From Romance to Food Poisoning.. How Charming

I seem to have gotten quite a bit of feedback from my last blog post on my Amsterdam adventure. According to my father I am now all grown up, so in order to set the world right once again, I will go back to blogging about my simple sight seeing (after all, I am a daddy’s girl, not a daddy’s woman). After Amsterdam came Paris. After a very boring and uneventful train ride to the city of romance we of course got lost on our way to our hostel (but that is an entirely different story. I have bored you with numerous tales of our adventures while lost in Europe, and this one is no different, so if you really care to hear about how we batted our long eyelashes at a hotel receptionist to let us use his computer at 1am, then ask me). Sadly Paris was the last stop on our Europe tour, and we were both incredibly sick of our check-lists and map reading our way through the sights. But even though we were both tired, cranky, wet and cold, we bundled up, grabbed our map, and headed out into the city. Our check list included:

The Catacombes (which we almost didn’t find and walked around a nearby cemetery for 20 minutes before realizing that we weren’t in the right place)

Notre Dame (sadly that is the one Disney movie I haven’t seen, so I didn’t walk around hunched over like the hunchback)

Trocadero (where we took about a million and one pictures with the Eiffel Tower in the background)

Arc De Triomphe (we went, we saw, we took a picture, we left)

Gardens of Luxembourg (where we had quite an amusing photo shoot with a large bronze head... pictures to be posted on Facebook soon)

The Louvre (Mona Lisa… check)

The real Moulin Rouge (NOT like the one we went to in Amsterdam. Thank GOD)

And last but not least…

The Eiffel Tower (where I got my romantic kiss up at the top over looking the city. Okay, maybe it wasn’t romantic as it was a kiss from Kimmy, but at least I can say I did it!)

Paris came and left with the blink of an eye. Before we knew it we were on a train back to London and arrived back at our London home. Again, I barely had time to think before I was waking up the next morning to get my things together to go meet my Dad in Wimbledon at Godfather Antony’s house. Dad and I had the entire house to ourselves for the afternoon to catch up on my trip and hang out for a while. When my Godfamily came home we all had an incredible dinner party with some old friends. We all had a great time reminiscing about the time my parents met my ex-boyfriends parents (only my Dad wasn’t there, but his friend Tony was, along with his girlfriend… Just imagine the confusion of introducing my mother and a man who could be my father… and his girlfriend. Again, that is another story that I would love to tell you if you ask to hear it… and it is worth asking about… trust me!). After saying goodbye to my second adopted London family, we left Wimbledon to go to a Christmas lunch where I met a whole side of my family I didn’t even know existed (I must say, after 21 loud Italian Christmases in New York, I was well prepared for the English version). At this point I shut my brain down, and was completely in my father’s hands. I have gotten tired of planning every minute of my life, so I put my body into cruise control and put my Dad in the driver’s seat. Ironically, as soon as I was in Dearest Daddy’s hands, I suddenly came down with some sort of horrible flu/bug/food poisoning. I spent the night at my Aunt’s house throwing up my wonderful Christmas lunch.. over, and over and over again. I didn’t even get a chance to see my cousins that night because I went straight to bed and didn’t get up for another 13 hours. I woke up the next morning and was afraid of food (and for those who know me at all know how unlike me that really is so I really must have been sick). Unfortunately, my fear of food affected a lunch with my Uncle, which I’m afraid I had to leave half way through to go lay down in the back of the car. Good news is that we have decided to ditch our trend of seeing each other only every 4 or 5 years, so there will be many more opportunities to catch up soon I hope! After lunch (or lack-there-of) I had to curl up in the back of the car and endure a long and very jerky (thanks Tony) car ride down to our little English cottage (Poock’s Cottage) in Exmoor. After we arrived I took another nap and felt a bit better and played a game of cards with my two old men and got my butt kicked the entire time. Just you wait until I am feeling better. Revenge will be mine!

This morning I woke up and felt like I had kicked whatever was in my system the past 24 hours. We decided to go on a famous Nettelfield walk to the circle of trees. I made it to the top of the moors before I got very dizzy and very nauseous and decided leave Dad and Tony to turn back around to go back to the cottage. After walking up the hill with my head down looking at my feet, I suddenly realized I had no idea where I was going. I somehow managed to get myself incredibly lost and wound up down a valley with a river running through it. I knew I needed to get to the other side of this rushing river to get back to Poock’s, but suddenly felt very light-headed. I sat down on a rock until my double image of the world went back into one. I very nearly donated my breakfast to the sheep 20 yards away but somehow managed to regain my composure before fording the river. I have no idea how, but somehow I tip-toed across the rushing river without falling and kept my breakfast down, all to the dismay of the sheep who I assume would have had a great laughing “baaaa-haha” at my fall and my breakfast for their lunch. I also managed to find home. I found my couch in the only warm room in the entire cottage and fell asleep with my best friend, Coke, a white polar bear. My temporary fear of food better be gone soon, because I only have three days left to eat pork pies, spotted dick, and steak and kidney pudding. On second thought, maybe I can starve until New York…

Tootles England, Hola Barcelona!

It’s hard to believe that a month has gone by already. I started and lived a different life in London. It was sad leaving a place I have called home for a month. Saying goodbye to people who have taken care of me and walked in and out of my daily life in London will be sorely missed. On my second to last night in London I decided to take one last walk down the millennium mile with nothing but my ipod and my thoughts. I walked to the London eye because I hadn’t seen it at night before and I thought there was something appealing about having my last London night mirror my first London day. While Third Eye Blind sang Motorcycle Drive By to me I stood completely alone in an empty street underneath the icy blue lights. There are very few times in my life where I can say that I was happier than I was in that moment. “I’ve never been so alone, and I’ve never been so alive” (perfect song choice if I do say so myself).

My last day in London I took my ipod with me again (I should name him Frank or Bob, any suggestions?) and decided I wanted to get myself lost so I could see something that only I would find. I got on the tube and got off at a stop called Tower Hill because I thought that maybe, just maybe, the name was hinting to the fact that I would find the Tower of London there. Imagine the irony of me walking out of Tower Hill tube station to find… The Tower of London (okay, MAYBE I was hoping I would end up there)! I took a guided tour of the Tower of London from a Beefeater (yes they really do exist, and yes they do wear the same ridiculous outfits you see on the bottle of gin. Apparently to become one you have to serve in the army for 20 years – that number could be wrong, but I was too distracted by his big red hat to remember the specifics). He told us stories of kings and queens losing their heads by guillotine and kept the whole crowd entertained by bringing us back to that time and having us yell and scream as an angry riot preparing for a beheading. Great fun! After the tour I walked around for a bit longer and saw the crown jewels. Let’s just say that after being in a room with the biggest diamond in the world, I gained an unrealistic expectation of what my engagement ring will look like (or maybe a tiara?!). After the Tower, I walked over to the Tower Bridge and walked along it twice because once wasn’t enough to experience it. I went home that evening and played tennis with Rob and his neighbor George and had a fabulous time. I was told that if I stayed there longer I could have played on the women’s team, oh well!

This morning I packed up my little London room (thanks Joshy!) and Kimmy and I headed to Luton airport to catch our plane to Barcelona! Got to the airport, got on the plane, safe flight, landed in Barcelona. Pretty dull trip. *starts to giggle* Alright I couldn’t keep a straight face with that one. Of course our adventures are never dull. We got to the airport and stood waiting in line to board our plane for over an hour. After that hour and change we realized they changed our gate number without any notice what-so-ever. We went from being the first in line at gate 24 to the last in line at gate 22. After standing there for another 15 minutes, an announcement came on and said that our gate had been changed yet again to gate 20. Well, I don’t need to see the running of the bulls while I’m in Spain because I was literally caught in the middle of a stampede of people sprinting to the new gate as if a herd of angry bulls were chasing us. As for the flight; WORST turbulence I have ever experienced in my entire life.

Right, well, I made it to the first hostel in our first country with a backpack; Barcelona! Everything is more incredible than I imagined. Our Hostel is on Las Ramblas and we have an incredible view of a gorgeous square. I have met some AMAZING people that have already had a huge impact on my life and after only 48 hours with them, I know they are people I can and will never forget. More stories to come I am sure, so stay tuned!

Whiskers + Satan = One Interesting Weekend

This past weekend was pretty hectic for me and included a Halloween extravaganza, a fight with a train ticket machine (not man, but machine), a visit to the country to see my family, and a reunion with my favourite English boy, Josh!

A Clutter of Cats
On Halloween I decided that just because I was in London, land of the dull boring people who don’t dress up in ridiculous costumes, I wasn’t going to forget one of my favourite holidays. After work I met up with Kimmy do to a bit of costume shopping. After we failed miserably, I went home to my closet, thew on all black clothes, painted some whiskers on my face, and voila, I was a cat! We went to a pub near our house which was having a Halloween party, realized that every girl in the pub also decided to paint whiskers on their faces, and danced the night away as a clutter of cats.



Satan’s Ticket Machine
Saturday morning came extremely quickly, and I had to wake up early to catch a train to go to see my Grandmother and the rest of my family for lunch in the country. Since my family reads this blog, I will just say that my first experience with the London overground was not a pleasant one. I took the tube to the overground station and allowed myself 40 minutes to buy my ticket, find the train, and grab a much needed cup of coffee. I stood in a queue (I’m SO English) at a ticket machine for 15 of my 40 minutes allowed before my train left, and then proceeded to push what seemed like a hundred different buttons just to purchase the correct ticket. I then had to put in one of the 20£ notes Rachel had lent me (because somehow Sebastian came to be in possession of my cash card the night before and I realized in the morning that he never returned home... I told you, I really needed that cup of coffee), and then the fun began. The machine failed to tell me that it only accepts 10£ notes which obviously I had none of. I kindly asked the machine to accept my money as I forced it back into the money slot over and over and over again. As I watched my allotted coffee time slipping away, I noticed the line I would have to wait in to talk to an actual human being if the ticket machine refused my generous offer to kick it repeatedly if it didn’t take my money. I consider myself a stubborn person (okay Mum, a VERY stubborn person), but I graciously accepted defeat as I listened to the crowd of angry Englishmen get riled up behind me, and I limped away from Satan. I moved into the next line to go purchase my ticket from the ticket window and found myself to be the 9,000,001st person in line. I realized that not only was I not getting my coffee, but I wasn’t going to make the train. I called my uncle who was supposed to pick me up at the other end, and was told to catch a different train to a different station which he would then kindly drive through horrendous traffic to pick me up from. No coffee. Sprinted to the train. Sat next to a man who’s music could be heard through my own headphones. Finally arrived. Is it coffee time yet?

When I got to GM’s I was given my coffee, and I was a treat to be around for the rest of the afternoon. I saw 4 of my 5 first cousins, my uncle Hugh, my aunt Alex and her husband Jonathan. It’s a very rare occasion to get everyone together for one afternoon and I absolutely loved spending time with all of them. My cousin Zoe and I caught a train back to London that evening, and then I went off to see Lydia’s show for the second time.



My Joshy
When I got back to London, Josh Wilson had come home from university for the weekend to come see the show with us. Josh is one of my best friends despite the fact that I only see him once a year in Provincetown. We got to hang out all night Saturday and Sunday. I miss him terribly every time I leave Ptown, and it was so great not to have to wait a full year to see him again!
Even though I had a bit of a rough Saturday morning, my weekend was otherwise fabulous. And because I got to see my family and an old friend, I really don’t mind my still-throbbing foot (damn you Satan, we WILL meet again!).

Now I Lay Thee Down to Sleep...

One of our recent day trip adventures was to Highgate Cemetery, located in Highgate, London, England. The cemetery was opened in 1839 as one of seven modern burial grounds when inner-city cemeteries became too full. This site is home to a number of famous deceased writers, actors, artists and philosophers; the most famous being Karl Marx.





Normally, cemeteries are not my favorite place to be. I have always been the girl to hold her breath while driving past one, so I don't breathe in their haunting spirits (whoever thought up that superstition must have had a really awful experience with a graveyard, so I'd rather not question it). However, this cemetery took my breath away (no pun intended). Stepping foot on the grounds made me feel as if I was walking into a Tim Burton movie. Highgate is completely overgrown with trees disturbing the eternal resting places of the departed, vines erasing the names of those buried, and a chilling wind which seemed to be pushing us out of the cemetery. Every time I walked through a spider web, I was thrashed by the corpse bride's veil, and when I crushed a leaf with my foot, Edward Scissorhands took a chunk out of my hair.

















Those who know me best are well aware of the fact that I don't deal with scary situations very well. I cry when I see a scary movie, I screech when somebody startles me, and I will violently hit you if you even mention the clown from Saw (I'm serious... Don't do it). So for me to say that Highgate Cemetery was frightenly beautiful, you know that there is something wonderfully unique about it that put my fears at ease.




Take a look at this video for a quick walk through the cemetery:

Josh Harnett followed us to London

We have been in London for just over a week now, and have fallen into the London routine. We go for walks in the park, drink tea 12 times a day, wine with every dinner, and we have both been desperately trying to pick up an English accent (sorry mom, but it WILL happen!). It just seemed that to enhance our London experience, we would need to visit the London theatre. We looked through the entertainment section of the newspaper and asked anyone and everyone for their recommendations on what shows held the "hot tickets." The fairly unanimous suggestion was to see Rain Man. We agreed (and of course that decision had nothing to do with the fact that the play happens to star Josh Hartnett, and we would be able to gaze at his sheer beauty for two glorious hours). Putting the obviously handsome star aside, the play was terrific. I was a bit skeptical as to how the movie would translate onto the stage, but it was actually done beautifully. We both really enjoyed ourselves and only had one complaint about the show... We would have liked the scene where Josh Harnett took his shirt off to last a bit longer.

We Live & We Learn... The Hard Way

Last night Kimmy and I got our first real taste of London night life. A friend of mine, Emily, is studying abroad in London this semester, so I got in touch with her and she took us out on the town. Kimmy and I took the tube to the center of town and had dinner in China Town while we waited for Emily and her friends to meet us there. We were a bit early, so we decided to sit down on a busy street and people watch (one of my favorite past times) for about an hour. About 85% of the girls walking past us were extremely dressed up in fancy dresses and bright colored heels. Sitting on the street in our jeans and sneakers, we felt like the two American tourists who didn't get the memo on how to dress on a Saturday night in the city. **Lesson #1: Dress to Impress.**

When we met up with Emily she took us to a place called the Fudge Bar which she was pretty familiar with. We had a few drinks, met some nice English boys, and met up with a number of other students from Roger Williams who are all studying abroad in London for the semester. Kimmy and I went up to the bar to buy a drink, paid for them, and then realized we were completely stiffed on our change. We went back to the bartender to ask him to correct his mistake, and after a few minutes of him trying to cheat us out of our money, my New York attitude put him in his place, and we were given our money back. **Lesson #2: Repeat after me.. I am from NEW YORRRK.. I know how to COUNT!**



When we decided to leave the bar to go home, we quickly realized that the tube stops running at midnight, and it was about 1:30 at this point. We were told that we would need to take a bus home, so after about an hour and a half of literally running through the streets chasing double-decker buses, getting on the wrong buses, fighting with a few bus drivers, we managed to get on the right bus to take us back to Queen's Park. **Lesson #3: Disregard Lesson #1.. Running sneakers are a necessity if you want to catch your bus.**

We lived. We learned. One Step at a time.

Eye Love London

"You know the sunlight always shines, behind the clouds of London skies"

Funny how everyone told me that the fall is the worst time to go abroad. "It will be rainy and miserable and completely foggy the entire time." Since we arrived, we have seen nothing but sunshine, and 65 degree temperatures. I'm sure I'll regret rubbing this in everyone's faces once the first cloud appears overhead, but until then, London is gorgeous!

Having good weather the past few days has been a complete blessing. A good friend of mine, Sebastian, took Kimmy and I sightseeing the other day. He had told us where to meet him, which meant that we had to figure out how to use this so-called "tube" all by ourselves. In typical Joanna&Kimmy fashion, we made complete spectacles of ourselves trying to figure it out. After holding up a line at a machine to put money on our oyster cards (equivalent to a metrocard) we made it onto the train, and found Sebastian at Picadilly Circus (I love the names of these places!). He took us down to the Thames River where we saw the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abby, the London eye, and good old Big Ben. We walked for ages, and went down a street where there were tons of street performers including a man dressed as Charlie Chaplin who seemed to really like the two of us. After hours of walking around, we headed back home to Queen's Park.

Kimmy and I both decided that we wanted to go back to the center of London again because we didn't see everything the first time around, so yesterday we went back on the tube and went to the London Eye. I have never done well with heights, so I was a bit anxious stepping into a glass capsule that was about to take me 443 feet into the air. Once we got off the ground I was perfectly fine and saw all of London from a completely unique perspective. It's a good thing all you weather pessimists warned us of the fog and rain, because we felt incredibly lucky to be able to see for miles in every direction out of our little Willy Wonka glass elevator.