Reason for the Season

Spring is over and Lent is coming to an end. Which means, Easter is upon us. And in the last week, the kids and I have decided to throw an Easter party for not only ourselves, but also a select few* (incredibly lucky) friends.
*Select few = 8

While I secretly love the thrill of planning these things for the kids, I always wait til the last possible minute week to actually get started. So with a week to prepare, we've been on the grind. Easter foods, Easter eggs, Easter games, Easter decorations--you get the idea--is all that has been on my mind the past few days. It's practically all I think about! (Well that and Brittle Magillacutty*.) And this morning on the way back from school, my mind started to wonder to just these things...
*Don't worry that you have no idea what that means; it's an inside joke with my sister.

But in mid-thought, something dawned upon me: Am I getting so caught up in commercial Easter that I am failing to show the kids the real reason?! I mean, if Tom Harrison were here, he'd definitely not let us forget (what he calls) "the reason for the season". ...And if so, how do I incorporate the real meaning into the party?!

So I thought...

...and thought...

...and sang aloud to Here You Come Again and thought some more...

Ohh! I know!!

So, how about this: To make sure the kids realize that Easter bunnies and eggs are not the focus of the holiday, I'll play the soundtrack of Jesus Christ Super Star in the background throughout the whole party?! Who wouldn't love that?! While I would love to just fly my cousin Sarah out so she could sing "He's Al-li-i-i-i-i-i-i-ive"*, I simply cannot afford it... So maybe "What's the buzz, tell me what'sa happenin' " is the next best thing?!
*Note: The dashes in "Al-li-i-i-i-i-i-i-ive" aren't used to stress the longevity of the note, but are instead to meant to symbolize the cutting in and out of the Sidonia Baptist sound system it was originally performed on.

And then, just as fleeting as the idea had come, it passed...

(And just so you know, I would actually never play Jesus Christ Super Star at an Easter party. ...Well, not unless it was my own nieces and nephews, but that's a given with Faith's kids. Ha!)

So, instead, Esther is just going to read the story of Easter (in all its real meaning) to the kids after lunch.

If You Give A Duck A Bread Crumb...

...take my advice, and don't do it feet within your front door. Because if, and when, you do, you will have what Nina, Sara's 9-year-old friend, calls a "Duck Problem". Simply put, it means you will have four or five ducks literally camping in your front yard for the remainder of the afternoon.

And if, and when, you give a duck a bread crumb (right outside your front door), you will eventually have to send two six-year-old boys outside to literally chase them away.
(And it will be one of the most entertaining things to watch from the kitchen window.)

Q & A

Q: What is one of the most annoying sounds?

A: A nine-year-old practicing the recorder on the way to school...
...and back from school...
...and after lunch...
...and before karate...
...and after dinner...
...all the way until bedtime.

But gotta love the determination!

Sophia Petrillo:

Picture it...

Drenthe, 2010.

It was a mild, spring afternoon just a few weeks after the snow had melted. The sun was shining, flowers were blooming, and the sweet aroma of manure was in the air. What? People use it in their gardens. Anyhow, a beautiful young girl in her twenties, along with her three kids--though not actually hers, cause she was much too independent for that--decided to take every advantage of the weather. So after picnicing in the garden, they ventured out around the Houtlaan.. Though this spectacular, youthful woman had always kept her figure by running, this time, she took the challenge of roller blades. Imagine it. An adult on wheels trying to keep up with 9 year olds... She was at least 10 yards behind at all times. And though she may have been stunningly gorgeous, she still looked damned awkward on those things!

I should know...
Cause that stunningly beautiful, 21-year old was me.


Dorothy: But Ma, what does this have to do with the problem at hand?!


Sophia: Nothing... I was just trying to drop some hints about exercise around here! All you three ever do is sit around eating cheesecakes. And I'm sorry to say it, Dorothy, but your not getting many dates like that!




And that, my readers, was a day in the life of Catherine Harrison transformed into a Golden Girls dialogue.

...Your welcome.

Crack That Whip!

Man, I have really got to update the songs on my iPod...

Do you think anyone else works out to Whip It (by Divo), or is it just me? Come to think of it, why is that song even on my iPod in the first place?!?!

...But yeah...
Did you catch that little hint about me running again today?

I am 2 for 2! (Or 3 for 3 if you count Sunday's bike ride with the kids.) And if the soreness of my legs is any indication of the fat I'm burning, then I'm going to be one skinny bit--I mean chick--this summer.

Run, Cattie, Run!

Life's all about trail and error, right? Well then, learn from my trial...

If you decide to go on your first run in forever of Spring, do not--I repeat, do not--eat a bowl of lime sherbet before embarking on your journey. Trust me... Midway through your iPod blaring Super Freak, the sherbet will sneak back up on you. And as your lungs are already engulfed in flames, you will be forced to do one of two things: 1) vomit in your neighbors yard while yard crews and maintenance men look on, or 2) swallow your pride--and by pride, I mean sherbet up-chuck.

(As for me, I chose the latter... I don't deal well with P.D.P.V.--Public Displays of Projectile Vomit. ...And yes, I did just come up with that myself.)

But looking on the bright side, I actually ran today! And I've only been promising myself I would for what? A month now? But I guess it all came down to the spring-time weather. Now that the snow is gone and the sun is out, I have no excuse. (This all based on my new philosophy: If it is sunny, God is telling me to run; If it is rainy, He is giving me a break.)

So there. My first run (of many more) of the year. Because I will, I will, I will keep this up. ...Ever heard that before?! But seriously, I will!

A Love Letter To Holland

Dear Holland,

There are many choose words I could use to sum up my feelings right now, but in respect of my readers' virgin eyes, I'll just go with this: Suck it. No seriously... Suck it. And then eat dirt*.
*Edited for content; Not the actual four-letter word I was thinking of.

As if George wasn't enough, now this?!

I mean, really?! No food coloring?? ...In the whole country?! Are you flippin* kidding me?! WTF is that about?!?!
*Once again, not the four-letter word I was thinking...

How do you expect me to have the most awesome St. Patrick's Day meal ever without food coloring?! I mean, that just takes away all the best ideas: rainbow toast and green milk for breakfast, green eggs, rainbow cupcakes... Seriously!! Way to ruin it!! Way to be the biggest disappointment in my almost-six months here! ...And not only for me, but the kids.

To be perfectly clear, I hate you right now. This is exactly the type of trivial thing that makes me miss home that much more. So thank you... Thank you for ruining my day--if not St. Patty's Day as well.

BFFME

This morning at breakfast, Sara, Ian, and I got to talking about friends of sorts. I don't really know how we got on the topic in the first place, but eventually we started to discuss BFFs. I announced that they were two of my BFFs in Holland, and that prompted the question (from them) as to what exactly a BFF is...

So I explained. Best Friend Forever.

With that answer, Ian got to thinking--as he always does. And he decided he was not my BFF. Instead, he was my BFFME...

Best Friend For Million Evers.

So there...

We're BFFMEs.
:)

All You Need Is...

Love.

At least that is what the Beatles said. And so does my Beatles-inspired T-shirt. But when I wore it this past week, I found out that the old saying might not be entirely true. For you see, I was set straight by a six and nine year old.

So today, I must tell you that All You Need is Love...

...and water...
...and clothes...
...and a house...
...and a bed...
...and food...

...oh, and a jacket. And shoes.

And this must be true because both Ian an Sara actually agreed (for once).

Hypothetically...

Say someone sent you a package a week or so ago...
And say that package had mini-marshmallows in it...
I guess that if you had a (clean) pair of tweezers and a lighter lying around, you could grip the marshmallows (one-by-one) with that pair of tweezers and then "roast" them with the fire of your lighter...

...Not saying that I'd know or anything, but I bet the would be delicious.

You should try it sometime. ...Not saying that I have or anything.

;)

Worst Blogger Ever

...That is exactly what I have become. The worst blogger ever. And I must apologize...

If I were a responsible blogger, I would be finishing up a million other posts right now (from all the way back to my week in Norway), but I am so freakin' worn out. So instead, I am typing this lame excuse of a post... I literally have a dozen blogs I have started--and by started, I mean titled so I remember to write them--that I just need to finish. And I promise I will get those to you within the next week... or two. No, a week. I promise.

Anywho, I just wanted to post so you aren't worried that I am floating dead in some Dutch canal. (That was a bit morbid, wasn't it?) But I am still here! ...Just a little sidetracked these days.

Fjords & Vids

Fjords and Vids! Fjords and Vids! I gotta have me my Fjords and Vids!
(You know... Like Boats and Hoes, but instead, Fjords and Vids?! Or am I the only Will Ferrell fan out there?)

So these are a bunch of little short videos I shot with my Flip while in Norway. As you'll see from my skills, I am quite the blooming journalist... or maybe just the biggest dork ever... Heh. I'll leave that to you to decide. But either way, most of the videos are just spans of the scenery I saw. Hopefully they will give you a better view of Norway than just my still pictures.

So without further ado...

Cruising on the Hurtigruten




Sunset from the Hurtigruten



>


Scenery from a bus stop on the way to the Fjord1 boat




Waiting on the Fjord1 boat




The Fjord1 boat is coming...




Breaking through the icy waters as seen from the window




View of the fjords from the back of the boat




More fjords




Somewhere in this video I take my "Titanic" shot




Meet my new Korean friend Daniel




The last of the videos

Panorama!

Here are some of the panoramic shots I took while in Norway.

Please note that my camera is not that of a professional's, nor is it anywhere close. Not to mention, the girl operating the camera is not a professional, nor anywhere close. So understand that these pictures aren't the best quality ever (especially when it comes to lighting). And the cold, bright conditions of Norway were really effecting the quality of the panoramic mode more than usual. So just keep all that in mind...

Aboard the Hurtigruten and Bergen

At 10 a.m. on Thursday morning, I left Trondheim and set sail for Bergen aboard the Hurtigruten. The Hurtigruten in a big seven-story boat that travels the Norwegian coast. If I had known they sailed from the very north tip back down to Oslo when I booked my trip, I would have just done one big coastal tour on the Hurtigruten... But I didn't know that, now did I?! So I got on-board in Trondheim, stayed in a cabin one night, and then arrived in Bergen the next afternoon.

I was quite excited when I got on-deck; the boat ride was the part of the trip I was most looking forward to. Not to mention, I hadn't been on a boat that big since--ever! I mean, sure, I sailed the blues seas to Key West aboard the Carabelli for Spring Break one year, but they was totally different. So as soon as I got on board, I went exploring. It didn't take long for me to discover the outside decks that would become my favorite places on the ship. As we left shore and entered the Norwegian Sea, I could tell the scenery was going to be unlike any I had seen before. I was so freaking excited... And when I heard the captain announce that there would be an informational meeting in half an hour, I decided to make my way there seeing as how I really knew absolutely nothing about the cruise I was on.

...At the meeting, it didn't take long for me to realize I was one of only a few people aboard the ship under the age of 60. Had I not seen two other backpackers checking in when I did that morning, I would have probably assumed I was the only one... But whatev. I was still just as excited to be on a ship in Norway.

Shortly after the informational meeting, I went back up top to the viewing lounge (which is just my way of saying "room with couches, seats, and wall-to-wall windows). I was so amazed at the coastline. The jutting, snow-covered mountains coming straight out of the water. It was beautiful. But it was a bit redundant. And that is not a complaint in anyway, cause I could have spent a week on that ship and never gotten tired of the views... But I was a so tired at that point and my body was begging for a nap after all the traveling and early mornings I had been doing. So knowing I'd have plenty of coastline to see later, I headed back to my cabin and napped. After all, what else was I going to do?! I hadn't run into those two other young backpackers yet, so was I just suppose to go buddy up with the elderly?! No, (while that isn't too far out of the realm of something I would do,) I opted for the nap.

After I woke, I did a lot more of lounging and viewing. I set up shop in the viewing lounge and went to town on a dozen postcards... And then I paid way to much money for some late lunch. (Trust me, Norway is ridiculously expensive... And if I had been calculating the conversion rate right, I would have actually known that while I was there!) But all that is neither here nor there. I guess the point is that I had quite the leisurely boat ride. And it was the best part of my trip up until that point. I spent hours just watching the coast go by, and I loved it! But my absolute favorite part of the day was sunset. It was GORGEOUS. Mesmerizing, even. The blues, the purples, the pinks, the oranges... Ahh! One of the most--if not the most--beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. It was just one of those moments where yo can't help but revel at how amazing and creative God is for making such natural beauty in the world... And I did just that. Aloud. To myself and anyone who would listen. Ha! I literally just kept walking around the deck gasping, "So freakin' beautiful!" and "Ahh! Amazing!" ...Some of those people around me probably thought I was a little off my rocker--and who even knows if they spoke English. But I couldn't help it. It was that captivating!

Also as the sun was setting, I finally ran into the other backpackers, who turned out to be Ben and Andre. Both were Engineering students in the UK, but only Ben was a native; Andre was originally from Germany. So for the rest of the night, I palled up with them. They were pretty down-to-earth guys. I can't say we did much more than just sit around and do a lot of talking, but it was good to meet some new friends for the time on the boat. Once again, the people I met really did make all the difference on the trip...

That night, sitting on the (cold, windy) deck on the back of the boat with Ben and Andre, I saw g lunar halo--granted I didn't know what it was called at the time, and had to google it later. I had really hoped to see the Northern Lights, but knew the chance was slim-to-none because I didn't go far enough North. But I guess God gave me the second best thing! Pretty much, the lunar halo was a more faint ring of light surrounding the moon. And I am not sure how true it is, but some of the others around us were saying it is a pretty rare occurrence. Whether or not they are right, I am not sure, but I do know it was the first one I had ever seen. And in my mind, it made up for the fact that I wouldn't be witnessing Aurora Borealis. So it was a nice night indeed, and I turned in (to the fold out bed in my cabin) shortly thereafter.

The next morning was rather chill. Aside from breakfast, I did a lot more lounging, viewing, and picture taking... I met back up with Ben and Andre, but spent most of my morning to myself. I cuddled up on one of the couches and took to reading my Eat, Love, Pray book--which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Did I mention how much I loved that book?! Anywho, it turned out that Ben and Andre were staying in the same hostel I was booked for in Bergen. So about the time we started to dock, I buddied back up with them and let them lead the way...

A word about men leading the way: Do they always take the difficult, long way around that involves five-hundred stairs straight up a fjord, or was that just a one time experience?! By the time we finally made it to the hostel, I was breathing heavy and beet-red... (Damned my Harrison genes of turning bright red at the slightest bit of physical activity!) A tourist for sure. And I was not the happiest camper. Oh, did I mention how much freakin' snow was in Bergen?! Apparently they had massive snow storms the days before my arrival, and it was quite piled up. But that is not even the loveliest part. The day I arrived, the sun was out and the temperature up a bit, so all the banks of snow were melting. And there is nothing I love more than sloshing around in the melting snow in rubber-souled shoes--might as well just have worn sleds on my feet--while carrying a 20 pound backpack!!

As you can probably already tell, Bergen was not my favorite stop of my trip. To be honest, I really can't judge it too fairly because it didn't really get much better from there. And it's not all Bergen's fault... I just should have packed better shoes. (And a lighter bag.) What ever made me think Wallabees would be well-suited for Norway in February?! Long story short, after I checked into the hostel, I went wondering around the city. You know, my usual routine... But I did not enjoy it, and I think it had everything to do with the fact that my shoes were soaking wet. And not just on the outside, but all the way to my feet. My socks were even wet. And it was terrible. Ugh! All the melting snow, aside from being a complete falling hazard, had splashed all over my Wallabees and soaked in. So even though Bergen was a pretty enough town, I just couldn't stand to walk around in wet shoes and socks while trying not to break my neck every step. So I wound up back at the hostel before the sun even set.

Back in my room at the hostel, I met some cool people. There were a couple girls from Austria, a guy from Spain, one from Belgium, and another girl from Mexico. All but the girl from Mexico were studying in Molde, and nearby town to Bergen. The Mexican girl was studying in France but was off for Spring Break. She shared many of the same views as I about Bergen and it's (damned) snow. Ha! And though I was invited to go out with the student group from Molde, I opted to go to bed at a reasonable hour instead. After all, I was back up at 6 the next morning in order to get ready and catch my next train.

Trondheim

So after making it to the train station Wednesday morning, I hopped on my 8:04 a.m. train, and was off to Trondheim.

A few words about the train ride: It was scheduled to be an almost seven hour ride through the mountains/fjords of Norway. I had no problem with this. 1) because I am lazy, and 2) because it was beautiful. However, an hour or so in to the ride, we were stopped and delayed due to... mechanical issues? (I never really know why every train I set foot on seems to be delayed because all the announcements are conveniently in languages I don't speak. So I just kind of make up why or what I think is happening.) But after 20 or thirty minutes, we were back on track--PUN INTENDED! And for the next several hours of my life, I read, wrote postcards, and just chilled out to the sounds of my iPod. It wasn't until an hour shy of our destination that I discovered the train would not be going all the way Trondheim. Because of the earlier delay--yada, yada, yada... once again, I didn't understand the announcement--we, the passengers, would be getting off at the next station and taking a bus the rest of the way. ...And that we did.

At this time, I knew I wasn't going to make it to my hostel by the appointed check-in, or even within the same hour. So trying to be a responsible back-packer, I tried calling. Tried being the keyword. ...There was no working line for the number. ...Okay. So I just didn't worry about it and headed on to Trondheim via bus.

When I got to Trondheim, I immediately set out to find my hostel. It was already late afternoon, and I needed to check-in, get rid of my (overly packed) backpack, and see the city before it got too dark. So having no idea where to go to catch the appropriate bus in the direction I needed to go, I went to the Information desk of the station. The one rude woman I met my whole time in Norway just happened to be working the desk. And I pretty much left there just as confused as I had come, only with a map in hand. ...A map I couldn't read at that. So I took to wondering the streets. Long story short, I asked about three people for directions to the bus, and all gave me terribly vague responses. Not that they weren't friendly people trying to help, they just weren't descriptive enough... So by the time I did find the buses, I was stressed out and sick of carrying my backpack. It didn't help matters that I couldn't find my bus (or any sign of existence of such bus) headed in the right direction. That is were I had my first Norwegian-tourist breakdown. And in the end, I gave up on that damned hostel--that I may or may not have still had a room in. I turned around, and headed straight back to the Best Western I had passed a few blocks from the station. And after shelling out (an expensive rate of) Norwegian krones, I had a room for the night all to myself!

Finally I threw my bag down, chilled out a bit, and then headed about town. But by that time, it was getting dark. So instead of trekking around, I opted for food. I found the nearby restaurant and ordered a cheeseburger and fries; How American! (I just couldn't resist it when I read that it came with onion rings!!) Not to mention, the herring selection just wasn't up my alley. While at dinner, I asked the waiter what there was to do about town on a Wednesday night. He said, "well not much because everyone is home watching the Olympics." (What is it with the Europeans and the Winter Olympics?! ...Or am I just the only one not enthusiastic?) So not wanting to wonder about alone at night, I headed back to the Best Western.

When I got back, I noticed a little pub next door that had quite a few people inside. Not having anything else to do, I decided to wonder in. There, I found a crowd of Norwegians all watching the Olympics. ...Go figure. Heh... But I did manage to strike up a conversation with the girl that worked there, and in turn, the guys around me.

It didn't take long to meet people at all. One of my fastest friends was Martin, a taxi driver on-duty, but with no business. So like everyone else, he decided to watch the ski relay. Martin and I talked forever because he loved American comedies (movies) and I knew all of them. So the conversation was endless. And of course being Catherine, it didn't take me long to befriend the man with the coolest mustache either. Haha... His name was Harold, he was rather "toasty", and we bonded after Norway took the silver medal. (I would like to point out that I was still chanting "U.S.A., U.S.A" at the time because we didn't finish until next to last... Go team!) I also met a couple "Chocolate Technicians" from Germany. They were two older men that worked for every major chocolate company you could think of--Hershey, being the only one I remember because it's American--by traveling the world in search of the best cocoa beans and ways to make chocolate better... Pretty much, they had the best job in the world. I spent hours in that pub, and I enjoyed every minute of it. And surprisingly, it wasn't alcohol induced!

By the end of the night, Martin asked me how I liked Trondheim, and when I told him I couldn't really give a fair answer, I explained my train delay and navigation woes. To which he replies, "Well, I've got a taxi out front and no business... want a tour?!" At this point, you just read that, and a scene from Taken flashed through your mind, I am sure... But trust me, Martin was not a creeper at all. And after spending hours with him and his friends, I felt like I could judge that. So I obliged. ...Granted, I still took the usual precautions: I memorized the license plate number to the taxi, had a "I'm being kidnapped by taxi number ....." text drafted to Shawn and Faith, and had the Norwegian emergency number on speed dial...

Martin took me all around the city, to several spots I never would have reached on foot at all. The first place we went to was an old cathedral that I had actually passed by on the way in by bus. I was lucky enough to get a couple pictures before my camera battery died, but they didn't do this cathedral justice. This was the most beautiful church I had ever seen in my life. It was amazing. It was gorgeous. It was love at first sight. If it's possible to fall in head-over-heels love with a building, it happened to me that night. Ahhh... Just thinking about it makes me feel amazed. It was that beautiful. From there, we went to see an old medieval fort, some old university buildings, another old church, and an old monastery-turned-prison on an island. Also, we drove out to see this huge ski jump ramp. I have never seen such a huge hill. ...What the heck makes people want to jump it wearing skis?! Anywho, after a great tour of everything, Martin dropped me off like a (non-psycho kidnapper), true gentleman. (...Maybe he got the idea after I talked about "my boyfriend back home" half the night.)

The people I met in Norway are some of the nicest I've met anywhere. And the people I met during my trip really are what made it such a great experience.

...So Trondheim ended up being a pretty nice city after all. I just had to quit stressin' and find a taxi-driving friend to see it! Ha! Oh, and the sunrise over the town the next morning was one of the best I've seen in a while--and that is saying something because I do wake up at 6 a.m. on a regular basis these days! It seemed like half of the sky was deep purple with hints of blue, while the other half was pink with bits of orange. Though I can't say I stayed up to watch the whole rising of the sun, I did get up for a few minutes to capture it on camera. Then I promptly jumped back into bed and slept for another hour or so before getting up to start a new day of travel (by boat). Before I finished breakfast, Martin called to make sure I was up, on time, and knew how to get to the harbor. ...Turns out I didn't have as much of a clue as I thought, so once again, he was kind enough to offer me a ride. And thank goodness, too, because I would have been late if I were on foot. So yeah... I got a ride to the harbor, said goodbye to my new friend, and climbed aboard the Hurtigruten.

Oslo

When I arrived in Oslo on Tuesday morning, is was a rather dreary day: grey and snowy. On a side note, I found it the airport customs extremely lax. I didn't have to do anything except for walk through a door labeled "Nothing to Declare"; no showing my passport, no declaring I was there and for what purposes, no nothing... I was a long way from the States, for sure!

Upon finding my hostel, I could tell you I wasn't staying at the finest establishment in Oslo. I actually had to walk through someone's room to get to mine. But aside from a few needed renovations and my roommates either not speaking English or being super weird, I was happy to have a place to stay. After getting settled in--which should read, "after throwing down my 30 lb backpack"--I went out for a walk about town. I had no clue where I was going to be very honest. So I just followed the tourist street. Eventually, after passing a ton of buildings I took pictures of but could not identify for my life, I wound up at the palace. That's about the time my Wallabees gave way from under me and I busted my butt. Surprisingly, this was the first--and last--time I busted my butt the whole trip. But trust me, there were hundreds of other times I came close.

Also while wondering around, I stumbled upon the harbor area. This was probably my favorite part of the city. Granted it was covered with a ton of snow, but I still liked it. Actually, I found a little hill to climb overlooking it which, oddly enough, had a FDR statue atop it. (Norway had a much bigger part in WWII that I realized...) Sitting up there with FDR, the sun began set. And though the sky was mostly grey, there were still a few hints of pinks and purples to be seen. I think that is why the harbor was my favorite spot.

Not wanting to stay out too late into the dark--as I was later informed my hostel was on the street of drugs and hookers--I wandered back to my accomodation. If there is one thing I learned in all my wondering around Oslo, it is that they have an abundance of 7Elevens, TGI Fridays, and Burger Kings. That latter I wasn't so suprised about since I have seen them in every European country I have been to, but I swear I saw more 7Elevens and TGI Fridays in Norway than back in the States... Who would have thought!

When I made it back to my hostel, I greeted my (weirdo) roommates who were still glued in the same spot as when I left--their beds--again. They were not sociable in the least. But luckily, the guy whose room I had to invade to get to my own was rather nice. I had met him on my way in and out. So after having no luck with my own roommates, Sebastian--that was his name--invited me to a cup of tea. Initially as we began talking, I learned that he was from Poland and was a visiting professor at a college in Oslo. As we got to chatting even more, I discovered that he had spent time working in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee as part of his Tourism study. Sadly, if wasn't Dollywood, but still... I couldn't believe it! And of all places he had worked in Tennessee, one had been Cracker Barrel. It made me laugh when he told me that Cracker Barrel was "full of old people who told me about Jesus, but I liked it very much". I told him I was sure he had probably met my dad. Ha! Oh, another thing he told me about that I loved was the name of the church he attends in Oslo: St. Olaf. ...Umm, are there any other Golden Girls fans out there that get that reference! Anywho, Sebastian was a great guy, and I was glad to meet him and have a cup of tea. Shortly thereafter, I headed to bed.

The next morning, I got up early, fumbled through the dark to get dressed and packed, and headed to the station where I caught my next train to Trondheim.

The City of Temptation

So in transit to Norway last week, I found myself spending an extra night in Amsterdam in order to better catch my early flight to Oslo. I actually didn't get to my hostel til about 6 in the evening because I stayed home most of the afternoon waiting on a week-overdue Valentine's Day package to be delivered--and it never came. So though I did not see hardly any of the city itself, not all was lost. My hostel was hoppin', to say the least. I am not sure if I stayed at a "party" hostel, or if every hostel in Amsterdam is known for having a good time, but either way, I picked quite the funhouse. Unfortunate for me, though, I had already promised a friend that I wouldn't drink the whole trip--let alone indulge in other temptations...

Still wanting to mingle, though, I sat down at the hostel bar and ordered myself a Sprite. It didn't take long to make friends at all. In no time, I was talking to a group of Brazilians (who weren't traveling together, but had all met at the hostel). From that moment on, I was an honorary Brazilian for the night, and hung out with them...

We had a pretty fun night. Hahaha... Though I didn't get to see much of the city, my new found friends and I did venture out to the streets that were illuminated in red light. Would you expect anything less from me?! Of course not...

Other memorable events of the evening include: eating the prettiest pastry I have ever seen, passing out McDonalds chicken nuggets to strangers back at the hostel, meeting a curly-headed, Buddy Holly look-a-like with a posse of 4 beautiful blonde headed girls and insisting he must be in a band, and making lots of friends from everywhere.

...It wasn't until waking up the next morning that I realized the events of the night before had been so fun/funny because I undoubtedly had a strong high from just being in that hostel... The place reaked of Mary Jane! Either way, it was fun. And now I can finally say I have been to Amsterdam after livving how long in the Netherlands?! ...5 months?!