Day 7 - Heat wave

Boy-o-boy it is a hot one here in Rome. Today is a national holiday for st. peter, and St. paul, so nothing is open so I ended up hanging out in the rome center doing allot of reading and writing on my paper. It is going well, and it has been nice to take some time off to read and not walk around allot. The sunburn is better, but still there and I bet I will be pealing soon enough. I had some cereal for breakfast. I headed out to rome center following a shower. It is weird how empty the campo. By lunch time, it was very very very hot outside, but decent inside. I am going out for dinner tonight. Afterwards, we are headed to different apartments to experience the different drinks as well as hangout with different people. There is a football game on tonight between Germany and Spain, so it should be a good ending point for the apartment crawl. I am heading out to Venice this week, so I am going to be out of communicado.

Day 6 - Beaches and Baths

Today we headed out to Ostia to check out the baths of ancient rome. It was my first experience with their busses and train system here. it is pretty good, when you get one with AC. We started again pretty late, and I packed my self some sandwiches and fruit for lunch today. We met up and headed out at 10am. We got there and walked through the ancient ruins of the city and it was pretty interesting to see all of the stalls of the market, and the different apartments. Emma gave a presentation about the Roman baths, and it was quite interesting. After eating a picnic lunch, with everyone in a grassy field, we headed out to the beach. yey now I have been in the Mediterranean. It is very different than the US as that we were able to drink at the beach. I ended up burning a bit on my arms, and neck a bit. It seems to be from when we were at Ostia than when we were at the beach. To change it up a bit, we headed out to have some very cheap Chinese, at a restaurant near the pantheon. The food was pretty good, but the service was not too good. I headed home, and not sure if I plan to do much else tonight. and well I did not.

Day 5 - Not too much.

Ok well yesterday I was a slacker and did not post anything, my bad, so here we go.

I started off kinda late, it was pretty lame since Andrew was a duche bag and left his cell phone to ring really early. Anyway, we were out by 10 to the rome center, after I had some cereal for breakfast. The milk here is pretty amazing. We headed off to the II class. It was great, and interesting. Afterwards we headed out and grabbed some pizza bianaca, and ate before heading out to the field trip. I also got my phone sim card so that I would have a phone for the trip here in italy. The field trip was for the MM class, to see the Caritas center of Rome. Caritas is an official humanitarian organization of the Ctholic church. It was thought provoking, and interesting to see. We did not have any other classes for the day, so we headed home. Along the way fie of us se=git some food together so that we could make some alfredo pasta for dinner. Jeff and Luke made the sauce and it was amazing. We also had some vino and sangria with dinner. It was a pretty chill day. We chilled at the apartment while I got pictures and then walked people home at the end of the night before playing poker with the guys. I was second up to the end of the game. foiled!

Day 4 - Living in the sun.

Long day of the Column, Forum and Markets of Trajan, and the Pantheon. Walking up, I had some cereal, and then headed out to see each. It was nice to see all the cool things, but lots of sun, which took it out of me. After looking at both, the program treated us all to cafe which was amazing. We took off to get some pizza bianca. I ate with others at the apartment, having the pizza bianca, and pizza roja(sp), mozzarella, and juice and some fruit. I took off to download my photos before the MM movie. It was interesting but a bit long. afterwards I had a snack, and then headed to the optional lecture faculty lecture series. The lecture was really good, except that nearing the end I was falling asleep from the wine that the gave out. We headed out to have dinner with Lauren and that four-girl apartment. Good times. I am headed out to do some reading and the sort.

Day 3 - Presenting

I woke up very tired, I showered, and got dressed. Headed out with my laptop and reading for the day. I had a nice capuchino, and croissant for breakfast. I then headed out to do some reading before class. Class was interesting, and very good discussions about the readings. Afterwards I got some Pizza Bianca, and then walked up to the third floor, to finish up my reading. I got a long long long laundry list for my presentation. Afterwards I talked with Cindy, Laura and Miriam, while eating and finishing up the presentation. After MM class, I headed back to the apartment, and i changed, and wandered around worried about the whole presentation thing. I headed out and gave my presentation. It was a pretty chill walk there, only about 15 minutes. The Richard Meier building was pretty impressive, and so was the altar was also pretty large. My presentation went well, except that Lisa keep adding things that I did not know. oh noes. I hope i did well. Heading back from it, I got some gelato with some other sudents, and then headed back for dinner. Jeff and Luke made a swank dinner for us all of pasta. After it I took care of some digital business.

I am heading out tonight to watch the game.

This has been a pretty amazing trip, and cannot wait to see what comes next.

Day 2 - Colosseum!

Oh me, Oh My.

I missed a day so lets do a little recap, on a long day. Tuesday was pretty swell, but long and crazy. I started out the day waking up pretty early, and taking a shower, so that I could shower after the really warm night. I headed out and got some apples for lunch this afternoon. We met at the UWRC door, and once everyone got there, we headed out to see The Roman Forum, The Roman Basilica, and lots of temples and other things. Lauren gave us a lecture through many many many many things. It was impressive to see the temple of saturn, as well as, the Basilica and the vestal virgin eternal flame temple. Following this, we headed to the Colosseum, and Nick gave a nice review of the history, use, games, and politics.

We had lunch at the Palatine Hill, where Rome was founded. I met with Lisa about my talk, and it was swell. After talking with her. I ate my lunch, and the we headed back to get some groceries with some other students. We got some breakfast and dinner food. and then chilled for a bit before heading out to the introduction courses for the MM(Kathie) and II(Resat) classes then headed out to get a little tour with Lisa. It was pretty swell, to see all the amazing little stores and crazy little squares and the sort. I headed out to grab a phone, but ended up getting some gelato with Nick and Megan. We rolled back to check out Megan's apartment, and drank some. We invented a drink called a Sexy Vixen. It was amazingly good. Limoncello is also amazing these days. So is the cheap Gelato! Ended up heading home to have dinner with Bruno. It was ok, but pretty swell. After dinner, I went home, went over my presentation, and then headed to sleep early. It was pretty early so it took a little bit, but then I was out until my alarm went off.

Day 1 - ROMA!

What an interestingly long day, and it is only 10am. After a wonderful shepperads pie dinner, watching a pretty interesting Italy vs spain game, we headed back to the hostel to pack and check out. I showered then, and it was ice, since I stank now. After my shower I checked to make sure everything was ok, and decided that it would be best to leave much earlier at 1:45 to make sure that I had three backup busses to take me to the airport. I ended up taking one down to piccadilly square, and then another to the airport, for an travel time of around 1hr adn 15minutes. it was not too bad. I got to ride on the top of a double decker bus, I saw winsor castle, and a mini dealership. I talked with a DJ for a bit, and did a little reading. Though I felt scared because it was new, and I did not know the area, I ended up feeling pretty good at the end since everything was CCTVed, and did not think people would try to pull things when there is evidence. At the airport, I was greeted with an expansive airport that was completely shut down. I guess I should have expected that at 3am nothing would be open. I wited for an hour and a half since the ticket agent opened at 4:30am. She was very nice, and laughed at my broken italian phrases. I was put in 15A, a swank seat I would learn. Heading to the security, iit was the BEST security that I had ever been through. THe lady at the gate that checked my passport, was very nice. then there was a leave everything you own, small things, laptops, and everything else, in your bag. fucking genous. shoes still came off, but it was a breaze and they were quite helpful. THe gate was completely empy, so I walked around trying to get some breakfast. sad nothing open. So i had some cookies, and granola barsthat I had packed in my bag, and chekced out the random things around. Finally 5:20 rolled around, and they quickly boarded us. I remember the boarding safety video, and then nothing more. I was flying air itali and everything was said twice, once in italian, once in English. sometime later, I awoke to the captain telling us that it was 90 and clear skies at the airport. I slept the entire fight, but they were nice and left me a pie/cake thing that was quite satisifying. I left to find an ATM. I could not find one, so I passed through passport ness, and then walked to get my baggage. all was in order, so I read for an hour and a half and noticed that the flight the other students were on comes at 11:24. and at baggage claim 7. so I started wiriting this and here we are. I have been up wait too long, for 3 hrs of sleep. hopefuilly they get here, and everything is fine with the car that we ordered. We decided that with five people, splitting a car at 14euro per person is 2 euro more than the train, but easier, and much faster. talk to you on the other side of things.

So after a bit. They arrived and we headed out to find the the car. It worked well, as that we walked outside of the airport and the driver was there. We walked outside to find the hot hot humid weather. The driver left and got the van for us. A quick drive later. we arrived in the rome center. It was much different than I expected, but it was awesomely nice. We walked to the third floor and got our keys and signed in. We walked to our apt and it was pretty cool dropped off our stuff. Kinda less unkept than I expected, but nice enough. We left and went to the the computer. I emailed my parents. I then helped Catharine get her bags to her room. It was quite the walk, and rolling on cobble stones does not help too much with heavy bags. At least they had an elevator, so it was much better than just moving it to a walk of stairs. Their apartment is fucking awesome compared with ours, but ours is close to the meeting place in the morning so it is ok. I headed back for orientation, and then got cash, and tried to get a phone. My parents are doing an awesome job getting me a the code for my phone so it is fine. After some cleaning up, we dressed up and headed out for an amazingly large and great dinner. It was at this awesome place close to the square, so it was a nice walk in the slightly cooler air. I returned and it was a good night. I need to look over my presentation stuff for tomorrow so that I can talk with lisa about it. See ya all tomorrow.

this post was long, so I am not going to check it, not that would change much.

Day 5 - shopping and discovery.

We started the day off with a nice little breakfast and then headed out to oxford circus to do some shopping. It was pretty swell, But I took off with Catherine to check out some other things that we missed leaving the other guys to check out hip-hop stores and the sort. We walked through SOHO, looking at the american stores, and some interesting and very expensive restaurants. It was pretty swank. We decided to take a small shortcut, to Piccadilly. It was a shortcut, but it was through the red-light district. wow that was crazy. Piccadilly is a shopping center, and wealth center like Times square, but smaller. They had your general selection of large TVs on the buildings, but different than NY, there was a monument in the center, and the buildings surrounding it were done in Neoclassical architecture.

Fighting through the crowds, we headed to Leicester square, and saw some of a concert going on there. It was nice, but a bad impersonator of some old music, so we headed down to Trafalgar square and checkout the monuments and indian thing going down there. It was crazy and packed with people. We headed south to check out whitehall st. and the Mall st. to find a pub for lunch. We already visited these places on previous days and we found a pub, similar to where we had lunch yesterday. I noticed that it seems that allot of London is owned by the same chains / restaurants and just have a different name, or same name. I had another jacket potato today, and a Bombarder Beer with it.

After Lunch, We checked out some more of the mall and St. James Park, before going to the National Gallery. It was amazing to see Leonardo De Vinci's work, as well as works from Van Gogh Botticelli, Rembrant, Claude, Michelangelo, Monet, Cezanne among others. Also the building was amazing that held all of the art. Following the gallery we headed to the National Portrait Gallery. This was kinda cool, but less highlights to make it worth the time. After this we walked home along regent street to check out all the crazy expensive stores. It is study time for the time being, before dinner and watching soccer. We are headed up to the Green man to have some pie, for dinner. After soccer I am going to pack up, charge my cellphone so that it wakes me up at 3am, for getting to my flight. oh my. Rome in the morning.

so dinner. I ended up havening the Sheppard's pie, and getting carded again for the Guinness that I had. However tonight as we were watching the game, this women stopped and asked me who were playing. I said it was spain/italy. Later in the evening, she stopped by again, and asked who I was for, and got a menial responce since i did not really understand what she was saying. Finally she stopped by again, and I got it this time. wow it was wierd to be hit on in a bar. I dont get it. and well it was mad awkward. but everyone was giving me shit about it, which was pretty funny in all.

Realization about the world

Tonight at dinner I discovered a little truth. I am the oldest student of the London travel group. It is freaking me out ever so slightly.

Day 4 - one step at a time...

Another day enjoying the amazing sites in London. We started the day with breakfast as usual in the hostel. I noticed a stench in the hallway outside of the apartment, but thought it was just some other travelers in a different room. Continuing on we tried to take the circle line to St. Pauls Cathedral, however getting to the station we noticed that the Circle line was out of commission due to upgrades and "engineering" of the line. We took a different line and then transfered. This should have gotten us to the station, but it just so happens that the train did not stop at the station. so we got off at the next and walked back. It was not too bad, and the mist was quite nice. St. Pauls was pretty swank, and amazingly large. I was very amazed at the architectural structure, and engineering feats that were achieved with it. We saw the American Memorial, and some of the crypt. However the pinnacle of the journey was the 119+152+253 steps that got us to the whisper level, stone level, and Gold levels. The first overlooked the cathedral, and we were able to get an amazing view of the painting of the dome. The trip to the second was a winding circular staircase that was quick, but amazingly steep. We were greeted with views overlooking all of london. The side towers of the front of the cathedral contained nice pineapples that we photographed with and also panorama shots of all of London. The final climb to the top was with metal circular staircases that got us to above the dome that had amazing views of the city. Heading down, we were amazed at the climb.



After St. Pauls we headed to see the Town house of John Soane. Along the way we had lunch at a pub. I had a half pint and a jacket potatoe. It was amazing and good. The Town House was an amazing eclectic collection of architectural elements, and artifacts from around the world. Literally every wall was covered with random sculptures, columns, sarcophagi, models, and lots of other things. It even had its own little outside sitting area, and multi level balconies and other amazing architectural feats.

We then headed out to see the British Museum, which contained archeological finds from all ages of human history. I saw the Rosetta stone, and tombs and immense range of other items from the past.

We walked home, so that we could check out the different shopping areas along oxford circus. It was amazing how many shops were open and people around compared to earlier in the morning.

Arriving home at the hostel, we were greeted with a foul stench in our room. It ended up that the socks of our new roommate contained a foul stench that filled the room with its awfulness. Nick took one for the team and bagged the socks, and helped to air out the room. Hopefully after dinner it will be hospitable. For dinner we are heading out to a pub for some drinks, and to have fish and chips while watching the Euro 2008 soccer game, of Holland vs Russia.

Day 3 - Explore!

So far so good at the whole blogging thing. Day 3 started off with a whimper. Though I went to bed early at 10pm here, I was quite tired as that I woke up earlier as Nick woke up and showered. After getting up and doing the whole getting ready thing. I had a quick breakfast and headed out to westminster station. We started off with the Parliament building. We took pictures of the grounds, and then headed inside to see the session that was in progress. It was pretty cool, but like here there were only 5-7 MPs there at the session. Afterwards we went to Buckingham palace to see the changing of the guard. After a bit of waiting around, we learned that there was not going to be a changing of the guard today. sad. we then went and checked out Westminster Abbey. It was an amazing building and quite crazy how many people were remembered/burried there. King Edward I, Sir Newton, Lewis Carol, Lord Kelvin, Dirac, Darwin, Maxwell, Shakespeare, Green, Stokes, among many many others.

We had lunch after the Abbey. We checked out a well known pub, but it was very expensive, so we headed to a corner shop to have pie and sandwiches. They were quite tasty. We then went to the Churchill museum/war rooms. They were amazing and very interesting to see. The audio-lead tour was nice. We then headed out down white street to check out the Prime Minister's house. it was very well guarded, so we did not get any good pictures of it. Finally we hit up the south bank to get some more pictures before heading back. I am not sure what is going down for dinner, but we will see.

Day 2 of London

Another swell day in London. Staying asleep last night was an issue, but it will not be tonight. We all awoke around 4:30am, but most of u got some more sleep and finally awake at 8:10am. Originally at 4:30am, I was quite awake, but then at 8:10am I was dead tired. I showered, and readied myself and were off by 9:10am. We took the tube to the tower hill station and visited the tower castle, and tower bridge. It was very expensive like everything in london. I liked the armory and royal jewels.

After the castle we walked across the Tower bridge to have lunch. I had a very good but small panini lunch, with some chocolate milk. After lunch we walked along the Thames river to the globe theater. Along the way we passed by the Southwick Cathedral. We quickly looked around it, and then headed to the Tate Modern Art Museum. The Tate art museum, was very culturally stimulating and confusing at times. Modern art is crazy. After the museum we crossed the Thames to see St. Pauls' Cathedral. We did not go into the dome, but it is quite an amazing building. Afterwards we headed to King's crossing Station to see the 9 3/4 gate. At this point in the day we were pretty warn out so we decided to head to the pub to have a beer, and then see the British library to check out the amazing old books they had on display. I saw the Magna Carta, Gutenberg bible, Sacred Buddhism texts, Leonardo's Notebook, The Beetles song notes and lyrics, Newton's writings among the long list of other things on display. We finished off the day by heading back to the O'Neils Bar, and I had a tasty burger for dinner. All in all an amazing day, but crazy tiring. I am now off to write my paper for the term.


ps. pictures are coming, since I am lazy.

Day 1 of London

Hello world.

I am alive, fed and in london.

I kinda left out allot of the backstory till now, making this blog feel like a poorly written Quentin Tarantino Movie. So let me start at the top. Since I last wrote on this blog, I ended up turning 21, Graduating Undergraduate* and traveled to London.

I did the whole experience Seattle's night life that I missed for the last few years. It has been a pretty swell journey with the others who have joined me for the past few weeks. I also finished the quarter with swell grades, and a continued love for the work that I was doing, and I am looking forward to the next step in my life. After two days of recuperating, by which I mean packing, cleaning my room, and looking for things, I lost. I waited at the airport for a boring few hours waiting for the redeye flight. All in all the flight was pretty good, except for the interestingly smelling person that sat next to me. He had long hair, and smelled of a mixture of body odor and Dorito chips. This smell would wake me from time to time gaging for real air. other than that interesting experience, The flight was pretty good. Good food, and wine with dinner, and lots of liquids.

I got into London at approximately 3:30, and got my luggage and waited for the other four students who took a different flight. We then took a train to Poddington station, so that we could take the circle line to the Great Portland st where we could walk to the Hostel. The hostel was just built and it is very nice. The four guys are sharing a bed room on the second floor. After getting a lock so that we could lock up our stuff in the room, took off to wander the streets to find a pub, and dinner. We ate at the Green Man pub which was quite good. I had bangers and mash, and a Pint of Fullers London's prime. I enjoyed it thoroughly and then we were off to explore the Gardens north of us. The gardens were kept quite well. We decided to turn back because it began to rain, like Seattle. :|

Back at the hostel, we are all around the downstairs cafe and hangout area. There is free Wifi, and reading to do. :( Email is probably the best way of getting a hold of me.


* ok, well I survived all four of the ceremonies and final physics classes.

Fin: Graduation

Though the original plan was to be a better blogger, well shit happens, and well here I am.

This past weekend I finished undergraduate, and now i am freaking out.