My friend Emilie had put an idea in my head… I was in Paris and had just had a few bumps in the road with my debit card and what not. Emilie told me my life would make a great book. So I started writing when I got back from Paris. I found a coo sketch book
And wrote. And wrote and took it to Spain and filled it with tickets and postcards and my adventures. It turned out a lot cooler then I thought it would. Check out a few of the pages.
It turned into a sort of scrap book of sorts and a journal I’d write in when I was bored or if something cool happened. I’m still writing in it even though my cool travels are over for now. It’s a good way to blow off steam. If I don’t have anyone to talk to I just write it and I feel a whole lot better. And on my way through Spain it was also where I put my fears, which were rather useless looking back, but it was just nice to write them out. And I like taping tings in and making it all colorful!
Cheers,
Christmas was last Sunday, I had planned on staying in Europe till after New Years but alas plans got changed and I ended up booking a ticket home the 23rd. Then it popped into my head ’Why not surprise everyone?’ So my mum asked for me to send my flight info to her. I did a bit of poking found the flight I was on ran just about every day from Frankfurt. The email I sent her had my correct flight info but I changed the date to the 28th. My plan was ready to go I was going to show up at home, unannounced, the 23rd of December, just in time for Christmas!
My ticket had been booked way back in November and I had a friend who was going to help me. Turns out she’s very afraid of keeping secrets and to add to it she ended up having lunch with my mum twice that month after I had told her. So she was scared to death she’d ruin my surprise, she made a tiny slip but saved it and didn’t rat me out.
So my journey home sort of started when I woke up the 22nd at 10h00. I ended up rearranging and re packing that day then just enjoyed the rest of the time playing Diablo and relaxing with my boyfriend. I left at midnight on the 23rd.
I took a 30 minute car ride to Metz.
I hoped on a bus at Metz.
Took an hour and five minute bus ride to Luxembourg.
Transferred busses to take a 2 hour and five minute ride to Frankfurt Hahn Airport.
Then hopped another bus from Hahn to Main (an hour and a half ride)
I need to pause here to tell you about my experience at Frankfurt Main. First it’s a gigantic airport and it took me a while to find the Delta check-in. I got asked all sorts of questions. “Did you pack your bag?” “Where’s your final destination?” and so on. Once the guy determined I was me and had packed my own bags I walked up to the counter to check my back. It weighed 24.5 kilos and I was only allowed 23 kilos. So I crossed my fingers and said a little prayerr as I chatted with the guy behind the counter. He passed my bag through without fees!! Woo!!
So I was off to passport control. I smile and walk up to the desk. The lady takes my passport and flips though it. “You arrived on the 12th of September?” I smiled and said yes. “Where have you been since then?” I told I had been in France and she asked for proof so I pulled out my bus tickets. That was good enough proof I suppose. She nods and looks at me. “Are you aware you’re only allowed to stay in the EU for 3 months. You’ve been here illegally for 10 days now.” I must have turned pretty pale, I felt like vomiting. She turns to the other guy in Passport control and they talk in German for what felt like forever as it sank in I could be getting arrested, probably detained and banned from the EU. She ended up passing me through thank god and I booked it to my gate! Never again in my life!! I had thought I had 6 months to be in and out so I had been confident I was okay. Nope. No more mix ups!! I’m done with border runs!
Back to my journey…
I boarded and was on a 9 hour flight to *drum roll* Detroit!
I get to Detroit and had to pass customs. I passed without a hitch. Rechecked my bag and was off to my connecting flight.
My flight was delayed almost 2 hours.
But I eventually made it to Newark Airport.
From Newark I boarded a bus.
Got to Newark Penn Station.
Missed the early train and had to wait an hour.
Caught my train all the way to the last stop on the Raritan line.
Then the last leg of my journey and by far the worst physically.
I had to walk about a kilometer and a half up hill (many breaks were needed).
Then I walked up my super steep driveway, left my bag at the patio.
Crept up to the side door.
Took off my shoes and snuck inside.
I tiptoed to the dining room/living room, smiled and said “Merry Christmas!”
My parents, little brother and his 2 friends turn to look at me
And stare…
And stare…
And stare…
Then I suppose it sunk in that I was home and I got a round of hugs. Not quite what I had expected but they keep telling me they were in shock and didn’t think it was me at first.
My epic journey home consisted of 1 car ride. 4 bus rides. 2 planes. 1 train. Walking and 38 hours without sleep. I think it was worth it though as my family was excited I was home for Christmas and I got to spenc Christmas back in Jersey.
Cheers,
I’m a bit behind on my posts… so today I’ll play catch up.
I’ve always been one to love Christmas. I love the time of year, the decorations and the family and friends. I was looking forward to Christmas time in Europe as I was curious how they celebrated and all. Turns out it’s amazing! Nancy had lights up and the tree that I posted about here.
And Europe has Christmas markets! These markets are a pocket of epic Christmas cheer. My first Christmas market was in Nancy. Damien and I walked over to the market one night, it was kinda rainy and windy but it was totally amazing. I fell in love with Christmas markets. Why?
Why not? I mean come on look how cute it is! It was all tiny and cute and Christmasy. And I tried my first muled wine.
It tasted rather horrible. But Damien’s mum made some at home and it was amazing!
Then I had my second Christmas Market run in in Strasbourg. It was the cutest thing right. You see Damien had told me that he had a surprise for me that weekend and he refused to say where we were going. So I got ready Saturday afternoon and we got ready to go. Damien’s dad said something about Strasbourg and I got really excited. Turns out we were going to Strasbourg for the Christmas market! I’d been dying to go to Strasbourg for a few weeks. Plus we get there and it turns out Strasbourg is the capitol of Christmas! It was a really amazing surprise and I loved it!
I thought I was going to die of a Christmas overload…. But that’s impossible as I love Christmas so much. But it was so pretty and amazing!
Cheers,
I saw this on a travel blog i follow called Never Ending Voyage. you can check out their ABC's here. And you can read on for mine! And i put in lots of pictures!
A: Age you went on your first international trip:
20
B: Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where:
Guinness in Ireland
C: Cuisine (favorite):
French Food
D: Destinations, favorite, least favorite and why:
Favorite: Rome, Italy - Everything was so pretty and you could walk to all the main sights
Least: Athens, Greece - it was dirty and totally not what I was looking forward too
E: Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”:
Ireland as a whole
F: Favorite mode of transportation:
Walking
G: Greatest feeling while traveling:
When I got home from my 12 days of traveling alone and I realized I had really done it all on my own, no help needed
H: Hottest place you’ve traveled to:
Rome during spring break
I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where:
My Hostel in Madrid provided me with everything I could have possibly needed to navigate the city and a walking tour to boot
J: Journey that took the longest:
Coming home for Christmas. I traveled for 20 hours
K: Keepsake from your travels:
Keychains!
L: Let-down sight, why and where:
The Coliseum of Rome - It was really cool to see the outside and all but it was so expensive and the lines were long to go inside (so I didn’t)
M: Moment where you fell in love with travel:
After a day trip in Ireland when I realized there was so much to see
N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in:
The one I stayed in in Delphi, Greece
^hotel view^
O: Obsession—what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?
Ruins and castles
P: Passport stamps, how many and from where?
9 - Ireland, Spain, Italy, Greece, Belgium, England, Scotland, Germany, US Customs
Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where:
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Ireland
R: Recommended sight, event or experience:
The Cliffs of Moher
S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling:
Have yet to find something I will splurge for every time
T: Touristy thing you’ve done:
Gone to the Eiffel Tour at night with my boyfriend
U: Unforgettable travel memory:
Road trip in Greece for 3 days
V: Visas, how many and for where?
2 From Ireland
W: Wine, best glass of wine while traveling and where?
Red Wine in Santiago De Compostela, Spain
X: eXcellent view and from where?
The tope of Torc Mountain
Y: Years spent traveling?
1 full year with a combination of all my trips and study abroad
Z: Zealous sports fans and where?
Munster Rugby fans in Limerick Ireland
I’ve been living in Nancy France since September and my deportation fiasco. But it was only last week that I got around to actually seeing the sights. Damien had said there wasn’t much to see in Nancy and the only thing I’d seen previously was Place Stanislas and Parc de la Pépinière. Damien was partly right. There wasn’t a lot to see compared to other places I’ve been. But there was a lot for a small city like Nancy.
I went walking in the city on a cold very windy day and it was a bit rainy so I ended up only staying in the Old town of Nancy. What did I see?
Place Stanislas
Stanislas Leszczynski an exiled king of Poland who had become Duke of Lorraine in 1737, planned to create a square intended to honour and glorify his son-in-law Louis XV of France. The foundation stone of the first building in the square was officially laid in March 1752 and the royal square solemnly inaugurated in November 1755.
At the beginning a bronze statue of Louis XV decorated the centre of the square. The statue along with surrounding allegorical figures disappeared during the French Revolution and it was only in 1851 that a new statue, this time of Stanislas, was erected in its place.
Place d’Alliance
This square originally called Saint Stanislas Square (part of the architectural unity commissioned by Stanislas). A baroque fountain by the sculptor Cyfflé, which to begin with, was meant to stand in the centre of the semicircle on Carrière Square was finally installed here. It is a symbol of the alliance in 1756 between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and France.
Place de la Carriere
The need to modernise the ramparts mid 16th century led to an extension of the town toward the east and thus the creation of a new square, the " Place Neuve de la Carriere ". Carriere was the old French word for a tilt-yard where jousting and tournaments took place in the Middle Ages.
Triumphal Arch
The triumphal arch was built to honour Louis XV at the same time as Stanislas Square. This impressive gate was built in the middle of the ramparts separating the Old Town from the New Town. It is a reminder of the Triumphal Arches set up by the Roman emperors to glorify themselves ( particular the one for Septimius Severus in Rome). A gilded medallion of Louis XV in profile dominates the entire structure
The Craffe Gate
This impressive gateway into Nancy was built at the end of the 14th century as part of the walls encircling the town. The large twin towers flanking the gate were added on at the end of the 15th century and were used as prisons. The small lantern above the main gate dates back to the 17th century and contained a bell which rang out the hours of the day, the beginning of the curfew and informed the population of public executions. The Lorraine Cross on the facade is a reminder that the emblem was adopted after the victory of the Battle of Nancy
The Duke's Palace
The building of the Dukes' Palace began in 1502. All that remains nowadays of the residence of the Dukes of Lorraine is the wing on Grande-Rue (high street) and the Porterie (the gateway). It includes a niche with an equestrian statue of Duke Antoine -the original group was destroyed during the French Revolution.
The palace was destroyed in part and redesigned by Boffrand during the reign of Leopold. Then turned into stables by Stanislas. After a fire in 18TH century, it was restored once again, although its appearance was slightly modified it regained its original mullioned windows, high sloping roofs, and gargoyles. It became the Lorraine Museum in 1937
The Church of the Cordeliers
This is a votive church which was built after the victory over Charles the Hardy at the Battle of Nancy. The unostentatious Cordeliers church and its adjoining Fransiscan monastery were founded respectively in 1487 and 1482 by René II. It is still consecrated as a place of worship. Since 1939, it has housed sculptures, religious paintings and funeral monuments including the Renaissance tomb of René II and the recumbant figure of his wife Philippa de Gueldres. The Dukes of Lorraine are buried in the adjoining circular-shaped chapel.
Saint-Epvre basilica and Square
The Saint Epvre Church towers above one of the largest and busiest squares in the old town. Up till the end of the 19th century the square with its fountain topped by a statue of Duke Rene II was the site of the town's market. The present-day Basilica was built in the second half of the 19th century in the gothic revival style.
The Cathedrale
The church was built at the beginning of the 18th century. It was originally the seat of the Primate of Lorraine and only became the cathedral in 1777 after the death of Stanislas.
Saint-Sebastian's Church
This 18th century baroque church with its curvate facade was influenced by the Saint Agnesa Church in Rome. Imposing statues of two dukes of Lorraine, Leopold and Stanislas keep watch over the Church and the neighbouring Market place.
And all this info came from the Nancy Tourist Office site.
I’m really glad I got the chance to see the city. It was pretty and I ended up spotting a few really cute boutiques that I went shopping for Christmas gifts in. I wish I had taken pictures of these boutiques because they were seriously the cutest and coolest stores I’ve ever been in. but I think the highlight of the day was walking into the square and seeing the Christmas tree. And the whole city had lights…
But the tree really made me think of Christmas and if you know me then you know I’m absolutely crazy about Christmas, as my next post will most likely show. You see France has Christmas Markets… yup take a moment to absorb that spic fact. You’ll get to hear all about my Christmas Market encouters next time!
Cheers,
