Week 10 and 11: London, Athens, Rome, and Nottingham

Week 10: London and Greece

Happy December everyone!!! I apologize for being a week behind but can you blame me?!?!

Anyways right to it.

Things are really starting to heat up with classes so I'm glad I already have most of my final assessment written. I only have to do a film review, finish typing the rest of my psychometrics paper, and then write a course reflection and I'll be on my way back to Indiana!

Friday, November 22, I boarded the 7:34 pm train to London Heathrow to pick up Collin at the airport! Last time he came over, I arrived at the airport just as he was walking out and I was caught so off guard so I decided to arrive almost 40 minutes early so I could properly greet him! However, nothing ever goes as planned and the underground tube was not as timely and or reliable as it usually is and I arrived right at 10:40 pm when his flight landed. Everything turned out fine because it took a while for them to disembark from the plane. I even held a cute sign that said Ms. Oppelt's Future Husband! Once he landed, we made our way to our Airbnb and called it a night.

On Saturday, November 23, went woke up and headed to the Luton Airport because we had an early flight to catch on Sunday to Greece. Once we made it to Luton by bus, we settled into our hotel and decided to check out all that Luton had to offer. Somehow, we stumbled upon Luton's Light Up the Night: Christmas Extravaganza in the town square and ended up singing along with the band for quite some time. It was so much fun! Then, I took Collin to Spoons (which if you recall is a very popular chain bar that every European knows of or goes to frequently) and Collin loved it! At spoons, I introduced Collin to my favorite drink over in Europe, the "pink gin spritz". If you've never had pink gin, it will blow your mind, it's so refreshing and they pair it with a clear lemonade and IT IS TO DIE FOR. After spoons, we went to dinner at a local restaurant and had a really good steak burger and had the craziest dessert. This place was known for its milkshakes and we ordered a Nutella milkshake stack with had a donut and ice cream on top. I'm told the donut was amazing but I didn't get to try any ;) because Collin was enjoying it so much (and he doesn't like sweets)!!! Then, we headed to a comedy show that was called the "Indian's Were Coming" and as soon as we walked in, we were asked, do you know what show you're at?!?! As weird as it was to be one of the only people there representing Caucasians, it was a really funny and different experience we will never forget.

On Sunday, November 24, Collin as I woke up at 4:00 am and headed to the airport to catch our 6:00 am flight to Athens, Greece.

Y'ALL, I have never seen worse airport security in my life!!

Avoid the Luton airport at all costs, you'll thank me later!

We arrived at 4:00 am, we didn't to our gate until 5:30 am and we ran up as they were saying last call for the flight! We had never been so close to missing a flight before, it was wild. To make matters worse, there were only like 100 people in the security lines so I'm not sure why it took so long!!

We landed in Athens around noon (they're 7 hours ahead of Indiana and 2 ahead of London) and we decided to try to figure out how to get to our Airbnb, we'll after looking at the directional map and the bus information in Greek, we decided that it was going to be too difficult to maneuver public transit in Greece so, Collin had the great idea of renting a car! The car seemed like a great idea and it was but the type of car we rented was a mistake.

*A little back story for those who don't know. Collin recently got a stick shift Jeep and he was adamant about getting a stick shift because it was cheaper than an automatic and since he now knows how to drive a stick shift, a stick shift was what we shall get.

Anyways, so Collin rented a stick shift and I thought we were going to be fine (we were) however, I'm a terrible passenger to ride in the car with because I over exaggerate and freak out about every little thing. (Not to mention I wasn't use to riding in a stick shift car and I knew he had only been driving the Jeep for about a month so he was fairly new to this whole non-automatic car thing). So, as soon as Collin started the driving I was internally freaking out because we were in a new place. We did great on the highway but I knew as soon as we were on a hill and Collin said "OH S#&@, THIS IS NOT GOOD. That we were in fact not good. Since Indiana is non-hilly, Collin had never dealt with how to maneuver a stick shift on a hill from a stop but was aware of what happens when someone (a stick shift) get's stopped on a hill. For all of you who don't know what happens, let me enlighten you.

YOU ROLE BACKWARDS.

I have to give Collin props for never doing a hill with a stick shift before. We only jolted forward a handful of times. Rolled backward numerous times and flinched. Only a few curse words were said and we only sat through one light with LIMITED angry people behind us. I'd say it was a success.

We made it through the light without hitting anyone, Hallelujah!!!!

Once we made it to the Airbnb, we learned how to parallel park which involved me standing outside the car and telling him where to go.

Then, we settled into our Airbnb and decided to check out downtown Athens. As we were driving to our Airbnb, we noticed that Athens looked a bit run down but were positive that it would get better in the city, we'll it didn't and there was so much trash and graffiti which was a shame. We never felt unsafe in Athens, but it just wasn't what you'd picture Greece to be.

We decided to go to the really touristy areas hoping they'd be nicer and they were so we had a lovely lunch at a little indoor/outdoor cafe and I had the BEST piece of chicken I had ever had. The chef said it was in a heated in a steam bath or something like that, I'm not sure but it was amazing!!

Then, we headed to the Acropolis, which made our trip to Athens worth it! The Acropolis is where most of the ancient buildings and architecture are housed in Athens. It also serves as a lookout point to see all of Athens from atop! The most notable thing we saw was the Parthenon!

After we saw the Acropolis, we felt like we had seen most of what Athen's had to offer so we headed back to our rooftop oasis which had a jacuzzi and spent the night enjoying the skyline views (we even had a view of the Parthenon from our roof)!!!!

Then, we decided that we wanted to explore a Grecian Island on Monday, November 25, so we booked two tickets on a ferry to Agenia! Legend has it that the island was named after Zeus' most beautiful daughter and it's known for their pistachio's!

On Monday morning, we headed to the port! We popped in the ferry's office to figure out where to go and they informed us that the ferry rides with their company got canceled that day. But, the lady was so sweet and we got to exchange our tickets for another ferry and we actually had time to grab breakfast since our departure time was now different! We found the cutest Grecian bakery and at first Collin was way out of his comfort zone but we found something that he would eat (which is a huge accomplishment)!!! We got two HUGE donuts, a whole loaf of bread, and a diet coke for 3 euro's which is insane!!! Then, we boarded our ferry and were on our way to Agenia!

When we first arrived to Agenia we were surprised by how warm it was! I was overheating in a light sweater! We walked around most of downtown Agenia right off the port and were entranced by how cute the local shops were! We were also blown away by how small the roads were, it was like every road was the size of an alleyway!!! Then, we found a small beach area and walked around for a bit and attempted to sneak into an outdoor museum but we got caught and were asked to pay, so we pulled the dumb American card and said: "we didn't know ". After that, I pushed Collin out of his comfort zone and we went into a fish market!!! I will never forget the repugnant face that made when looking at all of the fish, eels, and squid (IT WAS SO FUNNY)!!! Then, we decided that we had seen most of what we wanted to on the island so, we hit up the main strip of restaurants and got a drink and an appetizer at each one! We tried fried feta cheese sticks (not terrible), a greek salad (why not try it in Greece, it was pretty good), and gelato (not the best, tasted like freezer burnt ice cream)! Then, we ended the day by sitting by the water, gazing at the pier!

Later that night, we ordered in Mexican food (don't judge me), and then got margarita's delivered to us and they only form of identification for purchasing alcohol was clicking a button that said, "are you of the legal age to drink alcohol", which in return, we clicked "yes". They have such strict laws here!!!! Just kidding... we were shocked! Then, we enjoyed our margarita's in our jacuzzi and called it a night!

On Wednesday, we woke up and headed to the airport to catch our flight to Rome. But, along the way, we checked out some beaches! One was really nice and populated and there were numerous people swimming and enjoying the water and the other one was really polluted and nasty. It's a shame that Greece is in the state that is it. Most places were run down and it's not picture-perfect that people would assume.

Things I've Learned This Week:

1.) If you go to Greece, check out the islands, avoid the mainland.

2.) If you're looking to vacation somewhere affordable, Greece is your place. We were shocked by how cheap our food bills were and how affordable our accommodation was!

3.) I solved the case of the salami (I ate them, they were mine and they were delicious).

4.) In Greece, there is only a drinking age (18) when it pertains to being out in public, if you're in the home, in private, there is no drinking age.

5.) If your jacuzzi malfunctions and starts spewing water EVERYWHERE, let your engineer fiance figure it out!! (He's so smart!!!!)

6.) When you're in a new place renting a car, get an automatic.

7.) Margarita's in a jacuzzi is ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (as long as it's not your jacuzzi)

Week 11: Rome, Thanksgiving, and Nottingham

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’ve had an eventful week!

On Wednesday, November 27, Collin and I had an eventful day in Rome. We started off by seeing the Vatican (St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museum, and the Sistine Chapel). We attempted to go to mass at the basilica but we couldn’t find the chapel where it was being held so Collin and I went to adoration for a while. After adoration, we headed to the tomb of the popes (that's probably not the official name LOL) underneath the basilica and got to see and read about them. The coolest part about the tomb was the caskets they were presented in. They reminded me of how the ancient pharaohs were buried. Most of the popes had their own separate rooms with a sculpture in stone of their bodies on top of their caskets in their religious attire. It was wild. Then, we went to the Sistine Chapel and WOW. Collin and I aren’t admirers. We see something for 2 minutes and we feel like we’ve seen it all and we move on. HOWEVER, we were amazed by the Sistine Chapel. We sat and marveled at the artwork for probably 20 minutes which isn’t like us. It was almost as though the longer you stared at it, the more things popped out at you. It was amazing and we’re so thankful we went to the Museum (which is the only way to see the Sistine Chapel).

Then, we headed to an adorable pizzeria and had some pretty amazing margarita pizza! After lunch, we headed back to our hotel to drop off everything we bought (I have a huge devolved Catholic family, so I couldn’t skimp on the gift's)!!! Then, we walked all over town before heading to the Trevi Fountain. We saw the cutest shops and stores and then we found the fountain.

Y’ALL this fountain was magnificent!! I couldn’t get over the architecture. Everything from the edges of the fountain to the main statues, it was all so impressive. After we look at the Trevi Fountain, we decided to throw our coins in because how can you not?!? We each throw in one coin which means that we want to return to Italy (we seriously can’t wait, it was so amazing) and made a wish of our own too! Then, we sealed our wish with a kiss!

Then, we headed to the Colosseum. I was honestly pretty let down by it. The history behind the Colosseum is amazing however, they are doing some heavy restoration to it and you really have to use your imagination because it is stripped down to the bones.

After that, it started POURING DOWN RAIN and we ran to a local restaurant to seek shelter and adult beverages (who wouldn't)! We decided to grab a few drinks and appetizers until the rain calmed down for a bit! We had the best time.

Later that night, we hailed a taxi to take us to our meeting point for our authentic Italian cooking class experience! We met in some square and there were 5 other people in our cooking group! We learned how to make homemade authentic Italian pasta! We made fettuccine and ravioli and MY GOODNESS, it was hands down the best pasta I’ve ever had in my entire life (and I’m not kidding)!! It was AMAZING! Not to mention during the cooking class he was very personable and our small group was really fun (it was taught in English, so everyone was American except for one girl from India who now lives in London). The chef was fabulous and knows how to politely tell us that our cooking wasn’t great LOL and coached us through it! Not to mention the Prosecco was FLOWING during the entire experience so we had a blast. We maybe had 4 or 5 glasses while cooking along with some amazing appetizers that the chef made and wine with dinner! He was really generous with the proportions of everything! The chef taught us how to make the pasta sauces, a red and a white one as well. The red was for the fettuccine and the white was for the ravioli filled with ricotta cheese! And for dessert, he made this delicious cake moose thing and it came with some sort of digestive liquor in a shot glass. Please read the “what I’ve learned this week” #4 to see what happened with that... overall this cooking class was an amazing experience and we ended the night with new skills, friends, and recipes.

On Thursday, November 28, or better known as Thanksgiving, we walked around Rome some more and had a fabulous early lunch and headed to the airport to go back to London so Collin could catch his flight on Friday. When we arrived in London we headed straight to the Airbnb. We decided in true American fashion to celebrate Thanksgiving by getting a “feast” from KFC partially because it was one of the only things open and partially because it was the closest thing to a Thanksgiving meal that we could think of. So, we ate our KFC and watched "Rock of Ages" and had THE BEST TIME!

Then, on Friday morning, Collin and I headed to the airport bright and early and Collin boarded a plane back to the states and I boarded a train back to Derby!

I can’t believe that the next time I see him, I’ll finally be home!!

When I returned back to Derby I relaxed and said goodbye to Kellie because she was headed to a host family for the weekend!

On Saturday, November 30, I slept in and relaxed while watching the Big Bang Theory (which is an amazing show if you’ve never seen it, 10/10 would recommend). Then, on Sunday, I headed to Nottingham to go to my first hockey game over here (I AM OBSESSED WITH HOCKEY). This game brought me so much joy because it reminded me of being home and that’s what I needed to finish out this semester strong!

On Monday, I started on my last project for my Social and Cultural Landscapes class and watched the movie “Made in Dagenham” for my film review. After watching the movie, I headed to the store and began typing my paper.

On Tuesday, December 3, during the day, I finished my film review! I am so excited to get that project completed! Now, I am one step closer to finishing my course work at Derby! Later Tuesday night, Kellie and I headed to the casino where I lost 25 pounds and not the pounds you’d like to lose! My biggest win was 5 pounds on the Pinocchio slot machine! It was a lot of fun but not something I’d do often.

On Wednesday, December 4, Kellie and I spent the day in Nottingham exploring their town and Christmas Markets! Their markets reminded me of Germany! We saw the coolest vendors and had the best food! We even went to a pop-up Viking bar with an open fire in the heart of the room! We both order the spiked hot chocolates and then headed to another hockey game (like I said, I love hockey)!!!

It’s been a crazy week filled with fun, love, and laughter! I can’t believe we only have 16 more days here.

WHAT!!!!

I feel like it has gone by so fast but I’m so excited to be home and back with my family!!!

Things I’ve Learned This Week:

1.) Don’t pay to go into the colosseum, a picture from the outside will suffice and it was really expensive.

2.) 10/10 would recommend a cooking class, we had so much fun learning from on Italian Chef and it’s a unique opportunity!

3.) DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE TELL A CHEF THAT YOUR FAVORITE AUTHENTIC DISH FROM ITALY HAS ALFREDO SAUCE IN IT, you will be roasted because alfredo is American!!!!

4.) In regards to the digestive liquor that was served with dinner in Italy, don’t ask the chef if you’re supposed to “throw it back”... you'll get scolded

5.) Some of the best phrases I heard at the hockey games were, "THIS IS A LOAD OF RUBBISH", "PISS OFF", "THAT WAS A LOVELY PASS", "YOU TWIT" (it was really interesting)!!!