Saturday 2 August 2008

After 40+ hours of no toothpaste

I'M HOME!!!!!  It's unreal what Elodie and I had to go through to get home from Rome.  I've gone with a few days of no sleep.  Couldn't sleep well in Rome at all in our Hostel.  But Italy was fabulous and the trip home was an adventure and I have never been so elated for no reason other than the love I have for my friends, family, and home town.  I'm not a good traveler by any means.  Actually,  I'm a terrible traveler and the anxiety has been killing me.  My stomach still aches.  But at least my tired bones may rest now after my lovely night back here in Ohio.  I spent time talking my parents ears off about all the beautiful things I saw, did, and explaining to them an in depth history of England's Monarchs and cities.  I learned so much about these different places it's so pleasing.

Anyways since I'm exhausted because it is about 5:30 am Italy time and I haven't slept for two days or so I am going to raincheck till Sunday or so and just immensely upload a huge amount of photos and stories to fill the rest of this blog.

My my how fast did those six weeks fly by?

loves,
britt

Sunday 20 July 2008

I can't draw

I have no faith in my ability to make a solid drawing that someone can take seriously. So instead of finishing the last bit of my final project I'm journaling. I think it'll help me take my mind off the issue of me sucking really badly at art related activities. The best I can do is a simple doodle. I think it has a lot to do with my inability to concentrate on something that takes a long time to do. I get this way with studying for tests or creating projects so it really isn't just art but right now it's driving me crazy. But I also would like to say I don't think I learned more than a few concepts on how to improve my skill. I don't think I got my money worth even if I put in 100% effort. I also really dislike that everyone's last day in London is working on these things. I say 'fuck it' and we all go play in Hyde Park. Maybe I'll do that


I'm in Paris!  Well I was a week ago.


Sitting in front of the Champs Elysees and also in front of the Arc De Triomphe even though it's not in the picture.
Hey mom look it's the fountain from Vegas!  Hahaha. 
First stop in Paris was the Sacre Coeur.  Been 8 years waiting to see this and climb those steps!
A view from our room on D'Alesia.
After climbing the 700 steps to the second tier of the Eiffel Tower.

So I'm not a Harry Potter fan (have not read the books nor have I even watched one of the movies) but I was told to do this.  Maybe after watching the movie/reading the books I'll have more of an appreciation for this non-existing platform at King's Cross.  Elodie enjoyed it, though!
A beautiful walkway with a waterfall we hung out at our first night in Edinburgh.
 I believe that is Princes street up there in Edinburgh.
The Leith Walkway was gorgeous!
There is the waterfall!

Some of the cute homes.
I love all the signs in the UK.
Everyone in Scotland was so kind.  Elodie found a pound on the floor next to our table.  Some guy came over and asked if we found it.  We did but he told us to keep it for luck.  But Elodie wouldn't so he bought us a lotto ticket.  No winnings but it was cute nonetheless.

I'm really excited for Italy tomorrow but I need to go home so badly.  I'm so homesick and exhausted.  I really feel it'll be better after I don't have to worry about homework or public transportation anymore.  Traveling kills me.

miss you all,
britt

Wednesday 16 July 2008

Edinburgh is gorgeous

Been in Scotland for a little over 24 hours now.  I'm kind of in love.  Everything here is old and stone, hills upon hills, castles on hills, the people are friendly and talk wonderfully, and it's a little cheaper than London.  Well, some things are cheaper.  Of course we have no real internet access at our hotel.  There is wireless but you have to use it in the lobby and you have to pay around $12 an hour.  Last night Elodie, Nina, Courtney, Kaitlin, Liz, and I all ventured out to eat some food and have some drinks near a waterfall that Nina and Courtney found earlier.  We walked and walked and walked and then found this Leith walkway.  It was amazing.  After class today we took the same footpath while it was bright out and it was absolutely stunning.  I'm really excited for all of my pictures.  Elodie and I walked down the street to a bar (Murrayfield Bar) to get free wifi access.  We just had some super delicious veggie burgers and I am on my third liquor and coke drink.  Just livin' the life and enjoying this internet access.  Of course I am feeling a bit tipsy but at least if this entry doesn't make much sense it will be entertaining to read later on.

For our first day of class here in Edinburgh a group of ladies and I spent 5 hours out today but 3 hours of that was spent lost and wandering the streets.  So many people tried to help us out, how precious right?  Elodie, Sarah, and I gave up and took a cab back.  Only about $4 a person...but worth it cause we were so thrown around.

I miss you all.  2 weeks.  And most of that will be in ITALY!

xoxo,
britt

Tuesday 15 July 2008

Edinburgh or bust


I'm leaving for Scotland today.  Edinburgh to be exact.  Land of the unicorns.


xoxo,
britt

Monday 14 July 2008

Paris!

I spent a little under 36 hours or so in Paris.  The city I never thought I would actually get a chance to see.  For some reason I picture myself everywhere but Paris when in Europe.  This could be because I have missed two chances to go, once in between Sophomore and Junior year of hs...didn't have enough guts to ask my parents for the money and I was even more afraid of flying then.  And the second time was last year when my sister went for 10 days in June.  She left during our finals week and I couldn't miss a final...lame city.

But I made it there and it was exhausting, tiring, beautiful, silly, ridiculous, disgusting, and fabulous all at the same time. 

I'll update with pictures and stories sometime soon.  Hopefully tonights.

xoxo,
britt

Friday 11 July 2008

Picture Blog II

 My goat cheese wrap in Avebury at the Black Lion.  Apparently it is one of the most haunted places.  
  We were all super soaked and drunky after the pub.  It was raining so we couldn't see the town very much.  
  His name is Nandi.  He is a statue that resided in a temple of one of the Hindu Divinities.  He's adorable and in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
  The British attempt at a grilled cheese.  It had onions on it, which I didn't order, and butter on the inside.  It was alright for only 2 pounds.
  Bring on Pride London Parade!  This was July 5th.
  The giant rainbow flag.  It went on forever!  They had to have it specially repaired for this year's parade because the weather was so bad last year that it was all torn apart and stained.  
 The Amy Winehouse drag queens were my favorite.  There were at least 6 of them...all different shapes and sizes.
  A super, fabulous, tall, strawed skirt drag queen.
 The epic or really not so epic Stonehenge.
 Elodie is super cute in this picture.
 The things you can find in a Stonehenge gift shop.  I stole a postcard from there too!

 There are cute signs like this everywhere.  This was in Hyde Park near the Serpentine.  I wish it was nicer here lately.  It's my favorite place to chill out on mornings I don't have class.
View from the London Eye.  Just behind Parliament (Big Ben) you can see Westminster Abbey.
Me and Benny Boy.


Elodie, Me, Jenn, Liz, and Rachel on the London Eye.  You can see Ben too!On the bridge back to the Underground stop.  Gorgeous isn't it?!

We went to Abbey Road!  Liz, Els, and I attempted to recreate the picture.  We at least got an intersection with the big stripes to use.  I don't think it was the right one, though.
A Hindu Temple in Neasdon we had class at one day.  
  Taking care of my candy fix.  These starbursts are so much better than ones at home.  Although, I miss pink!
  Tuesday morning we had our studio class in the Natural History Museum.  This is what you see when first entering, Little Foot!  This building looked like a palace.
Our time was spent in the mammal section, sketching them.  Hippo mouth!
I drew a pretty bomb ass portrait of this elephant.
I thought it was an alpaca but it wasn't.  I forget what the name of this animal was.
It's Hayden!
The difference between a cow (left) and camel's (right) droppings.  Obviously water loss is an issue for cows.
Huge polar bear!  BTW all of these animals were actual skins.  They were all faded and there was a sign saying that the museum is no longer collecting animal skins to stuff.
So you see things like faded panda bears.
  Just chillin' with my friend, Simba.
Channeling Timothy Treadwell.
They had a huge dinosaur section.  But no raptors!  I was pissed, to say the least.
  My Pimms and Lemonade in Brighton at the Sussex.  Best drink ever with fresh strawberries!
Kaitlin, Els, and Jenn at the Sussex.  It was too rainy to walk around and enjoy the beachy feel of Brighton.
 Dawn, Liz, Rachel, and Me.  Probably the worst pic of all of this minus Liz's awesome face.
  The wonderful pub we hung out at.
It was cold and rainy and I think Elodie snapped this candid pic.
 The pasty pirate stop.  Got some super delicious coffee from there this morning.  This is in Wimbledon.
The gorgeous Buddhist Temple.  It was so nice to sit outside here.  You see it was sunny today in Wimbledon!
The entrance.
A back walk way to a little creek area.
Rawr!

Looking at these pictures makes me appreciate being here 100%, even if the end of today was kind of awful.

Enjoy!

xoxo,
britt