase to get to her new apartment. It was worth it. It is nice meeting the people here and creating some sort of relationship with them through our common experiences. Carlijn has good friends that are good people. Fifi treated us to some food in the park where we spent the rest of the afternoon playing games and talking back and forth before we went to go meet their friend Laura where she worked (In a hash boat). Laura completed her University work and now has a degree in psychology. As a congratulations celebration, her friends (myslef included) went to her favorite bar LUST bar. It was absolutely neat inside.

On the 27th, my sights were set on finally seeing Amsterdam. In the morning on saturday's in Utrecht, there are huge community markets. Selling cheese, snacks, cloths, really nice knock-off designer watches...whatever you want. It is also called the Bloemenmarkt - or the Flower market because millions of fresh flowers are brought into the city to be for sale. You can hardly move through the streets. After spending much of the morning laying around for some much needed relaxation, it was time to head to Amsterdam after dinner. Carlijn and Fifi opted out because they still were far to tired to do anything, but Carlijn did take me to Eelco's home where I rode with him to the train station. A trip from Utrecht to Amsterdam takes about 25 minutes and only costs 6,50 Euros for a two way trip. We met with Wouter and Marlinna at the train station and they came with us as well. We walked for what seemed like forever before making it to our destination near the center of Amsterdam. Several friends were getting together because all of these people have one thing in common. Sziget. Sziget is a music festival that is sort of like Europe's Woodstock. It's a week long music festival in Budaphest, Hungary. Even though I was a little nervous to try and be extremely social, I soon found a groove and met Ana and Ana. These two girls were from Germany living in Amsterdam for school - this allowed me an oppurtunity to utilize my German - see Dad, I did use it at some point in my life. We also met with several other people, a man from Greece, a man from Portugal, and a few other randoms all of whom were extremely wonderful! Finally, we left the party and went to see Davida's boyfriend in a pub up the street. He worked there. After she got to see him for a short while we headed back towards the train station. Mind you, this was now at 3:30 in the morning. We missed the intial train that we needed and had to wait for the 4:17 train placing into our beds just after 5 am. 

Waking up this morning around noon because of my lack of sleep from the night before allowed me perfect time to go with Carlijn to the Utrecht World Music Festival. It poured the entire time. We really only stayed 1 and a half or 2 hours because the humidity was terrible once the rain finally stopped but, we did get to see a latin music series and a Moroccan musical series - both of which were very interesting. 

The "I miss you bug" hit me today - wishing I was home to see you all! Miss and love you a lot!

Taylor

Uh-Oh Castles and The Best Tea EVER!

Finishing from last night, the Barbeque was phenomenal. I am being used as a tool for learning for Carlijn's friends just as much as I am using them. Having very deep political discussions with people that have a completely different perspective on things is very refreshing. Plus, it also challenged my knowledge of my government and why we run the way we do. Something to note - DUTCH FOOD - the cookout is NOTHING like the American cookout consisting of burgers, brats, hotdogs, chips, pop etc...these people COOK at cookouts. They of course use meat but meats of all styles - Chicken Kabob, bacon etc....and they make interesting things like wrapping tomatoes, feta cheese, and several spices in tin foil to create a very small wonderful treat! Very nice!

This morning, Gail and I got up to head out of the city and go north of Amsterdam. Utrecht, the city that I am living in south of Amsterdam, so we were going a distance. The path was a road less taken. It was small- the size of our bike paths here but it had an absolutely beautiful landscape passing through small towns.  Once we reached our destination, we were able to see several windmills (what Holland is known for) and see how wooden shoes are made. Very interesting stuff. The place was a large tourist trap but none-the-less very informative! After that, Gail and I decided that we were hungry and as we headed south we stopped on the north end of Amsterdam to have some lunch. We went to a small (but very quaint) little eatery that sat just on the Harbor of Amsterdam. Learning about Dutch culture is very different. Here you do not tip the waiter. Only in extreme cases do you leave tip - if the food was beyond you wildest dreams. Also, no free refills - people who know me well know that this is going to be a very challenging thing to adapt to - I like a lot of liquid. I ordered Iced Tea to drink and let me tell you, it was wonderful. It was nothing more than Nestea powdered mix but the difference was the use of carbonated water - It was the best tea EVER! At the end of our meal while Gail was paying, a waitress approached me and in very fast, advanced (for me) dutch asked me if my meal was good - not knowing what in the world she was saying I asked her in Dutch to speak in English. She apologized for mistake and then I apologized and said b"I'm learning," to which she replied "It's really my fault, you look Dutch." And that my friends was the goal of this trip - to assimilate! After we were finished we headed farther south back to Utrecht. Once there, we stopped at a castle that was built in the middle of a small town. The gardens were fabulous. The home was very self sufficient in the food it grew as well. Tired and exhausted, we headed back to the house we Gail and I both crashed from our long morning. Carlijn came for dinner amd afterwards I set out to find a pair of pants. It is a style that never caught on in America but thrives here in Europe. Mens 3/4 length pants - very attractive pants and it was my goal to find a pair to purchase. I set off by foot towards the center of town and found my pants and ordering them in (mostly) Dutch! SUCCESS! On the way back home, I stopped at the market to pick some Cola (because I love it) and I grabbed some strawberries for Gail and I. 

Good News, I finally moved into my room and out of my suit cases. Its a good feeling!

Michael Jackson Died today as well as Farah Fawcett - Interesting to watch the reactions

Tot Ziens, (Til I See You Again)

Taylor

FIETS!

Last night was my first introduction to Dutch culture of people my own age. My cousin, Carlijn (pronounced Car - line) was able to (after my power nap) take me with her and some of her friends to the park up the street. It was very strange to see people hanging out in the park with Alcohol and the reefer menace. But it was present and very eye opening. After that I was able to go to a party with her and some of her friends. Here in Holland the easiest way to travel is via bike or in dutch, fiets (pronounced - feets) These bikes also have little platforms. People use these to sit on to ride as a passenger. I did not know this and looked like a fool riding on the back of the bike holding on for dear life while the girls in Utrecht would text (SMS in Europe) and effortlessly  look at their belongings in their bag on the back of the bike. Once at the party I was instantly attacked by Carlijn's friends inquiring about for whom I voted in last election and what a juicer was...interesting stuff - things I did not anticipate being asked. Once I reached home around 10:30pm I watched a little T.V. with Gail before crashing into my bed. 

This morning I woke up around 9am because Gail and I had to attend her mondhyygienisten (dental hygienist) for a teeth cleaning. This place was phenomenal. In a country where the health care is regulated by the government (monarchy - YAY Queen Beatrix) it is wonderfully nice. Again, I think Hillary Clinton had something. Anyway, the toilet inside the bathroom was totally unique. It had a plastic covering over the seat itself that would keep it clean between each use. You pressed a button on the side and the plastic, like a conveyer belt, changed itself. It was awesome. Following that, we attend the weekly Wednesday festival in the center of town near the Dom tower were you could find anything. The goal - to find Mijn Mansenzak (My man bag). Gail was very incessant that I obtain one of these because it is the only way to carry things without them being stolen (though The Netherlands have the lowest crime rate in the world). We searched high and low and finally found one that would not be considered to effeminate in the States so I would be able to use it at home. So now equipped with my bag, dutch cell phone, and some little basic knowledge of the dutch language (I was quizzed at Carlijn's party( 1,2,3's, Greetings,and colors!)) I am prepared to learn more and not get my stuff stolen. Gail and I then attended several supermarkt (supermarket) to find some things for a barbeque that I am going with Carlijn to. I bought a barbeque meat kit that has 4 kabobs, 4 hamburgers, 4 wurst, and 4 (esentially thick slices of bacon) for only 5.39 Euro. Another nice thing is that there is no tax here. The price you see is the price you pay - wonderful! Along with some Karakter Bier (beer with character) for young twenties-something fun I headed home.  As I sit writing this both Gail and I are frantically trying find a way to adapt the power cord of my Mac to work here - the solution turn out to be much easier than expected....just plug it in. 

Carlijn's friends seem to enjoy meeting me and they have invited me to several things over the next week including a trip with them to Amsterdam on saturday. Lets see what happens!

I Am Here!

Ahh - how refreshing, I am finally here! The flight was interesting. On my flight from Columbus to Philadelphia, I sat next to Stephanie Askins. I graduated with her from Olentangy. What were the chances that I would see someone I knew let alone sit next to them. I began to get frustrated because my flight from Philadelphia to Amsterdam was delayed from plane repairs for two hours. No one was happy! Once I arrived (two hours late) and found Gail, we were able to take a walking tour of parts of Utrecht seeing some of the channels and getting myself a cell phone. A little tired, but I am ready to go - starting with meeting some of Carlijn's friends tonight I will begin what will be a very long interesting journey!

In One Week I Will Be Where?

Oh my goodness - here we are less than a week away from leaving and I am beginning to feel the pre-flight jitters. 

On a lighter note, my old friend Samantha has decided that it is time to spread her wings and take off a little bit too! She is coming to stay with me for several weeks! In that time, we will get to do several things - - go see the Harry Potter movie premiere in London, England travel to several awesome cities and spend some good relaxing time on a  well deserved vacation (for the both of us!)

I was looking for some cheap hostels and I am absolutely shocked at cheap/expensive they can sometimes be! Plus, it really sucks to try and budget because really 25 Euros seems cheap but in reality, its closer to 50 bucks....darn exchange rate :(

T-Minus 4 days.....

Scary isn't it?