Friday, 26 September 2008

Bern

Hi I am now in Bern and having a great time doing not much at all. Just going on the internet talking to some people over Skype; meeting lots of locals who have all been really lovely; reading a fantastic book* that Rob gave me for my birthday. There are two quotes that I just love. This is one of them:

"That's what I like about traveling - you can sit down, maybe talk to someone interesting, see somthing beautuiful, read a good book, and that's enough to qualify as a good day. You do that at home and everyone thinks you're a bum."

That's how my day was, just meeting heaps of people; having conversations; walking; going out to the Einstein's house; being a really big nerd and trying to explain to someone the principles of general relativity. Which reminds me of the time Rob and I over breakfast in Paris, were trying to figure out Physics formulas from first principles. Yes we were the biggest geeks in Paris at that time. :) :) hahahaha

There is another quote about expectations and how when traveling it is best to expect nothing from anything or anyone.... "Then whatever happens is a surprise. The most insignificant thing can become an endless subject of interest."
Ok I have 69 seconds left.
I want to say that I love you all and miss you lots.
I'm looking forward to the day when we meet again.
all my love
Acushla

*"Before Sunrise and Before Sunset: Two Screenplays" by Richard Linklater

Wednesday, 24 September 2008

The night they invented champagne.....

Hi all, thank you once again to those who sent cards, emails, comments and Facebook messages to me on my birthday yesterday, it was so fantastic!!

My day yesterday was overall really great but the first half of the day definitely was sent to test me. It was as if the world was saying 'So you want to be 19.. hey well take that... and that!'
I spent the first half of the day trying not to cry but failing miserably. I got your lovely letters and emails and they were so beautiful and I was thinking about and missing you all..... but those tears were ok.
I had decided to go to Versailles for my birthday - it is a great chateau outside Paris where Marie Antoinette and other French royalty have lived over the centuries. It was huge!! Just soooooooooo big...the grounds went on for miles. The lake in the middle of the gardens was 7km all the way around.
But anyway I had decided to go and because I had to be back in Paris to go to the Moulin Rouge that night I had to leave around 10am so that we could spend the whole day and have a picnic. 'We' is Robert and I. We've been having a wonderful time together in Paris and have been traveling together for the last five weeks. So Rob was going to meet me at my hostel just before ten (because he was staying in a hostel down the road about half an hours walk away.) So 9:45 came round with no sign of Rob... 10am and still no sign.... it was 10:30 when I decided that I just had to go otherwise I would never make it.
So leaving Rob a message I got on the Metro and off I went to Versailles. I was a little upset about leaving Rob and that my birthday not going 'to plan' and then I started reading letters from Dad and Oma (thank you all very much by the way , they were beautiful , and thank you for the photos!!) and that set me off crying again so there I was on the Metro in Paris with tears in my eyes. I got to the next station where i had to change trains when I got a call from my Mum, Dad and sister (and Erin Sasha's friend) to wish me a happy birthday, which was lovely... so we had a good chat.
I got to Versailles and there was the biggest queue that I have ever seen in my life! Huge! Nearly as big as the ones I have seen for the Eifel tower! So I had to stand in the line for one hour. I read more letters from family.
So I waited , took one step forward , waited and waited.... and guess what?!?
I got to the end of the line and access to the gardens was free!!!!
Which is all I really wanted to do!!!!!!!!!!!
So I had to go into the house now just so I could feel that I hadn't wasted my time in that huge line! But sadly I didn't enjoy myself very much. I would have
times when I was ok and looking around going oh that's the bed where
Marie Antoinette slept, and that's the portrait of Napoleon's coronation by
Jacques Louis David, and at those times it was great but it was always unfortunately shadowed by a feeling of being upset which I just couldn't shake. I could try and describe it to you but it would be too complicated a feeling. There were other times when I would just be looking through tears and being completely unimpressed and feeling even more miserable because I felt I should be enjoying what I was seeing. When Hannah rang the signal was really bad and then I got told off for
talking on my phone!!!!
However there was a really nice guard whose job is to walk around Versailles making sure that everything is going ok. He was telling me about the best things to see and how to rent a bike to ride around the park on. You are allowed to ride around the park but not around the gardens.

Just a note... I would have been in tears quite a lot during the day but in all my time only one person ever asked me if I was alright. She was a French lady but she couldn't speak any English and yet it was nice of her to ask. Another point...I felt quite flattered because lots of people I have met presume I'm French and start chatting away to me quite nicely then at some stage I have to point out to them that I don't understand anything they're saying :)

When I finally got out into the gardens it was better. Just to walk and to try
to get way from the crowds was great. I like being out in nature. I hired a
bike and rode around the big lake which made me feel much better. I found
a big field that no one went into and spun around in it until I fell
over. Then picked myself up and got on with it. I took pictures of flowers and walked around the amazing gardens.


On my little bike riding adventure I managed to fall off my bike; get the chain to fall off - and then got filthy getting it back on; then got stuck in a boggy bit when I decided to go off road! :)
I was also feeling rebellious so I picked a flower and put it on my lapel;
went through into a garden that I wasn't meant to go into; and then sat on
the grass and had lunch where you're not allowed to sit.
I also got myself a little lost and had to run to get the train back. It was pure fluke that I bumped into Rob who had followed me out to Versailles and was
going back to Paris as well. We got the train just in time.
(I'll try to get Rob to write his part of this epic and post it up.)

So anyway, we got the train to the Moulin Rouge where I had to get changed out of my grimy clothes(remember I had fallen off the bike, changed a greasy bike chain and ridden through a marsh). After reappearing from a disgusting toilet looking half-way decent again, we rushed off to the Moulin Rouge with me putting on makeup while walking and with the rain now pissing down. HAHAHAH.... so we get to the queue (there was no dodging queues by mentioning names for us...I did mention the 'name'.. but it just didn't do anything magical. :) ). I said aurevoir to Rob and then entered the Moulin Rouge.
(Rob spent the next four hours hanging about Montmartre...once again I might get him to fill you in.)


The whole Moulin Rouge experince was great!! Being ushered to you table ("ush, ush")and having 'proper food' for a change. The show was great and I loved the dinner. I had foie gras (duck's liver pate I think) and venison. (By the way I am obviously not a vegetarian any more - sorry erik :)- and haven't been for a while).
I sat opposite this really interesting woman from Russia who now lives in Boston and we talked through dinner. It was so lovely - the live jazz music and couples dancing the night away. Brilliant!

At nine o'clock the show started (dinner started at 7ish). It was great. Absolutely hilarious. I had to stop myself from bursting out laughing! It was the sight of the male dancers in their sparkling clothes taking it all so seriously that I thought was hysterical!!

Some of the show was completely over the top - like when the men were wearing totally pink costumes and dancing around. At one point they burst into singing "I will survive" !!!! Shocking. Hahaha.... just remembering makes me laugh. It was totally hilarious and it was totally great at the same time - the costumes, the music, the dancing, everything. At the end of each dance sequence they had other performers like acrobats (who were just amazing) as well as a juggler and a ventriloquist (which I have never seen before and which was great!).
I could tell you so much more but my bus leaves in ten minutes so I'll have to be quick!!


After the show Rob met me and we went back to the hostel. On the way Rob got me
a birthday cake and we got a lighter from some guy and made it into a
'candle' so that I could blow out a birthday candle. We sat by the canal and talked
until we were nearly freezing and then moved inside to defrost. We had a
great night talking. He gave me a film script for my birthday which is all about two people that meet randomly whilst traveling. He got it from a lovely book shop which is now officially my favourite book shop in the world. I found it the last time I was here and just fell in love with it.

So as you can see my day was full of all sorts of emotions and adventures. It doesn't feel too bad now looking back on it but at the time parts of it were awful.... but not really that many.
I have to send a big thank you to my Oma and Opa who funded my trip to Versailles and a round of applause to my Aunty, Uncle and cousins. Thank you so much... I had a ball.... such a great night out in Paris!!!! I can't thank you enough.

I have to go my bus leaves in five minutes!!!!
Gros bisue -big kisses
all my love
Acushlaa xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox<

Tuesday, 23 September 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Acushla would like to thank every one who sent her Happy Birthday emails this morning. They where lovely!
As for the letters she is yet to read them but will do so soon!!!
Off to Versailles now and then on to the Moulin Rouge
Love you alll heaps!!!!!
Grose bisue (big kisses) Acushla xoxoxoxoxo

Monday, 22 September 2008

Bon anniversaire

Hi all
for my birthday I will be going to Versailles which is a chateau outside of Paris. So in the morning I will be catching the train and then spending the day in the chateau and the great gardens there. So call me or give me a text on my mobile +372 59603739 (I won't answer if I'm in the chateau). I will probably be up tomorrow night (my 22nd of September) until late - you could try and give me a call then too if you want but I won't have read your letters yet!
I am very excited about my birthday. My Aunty, Uncle and Cousins have bought me a dinner and show at the Moulin Rouge for the night of my birthday, and my Oma and Opa are sending me to Versailles for the day and then sending me out to dinner the following night. And my parents are letting me jump off a cliff, that's right I'm going paragliding in Switzerland!!! Cool!
It will be an awesome birthday!!

Still having fun in Paris. Today Rob and I wandered around an old graveyard (it's not as odd as it sounds). It was really beautiful especially with all the falling leaves. We saw the grave of Oscar Wilde, which has been completely graffitied by his admirers.
We also took two hours to make dinner, drink wine and hang out in a hostel talking to lots of people until 1 o'clock in the morning which was fun.
I have to go now to try and get at least six hours sleep so that I can talk to Hannah tomorrow.
lots of love acushla

Sunday, 21 September 2008

I love Paris in the Fall

Now back in Paris! And it's cold! But still beautiful and sunny!
This city is so lovely but now I have to get off the computer get my laundry and go out and seee this city that I like instead of looking at the inside of a cafe.
I love you all lots and think about you often. I wish you could all be with me for my birthday!!!! Only two more sleeps!!!!!!!!!!!!
love you all lots Acushla

Monday, 15 September 2008

San Sebastian

Rob and I are now hanging out in San Sebastian for a few days just to rest. Sitting on the beach when it's not pissing down with rain and hanging out in our hostel making crazy meals or window shopping when it is not sunny. We are having a good time. Yesterday afternoon the sun was out so we took our chance and went swimming! It was great. We swum out to this platform where they had a slide that you could slide down right in the middle of this big bay.
Yesterday morning there was a big row boat race in the bay, there were so many people around the town pier and the bay itself. The red team won (because red goes faster of course!) and their fans were so excited!!
Just after the race Rob and I were walking around and noticed that riot police were setting up. An hour later the protest started. We were not exactly sure what it was about - I think it is something to do with the people around this region and how they don't want to be a part of Spain. Anyway it was pretty crazy. Riot police shooting rubber bullets at head level and people getting taken away by the ambulance. Rob and I just spent an hour or so in a hostel and kept our heads down until the worst was over then we went and sat on the beach.
Afterwards it was quite strange.... everyone seemed so used to it that it didn't bother them.... they just kept on doing what they were doing...never mind the police! :)
We have had lots of fun here.... it is a nice place and it looks like the sun might shine today so off we go to enjoy it.
Love to you all,
Acushla.

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Madrid

Well I arrived in Madrid last night and caught up with Robert again which was great. We then went out to dinner in this really nice restaurant (I didn´t think we would get in with our ´travellers style´ - first time I have worn pants in like three weeks the weather has been so great.) So we did get in and had a really nice dinner with some other people I had met in Barcelona.... and the best thing was it looked fancy it tasted fancy but it didn´t cost fancy! How good is that?
After dinner Rob and I walked back to our part of town, the real Madrid where all the students live and there's at least two bars on every corner. As we were walking there was a massive thunder storm with not only sheet lightning but bolts of lightning flashing through the sky. We stopped to watch the storm go over head (I thought is was exciting) but then once the lightning had gone past on came the rain and we got very wet as we ran back to our hostel.
We spent the rest of the night in a little bar drinking beer and catching up on our travel stories. It was a great night.
Off to explore Madrid!!!
love you all
cush

Monday, 8 September 2008

Farewell to Valencia

Acushla is missing her extended family in Valencia. They are such lovely people and we have had such a great time together. Yesterday we went to Lucia´s parents' farm in the countryside up in the mountains. It was so lovely! Beautiful countryside and a lovely little town. The town has soo much history, the Muslims were there and before them the Romans. We went out to a Roman aqueduct and walked along it!
g2g will write more some other time!
Love Acushla.
p.s. it was so lovely to be part of a Spainish family for a weekend. Especially in the countryside. Their grandfather has a farm and the day before we came he had just gathered all the almonds so when we were at home we were sitting around talking and shelling almonds, it was nice. The food is so lovely here, and there is so much of it. Their grandma was so happy to be cooking for a guest and kept giving me food. They were both so lovely!
So goodbye Valencia! I will see you again!!

Saturday, 6 September 2008

Valencia

I am now in Valencia and staying with my ¨cousin¨ Laura and her mother Lucia. They are so lovely , and it is great to see Laura again. Valencia is so laid back and quiet a lovely place to chillout.
Take today for instance... we got up late had breakfast and then went to the beach for a few hours. Pablo, Angel´s son is with us for the weekend and is an energetic nine year old. We had lots of fun at the beach. We had lots of swimming races (half of which I lost!) and played beach tennis in the water.
We then came back at 2pm for lunch (they eat at different times here - lunch 2 to 3 pm and dinner anywhere between 8:30 and 10:30 pm) then lazed around-or to use the correct term had a siesta, for a few hours.
We then took a drive out into the foothills of the mountains to a Monastery. Unfortunately it wasn't open to the public today, but we did look through the fence. It is a very old monastery where the monks never leave the grounds in their whole lives.
We also went and had a look at the ground of a day spa and nearly gate crashed a wedding!! It was so funny.
I love the way people spend lots of time outside it is so great. Most meals are eaten outside as long as the weather is good and in the late afternoon when it is cooler everyone is out at the park or in an outside cafe.

I hope every father out there has a fantastic Father's Day!!!!
lots of love to you all
Acushla