Endless Possibilities...

Hello all - it has been quite some time since I've last blogged, and I am fully aware of it.  That is just the nature of it, no other explanation other than I simply did not feel like writing out to everyone.  I journal, ohhhh yes I journal - novels at a time, but those are such at an instant and usually more private and filled with curse words (trying to keep it PG 13 here ha).

I know I promised an entry about Rome, but I honestly don't feel like writing much about that right now.  I will give a brief over view:  one of THE oldest cities in the WORLD; the foundation of our cities, infrastructure, architecture, government, religion, all of it - modeled off the Greeks and Romans.  At first glance, the city's vibe didn't hit me quite as strongly as Paris and Barcelona (Ash could sense this in me as we wandered around on our first full day).  Then we turned a corner and what popped out in front of us? Oh yes...the Colosseum!!!! I literally went =O followed by WTF?!?  The whole city revealed itself in this manner; hidden treasures, ruins all buried in Piazzas and bustling round abouts.  If I'm honest though, Ash and I found it hard to enjoy Rome in its full glory due to many obstacles: hostel kind of sucked (freezing, wifi inconsistent, not best location, although we did have some funny Brazilian guy roommates and a girl from Canada); it snowed the day we visited the Vatican and the Italians had no idea what to do, shutting down most of the city; and I got sick on top of all this.  Frozen feet, sniffling nose, and just strange vibes all made us realize we needed to visit Rome again perhaps in the summer.  Although, don't get me wrong, still enjoyed the trip nonetheless; I mean when is it that you get to see the Colosseum, Temple of the Unknown Soldier (huge white palace out of the original Clash of the Titans, I swear), Vatican City, Sisten Chapel, Saint Peter's Basillica, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Sant'Angelo, the Panethon (unfortunately only the outside because it was closed the two times we tried to go inside).  Plus we ate amazing food along the way and ended our last night watching the Super Bowl at our sister hostel  down the road.

So why am I writing then?  If not in detail about Rome and other adventures?  It's about the revelations.  Yes, oh the many thoughts I've been enduring - much too much time for my thoughts to brew, over brew, and bubble over, cycle after cycle like a crazy hamster in a wheel.  (I am better now, otherwise I wouldn't be able to write to you all, heh).  First time I was actually completely alone and on my own was  about a week and a half ago - my audition to Hannover.  First audition, or cattle call, of the season for me - "time to work".  Hannover, to Den Haag for class with Nederlands Dans Theatre (a dream company and the best contemporary dance company in the world), back to Kiel, then to Leipzig, and back to Kiel - all occurring in a week.  From writing incessantly in my journal about my future and what the hell to do with my life, to devouring my book "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris, to writing again, sleeping, listening to music, to finally being then surprisingly inspired with new choreographic ideas - all these things reeling over and over.

Now here I sit in Kiel, in my brother's apartment, finally drawing some "conclusions" or clearer realizations.  First one, through a conversation with my girl Ash the other night:

• Ashley Cramer

  How was the audition???

   ·  · See Friendship · Yesterday at 11:25am

  • • 

      Ashleigh Doede BAH

      Yesterday at 11:43am · 
• 

  Ashleigh Doede heh

  Yesterday at 11:44am · 
• 

  Ashley Cramer Oh no!!! :( hugs!!!!! It's cool, shake it off. I love you and Europe is trying to tell you something. You're here for a reason, remember? And just think of what you've accomplished already. Petey would be proud :) fttttt

  Yesterday at 12:13pm · 
• 

  Ashleigh Doede Hahahaaaa yes yes this is true..the world is telling me something - the message, my destiny is already out here, I just need to relax and heighten all my senses to attain it, fulfill it.

  Yesterday at 12:16pm ·  ·  1
• 

  Ashleigh Doede Thanks ash for always snapping me back into mysel and for always being here and for understanding all this!

  Yesterday at 12:16pm · 
• 

  Ashley Cramer Girl, I'm always here. We have different crafts but both are art forms none the less. I get it. And we believe in the same shit. Fate. It's out there and you're already living it... You just have to sit back and look at the big picture. You're in Europe bc you're suppose to be. Now you just have to think of why :) besides all the fun with me. Haha

  Yesterday at 12:18pm · 
• 

  Ashleigh Doede Hahah! Yes yes. I'm thinking Europe overall right now in my life is to absorb as much life as possible to to simply be me. To be comfortable in my own skin by experiencing every emotion possible through all facets of myself. That was my gut instinct upon our arrival and I am beginning to see more and more how true that is.

  Yesterday at 12:21pm · 
• 

  Ashley Cramer Amen to that! All facets... As difficult as they are to face. And we have had some pretty good experiences! Good and bad, crazy and sane, funny and sad, all of which are at either extremes. Hahahahahaha! I'm loving looking back on this already

  Yesterday at 1:00pm · 
• 

  Ashleigh Doede YES moi aussi

  Yesterday at 1:08pm · 

  
  

  
  

  So, in essence, fulfill my destiny by fulfilling each facet of myself.  Something Ash wrote to me in my journal, on a random page, on our last day in Barcelona that I finally stumbled upon in my writing: 

  
  

  "I love you more than words but remember to love yourself first and foremost.  Don't forget who you are or your main goal: Do things for you and be you without dance.  Remember to self practice and teach yourself how to become balanced with yoga and life.  Also, BE the person you want to meet.  Be your own doctor and heal yourself only AFTER you've let yourself be sick and feel all the stages of emotions.  When all else fails, remember fttttt E from Petey AND I'm only a skype phone call away and I'm probably feeling the same way you are.  All my love!"

  
  

  Mmmm that girl...she knows, she knows, and therefore I know, too, because these are things I've said to myself.  Of course do you only understand once someone ELSE says it to you though, heh.  Of course I return the favor as well and say the same things to her or others.  

  
  

  Also I must say that I had a lovely conversation with Stefi yesterday - she's a beautiful dancer and person here in Kiel, whom I admire greatly.  She ended up saying "It's far better to be dancing somewhere you love the work than to just be dancing anywhere." - that ended up hitting soundly with me because I have been struggling with this for sometime now.  A reason I have ended up returning to PDT is based upon those words; PDT is small, yes, and we have intermittent work, but when we DO work on productions, I feel alive because I'm dancing a lot and getting a chance to explore myself and dance further.  I've had moments like these in Milwaukee and Nevada, but they are far from consistent.  I suppose that is what I'm searching for right now: consistency! 

  
  

  Today I can say the "conclusion" I've drawn up as of now is I am not at a fork in the road, nor at a cross road, I am floating somewhere in the middle with paths continuously illuminating around me with endless possibilities.

La vie en rose

Starting in Kiel, to Berlin, to Amsterdam, back to Kiel, then to Hamburg, to Kiel, to PARIS, to Barcelona, and now in Rome??? All happened in one month. I've been here in Europe for a month now, been to now 7 cities and 5 countries, more than I ever imagined in such short time and all that I dreamed of with still more to come. I am continuously being blown away by the amoun of feelings I can possibly have in just one day and by each hour or minute. The transformation and explosion of life is in full stride now. The Ashleigh I've been awaiting to burst from her shell has begun indeed, ohhhh yes indeed. Paris is my love forever- as I've mentioned before, it is the place where I felt immediately connected to, at home: I am in love with its beauty, language, people, way of life- it just fits and I feel invigorated. With ash we saw and did so much together from the Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower by night below and by day from the top, the Louvre and chillin with Mona, to Champs Élysées, l'arc de Tromphie, Versailles and Louis's inordinate amount of gold, to Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, St. Chapelle, Shakespeare and Company, shopping in boutiques and obtaining my Parisienne "look" (boots, dress, biret, necklace), to wandering the streets of Montmartre where we resided, and finally eating our way through the city if lights, love, and beauty!!! How couldnt you be in love?! I experienced he highest of highs and the lowest of lows in Paris but I wouldn't take a second of it back and I love her just as much through it all.

So I knew I was done for and Paris had my heart until we arrived in Barcelona...not only was the 7 hour train ride gorgeous through the south of France...no truly jaw dropper and he best train experience I've ha this far, but also once we got to Barcelona everything was so easy for the fire time ever!! I know...say what?! We got off the train, found our metro line easy in the main station, transferred to our next no biggy, and walked just a few blocks to the hostel! As soon as we got to the front door we were even buzzed in without having to ring the bell! And the guy at the front desk was so kind, cheery, and helpful- he even carried ash's big suitcase up the stairs! there we encounters our first set of roommates- two Turkish guys; Barcelona has mainly co-Ed hostels but it was chill. =]

We then explored and wandered the streets and found the arc de triomfe! Amazing all these arcs!! We continued down windy little ally ways, and stumbled into a tapas restaurant where we had amazing sangria followed by a lovely meal and the check came with honey shots for us! So peculiar but really tasty and strong! Of course the next day insaid we HAVE to see gaudí just HAVE to ( a main reason why I wanted to go to Barcelona so badly). So we asked the front desk where to go and he recommended out of all the sights to go into the Casa Battó which for €18 was worth it!!! We got a free audio guide and were in this incredible house for at least an hour and half. Gaudí and his ingenious, face to face. Then we walked along the road and saw La Pedrera and finally got to Sagrada Familia and WOW just seeing that church from the outside was stunning. All sides are SO different in character and is still under construction!! My favorite side was that with the dripping front...mmmm so grotesquely beautiful. We finally walked back to the hostel, rested for a bit, and then sought out paella on the pier (no worries we half our bags close for SURE!!!). Mmmmmmm best paella I've ever had!! (lobster paella...yes you heard me right..lobster and I loved every bite of it). Then we finished the night off downstairs in the hostel bar for a mojito (one of the best I've ever had) and we hung out with our new Argentinian bartender friend Tincho for the evening.

Next day i took ash to yoga with me!!! And yes it was in Spanish or catalunyan heh, but Sanskrit and the human body is universal =]. Then we met up with Tincho at the hostel and he was our local guide and took us down all the hidden alleyways, saw the Palau de la Musica and finally to the champagneria where we split a bottle of sec and rose with our sandwiches all at a great price! Then we went back to Tincho's apartment where we hung out with his friends, drinking beer on his incredible balcony. We stayed there until dark so great.

Next day Juan our other local friend who works at the hostel took us out in the city. He took us to Park Gaudí which was another location I REALLY wanted to visit ( due to seeing pictures of Rachel Malehorn when she went =]) and it was incredible and the view of the city simply breath taking. Afterwards Juan took us to the big market near La Ramble where we selected our tapas for dinner: avocado, tomato, manchego, baguette, almonds, strawberries, prochutto right off the leg, and cured olives in cava!!! Of course we got red wine and we opened Ash's favorite dessert wine from France =]. That was our dinner later at the hostel but one our way back we grabbed sandwiches on the street- nothing better than that =].

Our last half day in Barcelona ash and I went to a cafe near the hostel and drank our coffee while reading and writing in our journals =]. I would wrote more about the details but I'm feeling SOOO many other things right now. So many things that I can't even delve into what I saw in Rome today. And today is the day of ash and my one month anniversary in Europe. We had a lovely dinner and our quotes are: "la dolce vita" and "la vie en rose". All I can say is I am bursting with life. I also just got off Skype with my mom and feel even more invigorated with life and comforted that what I'm doing is right and great. She just said "just think I a diamond and all the facets that make it up. That all the imperfections make up this one gem." so basically I need to keep adhering to all the facets of me- ALL the facets of me. I love you mom and am thinking of you evey second in Italy.

Paris, je t'aimes.

Je suis en amour, en amour, en amour!!!! Je ne veut jamais Partir Paris!!! D'accord, en anglais.

I am in love, in love, in love!!! I never want to leave Paris!!! I knew it I knew it...the moment we stepped out of the hostel I started jumping and doing our family happy dance. By fire to back up...

When I last left you I actually just finished my blog and then...yes yes...I see locks of golden curly hair enter the building and she turns, drops her bags and we rush into such a tight embrace- finally the ash's reunited!!! Oh tears of joy and passing frustrations all spilled out as well as our stories and difficult travels. Oh man just being with ash again alone feels SO amazing oh yeah AND that we are in Paris on top of all that!! Man...couldn't be better. So far this is the happiest and most alive I have felt on this entire trip; this is the transformation I have felt itching inside of me...and I had a feeling deep down this would bein in Paris. And oh yes it has commenced, the sheddin of old skin and new beginnings and more than a more than anything discovering bits and pieces of myself that already reside within me. Bring it ON!

So....as I waited for ash to arrive all the while in the lounge wifi area I was catching up on emails, Facebook, my blog and this British sounding guy was also in the room (who also speaks some French as well)- I diet say anything because I needed some me time and also was a bit why of course - but it was only us two I the room for a good hour and a half! Then Ash arrives and after out reuniting he starts to kind of chuckle in agreance to something and that's when we three hit I off. Hahaha and ash was like " wait he speaks English this whole time?? After witnessing the break down and spillage??" yes ash, yes lol. But it was great. And we just let loose and made a great new friend right away! Finally ash and I could check in and our new friend Hamish invites us to join him for crêpes at this great little hole in the wall literally place - asd so my French is put to the test on the streets of Paris! Even when we checked into our room I said I needed to practice and the girl web slowly with me which loved! I am understanding and conversing much more than I thought! Still lots ahead but I am SOOO excited.

So Hamish became our little tour guide since he had already been here for a couple days - we wandered Montemarte and went to Sacre Couer where we got an amazing view of he city!!! Inwas crying inside and I haven't smiled so much in Awhile. I have a constant grin. We then proceeded inside after seeing some distant street performers and observed some extremely fat and fury pigeons (an albino looking one too! Haha). Inside was breath taking and people were confessing all around - so sacred and no pictures. Afterwards we proceeded around he back and found un petit rue et voilà, we found a stand stating: "vin chaud et chocolat ancienne" - hot wine and ancient chocolate! We stopped in of course and picked up a glass of hot mulled wine mmmmm soooo good. Then the wandering continued.

We made our way back to near the hostel where Hamish departed so ash and I went to the front of the Moulin Rouge and took photos and everything! Then we went back up to Montmartre, found a cafe and had coffee (amazing btw) with a plate of three cheeses, un baguette, and a salad with walnuts...yes I had cheese and it was SOO good. Yeah the vegan thing...kind of going out the window on this trip heh...but I will stick tobmy vegetarianism. Lol. OH and on our way to this cafe we stopped into a boulangerie for our first croissants aux buerres!!! Oh mon dieu!!! C'est très très manifique!! And sitting at that cafe, it hit me. I was SO happy just SO incredibly happy. Nothing matters but this moment and I realized I don't need dance or anything else to make me happy - just me. I just felt so alive and still do. No worries, no regrets, nothing but the present. Everything else will fall into place as it should but in that moment I lived and it was perfect. Being alive is attaining "perfection" because once you just shut up and be still, you become aware of all the little parts to make you up and you are alive which is exactly why we are on this earth- to be ALIVE and share that wih everything and everyone!!! I am in love my heart is swollen.

So we decide to go back to the hostel while picking up some affordable good cheap wine and stopping into a little shop where we purchased little silk scarves. Our next plan was Eiffel Tower. Mmmmm and so our adventure begins: and man let me just say soonanistic these French men are too much! Twice in this evening at he metro two different guys have come up very closer me and damn lemme just tell you if looks could kill, my eyebrow would have done a number on them!!! Ash was laughing. Haaaa. Yeah back off yo. But anywho as we are approaching our metro stop we are hit like a ton of bricks by the Eiffel tower's beauty (while she was lighting up and sparkling- she knew we were coming and what an entrance!!!). Oh I like lost it on the train and then skipping in the streets and smiling all the way! The closer we got he more we were hit with such awe by its magnificence and size!! The bottom! And the art crafted into the metal! We take out pictures and of course another art of guys come up to us and offer to take our photos and we had some conversation - of course they are wanting to hang out with us and we are trying to be nice - eventually we get rid of them though heh. But I am happy for that moment because it really put my daily conversation with French to the test! I have broken French and he had broken English lol...some stuff I understood, some sort of, and some not at all heh...but just more submersion! More is the key!

So we wanted to go up to the top but even at 8:45 pm the line was sooooo long! And we imagine kind of expensive too so we decided to come back during the day for a clearer view of the city and maybe wih tickets ahead of time heh... But good thing we didn't go tithe top because we really wanted a view of the tower being lit up with sparkles, which happens once every hour. So we went across the street for the best free view and bought ourselves some popcorn to enjoy the show. =]. Hahaha and of course it was windy a bit and our popcorn was free standing on the wall next to us; ash says " watch out popcorn will go flying" and I kind of looked at her and shrugged in agreement but still we sat there looking at it. Sure enough moments later the popcorn goes flying, spillin most Of itself all over the floor...we sat laughing and then i down to pick up the remaining bits in the box. I said " well we did ask for a small..." haaaaa...

Just in time, 9pm hits and we go "aaaa!" she lights up the sky!!! SOOO beautiful! I even took video of this moment ;P. so we decide to head back to Montmartre to seek out this place for dinner open late on Sunday's, according to my hidden Paris book of knowledge ;]. We pick up some postcards at a great deal on the way while also having hilarious conversation with the man working there, comparing Paris to california etc. he just added to my love affair with Paris.

Then we arrive at our destition but...no restaurant to be found...? So strange because we actually found it! We had the righ address and all! But we decided ok good job on finding it but let's find a place to eat. We wandered a familiar street and finally stumbled into a cafe called Le Chinon where our waiter was soooo cute and nice!!! I swear once I attempt conversation in French everyone treats is well! But I want to and I'm loving it! French is music to my ears!! Plus I was sold on this cafe because they were playing radiohead mmmmm and we all know my thing with thom and radiohead...and all night long they were playing great music. So, i had the penne pesto, ash gets a tartine bœuf and we both have a vin rouge de Bordeaux - mmmm SOOO good!

What a perfect first day in Paris!!! I just want to be parisienne!! I feel as though I am home, that it had been true all these years, that a part of my heart had always belonged here. And the crazy thing is we are just getting started! Oh I am in love!!!!

Alright off to bed and onto more excursions tomorrow!

Bon soir et à bientôt!!

Mon Dieu

Finalement, je suis ici!!! En Paris!!! Mais, Je ne la crois pas. Maintenant je suis dans mon auberge de jeunesse, attends pour mon ami Ashley à arriver. Il y a à près de le Moulin Rouge!!

Ok enough of my attempts at speaking French and enough of you all being in utter confusion...lol. Basically...I am finally in Paris!!! And right now waitin for my dear friend Ashley to arrive from Dublin in our hostel which is near the Moulin Rouge!!! Getting here though was quite an excursion and rattled me a bit too...sigh so much to catch up on and I'm sorry for abandoning you all for so long..

So I've been researching Paris, my dream city, the city of lights and love and beauty, for weeks now- I looked up directions and places to go and my train information; I was so ready. I took ballet class yesterday from 10-11:30 and then caught my train to Köln at 12:38 (the first leg of my journey). The train ride wouldnt have bothered me so much except for the fact that my back was irritating me quite a bit and sent me into a downward spiral of anxiety and nerves... I couldn't get comfortable - let me back up..see upon my return to Kiel from Hamburg about a week ago, I started taking class with Nik and the company again. All was well until after class on oh I say Tuesday or Wednesday i was changing, bent down to put my socks on and BAM my lower back freaks out and goes into almost complete and utter spasm. I gripped the couch for balance and breathed through it as I was simultaneously talking to another girl. "oh god oh god oh god" was going through my head like a broken record...I just sucked it up and tried to finish dressing with the least amount of pain possible. Then my brain reels back to what Michelle (my chiropractor) told me in regards to my back and how basically I've acquired a "tucking" issue and that I need to release my pelvis without pushing my ribs forward though... Well inwas her the day before flying overseas and honestly didn't disregard her information but also didn't really think too much about it- obviously I wasn't being active with the info at hand and this is how my body decided to take action..by force. She also said when my body gets pushed to the limit I basically shut down and wot stand for it soooo I'm taking this as a big sign but it's been freakig me out. Since then I haven't really been able to bend forward without pain and doing grand battement to the front is a little troublesome as well...and certain jumps...but not arabesque or archit just rounding (which makes sense since I'm doing that too much). So I've been Rolling out my body and hot showering and praying it gets better before my first audition February 12 in Hannover!!! So I was very distraught on the train yesterday.

Finally I arrive in Köln, find my next platform, pick up what the Germans consider Chinese take out =S (not greasy thank god..just bland heh..even spicy to them is incredibly mild), and then I board the train. I stake out an area when this couple arrives and tells me it's reserved for them- ok I understand this and then ask which seats aren't taken? They tell me the whole train is by reservation only!! I ask even with my Eurail Pass?? They didn't know the answer so hurry off the train, find a DB worker and he's not even sure! He tells me to find the conductor - so I ask the conductor and the train THA that I wanted to take wouldn't accept my Eurail- so I'm freakig out a bit because he's telling me I have to buy a ticket at the station ahead of time for €33 but then he's looking through his seating chart and sees a few empty seats in the last car. He says I can pay on the train but it will just be €43 instead but MAN I was rattled but he was very helpful and kind. Then I embark on my last major train towards Paris Gare du Nord.

As I'm entering the city I only see the bottom of the Eiffel Tower lite up and ts ouch black f course since its about 10pm now...I get of the train and successfully find my next connection and bought my ticket - line 5 towards P. Picasso get off at Hoche. Although inside Gare du Nord I already felt totally out of place being that I was what looked like not the best of areas...well whatever I get on the train and immediately I'm sent back to my adventures in New York City, taking the train uptown to 186 st...the kind of ghetto...and where I am definitely the minority...so I exit the metro and walk upstairs - daunting indeed and there's a group of guys hanging right outside the stop - empty streets, I cannot find my street, I cross the street a couple times to get away from them and to also find more light to look at where I am. Then I see this young girl around my she with a bike - We make eye contact, I pass here, and hen decide to ask here where my street is. I approach her and (here we go French) "pardon, j'ai une questionne. Vous savez cet rue, le rue 7 Arpents?"she looks at my directions and then leads me to the bus map but cannot find it. She asks a couple other guys around her and one knows - we are still speaking some French and then she asks if I speak English which if course i say yes. But she was so kind and helpful and I'm glad I attempted the language.

So...finally I reach my hostel which was only A blocks from the metro but I felt uneasy for sure...I enter the run down looking hostel and speak again some broken French to the front rest clerk. I check in but there are only lockers downstairs for €2 a day and wifi you have to buy in a card that they are all sold out of and don't know when they'll be getting more. I just felt uneasy...I mean it was clean but I could only stand being there for one night. I didn't want ash and I having to walk around that neighborhood late at night after our adventure in the city and inwas worried our belongings wouldn't be so safe...and especially since we are here for like 6 days! So I turned on my roaming data to figure things out and messages ash - thank god she replied!!! So she said just to relax and sleep there tonight - she also told me to turn off my data and took care of finding a new hostel. She is AMAZING and a life saver. So while she looked up things I spoke with my parents and really tried to hold back tears...just so rattled yesterday..and now I am a this wonderful little hostel or so far wonderful with this free wifi =].

Ok well I shall return later with more updates and excursions about Paris! Back do far is feeling better today than before so I hope it stays that way =].

À bientôt!

Home sweet home

Back in Kiel with my brother and roomie Sonia ah yes joy. Just chilling in the jam room with them and I'm filled with such joy and comfort =]. Simple joys in life and I am so incredibly grateful for awesome brother and the closeness we share. He is such an inspiration to me. I am content.

Fun house

Where did I last leave you...

Ah yes the last journies of Berlin...=]

I woke up around 7am to get ready and set off on my journey to ballet class FINALLY after not dancing for a week - and man it felt good. Took the metro to the studio which felt amazing - it was also the first time Ash and I were separated and to take the train by myself gave me some immediate flashbacks to my travels on my own in Portland, Montreal, New York, Chicago, San Francisco - I love it =] I found myself smiling.

So I arrived at Marameo dance studio and took class from this older woman with some of the craziest hair ever - frizzy fro style yo! Thanks Brian Grannan for the suggestion!! Oh taking ballet class sent me on a natural high and I strolled the streets of Berlin as inset out to meet up with Ash at Alexanderplatz (which is basically one huge shopping center). Ash got a new camera (which the people fully paid for- a rarity these days to find such generous and genuine people) and I took ballet - couldn't see a happier pair walking down the street! After some window shopping and Thai food we headed to the German national history museum (the dutchess's palace I believe) which was interesting but we ended up being more interested in going the wrong way in the lay out and questioning if any of this history or artifacts are actually real. Our attention spans at this point were on the decline. Although the last part of the museum we went to was more modern art about the war - they even had part of the wall there (seeing it on the street in its actual place was more impacting though heh).

Then we went back to the hostel to rest for a bit - apparently I fell asleep for an hour and 15 minutes though when I thought it was only 15 min!! So after a much needed nap...we went back to our man Mr.Chan at the Vietnamese restaurant, ordered ourselves some Beck's, spring rolls, and pha soul while we told him about all our adventures =]. Upon our return, we showered quickly and then went to bed since we had an early flight for Amsterdam the next day.

Day 5: off to Amsterdam!!!
So time to wake up at 2:30 am to make our 7am flight and oh man why did we book it that early?! Because we are crazy. That's why, yes that is why. And by the way people EasyJet is interesting indeed! That whole " get to airport at least 2 hours prior to your flight" does not apply to this company. Once through security and you look at the board to see the gate number you take off from you'll notice they aren't listed...they decide to post the number at your boarding time and then it becomes a free for all - everyone on the same mission to beat each other to the gate and pick a good seat. Yes that is true too - you have a zone number to board but no seat number; they didn't even call out the zones for us! They opened the door and everyone goes through!

We exit the plane and we immediately start smiling - ENGLISH!!! We take the train from the airport and out smiles disappear as soon as the first announcement is made because its all in Dutch...but we get off the train and the first breath of air we said "yep we're in Amsterdam alright!". We get to Central Station, walk outside and our jaws drop as we start laughing with disbelief and wonderment haha.. "It's like a crazy Disneyland! Toon town! A fun house WOA! Too charming...". We get to our hostel around - 10:30 am or so and once situated in our rooms we definitely feel the hunger but sleep prevailed - so nap we did =].

We woke up and it was time to grab some lunch! We ended up at this cute cafe bar right knthe corner closest to our hostel and I had an apple walnut arugula Swiss cheese sandwich! Yes ladies and gentlemen, I did in fact have some cheese and it was DELICIOUS! Mmmm yes. Ok after lunch it was time to look on our fun map to find our first fun thing to do! We decided today would be a great day to go experience "The Heineken experience" - 90 minute tour (which was basically an awesome interactive museum with hot guys everywhere giving is knowledge!), 2 beers at the end, and a free hat due to the guilt they have because of renovation in one exhibit! Pretty sweet if you ask me!

Afterwards we wandered the city in circles! Yayness! It as getting darker and arrived at Anne Frank's house! We were going to go inside but it was a little too pricey to see a small hidden unfurnished bookcase - no offense to you Anne. ;]. Dinner time it was

We wandered more and found our way into a pub with great atmosphere! Mmmmm I broke a little more of my rules and had the tomatoe soul which I'm sure had cream in it but sooooo good mmmhmmmm. We chilled there for a few hours and then it was homeward bound. We took hit showers and then passed out. Man oh man.

Day 6: HJN And Maurice!
Went to dance again! Yay!! Took contemporary and ballet today at the Amsterdam Dance Center, HJN studios - almost didn't make it in time because I messed myself up in the directions...but got there nonetheless. Contemporary class was rolling around and diving into the floor AND everyone knew the combos already so I was lost on top of it. I ended up stretching on the side at the end. Ballet was awesome though. Carmen from Lines Ballet! Finally to have a contemporary ballet class felt SO amazing and she's stunning... I felt so recharged. Walking back to the tram after class put me in cloud nine -the cold air was so refreshing and invigorating after being so sweaty.

Once I met up with Ash back at the hostel we were out again to meet up with Maurice!!! Oh he is SOOOO lovely - I always have such a wonderful inspiring visit with him. =]. He has such a gear outlook on life and always so supportive and full of knowledge. =].

Well now I am off to bed! Got a morning train back up to Kiel tomorrow! Yay back to Nik but also sad because tomorrow will be the first day Ash and I will be separated!! ='[. And it wont be another week and a half before we see each other! In Paris though!!!! Ahhhh! Yessss.

Bon voyage Ash and goodnight all! Amsterdam was a fun house indeed

Day 4: The Heart of Berlin

Wow wow. What an AMAZING day it was! And quite exhausting so I must make this. Quick blog since I'm about to pass out and need to get up early so I can embark upkn my journey to Halle class heh...YAY!!!

So Ash and I woke up around 8 after a nice long much needed rest (I swear we were still net lagged a little heh), got ourselves some breakfast compliments of the hostel, got ready for the day and ventured out around 10! We walked EVERWHERE today. We first went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum where it was a landscape of graves/tombstones risen on all different levels as well an underground free museum filled with timeline information and some more tombs- we were in the catacombs. So fascinating and devistatig. Next was Hitler'a Bunker (or a landmark of where it was) - an underground bunker where he, his wife, and other officials hid - huge! His bunker was also just a couple blocks away from the Holocaust Memorial site...hmmm ironic? Hmmm... Following, we walked further into he heart of Mitte, historical west Berlin and saw the Humbolt University, Russian and U.S. Embassies, the Gate of Brodenburger Tor (the "official" entry way of The Wall), and many statutes - they are everywhere! Stunning.

Then it was Ike for a lunch break, which we snuck from breakfast this morning to safe money ;]. We were trying to find some place inside to sit but Ash ended up saying "screw it. Let's just sit here at the bus stop.". So we pulled out our mini baguettes, avacado and salt and voila! We were true young backpackers, sitting in Berlin at a bus stop eating, peeling an avacado with bare hands, and cutting into it with my empty coffee lid hahaa. It was great.

We walked on and found this great little cathedral I cannot REMEBER he name of right now. At first we could tell if the door was cracked open to church goers or to be public, but we sucked it up and entered. Glad we did because it was another free museum and GORGEOUS at that! Next we went to our next mouth gaping, thrown back gasping place: the Berliner Dom. This is probably my favorite monument thus far. This huge protestant church absolutely mind blowing. Zoned started waking towards it because I told Ash we HAD to go inside and then we stumbled upon a street market! We walked in and along that and decided to stop and have curry wurst ( well ash of course not me lol) and a pretzel, right underneath a whirring train track. What more could you ask for eh?

We continued around, crossed the river and made our way to the Dom with it raining on and off. =]. As we for closer we decided we wanted a picture in front of it together and asked his cute older man to take it for us. He took one and as he started to take he second one he accidentally dropped Ashley's camera with the lens breaking!!! So now thmanage j dieting upon replacing it as we meet up with them tomorrow to fix this dilemma.

So we get to the from and oh man as soon as we entered - blown away. We went upstairs all the way to the top and walked outside around the dome with one of the best 360 views of the city below. Incredible. And the sun decided to peek out as it was setting. So picturesque and I was I in heaven since I LOVE skies, especially setting sins. We finished our tour with going all the way down to the crypts! I cannot BELIEVE we were allowed!! The catholics are pretty strict about people visiting their holy dead..but wow it was incredible. I know I keep saying hat Bout everything but everything was heh.


Finally our last big venture was to the Topography of Terror and the last standing remnant of the Berlin Wall, a.k.a. "The Wall of Death.". So we took. Bus part way and as we are walking we accidentally made a wrong turn and ended up walking along the longest block of our lives- a good 5 or 7 minutes hahah! Only to realize it was the wrong direction haha. So we turned around and were so glad we sucked it up and continued because the a path of brick appeared, outlining where The Wall used to stand. The. We reached it. An " oh my god! " from the both of us and then silence. Wires hangin out, graffiti saying "why" and "save our world", holes through it here and there. We stood across the street and you really can't see anything...do sad and errie. Then we entered and saw behind the wall and the trenches...that hit me hard for a minute. As we entered another free museum more timelines history awaited us Nd I was reminded of my grandpa who fought in this war...being here in Berlin and standing on the same grounds as this catastrophic genocide and probably one of our most recasting wars known to man just hit me hard. I have always been fascinated by World War II - how could just one man brainwash motions of people and several countries?!? Essentially running the world?! Or at least the EU. And then all the devastation and cruelty....heart wrenching. On top of all that, once my grandpa flooded into my mind that was the tipping point and I just felt this weight in my chest. So much history and sadness and rejoice in overcoming at a new all in one place.

To make this all the more pacting, throughout the entire day it as cold, rainy, and overcast- truly giving you the feel of what it was like to be in the war. So far I can conduce that Germany is erriely beautiful.