How is this thing still afloat?

We had lunch at a charming little tourist trap in Venice, today. Of course, in true Venetian fashion, the price was over the top. A plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce and a few mushrooms should never cost so much... but this is Venice and they will bleed you dry. On the plus side, the lunch was filling and very tasty. The staff were also very attentive and courteous.

After lunch, I explored on my own for a few hours. There is something great about exploring a new place on my own. While I do enjoy occasional sight seeing with others, the freedom of exploring on my own is fantastic as well.

As I explored, I rediscovered the cute little pen shop I'd seen on my first day in Venice. It only took an hour and 15 minutes to find it! I purchased a very nice set, complete with a bottle of ink and 5 or 6 pen tips, and a pen with a tip shaped like the Eiffel Tower. It should be quite fun to give the pens a try when I get home. I just love using dipping pens, they're just so classic.

Passing through Saint Marco's square, I encountered some of the fattest pigeons I've ever seen. Seriously, those pigeons are obese! If you factor in the incredibly high number of tourists that feed them every day, their weight is kind of sad. How can they still walk or stand? How can they possibly fly? It's crazy! They can fly and they fly right at you! Silly, silly birds.


I caught the vaporetto and journeyed over to a lovely park. On my way, I noticed an interesting figure in the water. It looks like a fallen statue, but I think it was always meant to be there. It is beautiful.

The park is in the midst of a lovely garden with lots of trees. The statues are quite worn, but they add a touch of elegance and beauty to an otherwise average park. I sat on a bench and filled out postcards as I relaxed. If you are ever in the mood to get away from the crowds of San Marco's Square, head over to the park. It provides an escape from the hoards of people without leaving you completely secluded. Quite nice.

After leaving the park, I wandered around the crowded alleys of Venice and road an incredibly cramped Vaporetta to the vending area at Rialto. my aversion toward large groups of people grew exponentially. It will be a pleasant change of pace to return to Ambialet, where the canines seem to out number the humans. Venice is lovely and I hope to return one day, but Ambialet can not be beat in its rustic charm and peaceful atmosphere.

Churches, Lunch, and Manifestations in Albi

I went on a field trip to the town of Albi with John and my mom today. John drove and it is clear to see that he is getting the hang of driving a standard vehicle. :) Well done, John!

Upon reaching Albi, our first stop was at Le Boeuf Saumon for lunch. I ordered the salmon lasagna plate. It included bread, salmon lasagna (of course), a salad, cheese, and fruit. I'm not going to mince words and simply come out with it, the lasagna was pretty awful. It tasted way too fishy... yes, I know salmon is a fish, but this was ridiculous! The lasagna was amazingly fishier than any fish I've ever encountered. No worries, though, the rest of the plate was good and filling on its own. I could recommend visiting the restaurant as Mom and John's meals were reportedly very good. Just don't order the salmon lasagna.

After lunch, Mom and I ventured over to St. Cecilia's Church. Had I not already seen so many European churches already, this one might not have been so infuriating. The hand carved detailing and frescos throughout the building were beautiful and quite a sight to behold. Still, the feeling that it was somehow wrong began to nag.

Of all the elaborate and immense churches I've encountered in Europe, this one simply struck a nerve. I've come to the conclusion that my fury does not rest in St. Cecilia's alone. It rests in the observation of how garishly the Catholic Church flaunts its wealth.

Granted, occassionally there is an individual or small group within the church that provides an exception to this observation. However, the church as an institution does little more than strike fury within me. How many people could have been helped throughout the years had the institution focused on them rather than flaunting its wealth through magnificent artistry and the size of its buidlings?

After leaving the church, I had the opportunity to witness my first French protest. When we arrived in Albi, the plaza was all but empty. A handful of people were wandering around, visiting shops and restaurants. After little more than an hour, it had filled with people carrying signs and flags.

The French government is raising or has raised the retirement age from 60 to 62. The people are not happy about it and are not afraid to show their disapproval. Would you be?

Museums, Beaches, and (In)appropriately Named Drinks in Barcelona

I toured with the group today. Our first stop was at the surprisingly uninspiring Picasso museum. I'm not sure what it was about his work, but I found myself completely lacking any sense of awe in its presence.

At our next stop, we crashed a wedding in the Sta Maria del Mar church. It was a strange occurrence. A small area near the altar was roped off, but the church remained open for us tourists to ogle and snap pictures. I suppose that sort of thing is common in Barcelona.

We had lunch at Bubo. It is a casual little restaurant with outdoor seating across from the main entrance of the church. I ordered the 4 cheese pizza. It was pretty bad... but that's what you get for ordering an Italian dish in Spain. Haha, so I can't complain. The rolls were very good, though. Especially dipped in EVOO and balsamic vinegar. I'll have to make rolls with EVOO/balsamic dressing at home.

The final stop for the group was the Miro Museum. Finally, a museum that impresses. Miro's work is a fantastic use of bold, (mostly) primary colors and sharp lines. I found his pieces to be quite awesome. You should definitely check it out if you ever happen to be in Barcelona.

After the final museum of the day, the group split up and we went our separate ways. I decided to join a couple of the students for a trip to the beach. As it was kind of chilly and I didn't have my bathing suit, I chose to sit in the sand with our things as the 2 boys went wave riding in the Mediterranean. Hopefully they enjoyed themselves, I thought it was pretty fun... and Ed's "sand art" was pretty amazing. :) Before we left, I walked into the water, about calf high, to have my picture taken in the Mediterranean Sea. By the way, the water was quite cold!

Once we were finished with our outing to the beach, we returned to the boys' hostel and I waited until they were ready to go to dinner. We ate at a nice little pub down a side street near the cathedral. I shared a seafood paella with Shane and the other 2 had pizzas. I ordered a beer with my dinner and can honestly say it wasn't bad. Especially considering that I tend to dislike the majority of beers with which I come into contact.

Following dinner, we stopped at another bar, had a shot called "ABC" (Absinthe, Bacardi, and a citrus liquor that started with a C). It wasn't bad, definitely wasn't fantastic... and we saw no "green fairies" this time around, but it was fun to try. Afterwards, the boys dropped me off at the apartment. I waited for the return of my family and Lori with a few drinks in the plaza nearby as the boys returned to their hostel to parttake in far cheaper drinks than those available along the streets of Barcelona.

By far, the tastiest, most interesting drink I have had thus far in my travels abroad was enjoyed at an interesting little place called Santamonica. The drink was (in)appropriately named "Porn Star Boost". Inappropriate for obvious reasons, appropriate for the garnish they used... a garnish I didn't realize would be involved until the waiter reached my table. Haha, it sure was hillarious."Porn Star Boost"... see what I mean?

Kangaroos are from France

We left Ambialet bright and early this morning and headed out for our long weekend in Barcelona, Spain. Along the way, we stopped at a few places. The first was the medieval city of Carcassonne. On the early morning drive to Carcassonne, I spotted a yellow sign with a black kangaroo symbol (think of the deer crossing signs we see in PA). John (the faculty and student assistant) told us that kangaroos originated in France and were introduced to Australia to help them populate. I plan to write a children's book about the subject. (Although, really, the sign was for a nearby zoo and John is HILARIOUS!)

Carcassonne was pretty cool. It's the largest medieval walled city in the world. The structure is pretty magnificent and the history behind the built in defenses is very interesting. The basilica within the walls is also rather fantastic. Our tour guide/students' professor, Eric, pointed out the carved faces lining the top of the church. There were a few that were a bit out of whack with the others, almost silly.

The explanation made perfect sense, though. When the church was built, much of the "new world" had yet to be explored. Stories of people with huge ears they used as shields against the cold, one legged men with a large foot used as shade, etc. were passed along as proven fact of the existence of such people. In an attempt to appear accepting of all people (at least those willing to convert), the church included portrayals of the mythical people on their walls. It is an interesting concept that makes perfect sense regarding the time.

We had a nice lunch at one of the restaurants in Carcassonne before going to the Abbey of Fontfroide. Now privately owned, we were granted permission to tour the facility. Although the buildings have been gutted and are showing the inevitable deterioration through time, the stained glass windows are breathtaking. They have such bright and rich colors. I was very surprised to see them in such a seemingly dark, old place.

My favorite set of stained glass windows are rather new additions to the facility considering its age. They were created with the fragments of windows from churches that were blown out during the war. Remarkable pieces of history that could have been lost forever... and beautiful to boot.