Vienna and Prague

For the travel weekend in November Allie and I decided to go to Vienna and Prague.  I had some good friends, Naomi Romriell and Shelly Faber, in Vienna doing a study abroad with BYU, so they both showed us all around.  Naomi picked us up at the airport --- which was a huge relief because neither Allie or I speak German besides "das ist das, was sie sagte" (Allie taught me this) and "Danke". Neither of those phrases would get us very far.  We met up with some of their friends in the program and other university students they met through institute to get ice cream (it's tradition).  I had so much fun and was so glad to see Naomi and Shelly.  I live a charmed life.  

Viennese ice cream shop.

 The horse show. Pictures weren't allowed so… we snuck them.

 Stephan's Dom - A gothic cathedral we visited at the center of town.

Karlskirche- they had scaffolding to go all the way up to the top of the dome - it seemed too temporary to trust, but we made it to the top and touched the Fresco. :)

 Vapiano's - An Italian restaurant Naomi and Shelly took us to.  

 Naomi and I are both majoring in chemistry --- I don't know what I'd do without her. 

 The oldest ferris wheel in the world in Prater Park --- Riesenrad built in 1897. 

 Allie and I spent the last day in Vienna at Schönbrunn Palace - the 2nd biggest palace in Europe (following Versailles).  It's name means beautiful fountain and made in the Rococo style = one of my favorite styles.  (Allie and I obviously stopped at Starbucks for breakfast).  

 Welcome to Prague!  We spent a beautiful 4 plus hours on the bus to Prague.  Luckily we had wifi, so I looked up the top things to do while in Prague.  The top twenty included trying their brown beer, getting married, jumping off the bridge into the river, clubbing, and gambling.  I did a total of zero of those things.  But I did find a few brides, so that's good I guess.

 Allie and I on Charles Bridge.

 We found these at a Christmas market by the astronomical clock tower built in 1410.  

Prague was so so so cold.  And flying with Easyjet makes it hard, because you can only bring a backpack, so I didn't bring my peacoat= worst decision ever.  I piled on the layers, and I still wasn't warm enough…But somehow I managed to fit all my gifts into my backpack - it was a Christmas Miracle! 

Deadmau5

I was in the library earlier this week studying for the "much anticipated finals", but when Alyssa came into the library and told me about the free Deadmau5 concert I couldn't resist.  Alyssa's friend living in London told her about it last minute, so we had to go.   We didn't really quite realize what the concert entailed, but we jumped on the tube down to the Thames.  It was an awesome outdoor concert on the Thames.  A business building replaced the windows for this video/event.  Only later did we realize exactly who Deadmau5 was.

***ps my mom got here on Friday, and I couldn't be happier.***  

I miss those late November rides

I miss the fall bike rides that Utah's short falls always provide.  I went biking around London over a month ago, and it felt good to be on a bike again, even in the Unreal City.  And just this early November I rode around Versailles for an hour, surrounded by fall leaves, and now I'm missing my late November rides, and snow will surely be covering the ground when I get back to the US of A, so I told my dad to get my skis waxed promptly, so I can enjoy a different type of ride when the snow falls.  

WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER everyday is a snow day.

I have never been a Starbucks girl, but when a cup screams Christmas like this one here does, I can't resist, and who can blame me?…  "When we're together every day is a snow day." This Christmas season I have loved getting peppermint hot chocolate, and have recently discovered a love for steamed milk and gingerbread (and the best part is that it's completely legal, in terms of the word of wisdom).

Abbey Road --- It's a Beatles thing.

***Lala as George Harrison.  Laurel as Paul McCartney. Smil as Ringo Starr.  Me as John Lennon.***

MAGIC

Merry Christmas from London.  

I think I could handle this job… (I'm applying if I'm ever in London in November).

Real life reindeer. 

The taste of Christmas.  

We celebrate all the major holidays.

And luckily, so does Harrods.  After spending a week in Paris it was refreshing to return home and even better to return for the Harrods Christmas Parade 2011.  I got emotional the first time I heard about this ingenius parade, but who can blame me.  It's Harrods and Christmas combined into one mastermind celebration.  Suckers and chocolate coins have never tasted so good, and maybe it's just because it was in celebration of Christmas/Harrods, but either way it was magical.  Lala threatened to leave me if I started crying, so I tried my best to control my excitement especially when snow bubbles fell from the sky.  Where they came from is still unbeknownst to me, but sometimes you don't question magic.  I don't have my pictures up yet, but I was too excited to wait.  Christmas is here in London.

*The picture is for my mom from our favorite hot chocolate place in Paris, Angelina's.