End

I am leaving today. I get on a plane at 11.45 and in short hours i wil be back. transplantation to real life.

This trip has been mind expanding, earth shaking, and quite wonderful. I have been so lucky to share it with a lovely man.

This past week has been filled with sleep, movies, and christmas markets. It has given us a chance to get back on our feet and make us feel whole again. Thank you for reading the blog. I hope to post some pictures on here once I get back to Iowa.

Love to all and thank you for following us

annie

Here we are

Out with the old and in with the new.  We are Wiesbaden now and out of that place called Amsterdam.  We survived!  

The trip, as mentioned in the blog before this, is quickly coming to an end for me.  Dirn will be in Europe for a few weeks after me so hopefully he can continue on with writing.  I just can't believe how much we have learned over 5 very short weeks.  I feel like we have swallowed information for a lifetime.  It only makes me wonder how fresh these memories will be when life returns to "normal." we will always carry the experiences and there have been many.  

Reflection.  I think this trip came at a very good time in our lives.  Maybe this is just me and I will check with Dirn after I write this but I feel like both Dirn and I, our lives are beginning to change and adulthood and more responsibilities I fear are coming very fast.  Perhaps a six week or eight week backpacking adventure won't be as doable in the future.  and to that i say fuuuey. Secondly, I feel like more than ever.  At this time in my life I am more open to learning and experiencing things to a deeper level than before.  I don't know if this is true for Dirn but I suspect it is.  

I just feel so incredibly lucky to have such supportive people around me.  You have no idea how much it means. Thank you for all the help, ideas and love.

Now on to the good stuff.  Amsterdam is changing fast.  and if people want to buy a nice lady and some pot they better get to Amsterdam fast!!  I know that there are many of you out there.   Apparently the European Union, which The Netherlands are apart of, are buying out the red light district in order to attract "respectful tourists."  So that means no ladies and harder to come by weed.  It has been quite a blow to the locals.  We visited a museum called Cannabis College and one of the people who worked there and who was giving us a tour almost started crying when he was talking about the changes that were beginning to happen. quite devastating.  We really felt for the guy.  talk about putting all your eggs in a basket.  yikes.             

okay good for now.  love to all

The wheel goes round

We made it to Amsterdam. where the drugs are free the women are easy and the water tastes like chocolate.

We are starting to realize that the trip is slowly approaching the end. so sad.


ooh wait. we have to go. more will be written later. the breakfast bell is ringing and inspiration is pulling us that way.

love to all

copenHAGEN

we are in copenhagen. there is not really that much to say. We have seen the sights. we rode the rides. we took a canal cruise. The place is beautiful and wonderful just like all the other sights we have seen.

BUT they do have an amusment park in the middle of the city which is a few blocks away from our high-rise hostel (very posh). The amusment park is called Tivoli and these crazy people who live here keep it open all year long even when its sleeting. Luckily though, when we went it wasn't raining that bad. We rode on this scary swing ride that went way high up into the sky while swinging us around. and... three roller coasters. one hammer like ride. a couple of kiddy rides for me. one hans christian anderson ¨small world¨ like ride. a log roll that featured moles. It was fun and magical. Everything had lights and decorations and in the night the place just glowed with excitment and enchantment.

One thing that is clear to me. These europeans love christmas.

markable thing - we went to the hippie compound christiania. it was muddy, interesting, and filled with cops.

food note - there are lots of buffets here. we have eaten at two medditeranian buffets and a pizza buffet. local cuisine is good.

Onto amsterdam this afternoon and we will arrive there tomorrow at six am.

ooh. for jessica. we saw the mermaid. from a boat. much easier.

Pictures- so they say

Venice - Upper pictures and lower pictures to the right

Gaudi's Works - Upper picture to the right is of Sangrada Familia Church and the lower picture is of a Gaudi Park Lizard.  Barcelona

and pictures

pictures