Monday, August 30, 2010

Sketch

Back in School

Just looking through images of my work in college. This was my first studio for Interior Design. The first time I was really challenged by my professor. I miss this feeling. I worked so hard and outside of my comfort zone. Need to get to that place again.



Design concept for an interior space. Supposed to portray a feeling.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Still on My Mind

Euro trip, yes, is finished. But it doesn't mean I can't post some more memories. This group I picked for the color stories.





Saturday, August 28, 2010

Euro Trip Finished

Sadly enough, the time has come to return to the home of the US dollars and hamburgers and eggs for breakfast. My last few days in the Cinque Terre provided sunshine, beautiful and clear ocean swims, lots of last minute gelato and seafood for dinner. Upon being back in the USA for a day, I already miss so much of Europe but love so much of what I used to take advantage of. A BIG cup of coffee in the morning is #1. I have learned so much by being gone for only a short time. A whole new perspective on the world and our American culture (which we do have) has changed me. Hopefully that doesn't go away.

I plan to spend the fall season in Maine enjoying the hikes and foliage it has to offer. I think I will continue to take pictures and share the beauty I find in America (because it IS here as well).



Last day in Santa Margherita Ligure.

Monday, August 23, 2010

August 22

En route back to Italy. It almost felt as good as going home...cause I knew how to work the ticket machines like a pro. We are in the Cinque Terre for the next few days before I fly back to the good ol' USA.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Gimmelwald, Switzerland: Day Three

Day three. With sore legs from yesterday, we left the best hike for the nicest day. Good thing it turned out that way. While most take the cable car to the top of Schilthorn, we wanted to hike. It is suggested to give it 5 hours to reach the top. And sure enough...it did. By far the most exhausted I've ever felt in a day. It took us about 9 hours total and I have a head-ache. It was quite the experience when we were as high as the clouds and then were IN THEM. And we also got to play "hot lava" but except the lava was the cow's litter box...and it wasn't as fun as I remember the game being. It is scary to say now after a few days here I just shrug off the cow poop on my shoes and legs like it is nothing.



First day with blue skies.



Which means sunshine :)



Fog kept rolling in and we only could see the path in front of us. This is where we came from.



Fog kept creeping me out.



Simba's rock.

Gimmelwald, Switzerland: Day Three



First spotting of snow!



And...back in the clouds again.



Always looking for the next marker to get down.



Road block: Cows on our path so we were forced to climb down through their poop filled fields.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Gimmelwald, Switzerland: Day Two

Day two...we conquered a "full day" hike. It took 5 hours. After a field of cows, about 20 waterfalls, two twisted ankles, pigs in mud, mud in general, one dog, a bunch of goats, beautiful views, a little rainfall, and when you thought you were done....hiking back up, we conquered day two. And no falls. A nap later and here I am....typing away. Enjoy the pictures...obviously it is much more intense and intimate in person.



Just starting to see the peaks.



Looking out over the glaciers.



You can see the path we followed.





Looking back to where we came from.

Gimmelwald, Switzerland: Day Two

Our animal friends.



Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Gimmelwald, Switzerland: Day One

After a 9 hour travel day (and 4 trains, 1 bus and 1 cable car later) I arrived in the middle of the Swiss Alps! Day one has been an adjustment losing the habit of reading busy city maps and fighting the crowds. No crowds here...only curious backpackers and the occasional goat or cow. We even have a friendly cat Mal named Sam that sleeps on her bed. We are adjusting right in to the locals. This morning we hiked to the nearest grocery store and stocked up on food during the lock-out period. Then a quick hike to "test" what we are messing with...we plan to hike to the top peak as soon as the weather clears.



The hostel.



During the walk to the grocery store.



Mal.



We can see a little blue sky. We hope for more soon.



We reached the end of day one.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

August 10-14: Bolzano, Salzburg and Munich

Change of scenery was much needed after 3 long days in Rome. But before we reached Bolzano, a travel day consisted of an assigned seat train ride for 4 hours (crammed with the smell of smoke, seated next to street hasslers heading to Milano to hassle some more and a slight case of claustrophobia) reaching Bologna to transfer trains. Then another regional train (we decided to take the cheapest train ride possible to save money...which means stopping at every little Italian town on the map) for 4 more hours. Finally reaching Bolzano with German speaking Italians and cuisine...a charming town but the language barrier, I realized, was greatly increasing. From Bolzano, the next day, we took a bus ride winding up the steep mountain cliffs to reach a cable car that took you up to Alpe di Siusi, the largest alpine plateau in Europe and layed out in between the Dolomites. We sang "Do, a deer, a female deer...." all the way on our trek up (even though we weren't in the Austrian Alps with Maria and the Von Trapps....it sure felt like it). In the sprawling fields of green grass we....skipped, ran a little, picnicked with cheese, skipped some more, jumped for some picture opportunities, and walked all day. Basically this is a place to do just that. This region makes its money from the cows....which we definitely got up close and personal with. In a day we went from Rome to some place as far from that as possible.

Other fun encounters include: rain, Burger King in Innsbruck, finding a hostel last minute in Salzburg, drinking beer on the streets (then gurgling all afternoon), grocery store roaming, paying to pee, getting on the wrong train, going from knowing a little bit of Italian and getting by to resorting back to plain old English and hoping they spoke it too (now we are definitely tourists), realizing Munich is known for being the beer capital of the world and then going to its famous beer gardens, renting bikes and wearing sweatshirts in the summertime.

Next stop: Gimmelwald, Switzerland.



Bolzano: Our home base for Alpe di Siusi.



Alpe di Siusi: Which way shall we go?



Alpe di Siusi: Dolomites....getting closer!

August 10-14: Bolzano, Salzburg and Munich



Alpe di Siusi: Road block.



Alpe di Siusi: Trek up.



Alpe di Siusi



Alpe di Siusi: Cable car ride back down (and the view).



Salzburg, Austria: cool can.

August 10-14: Bolzano, Salzburg and Munich



Salzburg: Birthplace of Mozart.



Munich: Beer capital of the world.



Munich: Graveyard Park.



Munich: Bikes in the Englischer Garten.



Munich: We had to find our graffiti.

Monday, August 9, 2010

August 9: Still in Rome

Spent 3 days in Roma walking a total of about 21 miles and only getting ripped off once....not bad.

This song keeps coming up on my trip....

"Cosmic Love" by Florence and the Machine

Sunday, August 8, 2010

August 8: Roma

When in Rome....Fight the crowds, walk from morning till night (until you give in and catch the metro), crave McDonald's fries after eating gelato, dodge caca on the sidewalk (and dodge fake invitations to "dine with us"), answer back "Ciao" when assumed you are American and said "Hello" to, sweat, drink ice cold water from the many fountains, contemplate what attractions to spend your money, definitely take a siesta, and then go out for more!

Rome is an experience in itself...very tiring and hard to tell which restaurants are authentic. So many sites to see and facts to remember. This is what I've taken from it so far...



St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

August 8: Roma



Famous graffiti artist (Space Invader...I think)...it is the yellow tiled square in the top right.



I like the black striping on the Cathedral.







Piazza Navona