Greece Baby!~ Pictures

Greece Baby!

I love Greek islands, Greek food, Greek people, Greek families, all Greek! Last weekend I had the opportunity to jet-set on my first weekend trip to the island, Paros and Athens. What a rush of excitement I felt when we finally arrived to Paros island after our 3 hour plane ride, 1 hour bus ride, and 4 hour ferry ride. I was in Greece from Thursday-Monday and each euro I spent was totally worth it!

We started on the island Paros which is part of the Cyclades Islands, including Mykonos andSantorini. It was beautiful! I felt at home when the 80 degree sunny weather touched my skin. London is beautiful, but I missed seeing the sun and feeling warm outside. We stayed at the cutest hotel on the island, Hotel Erie. I was with 4 of my friends so we stayed in a 6-bed apartment which had a huge balcony overlooking the entire Aegean Coast. We had the best view in the entire hotel! After we first arrived at noon on Friday, we immediately put our bathing suits on and headed out for our first Greek meal. So I like Greek food, but after eating from each family run restaurant, I became in love with Greek cuisine. I think I tried almost ever authentic dish and they were all delicious! And the desserts, don't get me started...I now have a new appreciation for honey, nuts, and phyllo dough. My favorite Greek dishes areMukasa, filled grape vines, stuffed peppers with feta, and gyros! It was all amazing and I can't wait to come home and take everyone out to a real, authentic Greek restaurant so everyone understands what I'm describing.

Besides all the scrumptious food I ate, the beaches were breath taking. We found the perfect hidden beach called Parasporos. It felt like our personal beach because no one was there, but there were umbrellas, lounge chairs, a bar and cafe on the beach, and the beautiful teal Aegean Sea for us to play in all day. I lied in the sun in complete bliss. Nothing beats 80 degree weather, a lounge chair, a cold frappe ( their twist on an iced latte, but way better ), and waves slowly crashing against the sand. After we headed out to another great dinner, this time at a sea food restaurant. I had octopus and mussels for the first time and they were delicious :) As you can see, I enjoyed the Greek food maybe a little too much. 

The next day we headed out for Athens to tour the Acropolis and to spend our last night in Greece. Okay, so our ride back to Athens on the ferry was a trip from hell. Unfortunately the cheaper, calmer ferry was completely booked when we tried to purchase tickets in the morning so we had to pay for the more expensive ferry that was supposed to get us back to Athens quicker. Let me first say, I should have gotten my 50 Euros back after this 3 hour journey! The ferry sat like an airplane with assigned seats and carried about 300 people so we were forced to sit in these small cramped seats with our luggage. As soon as we took off I knew this ride was going to be rocky. We must have been going 75mph on some of the choppiest waters. Most of the journey included half the ferry in the ocean, rocking heavily back and forth. I couldn't believe this kind of transportation existed and that the driver never slowed down! Well after our 3 hours of prayers, we finally made it to land and had to take a serious break from looking at the ocean. From there we took an hour bus ride and made it to Athens. That night we had our last dinner in Greece and my favorite part, saw the Acropolis all lit up! My breath was instantly taken away as I turned the corner and saw this magnificent building all lit up on a hill. I was speechless, in awe, and felt so blessed to experience this! The next day we actually got to tour the entire site and I spent as much time as I could there. If you don't know the Acropolis holds some of the oldest ancient ruins, such as the Parthenon. Also acropolis means highest city, which holds true to it's meaning because the Acropolis in Athens resides on a high hill. Apart from the amazing ruins, the views of Athens and the coast were unbelievable. I can't even describe how beautiful these views were. The city seemed endless. 

After seeing Paros and the Acropolis, a part of my life changed. I felt so humbled in the moment when I was gazing over Athens next to the Parthenon. To be able to stand in such ancient ruins, filled with so much history made me realize how appreciative I am for my life and having the opportunity to see the world. In Paros, I was able to experience a culture that was genuine, family oriented, and deeply appreciative of their family and friends. Every restaurant was family owned and the people were all extremely friendly. I have never felt more at home in such a different culture and country. It was comforting to know people continue to enjoy their lives, apart from cars, commercialism, and the constant growth of modernity. I am so thankful for my family, especially for letting me study abroad and see the world (Thank you mom and dad. I love you so much and can never thank you enough). 

May everyone get the chance to see something new and exciting, even if it's in your own backyard. I encourage everyone to see the world and experience as many different cultures as you can. You will be amazed at what you will discover. The possibilities are endless!

Cheers from London!

xoxo

My 21st birthday in London!

This past weekend I finally turned 21! September 13 to be exact :) Being the baby out of all my friends, I felt this moment would never come, especially this summer when everyone was out and I was home getting phone calls at 2am to pick people up! lol Well despite not being in the States to celebrate this right of passage, I can't complain because I think I had the BEST 21st birthday ever.

The night began on Saturday, September 12th in Piccadilly Circus, which would be equivalent to New York's Time Square-loud, busy, crowds of people, and a ton to do. At 11:55pm we started the official countdown and at midnight, my group of friends were all with me to start loudly singing, "Happy Birthday" in the center of Piccadilly Circus. It was a great moment! Following that, we headed to a huge bar to watch our proud Trojans defeat the Buckeyes! It was airing live, which means 1 AM London, but it was worth it! At the bar, let's just say I didn't have to pay for a single drink ;) It was great and of course, we won! 

In the early afternoon of my big day, I was given a little surprise party by all my friends! It was the cutest thing ever! I walked into a room filled with balloons, a lit cake, and a big card everyone signed. I literally was so surprised and couldn't have been more happier and thankful. No one has ever given me a surprise party, even a small one like that, and it was so thoughtful of them. I feel truly blessed to have them all in my life! After eating some delicious cake, we headed out to our first pro football (aka soccer) game. As you know, football here is a huge sport. We had great seats and the team we were rooting for won! Following the game, some of my friends and I had a delicious Italian dinner, upon my choice. I really wanted some good pesto, and I got it. They even sang happy birthday to me and let's just say, it was the loudest celebration I was ever given at a restaurant. Not only did they turn all the lights off in the restaurant, but proceeded with the banging of every pot and pan,  utensils, drums, and were kind of screaming. The funny thing was they didn't even sing Happy Birthday, not even like the Olive Garden song ( I do know it! haha). But all in all, I loved it!

Once dinner was over, we headed for the Thames River festival and watched a firework show over the river! It was a beautiful, spectacular, and amazing  ending to my 21st birthday. I don't think many people get personal firework shows. I think London had me in mind the entire time ;) Standing on the bridge overlooking London's lit skyline and watching the fireworks burst over the river, I felt extremely blessed and thankful. Even though I missed this milestone birthday in the States, I knew in that moment that it was meant to be in London. For having to wait so long, it was definitely worth it! Let me conclude with a re-cap of everything I didn't expect to happen on my 21st...

1. Everyone singing happy birthday to me in the middle of Piccadilly Circus at midnight.

2. USC beats Ohio State! Go Trojans!

3. Surprise party by all my lovely friends :)

4. First pro soccer game, and the team I was supporting won!

5. "Personal" firework show over the Thames River ;)

6. Having the longest 21st Birthday ever! Started at midnight in London, but technically 2pm in the States, when my dad actually remembered and texted me first :), and ended at 8am Pacific Time, 4pm London time on the 14th of September, when I still was receiving Facebook messages. In total, my birthday lasted 40 hours!

Overall, nothing beats my 21st birthday! I'm officially legal when I come home...it's about time.

Cheers from London

xoxo

Coasting down the Thames River: Greenwich Village, The Globe Theatre and Windsor & Hampton Court

Recently I've been spending a lot my time and visits along the River Thames. The Thames is the river that cuts through London and eventually funnels out into the English Channel.  Surrounded by the Thames are of course, Tower Bridge, the London Bridge, Big Ben, The Eye, The Globe Theatre, Greenwich Village, Windsor and Hampton Court, Parliament, huge sky-rise buildings, beautiful homes, penthouses, restaurants, and much more. Before the new mixed with the old, the river was a central hub of commerce and work. Now, it's much more contemporary and a posh place to live; however, many of England's premier attractions line the river, in which I had the delight to experience last week.

For my first tour, we took a 45 minute ferry down the coast to Greenwich. Luckily, the weather was beautiful. Nothing beats 75 degrees in London, riding along the coast overlooking London's beautiful city sky line. Greenwich began as a site of a Royal palace and later turned into the Royal Naval Hospital for Sailors but now most of the older buildings are used for the University of Greenwich. Even more fascinating, Greenwich  is best known for  the Greenwich Meridian, also known as the Prime Meridian where 0 degrees longitude is positioned. Therefore, I got to straddle the middle of the earth, hence the Eastern and Western hemispheres. It's pretty cool to say I've been in both hemispheres at once!  Greenwich also is known for  Greenwich Mean Time, which is one  of our time zones. A lot of history derived from this small marine town and it was thrilling to experience this.

Continuing down the river, I had another stop at The Globe theatre this week. If you do not know, The Globe is the mecca of where Shakespeare's plays were originally performed. It's an outdoor venue, rich with character and intimacy, since the theatre only holds about 600 people. Sadly the original was burnt in the 1600's but in 1997 was rebuilt as an exact replica. We were able to watch one of Shakespeare's plays,  "As You Like It." There aren't many seats, so we  experienced what the peasants might have done and stood for 3 hours. Though, we were right in front of the stage and really got to interact with the actors. The atmosphere of Shakespeare's play in the middle of his theatre was a great opportunity and one I'll never forget!

The last stop along the river this week was Windsor and Hampton Court, two of England's greatest castles/palaces. Windsor is home to the Queen, in which she continues to visit and stays in all the time! I found that extremely fascinating. The castle is beautiful! All the rooms were delicately ornate with gold details, elaborate ceilings, beautiful drapes, art, and decor. I got to see the Queen's china, which she still uses every time she comes or has an event. Let me also add that the china I loved the most happens to be the Queens' favorite. What can I say, we both have good taste! Hampton Court served as a royal palace and was a favorite of King Henry VIII. The inside was not as beautiful as the Queen's royal palace, but the darker woods and character I guess fit the style of a king. Also the gardens were magnificent! They were perfect and no I'm not over-exaggerating. The shrubs were all the same  shape and the flowers formed perfect patterns. They kind of reminded me of the Queen's gardens from Alice and Wonderland. Also included in the gardens was a maze! About 7 foot shrubs form this huge maze that took all together about 15-20min. to locate the center. It was quite funny when some of us were completely lost, but could hear our friends laughing in the center. 

Well my week down the Thames and experiencing all it's history was quite delightful. And to top the end of my week, I got to experience a beautiful firework show over the river on my 21st birthday! Nothing beats that! 

Cheers from London 

xoxo

Simple Pleasures

I have come to realize that beauty and happiness is simple, at least for me. I feel that people are constantly searching for happiness and beauty in all the wrong places when really, it's right there. One just might have to look beyond the physical elaborations and notice the smaller moments or objects that form the beauty. 

 Last week I had the honor to see Stonehenge . Off in the green , open countryside of England sit tall and strong in structure vertical and horizontal rocks. All in the formation of a circle, with the continued mystery of their origin. As I approached these rocks, I was astounded at the beauty of their simplicity. Each curve, line, and angle compose this formation but together they stand in a circled group with this huge question, how did they get here? My tour guide, Angie, told us that most believe cave men moved them by rolling them on top of logs, but it's hard to fully understand since the rocks weigh over 5o tons! 

Upon my visit to Stonehenge, we went to Bath. Bath is one of the first Roman cities in England, since the first settlers of England were Romans. The beauty of this city is indescribable. It's a small town in the middle of the green, countryside. Oh, and the baths are magnificent! To this day, the natural hot springs continue to heat and disperse water into the Roman baths. Brits used these baths to relax, meditate, and socialize. They are very much like our spas at home. I'm thinking we picked up this idea from them ;)  After, I headed into town, grabbed a delicious panini and did a little shopping. I bought some of the best vanilla green tea from a cute, corner tea shop mmmm...i love tea :) The architecture is much like Italy's, small ornate details, tan concrete, cobble stone floors, and small cafe's lining the streets. Stonehenge and Bath was probably one of my favorite sites and days thus far!

Besides the beauty of these historical sites, I find happiness and beauty by simply roaming the outside markets on the weekends by myself, grabbing a latte or tea, and sitting on a bench in a nearby park and writing or reading. I can't get this time at home, and it's something I wish everyone could experience. Seeing the beauty of the trees and nature, with the mix of people laughing, talking or simply having a nice picnic, literally brings a smile to my face. The other day I went to Regent's Park, which is a large park in London, but it's beauty simply elated my spirit. I could not resist to repeatedly share my joy and love for this park to my friends over and over! Each time we approached a new area of the park, I had to take about 50 pics from every different angle. I didn't want the moment to end or to ever be forgotten. After going to Regent's, it is now by favorite park! 

Well as you can see, I truly am happy. I have never felt so happy with myself and my life. Living here and experiencing so much change is a fresh breath of air. And for once, I have time for myself to reflect on the hidden simple pleasures of life and this world God gave all of us to experience.

Cheers from London. I promise to update more frequently. I think I am having too much fun!

xoxo

Notting Hill Carnival: The craziest festival I've ever seen!

On Monday I went to the Notting Hill Carnival. It is one of London's famous festivals of the year and also known as the second largest carnival in the world! It's a celebration of the Caribbean culture in the UK and the independence from the once Black Caribbean slaves in England. I would compare this festival to our Mardi Gras in New Orleans without the beads and the flashing but maybe with a bit more mayhem! 

Thank god I am not closterphoebic because on my tube ride there I was literally pushed against the glass with elbows and bodies pressing against me. People didn't understand that there wasn't enough room, and after my 5-stop tube ride, I was breathing in the oxygen of human breath. It was a bit scary for a minute, but all in all I guess I was okay. Once getting off the tubes, there were crowds of people blowing whistles, dancing, yelling, and all ready to party. Finally approaching some actual air, we embraced ourselves in the festival. Walking down the streets of Notting Hill there were all types of Caribbean food such as jerk chicken, corn, fried plantains, a special type of Caribbean beer and rum punch. There were large speakers on all different corners with mobs of people dancing. At one point I turned the corner and  I literally could not see the street. Millions of people filled the street for  about 1/2 of a mile! This was probably when I was shocked at the multitude of people all smashed  in this general area and what kind of substances I consistently saw people consuming! 

By far, Notting Hill Carnival was the craziest festival I have ever seen. Overall it only consisted of food, milllions of people,  people in large buses with speakers driving down the street, alcohol, police, and other illegal substances. Definitely not a place I would ever bring any children! haha (There is my mom side coming out and my conservative, sheltered roots.)

Well I'm glad I got to experience the second largest festival in the world. I actually loved Notting Hill, and I can't wait to go back when the streets are peaceful and I can enjoy the beautiful homes and cute side streets. I'm off to Stonehenge and Bath tomorrow! And then...my 21st birthday is the following weekend!! I've waited so long for this moment and even though it's unfortunate I'll be in Europe to celebrate it, I'm still going all out! Oh and one more thing, I just booked my trip to GREECE :) I'll be jet-setting on my first travel the third weekend of September. I couldn't be more thrilled!

By the way, some of my pictures are from some historical visits in London. Enjoy :)

Cheers from London