The cycling culture is unparalleled to any place I've visited both in the States and in Europe (although I'm going to Copenhagen in a few weeks and they're also supposed to have an extensive cycling network). The organization involved in their bike lanes and the ease with which people rode was intimidating and inspiring. I have also lost touch with the art of cycling and was definitely a noticeable tourist. A lot of the time people cycled with a person just sitting side saddle on the bike rack. Or there was the impressive parent/adult cycling with two children sitting in a front loading cargo basket and another child side saddle on the back bike rack. Now that is some serious cycling.
Amsterdam was nothing short of fantastic, beautiful, inspiring- pretty much all the positive words. It truly felt like all the people I met, or even just walked by, were happier than the rest of the world. It was simultaneously baffling and endearing and enchanting enough to make me want to move there for at least a few years. Despite Amsterdam's reputation for being a haven for drugs and prostitution, there was hardly anything distinctly noticeable or seedy. I even got lost for about an hour at night and even though I felt a tad unsafe, no one bothered me and I made it to the hostel unharmed.
The cycling culture is unparalleled to any place I've visited both in the States and in Europe (although I'm going to Copenhagen in a few weeks and they're also supposed to have an extensive cycling network). The organization involved in their bike lanes and the ease with which people rode was intimidating and inspiring. I have also lost touch with the art of cycling and was definitely a noticeable tourist. A lot of the time people cycled with a person just sitting side saddle on the bike rack. Or there was the impressive parent/adult cycling with two children sitting in a front loading cargo basket and another child side saddle on the back bike rack. Now that is some serious cycling.
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I'm currently on the train heading to the airport for a two week stint around Europe. It's both sad and happy. A few weeks ago I wrote about my mixed feelings on leaving the UK and now it's for real real. I can't postpone the reality of packing, cleaning, and the goodbyes.
There's only four weeks left and two of those are being spent on a pretty special trip. I can't complain about that. But as I'm sitting on this train going past the running path and the fields, it's becoming more and more difficult to pretend that there is no end to this grand adventure. I won't be running the river path much longer. Or seeing the endless green fields. Or the sky's with their gorgeous clouds. I won't be lounging or laughing or cooking with the people whom I've bonded with the most. That's going to be the worst and most difficult and is certainly what makes my two week Euro trip such a mix of happy and sad. I've never been so melancholy on the day of a trip, which I know sounds spoiled rotten. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity for not just this Europe trip, but my entire 6 month stay. I'm happy and excited to see Justin and to spend two weeks exploring. But it's also tinged with the knowledge that I'm speeding towards home. Happy and unhappy feelings are fighting it out inside my old noggin. Might have some radio silence while I'm on this trip, but I'll try to update. Your Broad Abroad, Dacy A few weeks back I posted pictures of my housemates Amelie and Jack. Douglas was excluded simply because his photo was taken on a roll of 35mm slide film and there was about a 2-3 week wait for it to be developed and scanned. Anywho, here he is appreciating a cup of tea and that lovely English sun! Your Broad Abroad,
Dacy I wish I could get a good picture of my favorite part of Spring in the UK- the swirling, floating, drifting petals, leaves, and cotton puff pollen. I thought just being here and enjoying the birds and scenery during the winter was a beautiful thing, but then spring came around.
The first signs of spring came with the neighbor's tree sprouting soft small petals and the perpetual breeze blowing through Canterbury ensured a steady flutter of white and lightly pink petals. More trees sprouted green leaves and those were plucked and blown by the wind to spin and drift in the air. And, possibly most magical of all, are the puffs of cotton-like seeds (from a tree I can't identify) whirling in the wind along the Great Stour River. My first encounter with these magical puffs of reproduction was on a run and at first there were just a few floating along in front of me. And there were little piles of puff lining the pathway and as I ran, more and more of these puffs came eddying towards me. It's a good thing I like to look up often, because when I did look up it was a delight to see the air above me just buzzing with puffs. I know it's a part of nature that happens all over the world, even in California, but this broad comes from urban/suburban roots and there isn't much swirling of anything in the wind. There's also the magic of witnessing seasons in a different country that I'm sure is fueling my joy. I've witnessed these puffs in both Amsterdam and Hannover, and it was just as captivating. But enough with the rambling, I've got coffees to drink and pictures to take. Your Broad Abroad, Dacy Slide film has been returned to me, so here are the remaining pictures from my trip to Brussels and Bruges. It's quite a pleasure to see my photos in slide format as opposed to negatives.
I developed this roll of black and white film at University of Kent's Photography Society photo lab. Then I had the negatives scanned at Jessops. It's a shame I haven't used more black and white film. It's pretty special. I have two more rolls that have yet to be developed, but I'm eager to see.
With the exception of the last three, these were all taken in London. They're all from around my first few weeks in the UK way back in January and it's sort of bittersweet seeing these for the first time just as my trip is speeding to a palpable end. Brighton is an amazing city with a lot of diversity and great food Indian food (Curry Leaf Cafe). I happened to go during the first weekend of their month-long Brighton Festival and got to see an Australian circus troop, Circa, perform a show called Beyond. Unfortunately they don't allow photography, so no snaps of that. But the show was pretty spectacular- full of humor and strange creatures and magnificent displays of human strength, agility, and grace. One particularly great detail, and pleasure, was their careful attention to transitions from one act to the next.
It was mostly raining, but the city is beautiful even when you're cold and wet. The hostel was...mediocre. And a tad far from the center of the city, but it made for good walks. I bought some film at a teeny tiny camera shop (Clock Tower Cameras) that was packed tight with supplies and new/used cameras. They had Ilford black and white disposable cameras and I should have bought one. Kicking myself about that now. A few weekends ago, I got to check out some more seaside towns- Westgate on Sea, Margate, and Herne Bay. Vastly different from Southern California beaches, but equally as gorgeous. One of the many little joys of English beaches are the jaunty beach huts dotting the coast with splashes of vibrant color. The weather on the drive out with housemate Jack, his parents, and their ridiculously adorable dog Finley, was just a sunny delight. The drive took us through so much greenery- flat fields of various shades of green, vibrant yellow flower patches, and the inevitable endless sky of fluffy clouds that I will forever associate with English springtime. We indulged in a drink at a random pub, enjoyed fish and chips on the beach, and took in all the glorious sea and seaside tulips in Herne Bay. It was an extra treat to play with Finley the dog and snuggle his soft paws and ears. It made me miss my little nugget buddy, Kingsley. It was genuinely a fantastic day and such a pleasure to meet housemate Jack's fam bam. Just got back from a wonderful trip to Amsterdam. I knew it was going to be beautiful and amazing, but it was beyond any expectations. I took a lot of pictures, so there will be a more extensive post very soon.
But now that I'm back, I get to prepare for all sorts of things including figuring out how to pack my room back up into a suitcase while also packing stuff for a 16 day Europe trip and packing for Glastonbury! It's all starting to happen really fast and soon I really will have to leave. There's a lot of emotions involved in this- sad to leave, happy to see fam and friends, excited to do all the things I've planned before I leave, anxious knowing that doing all these things means it really DOES have to end. Justin comes for a three week visit at the end of May. We'll be traveling for nearly the entire three weeks, which will be my longest trip ever (at least longest that doesn't include staying with someone I know). It'll be a wild trip- 5 countries in 16 days! It'll be exhausting, and tiring, and exciting. Throughout our nearly 6 years together this will be our first real vacation together, which obviously will be a great adventure. It'll also be really nice to have someone to travel with (see: Traveling Alone). Our travels will take us to Barcelona, Syracuse, Budapest, Prague, and Copenhagen. There will be lots of walking and eating and hopefully sunny beach days in Barcelona and Syracuse. Budapest has been on my list of places to see and I'm really excited to experience their bath spas. I don't know much about Prague just yet, but everyone says it's a beautiful place, definitely worth visiting. Copenhagen is supposed to be one of the happiest places in the world and also has a huge cycling culture. Originally we were all booked in hostels, but I'm quickly changing plans to stay in airbnb's. It'll be my first time staying in one, but I've only heard good things and look forward to staying in an actual apartment/studio/flat instead of a hotel/hostel. No pics this time. There will be plenty soon, promise. Your Broad Abroad, Dacy Didn't think I'd make it to Amsterdam during my stay in the UK, but Amelie and I decided last minute to book a trip. So tomorrow, bright and early, we board a ten-hour bus trip to the Netherlands. Looking forward to cycling, boat rides, and the De Kattenkabinet (the Cat Cabinet Museum!). Pictures to come soon, I'm sure!
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DacyLimFrom Long Beach, CA to Canterbury, England and back. Archives
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