#got on the wrong bus because google maps lied to me

[haechannabelle]

i exposure therapied myself and left the house today when i didn’t technically have to, it was horrible but also kind of fun ? gonna take several hours to calm down but at least i got all my xmas shopping done and bought myself a couple new pens :)

[btsrmono]

Trial & Error | chapter 1.

A/N: hey guys ik this is really random for my page but i got bored lol pls enjoy?? 

Main Pairing: (jimin): student/idol x (main): foreign student

Side Pairs: main x taehyung,, main x (nct) jaehyun 

CHAPTER 1

"I still can't believe you're moving."

 You sighed, leaning your head on your boyfriend's shoulder. "Don't remind me."

 It had been a month since your parents had told you about the big move and school would be starting the next week, which is when you'd be moving.

  Ryan lied his hand on your thigh as he squeezed it a bit. "I was thinking, you know," he started, "since you're moving and all... y/n, don't you think it'd be better if we--"

  You already knew where this was going. "Break up?" you finished for him. He didn't say anything, causing you to chuckle a bit. "It's alright," you told him. "I've been thinking the same thing."

 "You have?"

  You took your head off of his shoulder, looking him in the eyes. "Yeah. I mean, it only makes sense, right? What would be the purpose of staying together?" You gave him a small smile of which he returned. You and Ryan had only been together for 5 months, not really making it a big deal.

"You know I care about you, right?"

"Yes," you confirmed. "Same goes here. Just because we're 'ending this', doesn't mean we're ending us. I'll still keep in contact with you and check up here and there."

 Smiling at you, he stuck his pinky finger out. "Promise?"

 You quickly interlocked your pinky with his. "Promise."

                                                              ~~

  Turns out, saying your goodbyes to your friends wasn't the hard part. You already knew this was going to be a problem but you had been in Korea for over two hours and still had yet to find someone that spoke English. You guys began to settle in your apartment with the help of moving guys, and you had decided that you wanted to take a look around, maybe buy a snack.

  Little to no avail, you couldn't find many American snacks like you were expecting to, and when you did, they surely didn't taste the same. Anyway, you was trying to make your way back to your new home when you realized you didn't know where you were going. Google Maps was acting up, and you were too afraid to attempt the Korean you actually did know with local natives. Therefore, you tried to ask, using as much broken English as you could to make it simple on them. However, they weren't very helpful but at least they all seemed nice. You thought maybe if you made one more attempt, you could have hit the jackpot. "Uh, excuse me sir."

The older man stopped in his tracks and stared at you. "Uh... Yes?" He asked, sounding quite nervous.

Right then and there, just from his tone, you knew he wasn't going to be much useful. You politely smiled. "Never mind." You bowed and he went on with his day. Ugh, why were you so scared to speak Korean. You were actually pretty good at it at some point due to your childhood best friend, Shi Ah. Practically her sister, you two were around each other all the time and you easily picked up the language. It was fun because you guys would always say things about people with them right there without them knowing what you two were speaking about.

 But, unfortunately, Shi Ah had to move to China Freshman year due to a job opportunity for her journalist parents. The goodbye was extremely hard but you both eventually moved on, you becoming best friends with Mariana and Riley, her doing God knows what. You even fell out of touch so you had no idea what she’d been up to the past few years. It was sad but it quickly became your new normal.

 Anyway, you knew, eventually you were going to have to get over your fear of speaking Korean but until then, you sighed and took in the scenery surrounding you to see if anything looked familiar, but nope. You stood there, deciding that maybe it was time to call a parent. As you went to dial your moms number, you suddenly become very distracted.

"Lost?" you heard a voice say.

You looked up from your phone to the girl that now stood in front of you. "You speak English?" you stupidly asked. The girl laughed. "I'm sorry," you apologized, realizing how rude you probably sounded.

"Don't be, it's understandable. What can I help you with though?" The girl was really pretty. She had perfect skin with long blonde hair and bangs that made her wide eyes stand out.

You let out a breath, looking down at your phone. "I need help getting back home."

She giggled. "Already? Come on." She then proceed to walk ahead of you as you, confusingly, followed.

"But wait, you haven't even asked where I live."

"Its alright, we're in the same neighborhood. I saw you earlier," she explained. It then made sense. However, you had not seen her. The girl was gorgeous, you must admit, so you would have remembered seeing her.

"So we're neighbors," you stated.

"Yup."

"What's your name?"

Still walking, she looked back at you and smiled. "Jinsoul. But my English speaking friends call me Zoè. Say which ever you'd like."

You nodded, repeating her name in your head a few times. A habit you picked up in order to remember people’s names. 

"And you?" she asked.

"Y/n."

"That’s pretty," she complemented you. “It’ll be hard to forget.”

Only a short block later, you guys were back into the neighborhood. "Thank you so much," you said as you began to reach your doorstep. "I owe you." 

 After exchanging numbers, she informed you that she only lived a corner away from you and that if you ever needed anything, you could just ask.

______

 The next day, you were starting school. You walked around the corner and saw your mom in the kitchen cooking breakfast. You knew that your Dad didn't leave the house until 9 am. "Morning, Mom," you greeted her.

She turned away from the pancakes she was in the middle of making and smiled at you. "Y/n! Morning baby, are you excited for school?"

 You shrugged your shoulders while smirking as you placed your back pack on the kitchen island table. "I guess. I don't really know what to expect though."

"Well if there's any advice I can give you, it's : Don't stress. Seriously, it'll make everything go wrong."

Instead of a reply, you sighed, still feeling sleepy. "Why are you up so early?" you asked her.

She then proceeded back to making the pancakes. "For you."

"Oh no, you didn't need to do that, Mom. I'm about to leave out."

She looked at you with a confused expression on her face. "Well then what are you going to eat?"

"There's a store around the block, I was just gonna grab a quick snack and head to the school early."

"Early?" she wondered.

You shook your head. "Yup. Want to get my schedule 100 percent accurate and get a mini tour of the building before it gets too crowded." Your mom kind of smirked, looking at you from the side of her eyes. You giggled. "What?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing, it's just nice seeing you be responsible and positive on the first day. I know you didn't exactly picture your senior year to go this way but I just want you to make the best of it and I think you're off to a good start so far, sweetie."

You smiled. She was right, you guess. You did feel very out of place but not in a bad way exactly. You'd rather be home but you weren’t. You were in Seoul, South Korea and what would you be able to do about it? Nothing. So why not do what you can and make it a good experience rather than a negative?

She then turned the stove off and fully looked at you. "Get going. Have a nice day of school!"

As soon as you left the apartment building, you saw the girl from the day before walking in your direction. She beamed widely at your appearance. "Y/n!" she yelled.

You gave her a gentle smile, waiting for her to catch up with you. Once she did, you both continued walking together. "You look nice for your first day."

"Thanks, you look nice too!"

You started to think that she was also going to the store. So you both walked in silence for a little bit until you arrived there. The bell dinged on the door as she opened it. The older cashier man looked at you strangely. She noticed this. "Don't mind him," she said. "He does this to everyone."

You shook your head understandingly. "Okay."

She went over to the fridge section and grabbed banana milk, as did you, then a pack of peanuts and you went up to pay for your stuff while she was still looking. Once she was done, you two stepped back out into the hot heat. Only a few moments later, a group of three good looking guys showed up, talking amongst themselves as they headed to school as well in their uniforms. This made you believe you were getting closer to the bus stop.

On the side of you, you heard Jinsoul let out a slight laugh, making you turn to her. She was looking at the boys. Next thing you knew, they were looking back at her and walking over towards you guys. "A-are they coming over here?" you stuttered.

"Looks like it," she replied cooley, a small smirk glued to her face.

You quickly gave your hair a little fix as you both suddenly stopped walking, waiting for the boys to join.

"Yah, Jinsoul!", one of them said. He continued to speak in Korean as you zoned out, worried about if they would try to speak to you too. Sooner or later, you heard your name being said by Jinsoul and the boys all kind of glanced your way, throwing you off track. 

They eventually turned their attention back to Jinsoul, continuing their conversation. All except the one boy, whom was the most adorable of them all. He blankly stared at you, his eyes even squinting a bit.

You shifted one foot to the other as you looked down at the pavement, slightly uncomfortable with this. You then heard him laugh and when you looked back up, he was smiling at you. You nervously smiled back before he finally went back to paying attention to Jinsoul. They spoke in some more Korean.

After a good minute or two passed, you heard them saying goodbye, the cutest one being the only one to wave at you. Once they were out of ear shot, you turned to Jinsoul. "Uh, Jinsoul?"

"Hm?" she wondered, nonchalantly.

"Who were they?"

She laughed loudly before covering her mouth quickly. "Really?" she asked. "You really don't know who they are?"

Of course you didn't know who they were, why was she expecting you to? You tilted your head slightly. "I mean, I'm not from here," you explained.

"True." She began to walk again, you following. "They're all idols."

"Idols?" you wondered. "As in?"

"As in 'famous', y/n."

 You slightly hesitated, letting this new profound information soak into your brain. "Famous as in?"

"They sing. Dance. Rap. They're idols. K-pop idols."

You knew of K-pop, you looked it up upon arriving to Seoul but were no expert at it and of course the only people you ever even slightly heard of were Psy, Exo and Got7. Other than that, you were completely ignorant to the Korean pop industry. "Are they all in the same group?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Two of them are. The other one, aka, my friend, is still a trainee, which means he hasn't debuted yet but he's training to."

"Interesting." You walked a few more seconds in silence until you absolutely had to ask their names. Specifically for the one guy.

She deviously smiled, already knowing what was up your sleeve. "I see what you're doing," she stated. "But if you insist. My friend's name is Bae Joon Young. We call him Jacob. The other one is Kim Taehyung and the one that you seem interested in is Park Jimin."

"Jimin," you repeated. "But wait. If they're all famous, why were they in uniform to go to school?"

"Because they have to," she told you. "They all made an agreement that if they ever dropped out of school, they are eligible to be dropped from their company. Plus Taehyung and Jimin just debuted so they have to listen to their company right now. It's a pretty logical idea if I do say so myself."

You guys finally arrived at the bus stop and she explained to you what you would do after being released at the first stop. You both went to different schools. While you went to a Foreign school, she attended a performing arts school with a ton of other inspiring and/or famous people.

Of course you saw the boys again at the bus stop but they did not bother you guys this time, instead, they met up with their other friends that were also at the bus stop. The bus eventually pulled up around 7:30am and everyone got on board. Since both schools were basically right across from each other, all students got off at the same spot too. The only difference is that you and about two other students had to walk an extra block before actually getting to the International school. Once you finally arrived there, you took a deep breath and headed inside.

A/N: Bruh, I’m sorry this chapter was so BORING but it was the 1st. It should get a lil more interesting moving forward since we got most introductions out of the way. More Jimin to come next chapter! 

ALSO: I’ll be putting a gif of a main character each chapter at the end! For this chapter, we have Jinsoul, the friendly neighbor and school bus buddy! 

STAY TUNED

PART 2

[crimsonblackrose]

Because Big Bus didn’t open until 9:30am but most museums opened at 9am I decided rather than start my trip off at the Louvre like I had planned I would go to the Palace of Versailles. (This was also done because you can’t just go to the Louvre, you have to make an online reservation, even if you have a Museum Pass.)

Generally from downtown Paris to The Palace of Versailles it would take 1 hour and 2 minutes on the RER C line. However due to the strike this option was not available. So I took a bus to Gare Montparnasse and booked a ticket to Viroflay, only to realize at my transfer in Viroflay that my map had picked the wrong Versailles, at which point I took the bus. It probably took me over 2 hours just to get there. Due to the strikes and the rotation of which lines were running and which weren’t I highly suggest double checking everything on Citymapper. Again I hope everything is resolved by the time this post goes up, but just in case Citymapper gave me multiple routes while Google maps gave me one that I couldn’t use. Oh also, the Paris Pass public transit card didn’t go to Versailles. The Palace of Versailles is in zone 4. Which meant I had to keep buying public transit passes and wasting money when I got lost.

The first thing I did at the Palace was go through security and open my bag and show them what was in it before following people up to the gates and taking pictures. Beyond this was check-in where I scanned and started the 48 hour clock on my museum pass and was told that the palace of Versailles has a free audio guide. I highly suggest getting it if you’re not on a tour. Usually when I’m somewhere I don’t bother with audio guides but if you’ve got the time the audio guide is not only free but informative. And since I was by myself it was really nice to be able to pop into a room, look around while listening and duck to the next room, bypassing large tour groups. I’m sure the tour groups were getting a lot of unique information and any questions they had answered but I was able to get a tour and take pictures and take on the palace of Versailles at my own pace.

The palace was huge. And I was running on a pain aux chocolat, noisette, and a partially crushed croissant I’d bought at a bakery I got in Viroflay to make sure I had enough change for the bus. I stopped for a snack at the Versaille Angelina around 2pm. They had two options a side for snacks and a side for meals. Because I wanted to keep moving I decided to go down the snack route. I got a baguette sandwich and Angelina’s famous chocolat chaud. (A super thick hot chocolate). I will do an individual post on the chain Angelina’s later.

Note that there is not a lot of seating available in the snack section of the Versailles Angelina. If you are a large group and don’t see any available I suggest maybe looking at the menu again and trying the restaurant. When I arrived I was able to grab a seat by myself but in the interval it took me to start my sandwich the place filled up including all the available spaces at my own table.

There were two parts to Versailles that I managed to visit. Pre-Angelina I explored the palace itself. Post-Angelina I explored the gardens.  It took most of the day. If I had gotten their earlier, maybe not, it is possible to make Versailles a half day trip, but to give yourself time and to not stress yourself out because of how immense the grounds and everything is I highly suggest giving yourself a full day. That way if you end early then hooray you have surprise time to do something else. And if you don’t, then you prepared yourself for that.

The Palace of Versailles was home to the French monarchy for about 107 years. It lasted from Louis XIII to the French Revolution. Before, the area of Versailles, was a favored hunting ground of the previous kings, until once upon a time one decided to buy land in the area and build a small lodge. Later, after a barely avoided coup, a king decided to make it into a château. After awhile as kings came and passed Louis the XIV expanded it and hired André Le Nôtre to create the immense gardens.

The palace is symmetrical with one wing belong to the king and the other to the queen. The king’s area, much to my surprise was decked out with Roman gods. I had forgotten that Apollo was one of the few gods to not get a name change when adopted by the Romans and kept getting thrown when the audio guide would jump from saying “this room is designed with paintings of Apollo, while the next room had paintings of Mars” (Greek: Ares).

Louis XIV viewed Apollo as his own personal symbol, believing himself to be similar in many ways to the sun god. Each room was intensely decorated. Even if a lot of the actual decor from the time didn’t survive due to various wars and the revolution. The stunning art that remains though, the intricate sculptures and paintings that line every available part of the ceilings and most of the walls is due to Petite Academie, a collection of artists that the royal painter, Charles Le Brun was in charge of. The sculptures in the gardens and on the fountains are also due to him, which means I have him to thank for laughing for a good ten minutes outside one fountain in the garden.

In 1682 it became the kings primary residence and much later after some various changes and wars in 1783 it became the site of the Paris peace treaties where the U.K. signed that it recognized the United States independence. After the French Revolution and the fall of the monarchy, everything within the palace was either sent to the Louvre or sold at auction. All symbols of the monarchy (the fleur de lis) was removed (i.e. chiseled off the walls) and in 1793 it was opened for tours, while other rooms were used as a small art museum, storage and an art school.

Several French leaders thought about living in Versailles but the cost to repair the palace was generally too great to actually accomplish the goal. The 1830 French Revolution brought about a different idea. Louis-Philippe began in 1833 to change Versailles into a French Museum. He created the Galerie des Batailles (Hall of Battles) which is an immense hallway my audio guide called the Hall of Princess. Each side of the wall is filled with enormous paintings showcasing the important battles of France. It’s like a walk through history occasionally peppered with busts and statues of important people. Since then various governments have used it as a base and the current French government meets there for special occasions. It’s seen lots of treaties signed, from the aforementioned one that granted the United States independence to the treaty of Versailles which ended World War I. Many of these are signed in the stunning hall of mirrors.

The hall of mirrors is filled with beautiful chandeliers with one wall of mirrors that reflect the light and show the gardens in their beautiful glory. But also, if you go, a thing I learned early on in France, is to always look up. The ceilings are absolutely intricate and stunning with paintings and sculptures on every available inch. I have never had such a strong desire to just lay on the floor for awhile. But I figured people would look at me weird or security would yell at me so I didn’t.

After wandering the immense palace I headed out to the garden. The gardens are immense. I went with a goal to make it down to the Apollo fountain and back, which seemed like an easy goal but the large groves of trees which had a spooky air to them in winter was very alluring.

The garden is open earlier than the palace, opening at 8am, so one could technically visit the garden first then go back to the palace which is probably a very smart idea. The first thing you run into when you enter the garden is Parterre d’Eau which are two reflective pools surrounded by little maze like grasses with various statues. Down a set of stairs was my favorite fountain.

It’s called the Latona Fountain. There is no audio guide for the gardens which means you don’t get any of the history or stories for what all of the main sights are. Actually make sure you drop off the audio guide before you leave the buildings because they set off an alarm if you leave the building with it.

I found the Latona Fountain funny because from my angle I could see a bunch of regular looking people with their arms outreached above them and then one super buff frog man also reaching above him. Since I didn’t know any history. I just couldn’t stop laughing at the one buff frog man in a relatively normal fountain. But it turns out it’s based off a story, the Metamorphosis of Ovid. (Not to be confused with Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis) Apparently in this story the peasants of Lycia insulted Latona (Leto) and it angered Jupiter (Zeus) and so he turned them all into frogs. It seems it really depends on the angle in which you look at it. All six humanoid figures are suppose to be mid transformation into frogs. Just the one I saw was much more frog-like then the others and I found it delightful and confusing.

About halfway through the gardens is the Grand Canal. I didn’t make it that far, utterly exhausted by the point I made it to the Chariot of Apollo which is a large fountain right before the Grand Canal.

Among the tree groves there are various other fountains and spots to visit. However due to winter a lot of them were covered and locked up. Which was a pain since they were such a hike from one another.

I really think during other seasons the gardens must be absolutely stunning. But wear proper shoes and prepare for a lot of walking.

By the time I left the gardens I was in need of another break. Within the gardens themselves there are various places to take a break as well as places to buy a snack but I wanted, at that point, to be out of the gardens and on my way out. So I stopped only because it was on the way out, at Ore, which was having tea time.

Originally I thought stopping for high tea sounded wonderful. Though really all I wanted was water. I’d finished off my water bottle early on in the palace and hadn’t found anywhere to refill it or buy a new one.

The high tea being offered was called La Reine Marie’s Tea Time €35. It seemed like it included too much. And I wasn’t really willing to spend €35. I wanted something smaller and found Marie-Antoinette’s delight with a section called Versailles. I assumed, incorrectly that everything under the header for Versailles was a tea set. It was not. Each item below that header was €10. What I should’ve got was a sorbet or ice cream which was €7. But instead I decided to just pick something random and went with the Versailles delight and a green mint tea.

The Versailles delight was flaky with a thick sweet filling that had a slight nutty taste. I would’ve expected it to be mind blowing seeing as I had gotten flaky pastries about 30 minutes away for about €1.50.  But I also was still within the grounds of Versailles which allows people to hike up the prices, and it was a seemingly high class restaurant. (or do all restaurants in France feel high class????)

The pastry really was good. I just am super glad it fell apart so easily and that I was cutting myself small bite size pieces because there was what seemed like a fancy pastry weight in it. Also shortly after digging the pastry weight out and triple checking it wasn’t some fancy prize that I could eat without breaking my teeth I found a hair. Kinda ruined the lavish vibe the restaurant was giving off. That coupled with having to ask multiple times for water, the whole reason I went in in the first place.

There is a lot to Versailles, and I know I didn’t see all of it. I don’t think I even scratched half of the grounds. It’s busiest from April 1st through October 31st. During which time the palace itself is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 9am until 6:30pm and is closed on Mondays. During the off season from November 1st through March 31st the palace is open from 9am to 5:30pm.

The gardens are open every day from 8am to 8:30pm (busy season) and 8am until 6pm (slow/off season). The park, which I don’t think I saw opens at 7am during busy season and also closes at 8:30pm. During slow/off season the park has the same hours as the garden.

Another area I didn’t get to see was the Marie Antoinette Estate and  Palace of Trianon. These, unlike the gardens, but like the main building are closed on Mondays. They also don’t open until much later at noon for both busy and slow times of year. During the busy time they close at 6:30pm. During the slow time of year they close at 5:30pm.

Other things to note is that there is a high chance that they’ll stop letting you in up to an hour before they close so make sure you are there early. It’s so big that I would try to make sure I got there at least several hours before closing.

There are also various fountain shows and performances, depending on the time of year. None were happening though while I visited.

The Palace of Versailles/ Château de Versailles Because Big Bus didn't open until 9:30am but most museums opened at 9am I decided rather than start my trip off at the Louvre like I had planned I would go to the Palace of Versailles.

[fourthingsandawizard]

Dan and Phil Rize Highlights, Aug. 21 2018

The "It was 9am in Virginia and I was watching at my desk at work, don't tell my boss" edition:

-Dan: “What time is it? What year is it?” (They’re currently in Brisbane, where it was 11pm when they started the liveshow)

-Phil: “We know everything that happens on your Tuesday because it’s already happened!”

-They spent their whole day on an island without 4G, so Dan was very happy to have internet back. Phil told him “You don’t need Google Maps! Just look at the North Star!” (sidenote, I would LOVE to see Phil try to navigate somewhere via the stars. We would never see him again)

-Dan tried to move on to “the reason” we were all there for the show, which prompted a duet of “The Reason” by Hoobastank. Afterword, Phil said “This is Dan and Phil at 11pm when they’re a little delirious and jetlagged.”

-The island they went to was on the coast of Brisbane, about a 45 minute ferry ride

-Apparently Martyn needs glasses?

-They went to a café called The Blue Room. Phil, of course, asked, “Where’s the red room? Obviously in the basement”

-They saw a ton of wildlife, including wild kangaroos and dolphins, which were in their Insta stories. Dan said if we aren’t following them on Instagram, we should go follow just to see the wildlife, then we can unfollow

- They saw an actual bandicoot, but at first they thought it was a rat. It was borrowing in foliage, and Dan clarified that it was not wearing pants

-Phil: “We went to Brown Lake.” Dan: “Brown BEAR Lake.” Phil: “Brown Lake.” Dan: “Brown Bear Lake.” Phil: “There was no bear involved, it was Brown Lake.” Dan: “I swear on my life it was Brown Bear Lake…” (After a quick Google, it was confirmed, Brown Lake)

-They talked about Brown Lake and showed a picture, but my feed lagged HARD for a good three minutes

-Phil said the kangaroo was “thicc” and that there were only about 2,000 people living on the island, so it was very peaceful

-Dan: “What now, Phil? It seems like you’re the captain of this ship.”

-They started pulling people into the stream to answer the Truth Bomb “How will Dan and Phil die?”

-Dan: “I have a feeling this will go horribly wrong. But I believe in Phil, and I believe in you.”

-The first person they called was named Alexa, and Dan said “Alexa, play Despicito.”

-Alexa was in the car, on a work break. Dan: “Are you on your break at work, or did you just stop working to do this?”

-The first Truth Bomb answers: Phil will die by cheese platter (Dan: “There’s just so much cheese, Phil will will himself to die”), Dan will die via a room full of “Hello Internet” playing and all of his lol randum phase and Danosaur merch

-The next persons said they would die because Phil turned off the airplane mode on his phone and the plane crashed, killing them both

-Dan: “Do you even have to put your phone on airplane mode anymore?” Phil: “No, you HAVE to do that!”

-Dan got mad because Phil tried to “randomly” pick a person that had him set as their profile picture

-The next person was outside at 8am, drinking coffee and living their best life, and said Dan and Phil would both die of Vitamin D deficiency. Phil: “And you’re outside to say that to us, just to prove your point!”

-Dying of Vitamin D deficiency was the Truth Bomb winner

-Dan mentioned that you can pull more than one person in the stream at once, so maybe next time they’ll pull three people in to do their Truth Bombs all at once

-Phil said he went to the “Australia shop” (which they then clarified just meant a grocery store in Australia, not like, a shop of Australian stuff). He got a bunch of snacks, which he then forced Dan to try on camera. Dan didn’t like it, he thinks white chocolate is too sweet, he prefers dark

-They went on about a ten minute rant about the weird snacks they’ve found in Australia, and Dan didn’t like any of the ones Phil mentioned. Phil: “Why are you such a hater today of all the good things?”

-They talked more about the baseball game in Canada. Dan mentioned some of the weird things that happened between plays, and how the mascot had his own local fandom. Phil said he enjoyed “the sport” more than he thought once he learned the rules

-Their flight was 17 hours long. Dan said that after “living on a tour bus, I can now sleep anywhere. You could shake me violently for eight hours and I wouldn’t wake up.”

-They watched Ready Player One, then Dan fell asleep for eight hours straight. Phil slept too, but woke up earlier than Dan

-They gave reviews of Ready Player One (it moved too fast compared to the book), Big Little Lies, and Greatest Showman. Of Greatest Showman, Phil said “Liked the songs, thought it was beautiful, story was alright, Zac Efron was great, good elephants.”

-Dan: “We’re allowed to like different things, and that’s okay.”

-Dan thought Greatest Showman’s choreography was amazing, but felt like it was 12 amazing music videos smashed together with a just okay movie in between, and didn’t like how much modern pop production was in the music

-Dan knocked Phil’s snack on the floor, Phil ate it anyway

-Dan asked Phil to explain his weird “Dan, Dab, one letter away” tweet. Phil: “It was just in my head and I wanted to release it.”

-Phil only counts listening to a song properly if he’s listened to it with headphones

-The new Sims video crossed an ethical line, and people were either really excited or really angry. Phil: “Well, they’ve been with this family for like three years!”

-They might post another gaming video about the same time as this livestream tomorrow, depending on what time Phil wants to go to bed after their show

-Phil decided to bring people into the show to help them wave goodbye. It went about as well as you would expect.

[bumblingtravels]

14. Budapest

There and Back Again… an Interrailing Story

8 cities, 6 countries, 4 weeks, 2 rainbows, 1 camera

PART ONE — Budapest

June 11th, 2018

Despite the nap the day before we treated ourselves to a mini lie-in - what? we’re students. Opting for a relaxing park day I made us some breakfast - I slaved all day over those cocoa pops - while Meg made us a picnic lunch and we got ready for the day.

The first stop on our Budapest adventure was of course the well-known pharmacy - Bobert needed some TLC. We followed that big, glowing green cross like some sort of heavenly sign and hunted down some Bobert remedies.

Bobert tended too, we headed to a park behind the apartment block that looked good on google maps. Kids listen up, sometimes… the internet lies!!! The park that looked oh so lovely on the inter webs ended up being not so lovely in the real world. Too many paths stopped proper grass age and a lack of people using it as an actual park had us seriously questioning the legality of park lying in Budapest - what? Hungarians might just have something against grass, stranger things have happened.

We managed some sitting for all of 30 seconds before deciding we ain’t about this life. Deciding to tentatively put our trust back in google, we headed off in the direction of Margaret’s Island, a decision that ended up being on of our best (spoiler alert).

Just up the street, past 3 restaurants, 1 banks, 2 McDonalds and 1 mini golf course lays Margaret’s Bridge that aptly connects Buda to Pest and veer off to Margaret’s Island.

Now, for those of you who haven’t been to Margaret’s Island, just imagine Disneyland on speed and made of grass. Walking into the massive island, you’re greeted by a bus stop and a map of the island because the park is just that big.

First stop was of course the toilet, I’m not pointing fingers but the bladder has a Bobert. But, before we could even get there you find yourself at a big-ass roundabout which is surrounded by people selling pedal carts of various jazziness, because this is an island made for wizzing around.

Bladders emptied, we set up camp in a cute patch of grass nestled in some bushes, under a tree and opposite a big ole fountain. Now, remember how I called this place Disneyland on speed, well apparently, in Budapest the fountains sing. On the hour, every hour, for 15 minutes the fountains become a musical water show set to music from everything from Rolling Stones to Moana soundtrack to Dua Lipa. Budapest Disney be wild.

Time flew by as we lay on the grass and had our picnic. The musical show and general park and fountain-ness proved to be a wonderful backdrop to writing and reading. I can honestly say I have never had a more relaxing or enjoyable time - you can’t go wrong with a good park, especially one complete with a musical fountain.

The magical adventure continued as we said adieu to our picnic spot and continued our trek through Margaret’s Island. Just behind a bank of flower beds and a line of sunbeams is a big ole ‘Budapest’ sign - just in case anyone forgets where they are. Like the proper travelling tourists we are, we took a photoshoot worth of pictures in front of the sign so everyone knows exactly where we went on our travels.

The rest of the day was a wide assortment of various things that Margaret’s Island has to offer - I still don’t know who Margaret is, but I would like to thank her for her great taste in Islands. Passing by a BnB and a zoo, because what park is complete without a zoo enclosure just for chickens - we continued the trick to the other side.

Margaret’s Island ends as most parks do; at a massive hotel overlooking a great water tower. With thoughts of ‘ah what an Island’ we headed back down via the other side. Stopping for ice cream and a quick piss in a bush - DofE trekking expeditions have prepared me well - we walked past a big pool and some old ruined - again, this is an island and a half - before once again finding ourselves at the magical musical fountain.

Seeing that the fountain was lit up all colourful we sat and waited for the next musical number. It was a wonderful experience and a very fitting end to such a lovely day.

— MiraSophia

[pilgrimguyanne]

The slowest pilgrim rides home from work.

I decided to cycle home from work. Part of this was vanity. My colleague told me I looked like I'd lost weight and, since I don't own a scale, the only way to make this true was to keep active. Part of this was Corona related, since the rush hour trains the last time I was in office were too full for comfort. Part of this was because I needed to clear my head. A dear uncle of mine passed away yesterday, and grieving from a distance is hard. All of this was a bad idea.

It started off as a good idea, because there's a bike rental spot right outside my office door. Google maps promised me it would take 1 hour 21 mins to cycle the 21 km, longer if I took the 25 or 37km route. I had had a sandwich and some tea for lunch, not a lot, but enough to get me 21 km mostly downhill or flat. I still had some water left, again, enough to get me 21 km downhill or on a flat.

The first challenge arose leaving the campus. It was neither downhill nor flat. But once I'd exited, it was fine, and it was a refreshing ride to the centre of the city. All good. I should have called it quits. Taken the train, been content with the 7 km or so behind me. But no. I went on.

Through the city, taking detours at building cites and going, the sun shining on my arms, the wind on my back. I saw a familiar yellow shell! The Jakobsweg! Everything would be fine. The first sign leading to Essen said 11 km. Easy. I would make it. I cycled up ( in a denim skirt, the most flexible piece of clothing) and got to see some beautiful views. Then it should be smooth sailing. Except the next sign gave two options, 15 km or 13 km. How could it be more? I obviously took the shorter route. This was clearly the wrong choice, or else why would I be writing this?

The route I took took me through all of Bochum, Wattenscheid, Kray, often uphill in 30 Celsius in a denim skirt with no water. On one hand, it was good to see Bochum. I've worked here nearly 4 years but, since when I relocated in 2015 it was for a job in Essen, and since I hate moving, I commute and don't really know the town. I got to see the different Stadteile, which was cool, if unintended. But somewhere, I got seriously lost. I'd hoped to eventually end up on the famous Ruhr Rad weg, the bike Highway, since I once walked along it and ended up in Bochum. This did not happen.

After two hours, home was still 10 km away. With every Kilometer I went, it moved further. My water was down to the last drops and my lips were turning white. There were no supermarkets in sight. Luckily, my phone rang. I stopped to take a rest and two calls. Then onward ho!

I hadn't seen any more shells, but I did see one of the pink signs from the Bistum Essen Pilgrim route. My pilgrim heartwas content, and I kept going until I saw a big bluesigb pointing to Essen. FYI: cyclist signs are red. Blue signs lead to the Autobahn. That's right, those crazy speed limits be damned stretches where Benzes exercise their horsepower. Turn around.

Soon, I was at Wattenscheid main station. I could have stopped here. But I didn't see a bike depot, and every time I ride past on the train there is a stretch that looks beautiful that I promise myself I want to see. Besides, the numbers had gone down, just 7.8km now. Up. Freaking. Hill. Now I was really thirsty. Fortunately, I was coning up to a gas station with supermarket, where I bought an apple, a bar called a pick up bar and a bottle of water. Lies. I bought a coke zero because I was fantasising about coke. Coke zerois vile and super sweet and I don't know why I ever liked that drink. To top it off, the grocery had a special and the cashier pointed out I could get another drink for like 1€ more. But I was like no thanks, one is enough. I wish she had told me lady you are sweating and on bike in 30degrees with no clouds, one is not enough. And I didn't even remember my loyalty points.

Some flat riding. 6km to go. Then uphill. I am tempted to get out and push again but there's an old couple in front of me and they are doing it. They are also not in a denim straight skirt. Then 6.8. Then 7.0. Am I lost? Why is it getting longer? I go down the wrong road, well up, because the signage is poor but I realise in time and the cycle down is a nice break.

I finally arrive in Kray. Again, I should take the train. But now I am so close. 4.5 km. Except if you go the wrong way and have to turn around. Except if the town keeps moving. I am famished and realise my FITBIT IS DYING!! No, you modern technology. You will record every painful pedal. Every step. This journey will be added to my Virtual Camino and count as my 3rd of 5 workouts this week. I need your silly you're in it to win it.

I get to a familiar junction AND get confused. Now, instead of 2.9km away from the station, I am 6 km away from home. But home is good. I can follow the route the bus takes, since this bus takes me to my house. But I am so thirsty and hungry. I can't. I decide to check the nearest location I can drop off a bike. 4.5 km away. Might as well cycle home.

In the distance I see a kiosk. I buy a water and a blue drink. The drinks quench my thirst, but make me acutely aware of my hunger. I forge ahead. I know where I am. The lying signs cannot deceive me anymore. I see the station. I decide to cut my losses and park the bike. I am hungry and thirsty and my peddaling is getting wobbly. Besides, it's now 4 hours since I rented the bike. 4. Hours. This means I have avoided rush hour, I can take a tram.

I sit in the station and wait on my tram, and once on board I order a pizza. The tram ends two stops before my usual stopm and the bus replacement is not there, but walking the final 900 km is good, and brings me to my 10,000 steps.

In the shower, the water burns my eyes as though I have opened my eyes in the Dead Sea, but I let the cool water run over me, and vow to have better supplies for the next time I cycle home from work. Walk good.

[torontotravelblog]

How to spend a weekend in Toronto

Our weekend break in Toronto was an unexpected trip. We needed to go to New York City for a couple of days, so I believed we might as well tick off another country from my checklist as well as see Canada while we were close by.

After a weekend break in Toronto, I was cross with myself for not seeing this nation in the past, particularly after residing in New England for as long at one point. Even though it was pretty chilly, Toronto took my heart!

Getting to Toronto

Like many locations nowadays, the preferred means to get to Toronto is by flying. Getting to Toronto from London or several other larger cities in Europe is quite very easy. There are lots of direct trips that take around 8 hrs.

Going through security was very simple also, and also for the first time I essentially really did not need to talk with any individual-- I simply had to check my passport.

Ensure you examine before if you need a visa or ETA, and also do not wind up doing what I did, which was paying $80 rather than a few dollars.

The airport lies 25km from the centre of Toronto as well as and you can take a bus, taxi or Uber (there's a different departure at the airport terminal for this so it was so easy to discover), along with the Union Pearson (UP) express, which takes you to Union Station.

Reaching Toronto is also possible by train if you're taking a trip from cities like Montreal or Vancouver (obviously it's possible to do it in three days!). Additionally, you can capture a bus if you're taking a trip from the States.

What to see over your weekend in Toronto

After signing in to our resort Delta Hotels by Marriott (which had one of the most unbelievable view!), we made a beeline for ... Chinatown!

Day one in Toronto

After living in Poland for a number of months, where genuine Chinese food generally does not exist, we were passing away to eat some! I know we selected the wrong side of the globe yet we would certainly heard Chinatown in Toronto was pretty remarkable.

A little bit of study later on and we were on our method to a restaurant called House Of Exquisite. We definitely struck it rich! The food was simply outstanding, so we returned the following day also. Chinatown in general was nice, although it didn't have the fantastic atmosphere you get in London, Boston or Singapore.

With full stomachs, we made a decision to visit the area close by where we met some citizens that we became buddies with in Krakow. They revealed us around the Kensington Market but because it was quite late, most of the stores were closed. Even so, it behaved to get hold of a few beers in some unique bars there.

We finished the night at the big 3D Toronto indicator near the Nathan Phillips Square. I've seen those indicators around the world however I need to admit with such lovely colours, Toronto's is my favourite.

Day 2 in Toronto

Due to the fact that we were only investing a weekend in Toronto, we only had someday left. That meant the prepare for Saturday was to see as much of the city as feasible.

We began the day with a tasty morning meal at the Eggspectation, admiring Old Town hall along the road. Later on, we walked back to the hipster neighbourhood of Kensington Market to discover it during the day.

It was a fantastic place filled with incredible vintage stores, cafes, dining establishments and food stores. You'll discover every little thing that is different as well as distinct in one area below. They call it a market, however it's more of a maze of slim roads with gorgeous, colourful shops as well as Victorian residences.

Because Chinatown neighbored, we got to see it during the day as well. It's rather huge yet not as remarkable as others, being more of a street with small stores full of exotic fruits, herbs, and all kinds of treasures from the Far East. It really did not make me feel like I can have remained in Asia.

Our following quit was Graffiti Street. You will see lots of stunning graffiti works all over Toronto, but this location is the major one to appreciate the gifted artists' designs.

Even though it was lunch, we didn't seem like consuming a square meal yet, so we checked out a preferred ice cream location called Dessert Jesus.

It absolutely wasn't easy to discover-- we walked the structure two times and also still had trouble! Fortunately, Google pictures involved our rescue with a photo of the door. Inside this small facilities, they serve the most incredible gelato with super-sized portions.

Proceeding our walk around the city for our weekend in Toronto, we passed the Gooderham Structure as well as reached our next quit, St. Lawrence Market.

The series of fresh products there, particularly fish, will certainly leave you wanting this market was closer to home. There's no place like it where I live-- the locals here are lucky.

One of our last locations for the day and also I assume my preferred place in Toronto was the Distillery Area. Deriving from a concept to transform old industrial parks right into a small town, this area is so remarkable currently.

Browse through and also you'll discover special shops, a tiny brewery, coffee bar, art galleries as well as restaurants. It's an area that been utilized in many flicks, consisting of Chicago.

We existed throughout the Christmas markets and it was even more magical. Picture a substantial tree in the middle, festive music having fun, impressive food associate scrumptious treats and also many, several various other tourist attractions.

It was obtaining late and I actually wanted to see a sight of Toronto from the lake side. We really did not have time to take a boat to Toronto Island, so we decided to stroll to Jennifer Kateryna Kovalskyj Park. I located it on the map and it looked like a great view point.

It was also wintertime, so you can imagine how sketchy the vacant park really felt at night near the Harbour Pier. I 'd heard that Toronto is a pretty safe place, so I wasn't panicking. That being stated, I probably would not go there once more. In the summer season, it's possibly great, as there is a significant bar also.

Thankfully we picked up some wifi signal and came back securely to the city centre. Next stop, Queen Road to check out even more of Toronto's night life (check out the very best European cities for partying as well).

We didn't have time to see anything else on Sunday since we were rushing for the bus to Niagara Falls (which we missed out on due to the Santa Claus Parade, but that's an entire different tale). There's a whole lot more to see in a weekend in Toronto however-- right here are a few of my recommendations.

Sightseeing and tour on your weekend in Toronto

You ought to absolutely take a look at the renowned CN Tower, which is now not only a TELEVISION tower, yet also has public watching terraces, a revolving dining establishment (360 Restaurant) and an amusement complicated. If you like adrenaline, you can additionally do EdgeWalk-- a walk along the edge at an elevation of 356 meters! You can obtain tickets here.

Right beside it, you will certainly locate Rogers Centre, where you can see your preferred game or concert. If you're a follower of sealife, make sure you check out Ripley's Aquarium of Canada.

Casa Loma is something you would not necessarily expect travelling to Canada but it's really a castle. And also since it doesn't truly fit with regular Canadian structures, it is just one of the most popular destinations.

If you're travelling to Toronto throughout the summer season, you need to for certain go to Toronto Island. There are excellent beaches, a little theme park and also an amazing sight of the city. The island is a sanctuary for individuals that like the silence as well as calm and also want to unwind.

Do not miss out on the ROM-- Royal Ontario Museum. This is the greatest gallery in Canada, with six million exhibitions.

And also naturally, allow's not forget the Hockey Hall of Fame. This area is committed to the background of ice hockey, where you will locate National Hockey League prizes (NHL).

The post “ How to spend a weekend in Toronto “ was seen first on Stylish Traveler

Dr. Amauri Caversan, ND - Toronto Naturopathic Doctor

[readexplorerepeat]

What we learned while backpacking. Paris and Rome.

Before we travel, I always make it a point to research the places we are planning on visiting for things like weather, customs, special laws, walk-ability, transit and transportation arrangements etc.  Often times I find it very useful when I read tips and suggestions from other travelers and their experiences.  SO, I thought I would put together a list of tips and suggestions from our own experience while we traveled in Europe.

1. TRAVEL LIGHT.

There is no need to carry a million items. Remember, people live there and there are many places to buy the essentials like toiletries and other products should you need them. So packing travel size items is totally the way to go. Your luggage will be less heavy and your back will thank you.

2. TAKE AN UMBRELLA/RAINCOAT

I guess this one depends on where and when you travel, but generally, I always take a small travel umbrella and a light raincoat. Many times in the past I've failed to take these items and the result? I get miserably soaked by the pouring rain. Especially if you are out and about sightseeing. A travel umbrella is so small, you can place it in a side pocket of your backpack with no problem and it is TSA approved. As far a a raincoat,I opt for a light raincoat (C0lumbia Sportswear worked perfectly).  Make sure it is waterproof and not just water resistant (believe me...great difference).    

3. PORTABLE CELL PHONE CHARGER

I use my cellphone to take all my pictures while traveling.  I mean, the convenience of just having a small device which you can also use as a camera/phone/GPS and mini computer is just a great perk of living in the twenty first century...as such, I also have to deal with terrifying "low battery" pop up message that is inevitable when traveling. A small, portable cell phone charger is a life saver. You can check out all our pictures now and thank the creators of such neat device later.

4. PORTABLE SELFIE STICK FOR PICTURES

When we exerted ourselves up 37 stories just to reach the top of the Saint Peter's Basilica or the Notre-Dame top level to see the mystic gargoyles, it was worth it. But we also realized there's an incredible potential for amazing pictures that cannot be achieved with just stretching your hand.  A selfie stick was the solution.  A picture perfect solution. 

5. TAKE A SCARF

Yes, It is HOT in many places in Europe in the summer days. This was especially true when we visited Rome. You will be tempted to wear just a tank top and shorts, or a sleeveless maxi-dress. It's the perfect attire for the warmth of this spectacular place...BUT be aware that MOST (if not all) churches, and sacred places in Rome - including the Vatican- will NOT let you in if you don't cover your shoulders (and your knees).  A scarf is the perfect alternative to wrap around your neck and shoulders.  and it also provides a very stylish way to accessorize your outfit. Locals in both, France and Italy wear scarves all the time, even in the summer months - and especially at night.

6. GIRLS, MAXI OR SUMMER DRESSES ARE A MUST

A perfect outfit when backpacking is one that you can dress up or dress down with ease.  A maxi dress or a cute summer dress provides the perfect combination of style and comfort. Dress it up with a scarf or custom jewelry, or just wear it as it comes during the day. You can't go wrong with a dress.

7. TENNIS SHOES ARE TOTALLY OK

One of the things I was most worried about was the fact that I wanted to pick the right pair of shoes for Paris and Rome. I didn't want to look like an obvious tourist.  I googled a million times and read a million blogs to investigate what kind of shoes other people were taking on their trips. All suggested comfortable walking shoes, and flats for women. Many stated to stay away from white tennis shoes. Let me tell you what I saw. An unbearable amount of both men and women wearing tennis shoes (as in Nike and Adidas). I also saw a lot of locals wearing white tennis shoes (usually Converse or Keds). So I wish I would've known this before picking my shoes. I opted for taking a pair of gray Bobs (by Sketchers) with the memory foam inserts. They were very comfortable walking shoes and they looked just fine with my outfits.  Just remember, whatever shoe you pick, make sure they are made for walking (we walked an average of 10 miles per day), and make sure you break them in in advance!

8. WATERPROOF YOUR SHOES

I learned this one the hard way.  Remember when I said we've gotten soaked by pouring rain in the past? Well, this includes our shoes. Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than walking around in wet soggy shoes all day. So this time, I knew better. I got a water-proof spray (make sure it works on fabric) and waterproofed my shoes all the way around.  The result was as expected, and my feet did not get wet at all when it rained -Even when I accidentally stepped in a big puddle!.

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9. PARIS PASS/TRAIN PASS 

Is it worth the money? Well, the answer depends on your needs.  There are many alternatives on packages that you can get while in Paris.  We definitely recommend to get the travel card even if you don't end up getting the whole Paris pass deal.  Let me explain.  The Paris Pass is a package deal that you can purchase online and pick up when you arrive at one of the many locations they offer. It includes a museum pass, an attraction pass, and a travel card.  You can get it for two, three, four, or six days, depending on your needs. If you purchase the whole pass, you have access to over 60+ museums and attractions and unlimited metro, RER, and bus travel, a bus tour, fast track access to many museums, and a guide book. So here's how you decide.  Make a list of the museums and attractions that you want to visit for sure, and if it's more economical to just pay for them individually (you can find the prices online) and if you are not interested in taking the bus tour either, then just get the travel card and a museum pass, or just a travel card and pay for the museum entries individually. We got the pass for convenience and peace of mind. For us it was worth it since we visited many places. 

RELATED: PARIS: CITY OF LOVE AND MANY OTHER AMAZING THINGS

10. USE YOUR MANNERS

I'm embarrassed to admit that many Americans are perceived as rude in Europe. And unfortunately it is true. I observed how many of us forget to use our manners when talking to strangers in Europe. I'm going to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and state that it could be (perhaps) the language barrier. Many people (including myself) get nervous and forget the few foreign words they know when someone speaks to them in another language. But either way, it's not an excuse. Don't forget to use your hellos and thank yous in the respective language.  You will see a huge difference in the way locals respond to you.

11. DON'T FALL FOR STREET SCAMS

There are MANY scammers scampering the streets for their next victim. From innocent looking kids trying to convince you to sign a petition - while his/her friend steals your cellphone or wallet, from very young women posing as old and disabled gypsy ladies begging for money - you know they are not real when they won't show you their face.  Many pickpockets and fake street performers that only want to distract you so you are an easier target. Also, there are many street sellers that will literally hand you an item and once you have it in your hand they will demand payment.  Best thing to do; be vigilant of your surroundings and your belongings and you will be fine. 

12. TRY EVERYTHING (FOOD/DRINK)

Forget diets! eat everything you can and enjoy a different culture through their cuisine.  You only live once!

RELATED: ROME MUST EATS

RELATED: PARIS FOODIE EDITION

13. FACE THE HEIGHTS

The most beautiful views in Europe will be from the top of a mountain or building. We climbed Norte-Dame, Sacre-Coeur, and Saint Peter's Basilica (at 37 stories high) by foot.  Hundreds of steps later, you will be awed by the incredible views you will find once you face your fear of heights and tight spaces. Especially in Paris, prepare to climb many, many steps all around the city.

14. CARRY A MAP

If you don't have constant internet access it's impossible to rely on your phone's GPS when you get lost in the city. Having a good map with clear street names can potentially save you your sanity when the time comes. This is a good advice also for a metro or RER maps. Plan  your route in advance so you don't waste precious vacation time trying to figure out where to go and how to get there with no map.

15. SUMMER CAN GET HOT

I said it before, but I'll say it again. Summer can get hot, especially in Italy.  If you are planning on visiting in June-August, plan accordingly and pack summer clothes. Shorts, dresses, sunglasses, and lots and lots of sun screen when you go out sightseeing.

RELATED: WHEN IN ROME

16. AMERICAN EXPRESS- NOT ACCEPTED EVERYWHERE

We wanted to minimize the amount of cash we carried, in case of pickpockets. Didn't want to risk getting robbed of all our money. We thought it was a good idea to pay with a credit card whenever possible. For the most part this worked great. BUT be advised, only Visa and Master Card are accepted in most places. Coco had an American Express card that was barely used because apparently Paris and Rome (even the very touristic places) do not accept American Express.

17. THE WI-FI SCAM

One thing I would like to point out is the fact that almost every cafe, restaurant, and shop in Paris advertises free Wi-Fi for their patrons. LIES. Now, this is only a theory based on observation, but it seems to me that advertising free Wi-Fi is a good tactic to get people to have a seat and order an espresso while they figure out their maps or they make a call using internet access (namely, us).  But 8 out of 10 places do not really have this free Wi-Fi access. You have to request a password to access their network, and (if they provide it to you) the connections don't work. Our group was pretty technologically savvy and none of us could connect to most networks. When you ask the waitress for a correct password, they will say it is the password it was already provided and that it should work. Verdict: false advertisement just to get tourists to sit down while hunting for that precious Wi-Fi.

We all have different experiences every time we travel. It's our mission to share these with fellow travelers for informative purposes. We would also love to hear from you and your experiences! Comment below and tell us about your trip and backpacking experiences! 

***TRAVEL WITH US! READ ABOUT OUR OTHER ADVENTURES HERE!

[theolivechickken]

Spring Break pt. 2

March 12

Started the late morning at the La Rambla Street Markets. I basically got a $5 footlong but better cause it was on an actual baguette. With food in our bellies, we wandered through the city. Actually wandered. Not running on any set schedule. We used a paper map and followed street signs and our guts- only using Google Maps when absolutely necessary. We found pigeon central in La Plaza de Catalunya. This is where all the government pigeons go when they are retired, striking, or on vacation. Next, we came across the Cathedral. We visited the inside and rode the elevator to the rooftop view of the city.

I had no idea where Pat was going, so I was just along for the ride. We strolled through random alleyways and small streets which took us to the Arc de Triomf - a beautiful work of architecture. We continued walking down the strip towards the park. I love all these public spaces and invitations to chill and be part of the community.

We tried to find the zoo, but it was expensive so we went to the Picasso Museum instead to kill time. Picasso is probably one of my favorite artists. His work is so diverse and I admire his creativity and fearlessness for trying new concepts. Before entering La Sagrada Familia, we grabbed an early dinner at La Taqueria. Oh my, these street tacos were fire. Pile on that carne asada fam.

WOW. My mouth nearly dropped as hard as it did when I saw Michelangelo’s David for the first time. La Sagrada Familia is absolutely breathtaking. Photos and videos will never do this place justice. Feels like you just walked into a 4th dimension or into Heaven. 10/10 highly recommend to anyone who’s in Barcelona. And it’s amazing that it’s still under construction till 2026ish. Gaudí, you are my architectural hero.

Took the metro back to the hostel (instead of walking 70 years to get there) to rest for a bit. Later, we walked towards the beach and crossed this beautiful bridge over the pier only to realize that it wouldn’t actually take us to the beach. We ended up walking a very long back way to a street area in the hopes of finding a bar so that Pat could watch his futball game. It was pretty quiet - not what I was expecting for Barcelona. Luckily, we happened to find a cozy little bar (Bonita Bar) lit up and playing the game on a small tv. Had a chill time hanging out, watching the game, and trying some delicious Sangrias.

March 13

Amy met up with us at our hostel and from there we took the metro to Park Guell, rode an elevator to the top of the hill, and continued walking to a point near the top. Wow, we are literally on top of the world in this beautiful park overlooking the whole city. The clouds started parting their ways too, so we got some sun shining through. We took our time strolling around the top and listening to some street musicians performing. I also fell in love with the green parrots flying around.

Amy is an actual student who takes normal classes, so she took us to a little cafe near IES so we could scarf down a quick meal before she went to her afternoon class. Meanwhile, Pat and I went to the train station to reserve seats to Paris. After Amy’s class, we popped by La Rambla market to pick up food for the Bunkers (but ended up eating it even before we arrived there). We ended up being the last ones on the bus, and got off at the very last stop near the top of the mountain. We hiked up the hillside to the Bunkers (saw many signs telling us tourists to go home) and once again we were on top of the world. This time it was cooler out since the wind was intense and the sun was setting.

Amy was craving churros so we went to a little cafe. We distracted ourselves by making up our own game and rules with a board game, some dice, and markers. I swear, we played for a solid hour or so. Our food still wasn't out so we asked for it to go and hurried to catch the bus to Camp Nou. We took turns trying to juggle and balance a cup of thicc HOT chocolate and dipping our fried churros into it. So rich and yummy. Definitely for sweet tooths. On the bus some girl got her phone snatched and didn't even realize it till after the theifs left the bus. The whole debacle drastically changed the moods on the bus and I could feel a lot of tensions among the crowd. Sucks because Pat just got his phone stolen and sucks because theifs here are good at what they do. Mission “make sure Olivia doesn't get her phone snatched” is in hyperdrive.

The Barcelona v. Olympic Leon game was amazing! Such a cool experience and our seats were pretty good in my opinion. I can't believe I saw the goalie from Olympic Leon get a foot smashed into his face AND his stomach all in one move. Rip this man. He was brave for trying to play but eventually tapped out for the rest of the game. Barcelona stole the show and took home the win (and I took home a scarf for a souvenir).

We all metroed back to drop our stuff off and then Pat and I went back out to meet Amy at L’Ovella Negra. Turns out we went to the wrong one but at this point the metro was closed so we had to wait FOREVER for a bus to show up. I swear it took us another hour just to arrive. We met a bunch of Amy's friends from IES and Victoria had me salivate on my wrist and rub it on her friend’s wrist to try and get the stamp for the club to transfer. Didn't really work out but there was a faint blue stamp outline there?

At the club we skrrrted through the front line so that we could get in before 2am for cheaper/free admission. Victoria made it through and Amy barely passed. The bouncer took a look at my wrist and pulled me out of the line. And Pat's licked on stamp was basically non-existent so he got booted too. We stood next to Amy and Victoria on the other side of the fence as they made their way to the entrance. Amy and Victoria tried convincing me to sneak under the railing when the security weren't looking, but I wasn't about to risk it. After they got in, Pat and I went and stood in the actual line cause we weren't sure if Amy wanted to stay for a long time. The line moved pretty quickly though- we made friends with Ana from France. She and I did a handshake thing and she declared that we were best friends. I have no knowledge of French so we were trying our best to communicate with Spanish. But she somehow knew what Pat and I were trying to say??

Finally, we got in to this dang club and paid the ridiculously high price for entry. But yolo I'm only in Barcelona once. I had such a fun time dancing and singing the night away with Amy and Victoria!! Pat made a girl friend and Amy also made out with this one guy at some point in the night. The DJ was LIT with his music choice and I know he's a real homie cause he played Breaking Free from High School Musical. It was like 4:45am by time we left, and then we waited forever at the bus stop for the night bus to come. Google lied and said it arrived but it definitely left us abandoned at the stop. We called a taxi instead and got dropped at Amy’s hotel. The metros were open for business again, so Pat and I hopped on. I definitely fell asleep so thanks Pat for waking me up when we arrived. Took a shower around 5:30am and then crawled into bed at 6am. Woke up around 9:30 thinking that someone turned the lights on but it was just the sun shining through the windows.

Weirdly didn't feel exhausted because I was still in that window of time where it was a nap status. Anywhere between 1-3.5 hours of sleep is a nap. 4-6.5 hours of sleep is a bad place to be because I'm groggy from a nap and not well rested from a night of sleep. Generally I need a good 7-8 hours to function and probably run my best with 8-9 hours in my system.