oslo, norway

hailed by many as "the most expensive city in the world," it truly took a bite out of my backpacker's budget. however, by staying in the cheapest hostel (anker), cooking dinner in the kitchen with jason, and bargain hunting for food and everything else, i was able to make the most of my time in oslo. GO! though it's pricey, it's SO beautiful. i saw the munch museum and talked to a guard about the roberry (people with big guns stole "the scream" and other paintings), went to a contemporary art museum, learned SO much at the norweigan resistance museum, went to other museusm, got lost with jason and ended up in the norweigan countryside, went to frognerparken with its naked statues and huge phallus at the center of the park--where we gorged on fresh fruit smothered in nutella. i LOVED oslo!

stockholm, sweden

ahhh, sweden. a very lovely place. they say 1/3 of stockholm is land, 1/3 is water, and 1/3 is park. the first day there i found myself enjoying Djurgarden, eating my dinner there, at peace and so excited to be in such a beautiful and park-filled place. (being a new yorker, i appreciate urban parks.) i went to several museums (including the Historika Museet, to see Viking Relics), met a lot of really chill backpackers, saw lauryn hill for free, and oh yeah, got flashed by some idiot who screamed at me in Swedish, making me afraid to run in Stockholm. The police were called, and I was shaking; the whole thing left a foul taste in my mouth. Other than that, I was enchanted by this lovely country.

"oh it's such a perfect day"

i had such a good day today! i'm so happy, and it wasn't even anything big but a big of little, great things. i went running for the first time in three weeks (i haven't run due to a foot injury), and then did laundry (yay! clean clothes), and biked around greenpoint doing errands. laura and i did lunch, and as i didn't want to be late, i threw on something quick--a pink dress, black sweater, black boots, and my new scarf my mom made--i looked good, and got many compliments (both verbal and visual from friends and strangers). on my way to meeting laura at yaffa cafe (probably my favorite place to eat in nyc), i saw the fourth world movement/street library office. i rang the buzzer, and was invited in, even though they were just finishing lunch ("are you hungry? do you want some lunch?") and spontaneously decided to volunteer. they were very interested in my thesis, and i promised to email it to them. street librarians go out into "bad" areas--like slums in france where people live in what some might describe as "hovels", or east new york in nyc, and bring blankets, and read stories to the kids, let them read books, use computers, etc. after lunch, laura and i went to knit new york, a knitting cafe, while staff helped me with a project i'm knitting, and drank really good tea. i went to the strand after, then came home and applied for jobs and ate dinner. i got a letter from v in the mail, and luna was being a sweetie. then i went to see bitch play at galapagos, and she was awesome (except for some asshole heckling her "DYKE" and it's like, yeah, she is a lesbian, why are you insulting her at a show for her? we screamed him outta there.) and on my way home, i ran into one of the few people from my old job and we ended up talking for a while. i didn't wait too long for the bus but as i waited i thought, what a nice day. i don't know why, but i'm so happy today.

copenhagen, denmark

denmark was beautiful. it was nice to recover after the insanity of amsterdam. i stayed at the sucky danhostel copenhagen city (don't stay there; very anti-social and pro-family, so you won't meet other travelers), wandered through copenhagen's numerous gardens (including the botanical gardens, which were quite lovely), exploring the charlottonsberg art museum, relaxing. it was a nice change of pace, and i truly loved the friendly danes.

getting sick

probably because i spent all of friday night dancing at paul van dyk till 530 am, then slept only three hours before going to work, i woke up this morning with a cold. here are some of my favorite ways to get over being sick.

• drink lots of fluids. obvious, but very good. i drink lots and lots of water, lots of orange juice, lots of super c drinks (the kind by odwalla or naked), lots of tea (my favorite is celestial seasonings tangerine orange zinger, with added vitamin c--i add freshly squeezed lemon and honey for those days when my throat hurts), and i add those little powdered packets to my water. i do feel as if i'll float away, but i think this helps.
• take your vitamins. i take a regular assortment of vitamins daily, but when i am sick, i take vitamin C and echninacea three times a day. try to take them with food.
• eat good food. sugar and highly processed foods have never helped someone feel better. whole grains, veggies, and good food is the best way to go.
• sleep lots. sleep can cure nearly everything. going through breakups, i usually sleep a lot to avoid the pain and avoid food (because i can't stomach it). sleep is great.
• take care of yourself. don't go out all night, avoid alcohol, take lots of baths, relax at home. if you can, take the day off. taking things slow and easy helps you recuperate quicker.
• stay warm. sleep under a large pile of blankets, wear sweaters, don't go out with a wet head, drink tea. if you have a fever or headache, i always use a cold compress on my eyes or forehead.
• be less active, but not inactive. i don't do hard or long runs when i'm sick, but still run, stretch, exercise. long walks in brisk air is good, but if it's too cold, i may just find myself doing an indoor yoga routine. yoga usually helps me feel better, except if i'm queasy. then, it's hell.
• natural remedies. there's a tea for everything, and essential oils. raspberry leaf tea prevents me from taking too many painkillers during my menstrual cycle, and i use peppermint oils on a wet washcloth during stomach upset. i take baths with a combination of oils to help me breathe during asthmatic moments.
  

amsterdam

ah yes, land of beautiful canal-lined streets, and american frat boys in search of the best weed at the various coffeeshops (it's legal here, which my mom did not realize!) and the infamous red light district, which was shocking in its own way. although i worried about how i would feel as an asthmatic in the weed capital of the world (as many americans call it, though it is much, much more!), i ended up meeting a rad group of people--americans, ozzies, brits--and chilling with them, extending my time in amsterdam. had a brilliant time. i highly recommend the van gogh museum, the anne frankhuis, pozenboot (cat boat), vondelpark--i went to other museums and such, but these were my favorite things. a bbq at vondelpark was the highlight of my trip, as was the day joe, tanner, and i biked around the dutch countryside.

brussels

i heard that brussels was boring; "go to bruge." yet still i went to brussels. i went to europe's first shopping mall, saw some incredible rene magrittes, tasted the infamous and delicious belgian waffles, ate too many belgian chocolates (most of which i ate during my time in amsterdam)...it was beautiful. i was there for a brief period during which i spent my time alone, wandering, thinking, writing, being. i truly enjoyed myself.

spain, spain, gorgeous spain

i LOVED spain. i think the biggest part of it was that i got to speak and practice my spanish, and because i knew spanish, i had a different sort of cultural experience--i could talk with the locals and various people. i had a great time.

there was valencia, with its small-town old-world charm, meeting chris and evan, drinking sangria and agua de valencia (white wine with orange juice)...it was a charming, lovely place!

after valencia, chris and i ferried it to ibiza, which was just brilliant. we went to clubs, watched the legendary sunsets at cafe del mar/cafe mambo, drank more sangria, tanned (and burned) on the beach...i had a fabulous time.

then of course was barcelona. barcelona is charming, but hold onto your purse straps. look out for gaudi influences everywhere!

and then there was madrid! i spent all of my nights in the street parties at gay pride....days adoring picasso's guernica (probably the single most powerful piece of artwork i have ever seen), trying to find federico garcia lorca's archives but succeeding in getting lost in 35 degree celcius sweltering heat...i loved madrid. gay pride meant sexy drag queens, lots of sangria, and a street party every night. plus, gay marriage was legalized: my most memorable moment of pride was when a couple (two men) grabbed me and we sang spice girls on the street, "if you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends..."

i planned on using the beaches of san sebastian to recover from traveling burnout. unfortunately, it rained two of the three days i was there, and the third was a mere 22 degrees celcius! i went swimming anyway. there's not much to do when it's raining in san sebastian as i learned. i hung around my hostel, did some writing, some reading, and was ready for my next stop, brussels.

the lovely english countryside

the english countryside is everything i thought it would be and more: sheep, and in such magnitude, i was ecstatic (aside from a zoo, i had never seen a sheep before), narrow one-lane country lanes that winded in and out as plants grew over the road, jolly good countryfolk hitting up strangers for conversation, lovely flowers, adorable little tea shops: it was all too perfect. i wouldn't mind retiring in the english countryside, i just want it to be sunny.

final bootsnall article

Ten Days in Greece
It's an article I wrote about my 10 days in Greece; good if you are planning on going.

Also, if you haven't, check out Eurail Blog which I updated during my travels.

pics of london

london was the city i loved the most. the people were awesome, and it is simply so beautiful in the countryside. there's heaps to do, and it has a certain energy, and people are polite. it's like new york, but less harsh, and less vibrant. new york still probably is my favorite city in the world, but besides that, it's london.

photos from iceland

because i haven't posted many photos of my trip, and i just got dsl yesterday, i'm going to start posting photos of my trip: just the highlights.

this posting includes photos of iceland, which is a beautiful place. i had an amazing experience with my friend's father, baldurs. we went to the icelandic symphony, and here is a photo of us after the symphony. i have also included photos of the infamous geyser and the waterfall, as well as iceland's beloved mountains. i love iceland and want to go back. seriously, it was so different from anyplace i've ever been. visit!

always lie on job interviews and never even bother applying (or interviewing) for jobs you are totally not interested in

1. always lie on interviews.

smile a lot. say you plan on staying there for the next ten years, even if you see yourself living in australia by the end of next month. say you love to mop floors and clean toilets and say you make coffee perfectly, even if you are allergic to caffeine. say you are detail-oriented and see the big picture and can multi-task and can focus on anything. say you don't mind the hours, the commute isn't bad, that the people seem friendly, that it looks like a place with upward mobility even if the only place to go is out the back door. hate yourself as you do this, and swear this will only be until you save enough money to go on your next trip.

2. never apply for jobs you have no intention of taking.

we've all been there; it's awkward. you have x amount in student loans, the rent is almost due, you have been out of work for way too long. so you apply for a job working as a secretary for harlequin novels and your job responsibilities include reading through the slush pile: "oh, fabio, your strong muscular arms take me to places no other man could have ever possibly tried to." (similar to a job i interviewed for after college.) you want to quit after a week, say, "i should've borrowed from aunt tillie, not worked here." your folks say, "it's paying the bills, doesn't it feel nice to have a little money, and it will get better." your friends say, "welcome to the sucky world of working. didn't you ever wonder why i looked like a corpse?" you work and work and suffer and suffer and one day get so fed up with it all you quit and live in your sister's garage and babysit her kids until she comes home from work. you have no money, you read your sister's trashy spy novels during the evenings, and plot your next step in life. sure, it sucks without central heating and a window, and your bed is just on a large platform above the cars, but it beats working for the man.

ain't that the truth.

i'm really a grownup

today, at the academic library where i work, yet another student mistook me for a student. "no, i'm a librarian." wow. like, did you go to college for that? they didn't really say it, but they were shocked i wasn't in school. this guy i met last week at a pub said when i spoke of my love of cooking and my small kitchen, "i'm not even too sure what i have in there. a plate, a spoon, pots and pans. most of it is my roommates. i barely cook." ah, the life of a takeaway manhattanite. he was only 23, so he can't be to blame. but today as i was seeking the best-looking organic produce, compiling ingredients to make yet another soup (i'm seriously obsessed with soups lately! i love them, and they're perfect for wintertime), i realized, i'm a grown-up. i have my own apartment, my own kitchen, my own bills, and i am an independent woman.

it scared me.

Travel Articles

Here are the articles I have written for Bootsnall.com. I have one that has yet to be posted, but you can check out the others here.

Clubbing In Europe
Having been a clubber in my teens and early twenties, I was excited to go clubbing in Europe. For me, it was not only about the music, but about seeing the cultural differences - how people danced in clubs, club protocol, what they dressed in, as well as seeing a lot of the history of electronic music.

The Top of Europe: Jungfraujoch
Claiming to be "the top of Europe" (but actually just the highest railway station), Jungfraujoch is a journey well worth your time. Located close to Interlaken, Switzerland, I took the earliest train from Interlaken Ost (taking the earliest train gives passengers a discount of about 25 francs) and spent the morning wandering around this beautiful mountainside. Clear skies are essential for your visit, so check the weather before you arrive. Local news stations broadcast pictures from the top of Jungfraujoch frequently, so you can get an idea of what the weather is like.

Solo: The Best Way to Go
"Don't you get lonely?" "Aren't you scared?" "That must be dangerous."

I've heard these and many other similar comments when I've told people that I'm traveling alone. I love traveling alone - at first I didn't, but at the end of my trip, I preferred it. Traveling solo gives me the freedom to do what I want when I want - it's selfish in some ways, but I love traveling alone. Decisions are quick, and no consulting, discussing, deciding, and worrying that someone's feelings had been hurt or wishes been compromised - instead you just do things your own way.

Saving Money Once You've Left
Okay, so you've sacrificed for months, perhaps even years, before your trip. You cut out all of the extras, like no longer eating out in restaurants, have limited your alcohol consumption, buying generic food at the grocery store instead of the fancy, popular brands, and are riding your bike to work instead of taking the bus. You do all this so you have a nice amount of money in the bank for your trip. But once you've left, is there a way you can continue to be wise with your money during your trip?

How to Survive Hostelling
It's not that rough. I've never slept on a dirt floor, always had some sort of mattress and running water, but even so, living a backpacker's life can get you down. Hostels mean a cheap place to sleep, and often, nothing more. Hostels can be dirty, loud, and lacking privacy. It might make you reminisce for family vacations when your parents let you keep the complimentary shower caps (what a frivolity, a backpacker might think) your family's hotel provided.

Traveling Vegetarian
It's easy to eat at home-you go into the kitchen of your home and cook a meal of ingredients in your house, or after staring at your refrigerator for several moments without anything delicious magically appearing, you head to your favorite restaurant or ring up the best takeaway. When you're traveling, you don't have that luxury, and will find yourself staring at unfamiliar menus in a language you might not understand. You'll find yourself trying new and unfamiliar foods every day. It is fun-but it can be difficult if you have a dietary restriction.

Experiencing Iceland Through an Elder
Before I visited Iceland (which was the first stop on a several month trip around Europe), my old boss and friend, Eirikur, had asked me if I would like to visit his father. If Eirikur's father was anything like his son, I knew it would be an amazing and insightful part of my trip. I agreed, excited at the chance to spend time with a local. Before my trip, Eirikur made me a large map (a combination of various maps he printed from the Internet and taped together), showing me exactly where his father's house was. He also pointed out strategic places like where the bus station was, where his favorite pool was, and where he was born. Armed with my map, I was ready for Iceland.

Falling in Love: The Cinque Terre, Italy
In nearly every place I've ever been when traveling, I have never wanted to leave, even if I knew the next place I was going would be wonderful (which it usually was). In the Cinque Terre, I was depressed upon leaving, and nearly changed my plans to spend an extra night there. I fell in love: hard, fast. Everything was amazing-from the food to the views to the infamous Via dell'Amore to the people. I can safely say that this is the most beautiful place I have ever been in my entire life.

Running Across Europe
When I told friends I would be backpacking across Europe for nearly four months, everyone assumed I would quit running. No way. My running sneakers were one of the few precious items I put in my pack. As much as I despised wearing them for everyday use (something I don't do back home, and I dreaded looking like a typical American with white sneakers), I packed them along with running clothes (which, when clean, doubled as pajamas).

If you also want to see the hostel reviews I posted, search "cherie" on www.bootsnall.com and you should be able to find them.

marathon sunday: it's better than christmas

i went to the 12th mile of the new york city marathon to hand out water today. i cheered people on (often personalizing along with the names printed on their shirts) in the largest marathon in the world, with such a diverse group of people: a lot of danes, brits, swedes, among other countries. meb, who i wanted to win, and denna, did not; ah well, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and times. it was a fun morning; i hung out with sharon, who also did her first marathon last year, and george, whose friend was running the race. it was a lot of fun, and i got a free shirt and poncho (the poncho which i needed as i was completely soaked in water). the crowd is group, and honestly, you haven't run a marathon until you've run new york. i get chills just thinking of it. seriously, it is an amazing day, and if you can, plan on being out there next year to watch the race--and cheer me on, because i'll be running it again, perhaps even qualifying for boston. but seriously, boston is just boston, and the nyc marathon, well, it's THE marathon.

new york, i'm coming back, don't you worry, for hopefully one of my favorite days of my life. the best day of my life was last november's new york city marathon; you never forget your first.

traveling and who i now i am

I'm watching the infamous Motorcycle Diaries (which, of course, the book is better, but I love that the movie is in Spanish with English subtitles, and I love that they show his struggle with asthma so vividly, something I also struggle with), thinking about who I want, and what I want, and how I've changed. Sure, I think, I've changed, but as the days go on, I see it more and more. I don't want this sedentary nine-to-five travel once a year North American lifestyle. I know there is so much to see and do in this world, and yes, being a librarian is truly the job I want, and what I see myself doing...but at the same time, I want to travel. Travel is so important. Seeing this movie, envying Guevara's freedom--the book conveys it more so, includes more of the adventures.

I want to go to Latin America--I have heard they HATE people from the USA, that they kidnap and torture them. And they kidnap people on the streets of New York City, so what should I do--stay locked inside my apartment (but a fire, like the one down the block from me, could kill me!). I have the grain of adventure within me. I will not stop traveling. I am a traveler, a backpacker, a true spirit of the road.

I have ideas for future travels--the marathon in Greenland. At the marathon expo yesterday, in between limping around booths of free samples, telling Best Buy a Hummer was not a smart politically correct advertising statement, refusing coupons from Nike (telling them I refuse to use anything from a company that is one of the biggest users of sweatshop labor), I ran into a booth for the Greenland marathon. The guy was in an obscure corner and was probably happy to meet me and we talked, about my time in Iceland, about my intense interest of Greenland. He gave me a patch, a map, and other assorted information, and I hope I can go there next summer--along with Burning Man, that Erin in Prague told me all about.

But future--it's far. I refuse to stop dreaming. I got a book, The Travel Book, that lists information about way too many companies for me to ever be bored. I'm thinking Latin America is next, but due to many scares, its immensity, and how long I plan on being there, I'm thinking of going with a companion. Others mention Latin America too, and I hope someone that I am simpatico with--perhaps Chris from Luton, or others--will have time and money at the same time as I. Otherwise, I will go solo.

In my heart, traveling is important. Other things are important, but those who are vague, ambivalent, or ununderstanding about travel, well, we won't become as close as you'd like. Traveling, like Buddhism, and Yoga, are part of the spirituality in my life.

traveling and who i now i am

I'm watching the infamous Motorcycle Diaries (which, of course, the book is better, but I love that the movie is in Spanish with English subtitles, and I love that they show his struggle with asthma so vividly, something I also struggle with), thinking about who I want, and what I want, and how I've changed. Sure, I think, I've changed, but as the days go on, I see it more and more. I don't want this sedentary nine-to-five travel once a year North American lifestyle. I know there is so much to see and do in this world, and yes, being a librarian is truly the job I want, and what I see myself doing...but at the same time, I want to travel. Travel is so important. Seeing this movie, envying Guevara's freedom--the book conveys it more so, includes more of the adventures.

I want to go to Latin America--I have heard they HATE people from the USA, that they kidnap and torture them. And they kidnap people on the streets of New York City, so what should I do--stay locked inside my apartment (but a fire, like the one down the block from me, could kill me!). I have the grain of adventure within me. I will not stop traveling. I am a traveler, a backpacker, a true spirit of the road.

I have ideas for future travels--the marathon in Greenland. At the marathon expo yesterday, in between limping around booths of free samples, telling Best Buy a Hummer was not a smart politically correct advertising statement, refusing coupons from Nike (telling them I refuse to use anything from a company that is one of the biggest users of sweatshop labor), I ran into a booth for the Greenland marathon. The guy was in an obscure corner and was probably happy to meet me and we talked, about my time in Iceland, about my intense interest of Greenland. He gave me a patch, a map, and other assorted information, and I hope I can go there next summer--along with Burning Man, that Erin in Prague told me all about.

But future--it's far. I refuse to stop dreaming. I got a book, The Travel Book, that lists information about way too many companies for me to ever be bored. I'm thinking Latin America is next, but due to many scares, its immensity, and how long I plan on being there, I'm thinking of going with a companion. Others mention Latin America too, and I hope someone that I am simpatico with--perhaps Chris from Luton, or others--will have time and money at the same time as I. Otherwise, I will go solo.

In my heart, traveling is important. Other things are important, but those who are vague, ambivalent, or ununderstanding about travel, well, we won't become as close as you'd like. Traveling, like Buddhism, and Yoga, are part of the spirituality in my life.

Halloween: Grape for a Day

I had a brilliant Halloween. It was one of those nights where the next day you are totally hyper and stoked and still feeding off of last night's energy, even if you only got a couple hours of sleep. But my Halloween, my New York Halloween, reminded me of why I love New York City. I would never want to be any other place than New York for Halloween--why would you? If I was in England, what would we do? Maybe eat pumpkin cookies with our tea and candy corns, laugh delicately, "Oh, how hilarious you are with your ghost earrings!" Maybe not; I hope not, as I'd love to live there and hope it's not as depressing as the weather. But America is a great place for Halloween--we're loud Americans, being outrageous, dressing up as flashers, tampons, sluts, whatever it is we truly are underneath. It's a day to play, to have fun, be crazy, be our fantasy, be our opposite, dance, laugh, act, perform. We're alive, and we're happy, and we're here to spread cheer, laugh, watch people, dress up, party. And New Yorkers--we're the loudest. Screaming, "What you tryin' to be?" "Hey, move it!" "Happy m*therf*cking Halloween!"


I first went to the infamous Halloween parade--you must go, or you haven't celebrated Halloween as you should. March in it if you can--you can watch it and participate/perform at the same time. Laura dressed up like a brideslut. I went as a bunch of grapes. I finally succeeded in being NOT a "sexy" whatever. Women are sexy cops, sexy construction workers, sexy witches, sexy diner waitresses, sexy cats, sexy, sexy, sexy! Or just plain, "I have this really slutty corset and these thongs and heels, I'll just wear them." So I succeeded in a good costume that wasn't sexy. As a grape, I wore a brown top, skirt, sweater. I covered my long brown sweather with fake leaves and purple balloons. I braided my hair around my head, and put a ring of fake leaves around my head. I looked pretty good, if I may say so myself. The photos I have do not even represent how grape-y I looked.


After the parade, I went to a Complacentparty. They throw some pretty awesome parties, often combining art, politics, music, and partying. This one was a street party, with chanting ("When I say concrete, you say ritual! Concrete!" "Ritual!" "Concrete!" "Ritual!"), and other sorts of insanity I might not want to mention on this website, but it was powerful, amazing, shocking, and fun. The sorts of things you might get in trouble for should someone catch you. I thought, "These are my people: artists and politically-minded crazy people and hippies in New York City; this is who I love!"


After, we (by we I mean me and a bunch of people I met at this party; Laura disappeared to go home, and I made new friends) regrouped in the west 20s, and took the train up to the 40s for a party--all of us got in free to this club. They were playing good music--LeTigre electronic mixes, among other things. I danced like crazy, which is hard when you are dressed up with 30 balloons pinned to you. Rather crazy. I met this guy and tango danced with him, which was SO fun. Usually I'm a dreadful dancer with a partner, but I was good, and had a blast. He was a dancer, so he's really good. We danced till we noticed the time. Around three, I caught a cab back to Brooklyn. My cabbie was telling me Halloween horror stories--drunk people, and some guy with a three or foot foot "fake dick" as he called it pressed it against the cabbie--who threw him out. I was friendly and chatty, and he liked my costume, and told me T needed to move to NY because "it is not right," and thanked me for being so nice; "Why are you so nice to cabbie? You are so nice, you are nice to cabbie." He was super cool, and knew how to get home from the 59th St Bridge, which I do not know at all.


When I came in, Luna was excited. I gave her some treats and then we went to bed. I woke up the next morning, sparkles in my hair, half-deflated balloons on the floor, no longer a grape. But I was still something special.

me and ms. eiffel but most of all, paris and the effects of not traveling

as much as i didn't love paris, i must admit: i love the eiffel tower. here are some photos of me at the infamous tower. one is of me right in front, another is of me with the eiffel as it sparkles--every hour on the hour, all the lights just blink. it's beautiful, and even marco got chills. some call it ugly, but you can't deny its importance.





i think back to when i was lost in paris, no one speaking english (or they pretended not to), the immensity of the louvre, yet i was crying on the phone in the basement of the louvre: "i hate paris. i want to go home," and t saying nothing, and me going, "you must think i'm a spoiled brat." and he didn't say anything but i realized, i was privileged, i was traveling. i changed hostels, met some amazing people (jen, dania, lindsay, drew, among others). so, yeah, even paris i miss. traveling is so important to me. i refuse to stop. so job interviewers, no, i'm not done with traveling. not now, not ever. i'm traveling for life. who knows where i'll go next? all i know is, i'm never stopping.