It's Time To Say Goodbye...

Well folks, it looks like this will be my last post for this blog! After 7 months across the ocean, I am finally headed home.
I can't even begin to look back and summarize all of the adventures I experienced since January. There were so many high points, very few lows and a LOT of funny moments. Not only did I get to see 13 countries, but I also got to experience them with so many different people. People say that you don't really know someone until you travel with someone, and I am relieved to say that after traveling with my family and friends, I appreciate them even more! I am a fan of making lists, and in the spirit of doing so, I have made a few lists to highlight the experiences I've had during my semester abroad as well as my 10 weeks backpacking.

Top 5 Highlights Of My Semester in Norway
1. Dog sledding in the Arctic Circle
2. Oslo Fashion Week
3. Visiting my friends from FLBC in Sweden (Ben) and the Czech Republic (Maarja)
4. Spending 3 weeks with Mumsie visiting relatives and exploring Prague
5. Movie nights with Simone (and pistachio ice-cream!)and long talks over tea in the kitchen

Top 10 Highlights of My Backpacking Trip
(I couldn't limit it to 5!!)
1. Celebrating the 17th of May with my relatives in Norway
2. Evening guitar sing-alongs on the beach in Malaga with Zach, Marek, Lorelle, Max and Shea
3. Watching Barcelona beat ManU at a bar in Barcelona (mostly because Zach was the most excited I have ever seen him)
4. Attending a wine fest in Wilhelmsburg with Bernie's friends and attempting to learn some of the German language...
5. Sound of Music sing-a-long tour! I had a great partner beside me to do harmonies :)
6. 8 hour boat ride in Venice on a beautiful, sunny day
7. Hiking the Cinque Terre with new friends from Colorado
8. Hiking Plitvice Lakes and surrounding area in Croatia
9. Spending a relaxing week reading novels and catching up with my family in Antiparos
10. Writing, rehearsing, performing and filming any and all videos

Top 5 Lowlights Of My Backpacking Trip
1. Scorching hot weather in Split while staying in a hotel without air-conditioning
2. Boat ride from Paros to Rafina when I almost threw up about 8 times
3. Generally bad weather (aka rain) when I didn't want it. Ex. Malaga, Barcelona, Milan, Verona, Garmisch, Salzburg etc.
4. Making a train reservation for the wrong day after waiting in line for 2.5 hours!!
5. Anything that had to do with carrying around Dad and Kristen's monsterous suitcases. Word to the wise-ALWAYS take a backpack when traveling around Europe. Never a suitcase.

Top 5 Random (but funny) Moments
1. Jamal/George/Creepiest hostel owner ever...
2. 'Girls Night' with Mikka watching 'Nacho Libre' and eating brownies
3. Dressing up in costumes at the Wilhelmsburg Castle
4. Meeting up with my friends from Malaga (Marek, Max & Lorelle) in 3 different cities. SO great.
5. Wine/Cards night in Florence with Care-bear and Zatch

And that's the best I can do in terms of summarizing my time here! Even as I sit here writing, I have a million more moments coming to my mind. Thank goodness I have pictures, journal entries, and of course videos to make sure I don't forget any of the memories that I haven't the time to mention now.

I have had the most amazing 7 months and as I look back, I am so thankful for every single experience I had whether it was a joyful, entertaining, or challenging. I am also thankful for the people that helped me along the way. My first travel buddy was none other than my wonderful mother. It was so great to see a new place with her Mom (that she'll never be able to see on cruise ship!). Even though I was determined to show her that I was an independent, self-sufficient woman when she came to visit me(I mean, I could cook PASTA so that definitely made me a grown up), she still managed to take care of me in a way that only a mother can. I consider my mom one of my dearest friends and appreciated the one-on-one time we had together. We had some great laughs, and I hope to someday be as adventurous and well-traveled as she is.

After Mumsie, I got to start traveling with friends! This was a first for me and I was excited, but a little nervous because unlike siblings, I can't just yell at my friends when they are being obnoxious or annoying. Fortunately, after traveling with Zach and Caroline, I have no complaints-only more love for the two of them. Zach was able to capture every moment on his camera (and even let me pose in a photo or two) and soaked everything up while he could. He was able to maintain a relaxed attitude while I panicked and vented about everything that had gone wrong (usually weather-related). I am glad I had the chance to share a bit of my Norwegian family with him and I hope he is able to visit Germany someday because I know he would've loved it!

After our trip, Caroline has become an even closer friend (though I didn't think it was possible) and after long conversations and many, many laughs I realize how blessed I am to have her in my life. Her positive attitude and quest for adventure always made our days very busy, but very successful. Without her planning and organizational skills I don't know how many things we would've missed out on. Our Euro-Adventure will always be a favourite part of what I know will be a lifelong friendship.

And then, of course, I was with my family. When June 30th came, I was so happy to see Ingrid, Kristen and my Dad. 6 months had been way too long to be apart from them! Of course, my Dad greeted me by saying '...You look tall...' a classic quote from him, and I knew nothing had changed. My Dad planned an amazing trip for us and organized everything which I could appreciate after doing it myself for 6 weeks. We had such an amazing time together, catching up and laughing about things that most people don't find funny. Even though we got a lot of stares because of our 'crazy blonde hair' (and maybe because we talk too loud), I didn't mind. I have come to fully embrace the fact that my family is weird, and that is okay. It's actually awesome because when I'm with them, I don't stick out like a sore thumb. Most of all, they take care of me, take part in my my ridiculous videos and let me play the role of entertainer (a void I seem to feel the need to fill in every social group).

But now, the adventure has come to an end. That doesn't mean that a new one isn't right around the corner, though! I suppose the best thing about traveling is that you get to go home after you're done. I am most definitely looking forward to seeing the rest of my family, wearing different clothes, and being able to eavesdrop in public places again because now I speak the national language. I have appreciated my time abroad and am so thankful that God has kept me safe for the past 7 months! It is incredible to me that I didn't lose anything important or break any bones during my trip. PRAISE JESUS. Mark Twain said 'To travel is to learn' and I would definitely agree with that statement after my experience. I learned about new places, my travel partners and of course, myself. What a blessing it is to see the world!! As much as I loved seeing all the new countries I visited, my heart still belongs to the mountains and prairies of Calgary, Alberta.

Finally, I must thank all of you who are currently reading this blog. It has been a long road, but we've made it to the end! I'm not much of a journal writer, so having this blog has been a great way for me to keep track of my adventures. Knowing that someone out there is interested in my experience provides me with motivation to actually get to the computer and write things down. It was so encouraging to receive letters, post-cards, messages and e-mails from people back at home. Whether it was a care package from my Mom, facebook messages or letters from elementary school children, it was deeply appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my travels. I can't wait to share more pictures and stories when I get home.

Well, I suppose this diva is officially signing out!
SEE YOU SOON, CANADA!
A

Ingsy & Me: Germany Take 2

So...I went back to Germany again. I know what you're thinking, I was just there three weeks ago. And you are CORRECT! I loved it so much I couldn't stay away. Though it is the same countriy, Ingrid and I explored cities that I hadn't seen before. We started off in the small town of Donaueschingen. The purpose of this stop was so that Kristen and Dad could begin their bike trip on the Danube River. The initial starting point of the river is in Donaueschingen, and the two of them will be riding through Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Austria, Romania, and ending in Belgrade, Serbia. I probably forgot some of the countries they are riding through, but just know that it will be an adventure for them! Please keep them in your prayers as they take on this new, exciting challenge! Ingrid and I were there to send them off on their first day(with a quick photo shoot, of course) and then it was time for Ingsy and I to start our own adventure.

We were headed to Baden-Baden, a small resort town that was famous for its spas and hot baths. Unfortunately, Ingrid and I didn't really have the time or funds to get a spa treatment, but we did enjoy the siplicity of the town and enjoyed our first day souvenir shopping, drinking coffee and of course, people-watching. The city was very cute and we enjoyed walking around.




But all in all, our time in Baden-Baden was really great. On our second day, we did a Rick Steves' walking tour and went to the Caracalla Hot Baths, NOT the Roman ones where everyone is naked. (See previous post to learn more about my issues with nudity). The baths were really cool to see and it was nice to do something a little different. Contrary to our expectations, the actual pools were not that hot.



But we were still able to have a really good time and it was a new experience for both of us. It was also great because we were the only people with a camera and everyone was looking at me when I was taking pictures and, of course making videos.

We went out for a walk that night in the park and then stopped for dinner. Again, we were amazed at how great the salads were there!

The next morning, we headed off to Trier. It is not as touristy as Baden-Baden, but it is still a bustling little town. There are 200,000 residents and 80,000 of them are students so we noticed a lot more young people walking around in comparison with Baden-Baden which was mostly populated by senior citizens. Again, the weather was not great. As Calgarians, we don't usually feel it necessary to put on a coat unless it goes below freezing, but in Trier, people had their jackets on and ready for winter weather. It was quite entertaining. Ingrid and I did a Rick Steves' tour and did a lot of people-watching in the market place.



Our favourite event to watch was a mini-carousel where parents would bring their kids and then videotape them going around OVER and OVER again. It was great. Trier was a really nice city, and we were able to see all the major sights during our two day stay there. Our next stop was Bacharach!
Bacharach is a town that most Germans haven't even heard of...so of course, this is where we went. I came to Bacharach when I was 16, but I forgot how beautiful it was! It is a small city (or village, really) right on the Rhine river. We arrived at a tiny train station where we were supposed to meet the owner of the hotel who was supposed to pick us up but when he didn't show, we started walking. Thankfully, he found us quickly and was able to take us to our quaint hotel. Here are a few pictures of Bacharach:



It was still raining the day we arrived in Bacharach, but by our second day it had cleared up and Ings and I were excited for our day trip to St. Goar. We took the boat there and soaked up the sun while we could! The highlight of my morning was when a girl stopped me, noticed my chacos and said 'You have really cute shoes! Where did you get them??'
...I was shocked. Mostly because Europeans always look at my sandals and then wreck their face because they think they are weird. I was so excited that someone actually LIKED them! Granted, she was from Minnesota and not Europe. But I am still counting it!
The big attraction in St. Goar is the castle. Ingrid and I hiked up to the top and explored the sight (with the help of Rick Steves of course) and it was really great!




I felt like I was in Tristan and Isolde. Minus the tragic love story and soldiers killing each other.

After we got back to Bacharach (pronounced Bahhh-hhhaaaa-raaahhhh, by the way), we went on ANOTHER hike to ANOTHER castle. We had a great view and appreciated the beautiful Rhine right in front of us!

Our next stop is a quick one-just a day in Frankfurt. Then, I am homeward bound!!

Croatian Destinations...and Slovenia

Our trip to Croatia did not start off on a high note. In order to get to the airport to fly to Dubrovnik, we had to go on two ferries. The first one was not too bad, but the second one that was four hours long was an absolute nightmare. I felt like I was on an amusement ride...but I was not amused. I nearly threw up a few times and the other three weren't doing too well either with the crazy waves and motion sickness. Ingrid was able to capture the essence of the trip with these pictures...


When we arrived in Dubrovnik, I was already impressed. The sun was setting and we had a beautiful ride into town. Once we got there, however things started to get crazy. There was a huge summer festival going on right outside our hotel. Our room was LITERALLY right in front of the stage. The streets were packed with people, and we were given QUITE the welcome with an orchestra and choir singing.


Even though the music kept some of us (ahem, Ingrid) awake until 2 in the morning because it was so loud, we had a great apartment. It was right in the centre of the old town which was perfect for what we wanted to do in Dubrovnik. That first night, the girls and I went out for a little bite to eat, did some exploring and watched the festival fireworks along with every other local.


The next day, we began bright and early. Unfortunately, our early start was not enough to beat the grueling heat. After our walking tour, we were already boiling hot.




So, we went on a little boat ride! It was a great way to see the coast line and the little islands just a few kilometers away from the mainland.





The only thing that was a little disturbing for me were the nude beaches on the islands. I don't understand why people are against wearing bathing suits. I understand the whole "I want to be free and be naked" thing (I guess) but that is what the bath tub is for! I am aware that I am a little TOO awkward about naked people in comparison with others, but apparently so are my sisters. Common phrases said on the boat trip were, "Ingrid, you have naked people at 3:00, just keep looking straight ahead" or "Annika, don't look now but there are naked people over there". Great. NOT. The worst part was that they were all looking out at the water, and there we were just slowly driving by on the boat trying to look EVERYWHERE ELSE except in their direction. Otherwise, the trip was FANTASTIC and it was so nice to get a break from the heat.

Then, we hiked the city walls. This is the top activity for tourists in Dubrovnik. It was about an hour and a half long, and we were very sweaty by the end of it, but it had beautiful views of the coastline.








That night, after dinner we went out for gelato and then had an early night. As a side note-Ingrid kept telling me that I looked like an 8 yr. old all day because of my pigtails (which I completely disagreed with, of course) but then when I was eating my ice cream, Dad took this picture:

...Maybe Ingrid was right.

The next day, we tried to stay out as long as physically possible, but the heat was LITERALLY unbearable. Dad saw a bunch of museums, monasteries, churches etc. while the girls and I tried to stay out of the sun. We went for dinner at an authentic Croatian place just below our hotel and then packed up all our stuff because we had a decently long travel day ahead.

Our next Croatian destination was "Split". If you want to hear a lot of great things about this place, don't ask Kristen. She definitely wasn't a fan. Well, to be honest none of us were crazy about it. Mostly because it was SO BLINKIN' HOT!!! We didn't get to Split until the middle of the afternoon, but it was hotter than Dubrovnik, and unlike our last hotel, this one didn't have air conditioning...We didn't stay in the hotel too long because it was too hot so we we hurried to a pizza place that we knew had A/C.


That night, we literally slept in our own sweat. Dad was in one room, the girls in another. We stripped down to as little as possible and Kristen even resorted to wrapping a light pashmina around her as a dress and calling it her pajamas. In the middle of the night, I would have to make trips to the bathroom and sit in a tub full of cold water to cool me down. Let's just say, we weren't very well rested when we awoke the next day.

After a walking tour in the morning, we went to the old palace in the centre of old town. It was great because it was made of stone, and thus-very cool.



We also heard some acapella singers in a courtyard, so that was a nice surprise!

In order to keep cool during the day, we wet bandanas and tied them around our neck, head, under our hats etc. and I also ran through a sprinkler many times. Anytime we found a place with A/C we celebrated.




We had hot dogs for dinner, stopped for Gelato and then packed up. In order to stay cool through the night, we decided to wash our hair with cold water. Unfortunately, the place we were staying didn't really have a shower (or a shower curtain for that matter), so we went back to the days of playing "hairdresser".

Before we left for our final stop in Croatia, I noticed some grafitti.

Apparently Kristen isn't the only one who isn't the biggest fan of Split. :)

Our last stop in Croatia was WONDERFUL. It was the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Though the bus ride to get there was long, it was totally worth it. We were staying in a very cute little house and did a hike the evening we arrived. The waterfalls were amazing and the lake water was SO BLUE!












Even though we'd seen the park and loved it, the following day was our big day of hiking. We planned on doing two hikes that were each about 2 hours. But, then we ended up hiking around both the upper and lower lakes and I loved every minute of it! The views were incredible and it was so much fun hiking with my family. I was even able to get them to agree to making a little music video. Unfortunately, my computer isn't being very cooperative so it isn't uploading but...it was quite the experience filming it. :)

That night we had pizza for dinner at a restaurant across the street from our hostel. The following day was filled with bus, train, and taxi rides. It all went pretty smoothly except for the fact that we had to wait 5 hours for our train to arrive. We made the time pass by eating lunch (being served by a waiter who spoke to us in German for the entire meal even when we would reply to him and ask questions in English), going to the bathroom (to be greeted by a very harsh Croatian woman who would only respond to us with grunts and shrugs), and playing 20 questions or other games that I learned as a camp counselor. On the train, there were not very many seats open so I spent three hours sitting with three old men who would blatantly stare at my cleavage. It was pretty awful. But we made it to Slovenia!

We didn't do anything our first night there because it was late and we were very tired. We only had one day in Ljubjana, Slovenia but we made the most of it. It was perfect weather-not too hot! We did a walking tour, bought some fresh fruit at the market, stopped for a crepe, and visited the castle. It was a beautiful, picturesque town and I'm so glad we were able to make a stop here!






Next, I was headed back to Germany. It has become one of my favourite countries to visit! I had a blast in Eastern/Central Europe but I am excited to go back to Deutschland!

I will keep you posted!
Sending love to you all!
A