Ok, shoes still gone. But I no longer think Prague is the most beautiful city in the world (no I really do...at least out of those I have seen). Tallinn, however, has given Prague a run for its money. If it doesn't win the most beautiful city prize, it comes in at a close second, at least in Europe. This has been confirmed by people who have been many more places than I have.
So, yeah, we are in Estonia, and tomorrow to Helsinki for the day. Wednesday we fly to Lithuania for a couple of days in Vilnius. It's cold and rainy, but otherwise ok. I wish we could get in one sunny day though, because the rain is getting us down and we are taking it out on each other.
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We went from Tallinn to Vilnius and it was just as beautiful and lovely to walk around. We arrived in the evening, a warm and sunny evening, just as the sun was going down only to wake up to another rainy day and one of our roommates telling me about how hot it was the day before. We walked around, took in the sights and many pictures and then readied ourselves to leave yesterday for Warsaw. Of course, after paying a deposit for our room here, we woke up to find Vilnius sunny and spent a warm sunny day on the train traveling south. It looks ok outside today, though, as we ready ourselves to see Warsaw before returning, yet again, to Berlin.
The Baltics were a good experience. The cities are beautiful, and having spent most of our time in the Old Cities of each place, we were immersed in the pre-communist history, though everywhere you go you hear and read about the Communist occupation. Riga was the only place that still seemed Soviet to me, but we moslty walked the tourist tracks everywhere, so that probably isn't a fair summary. It has been equally interesting being in places iwth no knowledge of the language and not being able to figure out words from looking at them or hearing them a few times. But many, if not most, people speak English making it infinitely easier to get around and order food etc. I haev a new appreciation for having been born an English speaker. Not speaking other languages isn't a fault that only Americans have, but the real story is that Englsih is the default langauage for everyone. Russians travel to France or Germany, and they speak English instead of the local language. Estonians speak English nearly perfectly, becuase it allows travel so much easier. I still really want to learn another language well, French (a new goal) and Chinese, but I appreciate that speaking English allows me to travel so much easier.
We are heading back to Berlin, and probably home in the next couple of weeks. The American dollar is weak everywhere right now, and we have exhausted the places that Mindy hasn't been already without the need visas. So it won't be long now, but it has been a long few months for me, and regardless of occassionally sleeping in, I am tired, though satisfied.
I did the count yesterday, and I have visited 7 new countries, so I'm almost to 30 countries before I turn 30, which isn't that far away.
Love, amy
15.9.07
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11.9.07
Update
Mindy and I are back in Berlin for the day, and we leave in the morning for Riga, Latvia. From there we will head north to Tallinn, Estonia, then maybe hit Helsiki. We might then head back south to Lithuania, or we may catch a cheap flight from Helsinki to London, crash with Nat for a day then go to Istanbul or Reykjavik. I really want to make it to Turkey, but come on, who doesn't want to go to Reykjavik?
We spent the last few days in Prague. It was a lovely city, very pretty, though rainy and cold. We walked all over, took a ton of pictures, went to the Museum of Communism and the Mucha art museum, which was small but awesome and educational. We also met a friend of mine in Prague for an afternoon and coffee, which was lovely, though sad to say goodbye once again.
We almost missed our train back to Germany, after arriving with about 15 minutes to find our train only to find that we were at the wrong station. We jumped on the metro, and three stops later we made it where we were supposed to be with just minutes to spare. We felt very good at life at that moment.
Once in Dresden, we walked through the rain only to find that our booking hadn't gone through and that we had no where to stay. After becoming very confused about how to buy metro/tram tickets, eating a chocolate crossaint, and generally feeling bad at life, we decided to head back to our familiar European home, Berlin. We got back, we ate microwave chinese food in a restaurant (who knew that was a thing?) then we met Pete back at the hostel for a fascinating conversation about polo shirts, super powers, crappy magic tricks, and bottled water (it's just so bad for the environment.)
Today, we went back to Checkpoint Charlie, took in the museum, and stepped back onto the sidewalk just in time for a small and somewhat informal memorial service of September 11th. Now we are wandering once again in the city, and may go see Harry Potter 5 in English in an hour or so.
Alas, my eyes are tired from staring at this screen, so I'm done here. More news later, perhaps when something interesting happens. All is well, though, and we hardly fight at all. Rest assured, we'll both make it home, just maybe not together...
amy and mindy
We spent the last few days in Prague. It was a lovely city, very pretty, though rainy and cold. We walked all over, took a ton of pictures, went to the Museum of Communism and the Mucha art museum, which was small but awesome and educational. We also met a friend of mine in Prague for an afternoon and coffee, which was lovely, though sad to say goodbye once again.
We almost missed our train back to Germany, after arriving with about 15 minutes to find our train only to find that we were at the wrong station. We jumped on the metro, and three stops later we made it where we were supposed to be with just minutes to spare. We felt very good at life at that moment.
Once in Dresden, we walked through the rain only to find that our booking hadn't gone through and that we had no where to stay. After becoming very confused about how to buy metro/tram tickets, eating a chocolate crossaint, and generally feeling bad at life, we decided to head back to our familiar European home, Berlin. We got back, we ate microwave chinese food in a restaurant (who knew that was a thing?) then we met Pete back at the hostel for a fascinating conversation about polo shirts, super powers, crappy magic tricks, and bottled water (it's just so bad for the environment.)
Today, we went back to Checkpoint Charlie, took in the museum, and stepped back onto the sidewalk just in time for a small and somewhat informal memorial service of September 11th. Now we are wandering once again in the city, and may go see Harry Potter 5 in English in an hour or so.
Alas, my eyes are tired from staring at this screen, so I'm done here. More news later, perhaps when something interesting happens. All is well, though, and we hardly fight at all. Rest assured, we'll both make it home, just maybe not together...
amy and mindy
4.9.07
Final thoughts on camp and what's new
Well, camp ended on September 1st. I am not sure what day that was, or what day today is. My days before were not Monday through Sunday, but rather American Athletics Day, Wild West Day, Mystery and Magic Day. And now that those labels cease to exist, I am sure that I will find Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday again, but in sleeping, riding trains, and drinking coffee, I have yet to do so.
Camp ended sadly, quietly, and not without a real sense of relief. I was so tired at the end and something I didn't know was possible happened, my patience gave out. My patience for the kids, for the misunderstandings, for mistakes, for long days, finally ran thin and snapped. I will admit, I even cried one day, from frustration, from being provoked, and somehow, from the unexpected good behavior of one young Bart Meow. I only cried a little on the last day as we said goodbye to the kids, but I held many crying children, a little sad to leave us and really sad to leave each other. After they all left, I sat on the sidewalk and I cried about saying goodbye, and I remembered every farewell day from the beginning of summer, and I was suddenly really sad that the whole thing was over. Not sad enough to want it to continue, but just a mourning that the experience was finished. Life at Tour de Buis was a surreal experience of strangers, French children, bad coffee, orange slugs, bad singing, and being loud. I didn't know I could be so loud. But it was a good one, one I learned a lot from, and I had so much fun with the kids that I am sad it is over. I wouldn't have said this a week ago, but today I think I can honestly say that I would do it again, and I would do it better next time, as is always the case.
Anyway, I find myself back in Berlin for the third time this year. The beginning of September, much like the beginning February, is a gray and rainy time here, but I feel at home in this part of the city. I recognize things, I know where to go to find certain things, when I got off the train at the Zoo station, I knew exactly where to find the hostel, and since Mindy didn't in fact meet me at the station, I knew where to check in and found her in our room still in bed, but awake and waiting for me. I have been drinking coffee in large to-go containers, more coffee at one time than I had the entire time I was France, since France doesn't believe in large coffees or coffee to-go. I miss France already, and I spoke with two French guys in Paris at the train station while waiting for my train to Berlin the other night about half in French. I think with a few more months in France, and some concentrated effort, I could speak basic French and get around alright, and I really want that right now, though I don't have that opportunity. But I suppose this just goes to prove, that all things are possible.
I am with Mindy now, and we are going to go sightseeing. I am about out of credit, so I am closing this for now. Things are good, and I am sorry this is long but says nothing. More details later, and once I figure out how to do it, more pictures too.
Love you and miss you, but happy to still be here...amy (no longer ck)
Camp ended sadly, quietly, and not without a real sense of relief. I was so tired at the end and something I didn't know was possible happened, my patience gave out. My patience for the kids, for the misunderstandings, for mistakes, for long days, finally ran thin and snapped. I will admit, I even cried one day, from frustration, from being provoked, and somehow, from the unexpected good behavior of one young Bart Meow. I only cried a little on the last day as we said goodbye to the kids, but I held many crying children, a little sad to leave us and really sad to leave each other. After they all left, I sat on the sidewalk and I cried about saying goodbye, and I remembered every farewell day from the beginning of summer, and I was suddenly really sad that the whole thing was over. Not sad enough to want it to continue, but just a mourning that the experience was finished. Life at Tour de Buis was a surreal experience of strangers, French children, bad coffee, orange slugs, bad singing, and being loud. I didn't know I could be so loud. But it was a good one, one I learned a lot from, and I had so much fun with the kids that I am sad it is over. I wouldn't have said this a week ago, but today I think I can honestly say that I would do it again, and I would do it better next time, as is always the case.
Anyway, I find myself back in Berlin for the third time this year. The beginning of September, much like the beginning February, is a gray and rainy time here, but I feel at home in this part of the city. I recognize things, I know where to go to find certain things, when I got off the train at the Zoo station, I knew exactly where to find the hostel, and since Mindy didn't in fact meet me at the station, I knew where to check in and found her in our room still in bed, but awake and waiting for me. I have been drinking coffee in large to-go containers, more coffee at one time than I had the entire time I was France, since France doesn't believe in large coffees or coffee to-go. I miss France already, and I spoke with two French guys in Paris at the train station while waiting for my train to Berlin the other night about half in French. I think with a few more months in France, and some concentrated effort, I could speak basic French and get around alright, and I really want that right now, though I don't have that opportunity. But I suppose this just goes to prove, that all things are possible.
I am with Mindy now, and we are going to go sightseeing. I am about out of credit, so I am closing this for now. Things are good, and I am sorry this is long but says nothing. More details later, and once I figure out how to do it, more pictures too.
Love you and miss you, but happy to still be here...amy (no longer ck)
A few more pictures from camp
Ck as a Frankenstein with the Draculas, the Mummies, the Medusas, and the Werewolves.
Ck and Fry in Vienne
Ck and Julia Roberts on Farewell day of third session.