Viva Europa!!

Ok, so I know I'm mixing languages there but I really don't care. I have just spent the last 19 days in the lovely continent across the Atlantic. My sister, Kat and our friend Elizabeth traveled through seven countries (well they actually traveled through eight because they also went to Wales) Scotland, England, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and the Vatican City, which is it's on Principality so it counts as it's own country. We were only in France long enough to catch our next train and I completely slept through Switzerland but that's just being nitpicking. We just had the best time. I really don't think I can even describe how much fun we had, so I'm just going to give the highlights.

1. Going to the Pubs with our friend Alistair. He went to college with Kat and they have stayed close since then. He is just so cool. He is so funny and very intelligent too. I love talking to him because he has such interesting insights into American politics that I miss because I live here. I usually subscribe to thinking of "No one can hit my little Brother by me" when it comes to criticizing the USA but because Al has spent a fair amount of his life living in the US, working and going to coverage I think he has a better understanding of politics here and the advantage of looking in from the outside as well. Anyway, we had a wonderful talking and going from Pub to Pub. Scotland is great for that.

2. In Edinburgh, we did a Literary Pub tour, which explained the history of the new and old cities of Edinburgh and the major authors great works and inspirations. Not surprisingly, a lot of them came from what they saw in the Pubs. They are Scottish after all. *lol* After the Tour, we had a couple of pints with one of the Tour guides, James. Who was just a riot! He walked us back to the train station because we were staying in Glasgow and out of nowhere he started singing "American Pie". Elizabeth just happened to know all the words to the verses and we all fumbled through it until we came to the chorus. I'm sure everyone thought we were mad.

3. Queuing! I got to see my good friends Anne and Caz again. They are just two of the coolest people I know. And then you add in Jeff and you have a fun group to hang out with. The first night, we spent catching up and talking about tennis. We in line behind two Aussies and up the street was two different contigents of Scots and Welsh men. We spent most of the night drinking and talking everything from who America doesn't have history like Europe to music. Eventually we were told we were to loud and had to go to bed. As for the next two days, Anne, Caz, Jeff and I were all over the AELTC watching the best tennis players in the world and avoiding the rain. On the third day, Anne and I went by ourselves. The day was a complete rain out but we had fun anyways. We got to see Andy Roddick and other players on the Weakest Link and cleaned out the Wimbly shop. Well, not quite.

4. Twice in Barcelona we got to see Penguins! I love Penguins!!! First we got to see Humboldt Penguins at the Barcelona zoo and then at the Aquarium. I highly recommend both of these places if you go to Barcelona. I know, why go all that way to see a Zoo or an Aquarium but they are both excellent and worth seeing. And did I mention you can see Penguins!

5. We got to see the Barcelona Gay Pride Parade from the balcony of the Erotica Museum. How perfect was that? The Museum had a wonderful collection of artwork from as early as ancient Egyptians(they were reproductions) to Playboy. We heard the music from the window and stepped out on the Balcony to watch the parade. It was so cool. The Brazilian were there with their drums, there was a little old lady holding the transected flag, a whole team of Gay Elvis's but best of all was the guy who saw us standing on the balcony underneath the sign for the museum and realized where we were and gave us the thumbs up. Now that was cool.

6. Rome is a beautiful city but not the easiest to get around. They only have two metro lines because every time they try to make more stops, they find more ruins and have to shut down productions but one sight you can't miss when you come out of the Metro station is the Coloseum. It is literally the first thing you see when come out and it is just an amazing sight. To see this 2000 year old building coming out of a modern mode of mass transportation. It's just awe inspiring!

Hmm...That's all for now. Maybe I'll come back with part two of highlights but after all that traveling, I need a nap.

Adventureland USA!

My best friend from California is home for the week. We went to high school together and while I decided to stay in Iowa for college, she was the brave one and left the state for the LA area. You have no idea how much I admire her for doing that. I often think, where would I be if I actually applied to colleges outside of Iowa. Of course, then I wouldn't have gotten that fabulous in state tuition that I have now, Anyway, I digress. Her family moved to Des Moines about a year ago. DM is about two hours from where I live but the one plus I guess is that it's near Adventureland, the only theme park in the state. I don't remember who exactly came up with the idea to go but I have been dying to ride a rollercoaster for a while now. It was a lot of fun! I haven't been to Adventureland since I was in eighth grade and our band played in some kind of competition. That was a long time.

We left around noon from our apartment with Kat and our friend Melinda, who is a blast and has a new car with bunch of cool gadgets! Poor Lisa had to get a cavity filled so we actually got to her parent's before she did. It was ok, we just went to the local ice cream joint, called Moos! How cute is that? I bought some skittles that I almost immediately spilled in Melinda's car. Grr...I wanted that sugar! Anyway, we all met up and had a blast at Adventureland. So, some of the rollercoasters were a bit disappointing but then again I really have been spoiled from all the rides at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City but it was just great to hang out with my friends and do something different. There is this great ride called the Space Shot! It shoots you up in the air and for a second your flying! It was awesome. I skipped out of the "Inverter" and I'm glad I did. It looked fun but it didn't sound fun hanging up side down over concrete. *lol* So after Lisa, Kat and Melinda did that ride, we all decided to do another ride that hangs us upside down. Not the brightest thing we could have done. It hurts to hang upside down. *lol*

After Adventureland, we went to Lisa's fave local sports bar for dinner and watch the Lakers and the Pistons! Lisa who is a LA transplant is all for the lakers but I'm rooting for the Pistons! I have to give some love to the Midwest teams. Anyway, the Lakers have won three of the last four years. They have had enough. Apparently the Lakers won because Lisa called us on our way home to gloat. Oh well! It was a great trip! We should all do it again some time. Oh, I forgot the best part! There was no lines! The place was empty! That's the way to go to a theme park!!

Random Thoughts vol. 2

I saw Harry Potter 3 on Friday! Loved it! It was fantabulous!! Alfonso Curan did a great job. He was able to be faithful to the book but still make his own interpretation on the story. Well down Alfonso!

After the movie Elizabeth, Kat and I went to Bennigan's for dinner and to discuss the movie. What nerds we are but I got to have potato soup! I went two months without eating a potato. Which was quite a feat for me because I love potatoes! It was so good. It made me very happy.

My friend Lisa is in town for a wedding and we went out last night. We met up with some guys we went to high school with. Lisa was more their friends then I was. I barely knew most of them. We had a great time. We went to one bar that kinda sucked and then to another that was more our speed. The boys got in to a fight. Oh the drama! But it was mostly patched up by the time that we all drunkenly decided go to a strip club. *lol* So when Kat's friends get drunk they go to a porn shop, and mine a strip club. What interesting couple we keep.

Gaston Gaudio won Roland Garros!! Congrats to Gaston but I think in some ways I'm going to miss the flake of a player that Gaudio was but for now I am just happy for him.

The Spelling Bee.

So I am watching the National Spelling Bee on ESPN. I didn't realize it was a sport but whatever. It's hypnotic. I turned it on to see if the tennis was over for today and an hour later it's still on. Spelling has never been my strong suit (as some of you may have noticed from reading this blog) but there has been a few words I could spell. Ok, only one but it was a hard one. I only knew it because it was the frankish family that ruled what is today France eons ago. So I guess I have learned something in college after all. How to spell MEROVINGIAN! And what made me feel even better was the little girl who was given the word didn't know! Take that Little Girl!!

Sitting here, watching this I wonder why would anyone want to be doing this. Why would any kid want to spend their free time trying to figure out how to spell obscure words that they will never need to know for the rest of their lives! I'm guessing that it doesn't get the boys and women in they grow up or vice versa. What can of pick up line is that. "When I was 12, I won the national spelling bee. Want to shag?" I just don't see it happening. But anyway more power to them for being able to spell words like SCHEHERAZACIAN**! Woohoo!

**which means suited fabulous or something like that.

Such a Child!

I feel like such a child! On my way into the movie theater Sunday, I wasn't watching where I was going and missed that some of the sidewalk dipped a bit. Needless to say I fell and skinned my knee. I can't tell you the last time I fell and skinned my knee. Probably when the training wheels finally came off my bike. *lol* I felt so foolish but at least there wasn't a lot of people around. That's good. The less people I can embarrass myself around the better. The real problem is now my knee really hurts. I had forgotten how painful skinned knees were and I noticed this morning that a bruise started to show up as well. I guess when I injure myself, I really injure myself. So the lesson here kids, is to pay attention where your walking because no one likes to have boo boos.