Weekend Travels

So this past weekend me and a friend took the train to explore more of Europe. The plan was to stop in Belgium and spend the night in Brussels, then leave in the early afternoon for Amsterdam and stay there until Sunday. Well.. the train ride was great! Comfortable, and I had the window seat I could see the countryside of England and France! So cool! I had been dying to go to a country where there is a language barrier and you have to be completely immersed in a whole different culture, well I got what I asked for in Brussels! We got there, and NOTHING is in English! Everyone either spoke French or German or some other crazy language and so asking for directions was not an option. So we set out looking for a hostel to spend the night in. Next thing you know, my friend and I are the only girls around, being catcalled by foreign men and in the ghetto of Brussels. It was pretty scary, and no one we asked could point us in the direction of a hostel. So, we decided that we'd seen enough of Brussels (besides, we'd already eaten a Belgian waffle right when we got there... SOO GOOD!!) and we took the train to Amsterdam. We arrived there late Thursday night, luckily found a hostel with two beds for us, and started our weekend in Amsterdam. It was rainy and cold the days we were there, and I didn't being my big coat so I was freezing. It was really eye-opening seeing a completely different culture like that, with the Red Light District and "Coffee Shops" everywhere, but totally not my thing. I am definitely glad I got to see it, but two days of it was enough to suffice for a very long time. I did get to sleep in a hostel, cross that off my bucket list! And met some cool new friends there and while we were out and about. It was so neat to be surrounded by people from ALL over the world (also kind of frustrating when no one is speaking English and you just want good, normal food and warm weather) but an amazing adventure nonetheless! I'm absolutely LOVING exploring bits and pieces of this huge world we live in!





We visited Abbey Road Monday, and it was so cool! Got the perfect shot, too! Thank you Russian boys for standing in the middle of the road to get a good picture for us!




Yesterday was my BIRTHDAY! I can officially say I'm in my twenties now, that is sooo weird to me, but totally exciting! Can't wait to start a whole new chapter in life! Went to a delicious Mexican dinner and shared some birthday dessert with my fabulous new friends here :]





I visited the Olympic Village of London 2012 today, which is still a work in process, but still cool to see! AND, I am leaving for PARIS tomorrow night! Can't wait! As you read earlier I was debating whether or not to travel outside of England, I apparantly made it to Amsterdam and now found a cheap bus ticket to Paris so I can see all the amazing sights! I'm missing America, family, home and the FOOD, but loving all the people I'm meeting and adventures I'm having abroad!
Hope you are enjoying summer!
Alex