STONEHENGE and SALISBURY and CAMBRIDGE

Well!!! Stonehenge, was a lot different than expected I guess you would say. First of all, as mysterious as it is, it is NOT very private! It's right next to a motorway (highway)! I felt the coach slowing down so I looked out the window, and Oh! There's stonehenge!! It's special yes, it is. But it is also just a big pile of rocks... How did they get there though? The heaviest one weighs 42 tons AND one-third of the rock is in the ground!!! I don't think they could possibly be knocked over.... so i wish you could go touch them (there is a path around the rocks, but not up to them)

Here's a movie I took at Stonehenge to give you an idea of what it looks like in person: http://media.putfile.com/Stonehenge71

So yeah, good experience- I can now say that I saw Stonehenge in person. I also went to Salisbury where there was a beautiful cathedral that looks like this: It was gorgeous. Salisbury was adorable too. They have market day once every week where over 200 people or groups come in to sell their products from their farm or clothes that they make. It's really cool. I bought a lot of candy.. i kind of like candy.








This is what the village looks like. So quaint. That brown and white building right in the front is over 400 years old. Older than the United States, people.








And guess what? Have you seen 28 Days later? Well, most of it was filmed in London, but the mansion at the end, with all the military guys, is in Salisbury! And i just realized that when I watched 28 Days Later again the other day. (which by the way takes place mostly in London and is AWESOME to watch now that i've been here) How coooool!



Here's a shot from the movie- the main character in a deserted, zombie infested London. SO AMAZING. They made it seem like London was truly deserted. See this movie if you havent already!!




Cambridge was great also. I missed the bus to get there, of course. So i had to pay 20 pounds to take a train to catch up with all the Butler people. There is a canal that runs through Cambridge. You can go Spalunking on the canal (where you have a big pole that you push yourself along the water with). Peaceful. Reminded me of a lazy river!

We walked around Cambridge University which I feel like the whole city revolves around. I couldn't imagine going to a school where tourists are freely walking about your campus, taking pictures, and looking in the windows.


Even though I would have loved to see Cambridge in the Spring and Summertime where there would be budding flowers, and lush trees, it was quite nice. I think there were less tourists than in the Summer.
The architecture is beautiful in Cambridge. A school with so much history!!

Overall, it was a very nice trip to all of these places. I love traveling around England! There are so many things to see and do and experience that I just can't get from a textbook.

Amsterdam

So Amsterdam was a great great time.

Worst bus ride of my LIFE. It left at midnight on a Thursday. There were these two guys that thought it would be a good idea to get wasted before they left- great idea. They were harassing all the girls on the bus. So annoying. Just when I thought their yelling and loud yapping couldn't get any worse, one of them started throwing up. Not exactly FUN! About an hour later, another one of them started throwing up.





It's freezing in Amsterdam! Don't go there in the winter! Amsterdam is so quiet too.... I guess since its winter, no one is around except the locals. And watch out!! I have almost died from being hit by bicylces- SO many of them here.

We tried to go to the Rembrandt exhibit at the muesuem but we thought it was too expensive soooooo we went to the Heineken Experience which was AMAZING!

Best Mueseum I've ever been to. 10 Euros- which includes 3 drinks and a special PRESENT. Worth it. SO WORTH IT! Drinking.... fun "rides" (the process of being a heineken bottle), interesting facts, and lots of Americans--- figures... haha. OH! and our gift was a beautiful Heineken glass.

That night, while some of my friends were too inebriated to go out, Kristine and Courtney and I went to "Dasen di Jasen" a dance club that we were supposed to get free admission to before 11... haha- shady! had to ring a doorbell to get into this club. Since we were the FIRST ONES THERE, we got freeeeee drinks! 2 of them. It was awesome but lame at the same time.


We also went to the Anne Frank muesuem/house where she lived during WWII. It was very intriguing. I guess some people didn't like it because of the lack of, well, furniture in it- but it was amazing just the power that this one girl's story has over so many people that were there. Its so hard to imagine all that horror taking place in such a simple house on the canal. Got to see the REAL diary too, which was protected in a glass case. I really wanted to take a picture, but they wouldn't let you. It was cute, a red and green striped cover with her german handwriting inside. Very powerful.
VIDEO!! OF the scenery around amsterdam - http://media.putfile.com/amsterdam78

Anyway, after getting over the dismay that the Anne Frank house left upon us, we saw the coolest thing i have EVER seen. It was...... wait for it.......... a BAR ON WHEELS!!! Imagine a bar. Okay, and imagine people sitting around the bar on barstools, and imagine that bar and barstools on a platform that moves around on the street!! The people were laughing, singing, yelling, waving- they sounded like they were having the times of their life! And everyone was cycling too... i think thats how it ran, through cycling.... Here's what it looked like: I took a MOVIE of it!!!! Check it out: http://media.putfile.com/Bar-on-Wheels


That night, we went to the Red Light District, where you can't take pictures of the prostitutes or else they will break your camera! It wasn't as crazed and sexed out as much as I thought it would be. Yes, there was a lot of the sex, but all of the prostitutes were standing or sitting provacativly inside red lit windows. They would try to smile or provoke men by turning on some sort of charm, and then, when they got their customer, or victim, they would pull the red curtain. Everytime we would pass by a closed curtain you would be like- Oh! ha.




We ended up going to the sex mueseum and that was a pretty good time--- worth 5 Euros? Probably, there was a porn cartoon with forest animals, a giant 6 foot plastic penis, pictures, photos, and sculptures of anything sex.




We also went into the coffeeshop that Oceans 12 was filmed in, Dampkring... its the "favorite joint of oceans 12" haha... nice to know that matt damon, george clooney, and brad pitt were sitting right were I was.


And yeah, thats about it! A lot more happened, but i guess i only have so much room to keep people's attention! :) It was a beautiful city, lovely architecture, and gorgeous canals.

To see the rest of my pictures from amsterdam, go to http://community.webshots.com/album/546922663XxrxJE