day. First, we stopped in Rovinj, Croatia, on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula. Rovinj was one of my favorite cities; it has a slight feel of a mini Venice.

The views of the water from the stone stairways are stunning. We were there in September, which is past the tourist season, but the weather was unseasonably hot and beautiful. We walked around the city and shopped in the market, including picking up fruit for our journey. Part of what I loved about Europe, in general, processed food is fairly difficult to find and fruit is sold at reasonable prices everywhere.

We then made the short drive to Pula, the largest city in Istria county. If you are a fan of archeology and history, Pula is the town for you. Truth be told, we only stayed for a few hours because we were on a tight schedule. But I love archeology, fossils and ruins, so Mia squeezed Pula into the schedule so that I could spend time in the ruins of the coliseum. I snapped tons of photos and took video that will eventually find there way to flicker and youtube. The coliseum was spectacular. Until Mia had told me about the ruins and filled me in on more Croatian history, I had been unaware of the extent of the Roman relics and ruins that have been found along the coast. There is evidence that Homo erectus lived in Pula one million years ago, and pottery from the Neolithic and Bronze Age has been excavated all along the coast.

We spent the first night in Rijeka, which is situated on Kvarner Bay, an inlet to the Adriatic Sea. The city has a great outdoor shopping plaza full of stores, restaurants and nightclubs, and is slightly less touristy than the opposite end of the coast (Split, Dubrovnik). We wandered around, had a great Italian dinner and went to sleep fairly early in an apartment that was in the main square. In the morning we grabbed quick food and started the long, but beautiful drive down the coast.

There is a lot of Italian influence along the Croatian coastline. I had great food everywhere and Croatia is full of fabulous outdoor farmers markets and fruit and vegetable stands along the highways. Some other fun facts that I learned while on the coast, Croatia is known for its lavender, sea sponges (good for exfoliation), olive oil and wine. Now, I understand why.

She also explained that westernization had already occurred in Croatia. I was struck by how many restaurants and stores had English names, and most store were European or American chain stores, in fact, the only Croatian store I found was a bookstore that stocked a ton of books in English, yet, not one Croatian author in English. Mia also told me that most of the younger generation spoke English or a blend of English and Croatian, which made conversing a little easier for me, but also made me sad. I suppose I had a romanticized notion about the culture that I would find in Croatia — a connection to my family and the past.  I found it, but more through the stories my family told me as opposed to what I actually experienced.

Later that day, I met my uncle. The last photo I had seen of him was at least twenty-years old and when I first saw him I had the shock of my life, he looks exactly like my grandfather did about fifteen years ago. He and my father also look very similar; the gene pool from that side of the family is apparently pretty strong.

Mia and her boyfriend Kreso took me out to show me nightlife in Zagreb, it was a good time, especially the homemade honey liquor that Kreso insisted I try. It was yumm-o, but packs a wallop. They also took me to their favorite Croatian-Mexican restaurant, which was fantastic. When we sat down the host asked my cousin something that made her laugh. After she responded, she translated for me.  He had asked when the furniture would be back, referring to my other cousin and her friends who spend a lot of time there. Mia said they had temporarily swapped Matea for me. It was pretty funny, and a nice glimpse into their lives.  FYI – my cousins are in their mid-twenty’s, extremely intelligent and very kind.

Mia also took me to Zagreb’s ethnographic museum, which has roughly 80,000 items of Croatian heritage, including folk costumes, popular arts and crafts, and a representative selection of Croatian national costumes. They had scenes of what houses and meals would have looked liked pre-urbanization. Some of the traditional women’s costumes were very ornate, with gorgeous Konavle jewelry. I was completely taken by a style of earrings specific to my heritage, and later, Mia helped me find gorgeous replicas to take home with me…

We also visited the Mirogoj Cemetery, which is considered one of the best cemeteries in Europe, and is where politicians and famous artists are buried.

It’s really gorgeous, very old ornate architecture and family plots. I love the history of cemeteries; I find it fascinating how people celebrate the dead in different cultures, throughout time.

Before I left the states, Mia and I had had a skype date to plan my Croatian excursion. She said she would take care of the arrangements and plan a trip full of what I wanted to see, as well as what she thought we should see with my limited time. So, after a few days in Zagreb, Mia, Kreso and I loaded up the car and headed to the coast…

Next up, the Croatian coast.

For the first two weeks, all I really wanted to do was hang out in my house and spend time with Pocky (Bob). Not so different from my normal M.O. I did have extreme jetlag and woke up at 3:30am the first morning in my own home, 4:30am the next day, and so on for a little over a week.  Pocky did manage to pry me off of the couch with tickets to the touring version of Memphis, which was amazing. And in an effort to encourage me to escape the academic bubble I typically live in, he purchased tickets for later in the year to Come Fly Away, Alvin Ailey Dance and Coldplay.

There are definitely differences between living in Charlotte and London, and aspects of each that I prefer. One of which, I longed for my electric kettle that I grew fond of in London. So much so, that a new one should arrive on my doorstep any day now. I can’t figure out why they have not caught on in the U.S., but they should be on your must have list, I promise. I do not miss the conversion rate of the dollar to the pound or the hefty bank fees that I racked up. I enjoyed my time away, but it did not feel like home.

The beginning of the semester came rather quickly, and I did not feel prepared. Yet, here I am in the third week, fully buried in homework and adjusting to my new schedule. Now, if only I could get adjusted to studying for the GRE…

As for my transition, I am happy to be out of my tiny dorm room (that was same size as my closet here in our home), with a tiny bed under the window, and a horrible draft. I don’t miss the smell of beer in the elevators, drunken kids, and waiting for five washers and dryers in a building with 250 plus students. I do miss my roommates, who made me feel at home; especially Maryam, who brought me her space heater daily so I would not freeze to death while I worked.

I will miss zipping around London on the underground and via train, though I will not miss the rush hour crowd where people smacked full force into my shoulders daily because they were in too much of a hurry to move ever so slightly out of the way. I will also miss the ability to hop on a train and be in a different country such as France or Belgium in under three hours, or the hour and a half plane ride to Dublin, IR. Do not fret — the Dublin blog is in the que… I will miss the culture, food, music, and other forms of art. Also, I will miss all of the people from all of the places I visited, especially my family and close friends whom I rarely see in person.

Last week, I attended a study abroad re-entry party at UNC Charlotte to welcome us all home. Everyone had great stories to tell, ranging from poignant to embarrassing, but everyone seemed to have life changing experiences. I listened to most of everyone talk about wanting to leave again and I thought, not me. I am happy to be home for a while. I know I’ll get the itch to travel again soon, but for now I’m just grateful for the experiences along the way.

FYI – there are numerous blogs still coming because between the travel and the homework, I just ran out of time to write the blog. Upcoming: Croatia, Dublin, Scotland, Bath, Bristol, plus several on my experiences and studies in London. Thanks to all you for your kind comments about the blog and for all of the ongoing support.

As an aside, Zagreb, Croatia was a stop on the Simplon Orient Express route famously recreated in the Agatha Christies mystery series.

My train to Croatia departed Munich at 11:00 p.m.  I walked up to the first conductor and asked in German if I had the correct car and he answered me in Croatian. In that moment, I wished that I had learned more than hello and thank you in my newest language. I had no idea what he was saying and he did not speak German or English, so, off I went down the platform to the next conductor and asked: “sprechen sie English, Deutsh?” He said, “Yes, English.” He told me which car and off I went.  I arrived first to the four-bunk couchette (cabin). Now, the train was circa 70s era, but clean and comfortable. I was only there a few minutes when one young man showed up and greeted me in German. I responded in German, but he realized that I was neither German nor a Croatian citizen, and asked again in German where I was from. I told him America and he switched to English. Then the next roommate showed up, another twenty something male.

I had a flashback to the night I purchased the ticket. Jen (my sister), Fletcher and I were at their home in Germany and they began making references about train travel in Europe, and I had no idea what they were talking about. So they played the movie Eurotrip, which is full of stereotypes of young backpackers traveling through Europe; the film was pretty funny. There is a scene on a train where the friends were seated in a car and an Italian man joins them. Every time the lights go out he ends up too close for comfort with one of the travelers. As the lights come on he just keeps saying me scusi (excuse me).  It’s hysterical.

Back to my story –– As I sat staring at the two men I was about to share the couchette with, me scusi played on a loop inside my head.  I thought about asking for a different couchette, and then decided this too was part of the adventure, right?

One of the young men was a professor in an eastern European country on his way to Zagreb to visit his family, the other, a German student returning to his university in Slovenia. The conductor came to collect passports because of the middle of the night border stops; the train to Croatia travels through countries with hard borders that are not a part of the European Union. We talked for a short while, mostly in German, mine not so good, then off to sleep.

As the sun came up, my Croatian friend and I prepared for more border inspections. He kindly explained how it would go and that there were three different inspections. Then he began offering tips on the culture of Zagreb and what to expect; he also gave me a crash course in Croatian (with proper pronunciation) so that I could get by. Though, my cousin Mia speaks better English than some of the students at my university.

The border guards seemed interested in my Croatian last name/American passport. Each inspector made a call, I suppose, to see if it was valid and then asked questions about why I was there  — more than the standard what is your business here question. Afterward, my roommate said Zagreb wasn’t a hotspot for Americans. But it should be…more on that later.

He and I hopped off the train, said our goodbyes, and when I turned around a lovely young lady walked up to me and asked if I was Lori. I said yes, how did you know? Mia said, “You look like your mother.” And off we went…

Cyprus was meant to be a visit with my dear fiend Bill, and it was, only he never left the house. Unfortunately, he threw out his back after stepping on one of his boy’s small toys. So, I did most of my roaming on my own, except when his lovely wife Katie took me around. Hawaii, it is not, but for an equally fabulous exotic getaway, I suggest Cyprus.

I arrived in Larnaca at night and on the drive to Bill’s house, two things jumped out at me, a Golden Arches on one side of the street and a Marks and Spencer on the other. I was stunned to see the M&S and Bill reminded me that it was not so long ago that Cyprus was one of the many colonies of the British Empire. Oh, yes, I remember now.

On my first day, Katie dropped me off in downtown Nicosia, which has a modern Mediterranean-shopping plaza surrounded by old houses and the historic old section where one can find traditional clothing, jewelry, spices, soaps, and restaurants. There is also a famous church and museums in walking distance. When I walked around the more modern streets in the area, the buildings reminded me of photos I’ve seen of cities in the Middle East with flat sandstone color exteriors that all resemble one another. But in the shopping areas the influences of Greece and Turkey are everywhere.

Also in this area, the dividing green line that separates Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Cyprus patrolled by the UN.  I believe Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, and Turkey is the only country that legally recognizes the northern side (the Turkish Republic of Cyprus). As I found out, this division is a serious source of contention. Bill is a U.S. expat and half of Katie’s family is from Cyprus and that makes it personal, but she graciously gave me a history lesson anyhow. She also told me that she has never crossed the border and that if I wanted to go I was on my own –- completely understandable.

After walking around for hours and doing a bit of shopping, eating and taking photos, I realized that I missed my opportunity to view the archaeology museum, With several hours left before my ride would arrive, I decided to make my way across the green line.  It is right off the main shopping street, so, I crossed, filled out a 90-day visa, they stamped it and I was in.

The first few blocks look similar to the Cypriot side; it is once you move further into the neighborhoods that things begin to look and feel different. They have a massive outdoor plaza with restaurants that seem meant for tourists, but instead local children were playing, otherwise the area looked empty.  I stumbled across and antique shop and had to resist the urge for a shopping spree, but I did find traditional Turkish drinking glasses that had to come home with me. I also found what was once a catholic church, now a mosque. I briefly filmed, but felt uncomfortable and stopped when I came upon several local men, since I was walking around on my own in a Turkish area without a headscarf. I never felt afraid, but I quickly realized that there were no other American’s or female tourists in this area and I think it is important to respect other cultures when you travel.  I continued to shop and bought tea, spices and other items and everyone was very hospitable, the younger generation on the Turkish side does not speak much English, but the people my age and older do, luckily for me.  I wander off a little more where the remnants of war and poverty became more prevalent.  Though the two sides are not actively fighting at the moment, it is clear that the northern side has been isolated and neglected. With that said, it is still worth a visit and the people were kind and helpful.

Turkish Republic of Cyprus Video

I found my way across the border and to the spot where Katie picked me up. That night I spent time with Katie, Bill and their adorable boys at home. Katie made a wonderful Cypriot vegetable dish, that I need to figure out how to replicate, and I headed to bed.

Brussels is interesting for many reasons; the main one is the fact that the city has three official languages because of its territorial history: Dutch, French and German. French is what you should know as a tourist. Many shops in the Grand Place have at least one person that speaks some English, but I found Brussels far more challenging than Paris from the perspective that I needed to speak far more French. Ultimately that was good for me, it pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a chance to have conversations in French, which does not happen nearly enough for a person attempting to become fluent or passable.

It was about a twenty-minute walk from my hotel to the Grand Place, where almost everything one would want to see is located. On the way, I passed through several great neighborhoods with funky stores and fabulous old architecture with tons of iron balconies that had a similar feel to Paris. By the time I arrived, I needed coffee. After a few photos, I stopped at La Rose Blanche for an espresso at the outdoor patio. It was so cold out I kept the coat and gloves on. It is a great place to people watch and Brussels is gearing up for the Holidays. As I drank my coffee workers were putting up a massive tree and Christmas display. I walked around, shopped, and walked some more. I wouldn’t bother with a metro card for Brussels; everything is basically in a circle in the center of town. I plotted out what I wanted to see before hand and just went from point to point. Next, I went to the Palais de Justice, then the Palais Royal and across the street to the Brussels Park. With only one day, I skipped the museums, but there are sculptures and statues everywhere, including the famous Manneke Pis (the little boy peeing), and stores full of cool artwork.

 By this point, I was in need of some food. I wandered back down passed the Grand Place and over to Jules Van Praet Street, which I highly recommend because there are options for everyone, and it is quieter than the square. It is where the business people go for lunch. On the corner facing the main street, there is an Iris Pub, a Golden Arches and a Burger King, but when you walk down Jules Van Praet there is an Indian restaurant and three Thai/Vietnamese restaurants. I went to Reves D’Asie (Thai-Viet) and it ranks as one of the top five meals of my travels since August.  The décor is a fabulous mix of traditional Asian Buddha’s and vintage furniture embedded in the walls and one minute a traditional Thai song played, followed by Belgian dance/rap music. The food – amazing.

I went back out into the cold and headed for Place du Grand Sablon, basically – shopping and churches. I wandered through the surrounding areas, including the Grand Place to make a final pass for Belgian chocolate and then I headed off to a pub for a dark Belgian beer.

 
Finally, I made my back to the train station. I grabbed food at the station for the train ride home and within two hours, I was back in London. Brussels is a place I could spend far more time in. For me, it had a similar feel to Budapest, where I felt very at home.

Once at the Louvre, I wandered into the courtyard, sat down to take in what was going on around me.  

A sea of people wandered around taking photos and this black crow decided to sit right behind me; it freaked me out.  After I took it all in, I finally made my way inside. The Louvre is spectacular and sadly I only had two days for exploring. I basically ordered the importance of exhibits that I wanted to see, knowing that I would run out of time. The first day I explored the massive Egyptian display, a medieval section and many galleries of Italian and Spanish paintings, plus a section of Spanish and Italian sculptures. I emerged in the late afternoon and headed over to Rue de Madeleine and Madeleine Place for food and shopping. I found a fantastic organic restaurant and then went over to Hediard and Fauchon to shop. After a bit of exploring I took the metro back to Gare du Nord to claim my backpack and to find my hotel. The hotel was nice and clean with a friendly staff near shopping and restaurants. I found a great Indian restaurant and sat down to eat and people watch. I wandered the neighborhood, drank some wine, and then headed to the hotel.

The next morning I headed to the Louvre as early as possible, sat in the courtyard and drank an espresso at café Marly before what would be a full day of art and walking. I looked at French and European paintings and made it to the overcrowded Mona Lisa room, she is a well-protected woman. I looked at glass, pottery, crowns and jewels.  I finally found the African exhibit and toured the rest of the sculptures. I love sculptures and while the sculptures at the Louvre are amazing, Rodin is one of my favorite sculptors. Unfortunately for me, his museum is closed through 2012. I guess I will need to return to Paris. I finished my second day at the Louvre by touring the Napoleon III apartments – they are out of control. Opulent does not even describe it. Looking at the murals on the ceilings throughout the Louvre, along with the doors, windows, staircases and basic architecture is a tour all on its own. When I say I could have been there for days…

I did manage to find my way to Champs Elysees, but there was a photo exhibit opening (perhaps Diane Arbus) and so many people that the police had blocked off streets and were redirecting people, it was difficult to walk around. It was also a Sunday, and most stores were closed. I finally headed to the Gare du Nord area for an Italian dinner and then checked in for the last train to London.  It was a quick two days, but well worth it.

I have included a video of musicians in Paris, and though I will not win any cinematography awards, it is a small glimpse of what I experienced.

Music of Paris

I took a break from studying to visit with my parents after their tour of the UK and Holland. I met up with them at the train station in Cambridge. We jumped on a standing-room-only train to London and made our way to their Bed and Breakfast. We had a nice Italian dinner, made some sightseeing plans, and I hopped a train home. The next week was spent having great food and enjoying the North and South Banks of London. The first day, we went to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Basically we saw them march toward and away from the gates, I have video to prove it.

Then we moved on to Westminster Abbey. I have to say the gothic splendor is a little overwhelming, but amazing; there are quite a lot of people buried in that church. After that, we headed over to Trafalgar Square for lunch and the sights. I left them to enjoy the rest of the windy day, and walked down the street to my university for my class.

The next day, we went to Winston Churchill’s war rooms, which are buried in a bunker of a building near Parliament. History fascinates me, so I really enjoyed being there. I think my parents liked it even more than I did.

Once you make your way through the first set of rooms, preserved from Churchill’s last days, you enter the museum that houses loads of memorabilia from his life. Then the tour leads you through the final rooms that were recreated based on documents and former employees memories. They say it takes 90 minutes, I say it takes two to three hours depending on if you are the type that must read and listen to everything. Next, we headed over to South Bank for lunch at All Bar One. Then we did the London Eye experience, which really is a spectacular view, and a cruise on the River Thames. It was great to have them here and I am glad that they finally took a vacation; it had been a while. They spent a few more days in town, but unfortunately I had loads of seminars to attend.

Two weekends later my friend Diana arrived. Now, she and I have spent time together in London before. We live about two hours away from each other by plane in the states, but seem to meet up out of the country more frequently these days (another visit in December, Paris).

We met up Friday afternoon after my last seminar and went out for drinks while we waited for our other friends to finish work. Yes, most of my friends actually work. We eventually wound up at a Thai Restaurant near the National Gallery for a late dinner and I eventually made my way home. Saturday we started out on the North Bank. I was supposed to meet her at the Tate Museum, but ended up at the wrong bridge (there are about 6 in a row). So, I wandered into Le Pain Quotidien to escape the cold wind and ordered a café. Once she arrived we moved on to dinner and other beverages. We walked across the bridge and found a pub near her hotel, but drank only half of or drinks when they said we are closing…But, it isn’t even 12:00. So off to her hotel we went. It was not yet Halloween, but on the way home I saw a ton of great costumes. The pubs might have closed, but clubs were still open and people were everywhere.

Next up, Cyprus.

In the U.S. people are accustomed to massive stores where one can buy everything at one time, not so here. I went to one store where I found bedding and a few pots and pans. Another day after an intro seminar, I went to China Town and found plates, bowls, chopsticks and fabulous soupspoons, plus I had a yummy tofu and veggie lunch. When Kristin said she was coming in for a meeting at UCL (another fine London University) for her PhD, I asked her where I should go for my remaining items — knives, cups, glasses, etc. She said she knew the perfect places, yes plural.

I met her at Waterston’s books (great place to buy popular books in French) and we headed out to Planet Organic for a tasty, healthy lunch. Then we wandered off toward Oxford Circus, which is a bit of a circus no matter the day or time, but if you like shopping – it’s the place to go. I recommend loads of coffee and patience. Oh, I bought an electric kettle and it is my favorite new gadget. I’m going to have to buy one once I am home again. Anyhow, she took me to a few boutique stores and finally to John Lewis. Dorm room complete.

The past few weeks have been mostly venturing out around my campus on the Strand next to Somerset House and around my neighborhood on the Southbank. I live near London Bridge and the infamous Borough Market. http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/ …

Borough Market is one of my favorite places to be. I can’t explain it, but I love a good farmers market and Borough is a market on steroids.

There has also been loads of reading. I have a 10-week semester and 8 papers due, as opposed to 17 weeks at UNCC. The bureaucracy at King’s is fairly laissez-faire, but helpful. It all turns out in the end, though it is still in my nature to want the answer now, as opposed to later. I have four classes, which breaks down to four lectures with about 50 -100 students and three seminars with about 12 students. At King’s one must do the reading before class, it is not an option. It is also not an option to not attend without giving them prior notice. King’s is very structured, and I like it. They also do not tolerate rude behavior.  One of my professors told students no phones, no facebook, and no tardiness. Once – kicked out, twice  – fail the class. I wish it were like that in the U.S.

I really like my Econ professor; he is funny. He asked if anyone knew what moral hazard was and I was the only one. So, he told me to sit there and be quiet even if I think he is getting it wrong because the rest of them won’t know the difference. Then he threw chalk at this kid that always knows the

statistics for everything and said, “Are you secretly phoning a friend over there? You could get it wrong sometimes so that there is a purpose to my being here.”

I do enjoy living here, even if it is only temporary. Now that I am more settled, I hope to see some of my other friends that live in London soon, but I have had visitors and university, which is my first priority…