Sunday, February 28, 2010
ugh
Steph just asked politely...to no avail. 2 stupid room mates (not Immanuel...cause he's too considerate) and 3 drunk random guys. This is obnoxious. I want a house. Not a dorm. Not a shared flat. A house. With quiet. I can handle street noise. I can't handle drunken idiots.
are you kidding me?
It is 2:52 am here right now. Neither Steph nor I can even come close to sleeping thanks to our drunken room mates (+ friends) going crazy downstairs. Last night the party went until 2 but tonight there is no end in sight considering they just got back from the bars. I have no clue who's down there but this is so obnoxious. I just want to sleep. But I won't say anything...you know me. Im passive-aggressive. Last night, I just waited until the loudest one (who conveniently has a room downstairs next to the kitchen) was asleep and went down and looked for a late-night snack...being extra loud. It must've worked considering they woke up and came out to go to the bathroom. Is that being mean? Anti-productive? Being one of them? Oh well I suppose. It's 2:57. And they're yelling. Anything sounds justified right about now for those drunken idiots.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Roon-Dog
It was an amazing birthday weekend that was neither a weekend nor my birthday. But the Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday trip to Manchester was quite a pleasant surprise. After grudgingly waking up early Monday morning, I was treated to the sight of my new guitar! A very nice purchase (by my beautiful girlfriend), it left me yearning to keep playing as we walked to the bus that we inevitably missed. Not missing a beat, we caught a later bus and made it to our train. Once in Manchester, we entered our temporary residence: A questionable yet cool 1940's-esque building (and when I say 1940, I don't mean it was decorated as such, but rather that it was most likely from those years) that was located across the street from the train station. The room was cramp and smelt of stale-smoke but was a bargain at only 50 USD a night.
Having no plan, we simply explored the city for two days. We found some excellent shopping and treated ourselves to two Manchester United jerseys in preparation for the following night's game. We saved money eating, finding a delicious pub with great deals, and spent money frivolously (did I mention we had dessert? And rode a 20 story ferris wheel?). All of our mindless wandering, however fun it was, did not compare to the grand finale of the trip though: the Manchester United game.
Being on the other side of Manchester, we needed to take a train to the stadium. Leaving in plenty of time to catch the first train, we showed our trusty rail-passes to the guards as we walked to the Piccadilly to Trafford train. To our surprise, the passes didn't cover this journey. We then went to the ticket sales to purchase them, only to find out our American, 'chip'-less credit card didn't work. Plowing through the crowds we sprinted to the ATM to get cash out, only to find out that it was broken. With the assistance of moving sidewalks, we made record time to the other side of the station and back, money in hand. We purchased our tickets and began to walk through again, only to realize we were only handed one. After running back to grab mine, we sprinted through the maze of platforms to find ours. As we looked in confusion at the bare platform, below the sign labeled "18:58 to Manchester Utd," we were pointed in the proper direction by a chuckling local. Do you think we made the train? If watching it close the doors and take off as you run after it counts, then yes.
As we waited for the next train we were entertained by a happy elderly man that couldn't wait to talk Manchester soccer. After 10 minutes of enduring a conversation with an undistinguishable English accent, we caught a train that worked 50 minutes prior to kickoff. Hoping it would be smooth sailing, we went to the ticket office to pick up our tickets. Par for the course it seems, but they were selling tickets for important games that night and the line was wrapped around the outside of the building. We got our tickets 10 minutes prior to kickoff. We sat in our seats 1 minute prior. Smooth sailing from there.
The game was incredible. Getting to watch a game in real life, in that situation, was beyond words. Everything was real; it wasn't skewed by the pixelated fuzz of pub TVs. You could watch the goalie try to stay warm as the team attacked. You could watch every run off the ball. You could see the true talent of the best team in English soccer. And you noticed that Paul Scholes' still got it.
The seats were incredible. They couldn't have been better. We were even protected from the snow by the overhanging roof! To top it all off, we won 3-0, 2 of the goals being scored by Roon-dog (Steph's favorite). And we each got scarves, with Steph getting the fashionable green and yellow protest scarf.
I know I rave about how amazing everything is with each new adventure, but this night and this game were the best I've had in England and I'm sure Steph would say the same. While the town of Manchester is nothing compared to Keswick, the experience of attending a premier league soccer match in England at Old Trafford was indescribable. Beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
And then we got the treat of waking up at 5 am to catch the 6 am train to Hull in order to catch the bus to our flat in order to make it to our 9:15 class. A welcome surprise by Immauel, however, made up for the dreadful morning. He and Rory, a common friend, had tried to get tickets to the Hull City vs. Arsenal game and succeeded...and bought Steph and I each a ticket! See? We're making friends!
But for now...naptime.
Oh yeah...if anyone cares to see the goals from the game, here is a link:
http://www.tvgolo.com/futebol.php?subaction=showfull&id=1266961483&archive=&start_from=&ucat=40&
Having no plan, we simply explored the city for two days. We found some excellent shopping and treated ourselves to two Manchester United jerseys in preparation for the following night's game. We saved money eating, finding a delicious pub with great deals, and spent money frivolously (did I mention we had dessert? And rode a 20 story ferris wheel?). All of our mindless wandering, however fun it was, did not compare to the grand finale of the trip though: the Manchester United game.
Being on the other side of Manchester, we needed to take a train to the stadium. Leaving in plenty of time to catch the first train, we showed our trusty rail-passes to the guards as we walked to the Piccadilly to Trafford train. To our surprise, the passes didn't cover this journey. We then went to the ticket sales to purchase them, only to find out our American, 'chip'-less credit card didn't work. Plowing through the crowds we sprinted to the ATM to get cash out, only to find out that it was broken. With the assistance of moving sidewalks, we made record time to the other side of the station and back, money in hand. We purchased our tickets and began to walk through again, only to realize we were only handed one. After running back to grab mine, we sprinted through the maze of platforms to find ours. As we looked in confusion at the bare platform, below the sign labeled "18:58 to Manchester Utd," we were pointed in the proper direction by a chuckling local. Do you think we made the train? If watching it close the doors and take off as you run after it counts, then yes.
As we waited for the next train we were entertained by a happy elderly man that couldn't wait to talk Manchester soccer. After 10 minutes of enduring a conversation with an undistinguishable English accent, we caught a train that worked 50 minutes prior to kickoff. Hoping it would be smooth sailing, we went to the ticket office to pick up our tickets. Par for the course it seems, but they were selling tickets for important games that night and the line was wrapped around the outside of the building. We got our tickets 10 minutes prior to kickoff. We sat in our seats 1 minute prior. Smooth sailing from there.
The game was incredible. Getting to watch a game in real life, in that situation, was beyond words. Everything was real; it wasn't skewed by the pixelated fuzz of pub TVs. You could watch the goalie try to stay warm as the team attacked. You could watch every run off the ball. You could see the true talent of the best team in English soccer. And you noticed that Paul Scholes' still got it.
The seats were incredible. They couldn't have been better. We were even protected from the snow by the overhanging roof! To top it all off, we won 3-0, 2 of the goals being scored by Roon-dog (Steph's favorite). And we each got scarves, with Steph getting the fashionable green and yellow protest scarf.
I know I rave about how amazing everything is with each new adventure, but this night and this game were the best I've had in England and I'm sure Steph would say the same. While the town of Manchester is nothing compared to Keswick, the experience of attending a premier league soccer match in England at Old Trafford was indescribable. Beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
And then we got the treat of waking up at 5 am to catch the 6 am train to Hull in order to catch the bus to our flat in order to make it to our 9:15 class. A welcome surprise by Immauel, however, made up for the dreadful morning. He and Rory, a common friend, had tried to get tickets to the Hull City vs. Arsenal game and succeeded...and bought Steph and I each a ticket! See? We're making friends!
But for now...naptime.
Oh yeah...if anyone cares to see the goals from the game, here is a link:
http://www.tvgolo.com/futebol.php?subaction=showfull&id=1266961483&archive=&start_from=&ucat=40&
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
KEZ-ick
This past weekend was the stage for our first TRUE trip outside of Hull. Being Valentines Day weekend, I decided that it would be best to surprise Steph with a trip to Keswick, a small town of about 5,000 in the heart of the Lake Region of England. What a good boyfriend right? But anyways, the trip was loads of fun and I think Steph really had a good time.
Leaving on Saturday, trains were over-crowded and we were often left standing with our luggage due to our lack of seat reservations. Numerous transfers and surprisingly smooth connections allowed us to arrive in Keswick on time. We checked into our beautiful bed and breakfast and explored the town. After grabbing a quick scone and muffin we set off on a 7 mile walk to the Castlerigg stone circle (see Flickr and YouTube). The second most famous stone circle in England, behind Stonehedge, Castlerigg provided a beautiful site as the sun set over the surrounding mountains. Steph's fears quickly set in and required us to head back home before night fell.
Dinner was at a delicious and over-priced Italian restaurant. Has anyone ever had sticky toffee pudding? I tried it there for dessert and instantly became addicted (I got it again the following night). Not sure if it is a universal dessert though. Anyways, we then went to see Up in the Air at the local theater before crashing into bed.
The next morning we woke up early for breakfast and to start a hike. Despite our lack of hiking gear (Vans and jeans), which would seem odd in a town full of hiking shops, we set off on a lofty trek up the Cat Bells mountain ridge. The trail was steep and long, but easily doable without the bells and whistles of the true nature-lovers. This didn't eliminate the confused looks received by fellow hikers though. The weather was constantly battling our views, with the fog receding for 15 minutes before quickly returning. The hike was long and tiring, but well worth the sights. An absolute must for any hikers. It also helped having numerous dogs joyfully sprinting up the trail every 5 minutes.
We skipped lunch in lieu of a nap before heading to a nice valentines day meal. After enjoying a second serving of toffee pudding, we went to the Theater by the Lake to watch a play titled the Hot Dots. Impressive, but not spectacular. Definitely worth the free admission though.
Unfortunately the next morning meant it was time to head home from our 2-day paradise. The trains home were reminiscent of American flights; mislabeled, over-crowded, and delayed. After a weekend in the mountainous resort of Keswick, however, it didn't seem to matter. And in hindsight, these simple complications pale in comparison to Becky's Olympic trip thus far. We both feel bad that we took all of the traveling luck.
Its hard not to be lucky, though, when visiting a town like Keswick. If you can remember anything I said about York, amplify it twofold for Keswick. This town is quite possibly the favorite place I have ever been. It has a cute city, endless nature, and a beautiful lake with countless ducks! Something tells me this wasn't the last time we would visit Keswick. Next time we'll have to take Mia, Kia, Linus, and Allie (ie or y?) seeing as how this is an English mecca for dog-toting families.
Leaving on Saturday, trains were over-crowded and we were often left standing with our luggage due to our lack of seat reservations. Numerous transfers and surprisingly smooth connections allowed us to arrive in Keswick on time. We checked into our beautiful bed and breakfast and explored the town. After grabbing a quick scone and muffin we set off on a 7 mile walk to the Castlerigg stone circle (see Flickr and YouTube). The second most famous stone circle in England, behind Stonehedge, Castlerigg provided a beautiful site as the sun set over the surrounding mountains. Steph's fears quickly set in and required us to head back home before night fell.
Dinner was at a delicious and over-priced Italian restaurant. Has anyone ever had sticky toffee pudding? I tried it there for dessert and instantly became addicted (I got it again the following night). Not sure if it is a universal dessert though. Anyways, we then went to see Up in the Air at the local theater before crashing into bed.
The next morning we woke up early for breakfast and to start a hike. Despite our lack of hiking gear (Vans and jeans), which would seem odd in a town full of hiking shops, we set off on a lofty trek up the Cat Bells mountain ridge. The trail was steep and long, but easily doable without the bells and whistles of the true nature-lovers. This didn't eliminate the confused looks received by fellow hikers though. The weather was constantly battling our views, with the fog receding for 15 minutes before quickly returning. The hike was long and tiring, but well worth the sights. An absolute must for any hikers. It also helped having numerous dogs joyfully sprinting up the trail every 5 minutes.
We skipped lunch in lieu of a nap before heading to a nice valentines day meal. After enjoying a second serving of toffee pudding, we went to the Theater by the Lake to watch a play titled the Hot Dots. Impressive, but not spectacular. Definitely worth the free admission though.
Unfortunately the next morning meant it was time to head home from our 2-day paradise. The trains home were reminiscent of American flights; mislabeled, over-crowded, and delayed. After a weekend in the mountainous resort of Keswick, however, it didn't seem to matter. And in hindsight, these simple complications pale in comparison to Becky's Olympic trip thus far. We both feel bad that we took all of the traveling luck.
Its hard not to be lucky, though, when visiting a town like Keswick. If you can remember anything I said about York, amplify it twofold for Keswick. This town is quite possibly the favorite place I have ever been. It has a cute city, endless nature, and a beautiful lake with countless ducks! Something tells me this wasn't the last time we would visit Keswick. Next time we'll have to take Mia, Kia, Linus, and Allie (ie or y?) seeing as how this is an English mecca for dog-toting families.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Their Passion
As Steven Gerrard lined up for a free kick 28 yards from the goal in the 92nd minute of the match, the Hull Students Union Asylum Bar sat on the edge of their seat. The Liverpool captain eyed the goal as he felt the pressure of the potential 1-0 loss on his shoulders. Students screamed like bloody hell as they saw Gerrard's kick dishearteningly hit the wall set up just inside the penalty box. It seems the English pride for the national team's central midfielder had diminished as fans, for both opponent Arsenal and the aforementioned Liverpool, called Gerrard a barrage of names questioning his manhood. Chairs were tossed and beer glasses finished as everyone put on their coats in preparation for the snowy English night. The calm was short lived, however, as the instant replay was shown.
It looked as though Gerrard's kick wasn't as bad as previously thought. It looked as though the kick was actually a near perfect strike bound for last second glory. The perpetrating factor preventing Liverpool heroics was the hand Arsenal's Fabregas. Calling upon Maradona's hand of God, Fabregas' hand raised above his head after Gerrards strike and was quickly hit by the fast traveling ball. It was not a question of accident or interpretation, but rather a sign of referee mistake. Fabregas may as well have had on a goalie jersey and some gloves, for his hand stopped the ball in the most pivotal of moments. Gerrard and fellow Liverpool players screamed at the refs in disgust, but to no avail. The game was over and the whistle had been blown. The refs surely recognize their mistake now, but were unable to recoil their decision in the wake of such a dramatic finish.
Would the ball have ended up in the back of the goal? Who knows. What I did know this night, was that the pub was seating a majority of Arsenal fans. For the shocking instant replay did not produce the expected cacophony of groans and profanity, but rather a muffled laughter as Arsenal fans sheepishly zipped up their coats and pretended not to see the replay. So it goes in European football I suppose.
The excitement in tonight's game was unrivaled by anything experienced in America. And this was not the Superbowl. We watched that at 11:30 pm on Sunday in a pub down the road from here. While it may have been for the British announcers or lack of English commercials, but the excitement was unparalleled to English Premier League Soccer. Even in a pub full of American friends, the NFL only presented a showcase of overpaid athletes competing in what a local coined as 'a pussy version of rugby.' The soccer over here is not a reason for people to get together and converse. It is to watch their team, placing their love and livelihood on every kick of the ball. Players get knocked in the head and are constantly spitting out blood, stopping only under the referee's demands.
This game is life over here. Every game, no matter who is playing, is accompanied with masses of amazed fans. For two nights a week over here, it is Iowa City when Iowa is in the National Championship. The British love their game. They live for their game. 4 games and 2 weeks into our adventure over here, us Americans are trying to do the same.
It looked as though Gerrard's kick wasn't as bad as previously thought. It looked as though the kick was actually a near perfect strike bound for last second glory. The perpetrating factor preventing Liverpool heroics was the hand Arsenal's Fabregas. Calling upon Maradona's hand of God, Fabregas' hand raised above his head after Gerrards strike and was quickly hit by the fast traveling ball. It was not a question of accident or interpretation, but rather a sign of referee mistake. Fabregas may as well have had on a goalie jersey and some gloves, for his hand stopped the ball in the most pivotal of moments. Gerrard and fellow Liverpool players screamed at the refs in disgust, but to no avail. The game was over and the whistle had been blown. The refs surely recognize their mistake now, but were unable to recoil their decision in the wake of such a dramatic finish.
Would the ball have ended up in the back of the goal? Who knows. What I did know this night, was that the pub was seating a majority of Arsenal fans. For the shocking instant replay did not produce the expected cacophony of groans and profanity, but rather a muffled laughter as Arsenal fans sheepishly zipped up their coats and pretended not to see the replay. So it goes in European football I suppose.
The excitement in tonight's game was unrivaled by anything experienced in America. And this was not the Superbowl. We watched that at 11:30 pm on Sunday in a pub down the road from here. While it may have been for the British announcers or lack of English commercials, but the excitement was unparalleled to English Premier League Soccer. Even in a pub full of American friends, the NFL only presented a showcase of overpaid athletes competing in what a local coined as 'a pussy version of rugby.' The soccer over here is not a reason for people to get together and converse. It is to watch their team, placing their love and livelihood on every kick of the ball. Players get knocked in the head and are constantly spitting out blood, stopping only under the referee's demands.
This game is life over here. Every game, no matter who is playing, is accompanied with masses of amazed fans. For two nights a week over here, it is Iowa City when Iowa is in the National Championship. The British love their game. They live for their game. 4 games and 2 weeks into our adventure over here, us Americans are trying to do the same.
Monday, February 8, 2010
York
The other day, Steph and I set off on our first travel expedition outside of the wonderful city of Hull. Our journey took us to the beautiful town of York. The day was sure to be full of excitement, and waking up 5 minutes before we were supposed to be at the bus stop started our day off true to this thought. We made it to the bus stop, never-minding our disregard to typical morning hygiene, with not more than 2 seconds to spare. Fumbling for 2.40 pounds from my trusty money belt, we entered the bus and picked our seats. Is it sad if the 2 minute run from our apartment to the bus stop took all of our energy? Needless to say, the bus trip allowed us to catch our breath before waiting 2 hours at the train station.
Seeing as how this was our first train trip, we didn't know what to expect (hence the early arrival). Who knew it was so easy? Homeless men and terrible-2's stage toddlers made the chilly wait near unbearable. Trucking on, however, we boarded the train easily before Steph promptly fell asleep. Staying true to our typical nature, the train had to make a 10 minute stop somewhere in between Selby and York for whatever reason. This would not have been a problem besides the fact that the train was supposed to arrive at 10:00 sharp...allowing a perfect amount of time to make the 10 minute walk from the station to our free 10:15 guided walking tour. Our early morning luck didn't carry over and we missed the tour by 10 minutes, despite trying to catch up to the group with a like-minded Jersey couple. Although, erroneously joining 2 separate tours before being told they were private, paid tours made up for our disappointment with a little humor.
After exploring the city, we walked through the museum gardens and headed along the historic city walls. We walked along these ancient wonders as they wrapped around the York Minister. Not ones to stay on course, we were quickly drawn to the awe-inspiring monument and paid for our entrance. I need not describe it here, for any explanation would fail to give the church its deserved credit. All I can say is if you are ever in the area, it would be a crime not to pay the 8 pounds to enter the gorgeous gothic church. Us big spenders also paid the extra money to climb the roughly 300 step tower for a spectacular view of York. Needless to say, Grandma Donna would most likely have struggled.
After about 3 hours in the beautiful church, we went for lunch at a delicious cafe near-by. Macaroni and Cheese and a Ham and Cheese Panini with Mustard Mayonnaise warranted the splurge. This hot food was welcome energy that helped propel us to the next destination of the Castle Museum. Surely worth it for museum enthusiasts, the Castle Museum did not entertain Steph and I as we thought it might. Although interesting, we decided that we are not history museum people. Joe would've loved it though. We then wandered around the town watching street performers and stopping by various shops and cafes. Steph didn't stray from her usual style and wound up being treated with 2 treats (twice the daily allotment)--gourmet hot chocolate and a chocolate and caramel candy bar (do you guys think its pronounced KAR-MAL or CARE-A-MEL)? I only got a lousy ice cream cone that was awful to say the least (when you throw away the ice cream so you can enjoy the cone...you know its bad).
We were much too tired to carry out our other plans, including a haunted tour, and decided to head home early. An hour train ride (or nap for Steph) and a 10 minute bus ride got us home and into warmth. Looking back, is it cool for college kids to fall asleep at 8:30 on a Saturday? Whatever the answer, York demanded an early retirement and we cannot wait until the day we get to return to the beautiful city.
Seeing as how this was our first train trip, we didn't know what to expect (hence the early arrival). Who knew it was so easy? Homeless men and terrible-2's stage toddlers made the chilly wait near unbearable. Trucking on, however, we boarded the train easily before Steph promptly fell asleep. Staying true to our typical nature, the train had to make a 10 minute stop somewhere in between Selby and York for whatever reason. This would not have been a problem besides the fact that the train was supposed to arrive at 10:00 sharp...allowing a perfect amount of time to make the 10 minute walk from the station to our free 10:15 guided walking tour. Our early morning luck didn't carry over and we missed the tour by 10 minutes, despite trying to catch up to the group with a like-minded Jersey couple. Although, erroneously joining 2 separate tours before being told they were private, paid tours made up for our disappointment with a little humor.
After exploring the city, we walked through the museum gardens and headed along the historic city walls. We walked along these ancient wonders as they wrapped around the York Minister. Not ones to stay on course, we were quickly drawn to the awe-inspiring monument and paid for our entrance. I need not describe it here, for any explanation would fail to give the church its deserved credit. All I can say is if you are ever in the area, it would be a crime not to pay the 8 pounds to enter the gorgeous gothic church. Us big spenders also paid the extra money to climb the roughly 300 step tower for a spectacular view of York. Needless to say, Grandma Donna would most likely have struggled.
After about 3 hours in the beautiful church, we went for lunch at a delicious cafe near-by. Macaroni and Cheese and a Ham and Cheese Panini with Mustard Mayonnaise warranted the splurge. This hot food was welcome energy that helped propel us to the next destination of the Castle Museum. Surely worth it for museum enthusiasts, the Castle Museum did not entertain Steph and I as we thought it might. Although interesting, we decided that we are not history museum people. Joe would've loved it though. We then wandered around the town watching street performers and stopping by various shops and cafes. Steph didn't stray from her usual style and wound up being treated with 2 treats (twice the daily allotment)--gourmet hot chocolate and a chocolate and caramel candy bar (do you guys think its pronounced KAR-MAL or CARE-A-MEL)? I only got a lousy ice cream cone that was awful to say the least (when you throw away the ice cream so you can enjoy the cone...you know its bad).
We were much too tired to carry out our other plans, including a haunted tour, and decided to head home early. An hour train ride (or nap for Steph) and a 10 minute bus ride got us home and into warmth. Looking back, is it cool for college kids to fall asleep at 8:30 on a Saturday? Whatever the answer, York demanded an early retirement and we cannot wait until the day we get to return to the beautiful city.
Friday, February 5, 2010
End of the First School Week
We have officially finished our first week of classes! All are pretty good except our Indian Culture and Society class which is miserable. The topic could be interesting, but the teacher is, in the words of local brits, absolute rubbish. He showed up 30 minutes late to a 50 minute tutorial! So we left. Because that's ridiculous and we're cool like that.
Its been an up and down week with a mixture of boredom (hence three videos in one week) and hectic craziness (hence the unusually small amounts of sleep). Steph had a good day considering we went down to the city center to do some shopping. Due to her early birthday present to me however, (a guitar! still waiting for it to ship though...), her shopping was done sans money. And if any of you know Steph very well, thats tough. I'm sure it took everything in her not to just put it on credit. I'm sure she's making Jean proud!
There is a lot to say and surely everyone knows my habit of writing too much could accommodate this dilemma, but I will spare you all. We are planning a day trip to York tomorrow so we have to get a bunch of stuff done. Now I must convince Steph we cannot afford Peppinos (see video 3) for the rest of the night. Keep checking back for picture, blog updates, and videos. Everyone is doing really well at keeping us pleased and staying connected with us and we appreciate it. At the start of this though, we thought we knew our audience (Becky, Joe, Stephanie, Jean, Randy, Timdoor) but it looks like that has grown quite a bit! We'll try to make things more broad to encompass everyone now! So if you're reading this Jon, Steph and I are getting a soccer team together with Immanuel from Portugal and Rory from Maine. And if any of my moms friends are reading this...umm...we're staying safe, being healthy, and taking our vitamins.
Let us know who's checking in! Leave a comment! Like Adam, Skrocki, Jean, Randy, Stephanie, and Timdoor.
And stay tuned for the next update. It might just be by Steph!!!!!
Nick (the birds)
Its been an up and down week with a mixture of boredom (hence three videos in one week) and hectic craziness (hence the unusually small amounts of sleep). Steph had a good day considering we went down to the city center to do some shopping. Due to her early birthday present to me however, (a guitar! still waiting for it to ship though...), her shopping was done sans money. And if any of you know Steph very well, thats tough. I'm sure it took everything in her not to just put it on credit. I'm sure she's making Jean proud!
There is a lot to say and surely everyone knows my habit of writing too much could accommodate this dilemma, but I will spare you all. We are planning a day trip to York tomorrow so we have to get a bunch of stuff done. Now I must convince Steph we cannot afford Peppinos (see video 3) for the rest of the night. Keep checking back for picture, blog updates, and videos. Everyone is doing really well at keeping us pleased and staying connected with us and we appreciate it. At the start of this though, we thought we knew our audience (Becky, Joe, Stephanie, Jean, Randy, Timdoor) but it looks like that has grown quite a bit! We'll try to make things more broad to encompass everyone now! So if you're reading this Jon, Steph and I are getting a soccer team together with Immanuel from Portugal and Rory from Maine. And if any of my moms friends are reading this...umm...we're staying safe, being healthy, and taking our vitamins.
Let us know who's checking in! Leave a comment! Like Adam, Skrocki, Jean, Randy, Stephanie, and Timdoor.
And stay tuned for the next update. It might just be by Steph!!!!!
Nick (the birds)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Litigation Explosion Has Hit Youtube!
Who wouldve thought record companies care enough to prevent kids from putting videos up with their songs on them? Surely not us. Needless to say, WMG did not allow our second youtube video to play the John Frusciante song (the only on it) and disabled our audio for it. A video without sound is no good, so we have to go back and revise it. Looks like it'll be another day!
update: version number 2 was denied audio as well...we're starting to hate this WMG company
update #2: versions 3 and 4 were also denied audio...we're starting to realize that WMG controls a large majority of the recording industry
p.s. we're pissed
lovebirds
update: version number 2 was denied audio as well...we're starting to hate this WMG company
update #2: versions 3 and 4 were also denied audio...we're starting to realize that WMG controls a large majority of the recording industry
p.s. we're pissed
lovebirds
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sparkling Apple Juice
After four failed attempts and half an hour of walking, we arrived at a pub that could fulfill our appetite for futbol. Tonight's matchup featured the struggling Hull City Tigers facing off against league leading Chelsea. We expected little of a game, but hoped for quite a bit of an experience. To our surprise, we were provided with both.
Have you ever imagined watching a soccer game in a crowded pub full of crazy, drunken, die hard, british soccer fans? If you have, then your thought was our reality tonight. It was straight out of a movie as fans raised their pints in celebrations and seconds later cussed in dismay. We stood at the back of the pub watching in amazement, slowly becoming more and more involved as we chewed out the referees for making a poor call. Although required to purchase drinks to stay (Steph with a british lemonade and Nick with a manly sparkling apple juice), we were welcomed as locals. Had we been cheering for Chelsea however, we are sure this would have been a different story. Our support for Hull City must have been noticed as a kind British gentlemen kindly offered up his seat, a seat that had been denied to various others, for Steph to sit in.
During the game, we were nearly knocked over with surprise as the fans erupted with an early Hull City goal. We needed ear plugs and quite a few bars of soap to endure the profanities used after Chelsea equalized just before half time. As the final whistle blew, the score remained level, and each team earned a much needed point in the standings for the tie.
Moving on, we set off in search for food. Peppinos pizza provided us a tasty refuge from the cold, wet, Hull night. Photo hunt, an addictive bar game, provided entertainment while we waited for our pizza. With our pockets empty as well as our stomachs, we hurried home to taste our delicious treat. For those of you who have had the pleasure to hear us speak of Zeno's, you will understand when we say this is the English version of it. Nuff said.
Mini video (Part 2) is in the process of uploading.
The Birds
Have you ever imagined watching a soccer game in a crowded pub full of crazy, drunken, die hard, british soccer fans? If you have, then your thought was our reality tonight. It was straight out of a movie as fans raised their pints in celebrations and seconds later cussed in dismay. We stood at the back of the pub watching in amazement, slowly becoming more and more involved as we chewed out the referees for making a poor call. Although required to purchase drinks to stay (Steph with a british lemonade and Nick with a manly sparkling apple juice), we were welcomed as locals. Had we been cheering for Chelsea however, we are sure this would have been a different story. Our support for Hull City must have been noticed as a kind British gentlemen kindly offered up his seat, a seat that had been denied to various others, for Steph to sit in.
During the game, we were nearly knocked over with surprise as the fans erupted with an early Hull City goal. We needed ear plugs and quite a few bars of soap to endure the profanities used after Chelsea equalized just before half time. As the final whistle blew, the score remained level, and each team earned a much needed point in the standings for the tie.
Moving on, we set off in search for food. Peppinos pizza provided us a tasty refuge from the cold, wet, Hull night. Photo hunt, an addictive bar game, provided entertainment while we waited for our pizza. With our pockets empty as well as our stomachs, we hurried home to taste our delicious treat. For those of you who have had the pleasure to hear us speak of Zeno's, you will understand when we say this is the English version of it. Nuff said.
Mini video (Part 2) is in the process of uploading.
The Birds
Monday, February 1, 2010
Bullocks, Rubbish, and Cheers from Half a World Away
yo,
For those of you who have not had the esteemed pleasure of chatting with both Steph and I, we will present you with a quick overview of recent happenings.
After no sleep and a 4-hour car ride to Chicago, we got to the airport. Our trip started on a sour note after we were informed of an unexpected baggage charge. Trucking on, however, we continued to security sans Becky. Parental guidance, however, was quickly added by a fellow traveler. This traveler toured the world assisting in animontronics and was never short on advice as we waited to pass through security. He recommended that Joe (an engineer if you didn't know) should get into the entertainment business...because that is where the money's at (we can surely get his information if you would like Joe). Needless to say, this man was odd (he was a philosophy major if that says anything).
Moving on, we boarded our first flight. Little sleep transgressed, but movies helped passed the time. 'It Might Get Loud' underwhelmed, in the words of Stephanie Krob, and 'Paranormal Activity' didn't impress. Both, however, passed the time. After arriving in Germany, losing peanut butter to security, and carrying on to England, we arrived at the place we would call home for the next 4 months; Cranbrook Avenue in Hull, England.
We have decided it is very sad that we use Harry Potter to refer to our knowledge of the UK, but if you've seen it, it's pretty accurate (minus Hogwarts). The houses are quaint, the streets are often cobblestone, and the language is thick of British accents. Everyone is very friendly and it is a gorgeous city. The city is largely split into two regions: the old town and new. We are located in the new, but are a 5 minute bus ride from the old. If you have seen our flickr account, it shows pictures of the gorgeous old town.
We live in a flat with three others: Amera from Seattle, WA (surprisingly she said she didn't know Robbie or Christy), Teresa from Czech Republic (surprisingly she said she didn't know Heidi) and Immanuel from Portugal (surprisingly he said he has never met Christiano Ronaldo). They are all very nice and we get along great.
Our room mates must be sick of us, however, seeing as how we have blown out the power twice for our entire building. The first power outage ensued after plugging a laptop charger into a converter into an adaptor into the wall. The second, after the electricity was fixed, followed a small electrical explosion and fire due to an overheating convertor. We are still left without electricity on the top floor and are only under scrutiny for the second event.
Its an odd sensation living half a world away in a mass of students trying to probe one anothers' cultures. We are coming to realize that as different as we all are, we are the same. While Immanuel and myself may hardly speak the same language, we share the same passion for the 2004 UEFA champions Porto futbol team, Green Day, and guitar. Steph is realizing that everyone else hates the cold as much as she does, even in Paris. Needless to say, it's an exuberating time that we are spending trying to meet new people, see new things, and experience a side of life unavailable in the states.
Overall, we have met people from Paris to South Carolina and everyone has been very nice. It is a wonderful place over here and there isn't enough time or space to describe how much fun we're having. We miss everyone back home and look forward to seeing you all again, but are going to enjoy our time over here. We have lofty goals for travel and entertainment, but hey, we made it this far! We'll make sure to keep you updated and let you know of any new developments (hopefully shorter than this!). In the meantime, check out our youtube videos and flickr photos. They cover a lot of stuff that isn't talked about here.
youtube: www.youtube.com/lovebirdsineurope
flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/lovebirdsineurope
the birds
For those of you who have not had the esteemed pleasure of chatting with both Steph and I, we will present you with a quick overview of recent happenings.
After no sleep and a 4-hour car ride to Chicago, we got to the airport. Our trip started on a sour note after we were informed of an unexpected baggage charge. Trucking on, however, we continued to security sans Becky. Parental guidance, however, was quickly added by a fellow traveler. This traveler toured the world assisting in animontronics and was never short on advice as we waited to pass through security. He recommended that Joe (an engineer if you didn't know) should get into the entertainment business...because that is where the money's at (we can surely get his information if you would like Joe). Needless to say, this man was odd (he was a philosophy major if that says anything).
Moving on, we boarded our first flight. Little sleep transgressed, but movies helped passed the time. 'It Might Get Loud' underwhelmed, in the words of Stephanie Krob, and 'Paranormal Activity' didn't impress. Both, however, passed the time. After arriving in Germany, losing peanut butter to security, and carrying on to England, we arrived at the place we would call home for the next 4 months; Cranbrook Avenue in Hull, England.
We have decided it is very sad that we use Harry Potter to refer to our knowledge of the UK, but if you've seen it, it's pretty accurate (minus Hogwarts). The houses are quaint, the streets are often cobblestone, and the language is thick of British accents. Everyone is very friendly and it is a gorgeous city. The city is largely split into two regions: the old town and new. We are located in the new, but are a 5 minute bus ride from the old. If you have seen our flickr account, it shows pictures of the gorgeous old town.
We live in a flat with three others: Amera from Seattle, WA (surprisingly she said she didn't know Robbie or Christy), Teresa from Czech Republic (surprisingly she said she didn't know Heidi) and Immanuel from Portugal (surprisingly he said he has never met Christiano Ronaldo). They are all very nice and we get along great.
Our room mates must be sick of us, however, seeing as how we have blown out the power twice for our entire building. The first power outage ensued after plugging a laptop charger into a converter into an adaptor into the wall. The second, after the electricity was fixed, followed a small electrical explosion and fire due to an overheating convertor. We are still left without electricity on the top floor and are only under scrutiny for the second event.
Its an odd sensation living half a world away in a mass of students trying to probe one anothers' cultures. We are coming to realize that as different as we all are, we are the same. While Immanuel and myself may hardly speak the same language, we share the same passion for the 2004 UEFA champions Porto futbol team, Green Day, and guitar. Steph is realizing that everyone else hates the cold as much as she does, even in Paris. Needless to say, it's an exuberating time that we are spending trying to meet new people, see new things, and experience a side of life unavailable in the states.
Overall, we have met people from Paris to South Carolina and everyone has been very nice. It is a wonderful place over here and there isn't enough time or space to describe how much fun we're having. We miss everyone back home and look forward to seeing you all again, but are going to enjoy our time over here. We have lofty goals for travel and entertainment, but hey, we made it this far! We'll make sure to keep you updated and let you know of any new developments (hopefully shorter than this!). In the meantime, check out our youtube videos and flickr photos. They cover a lot of stuff that isn't talked about here.
youtube: www.youtube.com/lovebirdsineurope
flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/lovebirdsineurope
the birds
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