Thank You - Bye!

So thanks to everyone for reading my blog. I hope it wasn't too boring for anyone.

I had a great time on this trip with my friend. And I'm going to be honest and say my friend and the people on the tour bus made this trip for me. Would I ever come back to Europe? No, no, no, no, no, no, no a resounding no! This high society stuff wasn't for me. But I came and I saw. Next trip, Thailand/Bali (assuming our dentist friend follows through on his connections:)).

Taking our travel boxes on a bus tomorrow morning and headed to the airport. Should be home and jet lagged tomorrow night around 6 pm.

Thanks again to everyone who visited my blog.

XOXO,
J.

So Long to Spain

Are You The Owner of That Travel Box?

So yesterday we are sitting at the train station next to this guy for 2 HOURS - and he says NOTHING to us. Not a word, doesn't even look at us. Then all of a sudden he goes to Melissa, "Are you the owner of that travel box?" and she's like ??? and he asks again. Ok - referring to her suitcase - which we thought was hilarious! Then starts harassing her about the baguette she bought and telling her it's going to get hard and that she should put it in her "travel box". She's like "I think it will be ok." And he insists. Then he asked her "Why did you even buy it?" She's like "To eat it." Then the guy abruptly gets up and says he has to go and says bye to us. It was the strangest thing EVER!

Tomorrow's our last day in Spain, then taking our travel boxes to the air port on Tues and heading home.

Wish us happy shopping for tomorrow!

Underwhelmed

So Barcelona literally cost us a fortune to get here and it was a major pain in the ass to travel here and...... it totally sucks!!!!!!! We just got off a 2 hour bus tour and I didn't take one picture. Plus, it is Sunday and all of the stores are closed. If I could give you all some advice on Barcelona, I would say "don't go".

The pictures I am posting are of the only thing going on in town, which is some weird hippie rally with tents. And we aren't even sure what they are protesting.

Ugh!

So Tired of Paying to Go to the Bathroom!

Bathroom usage has been costing us a fortune over here. Some places you pay over $2 to go.

Well yesterday we were out and stopped into Starbucks and of course the cheapest SMALL drink was $10. We were smart enough to know not to stop there for a drink, we really just wanted to use the bathroom.

So we bypassed the line and went upstairs, found it, thinking, so far so good... Well you had to have a code to get in.

So Melissa went downstairs and asked the cashier what the code was and she said it´s on your receit. Well, since we didn´t have a receit, I dug through the garbage and found one! Problem solved. Lol.

Yesterday was our first day without our tour guide giving us tips on which places to go for the bathroom. But I think we are doing pretty good so far.

So in the US now I will be thankful for free bathrooms. This is crazy. We are going flat broke here so it's a good thing this is our last stop.

We each paid $10 for a coke the first night in Paris. And no it wasn´t a 2 liter. It was a small glass bottle.

XOXO,
J.

Spain and the Train

We made it to Spain! Took the over night train.

But mom, this post was mostly for you to let you know we made it ok.

The cabin was TIGHT, really tight. Melissa and my luggage took up the whole room. Luckily there was only one other lady in there instead of two. We didn't find anything special about this Euro Rail. Although mom, it wasn't as bad as India, haha. I remember Sean couldn't even sit up on the top bunk. You could on this one... kind of. You can see from the pictures.

I ventured down to the bar and spent another $5 on a diet coke.

Then, we both slept over night and they woke us up this morning an hour before Barcelona.

Now time to see what this city is all about.

XOXO,
J.

The Louvre and Mona Lisa

So we went the the Louvre museum today to see the Mona Lisa.One of these pictures shows the crowd gathered around the painting to take pictures. I fought my way all the way up to the front to get my shot and since it was encased in glass there was a glare anyway. I was disappointed. But at least we saw it in person.

To be honest we were on a guided tour with head phones and after the Mona Lisa I couldn't take it anymore. I ripped my head phones off and just followed everyone. I was bored to death. Museums have never impressed me.

Saw A LOT today and we are both exhausted. Came back to try and nap only to be woken up by a few rooms down swearing down into the streets and tossing beer bottles at cars. We both jumped up and watched out the window, hoping no one would get hit.

Tomorrow is going to be a pain. We have to make our way to the train station, through customs and then ride the Euro Rail over night to Barcelona. Whose idea was this anyway?????????? Hoping 1. Our bags don't get stolen and 2. We wake up for our stop.

Really not sure how this works... but I can tell you Melissa's earrings got stolen off her ears on the train in India. And I flipped out on the train in India so much so that we had to buy flights to return from our destination because I refused to go back on the train! Omg omg omg. Going to be away from the Internet for 2 days, but check back for updates from Spain!

XOXO,
J.

The Dentist Goes Crazy

and he is MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Mr. Ultimate Pessimist goes nuts today. He is the life of the bus, Mr. Loud Mouth and loving everything. He grabbed me by the arm this morning to tell me he went bag shopping for his wife and I about fell on the side walk. Since Melissa and I snubbed him the other night he's been going off with this other woman on the trip. He also doesn't wear a wedding ring.

We were shocked, but now we are starting to doubt all of his stories. Him being married, him being a dentist... We don't know what to think of this guy. We suspect he took something at his party last night and the effects haven't worn off. Maybe we have vast imaginations, but we trust no one!

XOXO,
J.

Napoleon's Tomb

Notre Dame

Eiffel Tower

Photo Booth at Eiffel Tower

Melissa's Man

So this guy is in awe of her, says hi. Then as we are eating 20 minutes later he walks by the restuarant we are at and says hi to her only again! I was like "wait a minute! is that the same guy?" She's like "yea". And then we discuss the possibility that he's interested in her and I almost immediately say "he wants to rob us! grab your purse!" I just can't get that Taken movie out of my head. I tell you I am on alert in this city. I trust no one for anything!!!!!!

Home safe, Eiffel Tower tomorrow...

XOXO,
J.

Either My Skirt Was Too Short, Her Shirt Was Too Sparkly or We Are Just That Good Looking

Because I'm telling ya... the men here are all about us. We have turned a million heads. People have been taking pictures of us on their phones, honking bike horns at us, blowing us kisses, telling us they love us, stalking Melissa, offering us free drinks, giving us cherries.

The bartender says "hello, hi, hiyiyiyiyiyiyia" to me.

Now granted the other possibility here is that we stick out like sore thumbs, but it's always nice to think highly of yourself right?

Was Given Cherries Tonight, Yes That's Right

So tonight we are walking back and take a quick peek into a convenience store. Out of no where the owner pops up and says "Where are you from?" at a very close distance. I replied "the States" and he replied "You have beautiful eyes... I love you!" To which I started laughing. Then he tells me he has something for me and to go outside with him. We walk up to his fruit stand and he gives me a handful of cherries - to which Melissa and I immediately grab for the cameras. Before I knew it he kisses me on the cheek and this picture is of me laughing hysterically just after.Never been woo'ed by fruit before.

Then he insisted we come back later tonight and he will open some of his wine for us. Um... no thank you. We have to walk by him again tomorrow so who knows maybe I'll get an apple or something.

XOXO,

J.

The Subway

THANK GOD for Melissa on this trip. I don't know what the hell I'm doing when it comes to navigation, I have absolutely zero spatial intelligence. Luckily Melissa, an experienced New Yorker... this all comes as second nature to her.

We were riding back from the city tonight and the subway stops - I freak out! And then she reassures me that this happens all the time. Then, the lights go out and I freak out again! As I grab a hold of my purse even tighter. Luckily the black out only lasted for a few seconds and shortly after we got off. But I tell ya, subways and Janelle are not a good mix. Being alone on this trip would not have been a good idea! Thank goodness I knew better.

XOXO,

J.

Croque Monsieur

So two great things happened at once. We FINALLY ate lunch at one of the cute, little out door restauarants AND I had croque monsieur for the first time. Let me tell you, it was fantastic. I've been to french restaurants before and some not even in America and have never even seen it on the menu. (Don't ask me which restaurants, but obviously not the right ones). So Melissa and I decided I'm just going to have to learn how to make it.Mine's the one on the right. Melissa had a cheese and tomato panini.

This little dinner cost me right around $25. Ugh... Some of the people offer to convert into US dollars and we always say "no" because we don't want to know the damages.

XOXO,

J.

Paris, France

My favorite city so far on our trip!

Chicken Flavored "crisps"

"Cheap Feed"

Our tour guide cracked us up by pointing us in the direction of this little restaurant with the ice cream cones. She said to go here for a "cheap feed". So... we did! And of course now we refer every day to trying to find a cheap feed. Unfortunately that didn't happen today. We stopped at a gas station for lunch and my meal was over $24. Real good thing this is only a 2 week trip. I dropped a lot of Franks yesterday and am feeling a little nauseous about it. The food alone is costing me a fortune!

The Dentist

So where do I even begin with this guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

This random guy on our tour bus asks to take a picture of us the other day. Fine we say, but thought it was a little weird.

Then we had dinner with him the other night and omg. Turns out he is a dentist from Indonesia, came alone on this trip and is the world's biggest pessimist. I asked him what he liked best on the trip so far and he said "honest or not honest?" and I said "honest" and he replied "nothing". Then went on to tell Melissa and I that he's hated everything and also hated being with people that are 50 years old on the tour bus. Which coincidentally we think is the greatest thing ever. This guy doesn't know what he is missing!

He asks where we are going on our next holiday and we said Thailand and he INSISTS that we go to Bali. And demands we get in contact with him via email or text so he can hook us up with all the places to go.

Then he suggested we get motor bikes and I think the whole restaurant turned to stare at our table. (Not even kidding.) Melissa and I both busted out laughing and both laughed until we cried picturing the two of us on motor bikes. This guy obviously does not know us! Well I think we offended him because he got kinda pissed. But that quickly passed and he started asking me what I do and seemed quite impressed that I was a professor at a University. He guessed Elementary school and was like "huh" with a nod when I corrected him.

Well then he started offering us cookies from his room! And kept on and kept on about us partying with him the first night in Paris.

Melissa figured the cookies were a lure to get us to go up to his room and that he was disappointed in the 50 some crowd because he went on this trip looking to hook up. Well we weren't falling into the cookie trap.

And today I told her we have to get our act together once we hit the hotel in Paris, 1. Either hurry the hell up and get out on the town or 2. Linger around for an hour at the hotel before we got out. Because he caught us this morning and was like "party, party!" ...... yikes.

Fortunately we got out of that situation. We went out and had our own fun in Paris and got back safely like the smart, sophisticated women we are. Who the hell knows where this guy is.

XOXO,
J.

Gold Bubble Bath

I thought this was soap and kinda freaked out. It was actually bubble bath, but still I wanted some.

Switzerland - and watches galore!

We spent the entire day looking at a city full of watches. Yes, I got one! A blinged out Swatch and I couldn't be happier.

XOXO,
J.

Giswil, Switzerland

We stayed at the foothills of the Swiss Alps. Here is a photo of our hotel, a shot from town, and a view from our balcony.

What we will miss about this place (besides the view and peace and quiet) is the tap water! It was ice cold and it is strange to say this about water, but delicious. And today on the bus we heard other people talking about it too so it wasn't just us being crazy.

The hotel was a family run place with no internet. So for two days being locked away from the computer was a little stressful on me. But now we are in Paris, so back to civilization.

XOXO,
J.

Somewhere in Germany...