tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40026994938970442512024-02-06T19:04:28.890-08:00Kim's Year AwayLittle blog about what I've been getting up to while away from my nest during 2010 (:Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-85219909523339881332010-12-19T04:12:00.000-08:002010-12-19T05:07:16.317-08:00VoilaSince I'm a blogging failure for the past 5 months I decided to make a summary video of my exchange. Enjoy!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyJSKzjl9Krdoc_E2c9l3UTcIuign-b1D-rpoFBuHCXXTwirtkJiQzPWSz9YuY2AkEImpCMpwL5fZT3VbxCwg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-9627642080372559622010-07-20T07:34:00.000-07:002010-07-20T11:03:25.821-07:00<strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Barcelona Trip! 10th 'till 14th July</span></strong><br /><br />Sorry again for the lateness, I'm just slack okay sorry. But I'm here now writing you a nice little post to learn about my latest mischief. This trip was amazing AMAZING and I don't even really know where to begin. In Belgium, the school exams start in early June right, so as exchange students we decided we would do some cultural awakening as a part of our study leave and took off to Spain for four nights. I went with 4 other exchangees, my two lovely Canadians Patrick and Eric, Best-Exchange-Friend Danielle (australian) and Keely our resident American. We stayed at a family friend of Patrick's host family's appartment and had an awesome, awesome time. Here's why:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0n5-aMdPff6EAz9uyfpz1_WicnBD-3cYUqazaEJzQZN_5j1HlgmmUz2Upf9k4cKZg6ePqBg83zZhjGXnLNEknFmD43bsi1FeP3-AG30bjPFDm6o8ugISXOez_EByfI649kO3gYVBCLU/s1600/36338_460873404516_527544516_6176557_5116475_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496000353965331778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0n5-aMdPff6EAz9uyfpz1_WicnBD-3cYUqazaEJzQZN_5j1HlgmmUz2Upf9k4cKZg6ePqBg83zZhjGXnLNEknFmD43bsi1FeP3-AG30bjPFDm6o8ugISXOez_EByfI649kO3gYVBCLU/s320/36338_460873404516_527544516_6176557_5116475_n.jpg" /></a> THE BEACH! It was so, so cold (the water) but absolutely stunning and so nice to be on the beach after so long! It was so nice and hot. There's nothing like spending the day lounging on the beach. Literally, they had loungers you could just pick up and lay on. It was bliss (:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUI50xQTZ93zccblq6q2qlH8OdSWw0VU_9NSvi_M7KiQJUttlrhnnyAv8S67niyqSEB8z10yBTJc8o8MZckvthPrQuRXCURlfrwUcYqYrDK9vH-d96tc_cBTMCwZRdm3VLl4EVz759mg/s1600/P1010216.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496000348682226178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUI50xQTZ93zccblq6q2qlH8OdSWw0VU_9NSvi_M7KiQJUttlrhnnyAv8S67niyqSEB8z10yBTJc8o8MZckvthPrQuRXCURlfrwUcYqYrDK9vH-d96tc_cBTMCwZRdm3VLl4EVz759mg/s320/P1010216.JPG" /></a><br />So even though it was just us five doing our own thing, we still did some touristy stuff and visited the sites to see of Barcelona. The first day when the beach wasn't an option (look at the grey sky in the picture), we went to La Sagrada Familia. The church is really impressive to look at, I thought it looked like it was melting kind of. It's sad that he didn't get to see it finished (which it still isn't, by the way)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyg2qzhbEXaAKKg5Jjmt49C4PpqrnZjmncdZhDVUF071ZVFKwSKCaYmDSMj4A14F8F7t3T7W2yauwJ8xUW-HId6inNT1oor5kV8XT1p0TYRH7btzMbn0cffzqLcAuu_-mbZuNBOSccDM/s1600/P1010254.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496000340513150626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDyg2qzhbEXaAKKg5Jjmt49C4PpqrnZjmncdZhDVUF071ZVFKwSKCaYmDSMj4A14F8F7t3T7W2yauwJ8xUW-HId6inNT1oor5kV8XT1p0TYRH7btzMbn0cffzqLcAuu_-mbZuNBOSccDM/s320/P1010254.JPG" /></a><br />We also went to the Gaudi park which was really cool. A friend of Gaudi's owned the land and it was an area that was supposed to be like upper class Barcelona so he hired Gaudi to make it look the part I guess. Its something ridiculous like 15 hectares in size and the mosaics are fascinating to look at, makes you think about how long it must have taken for him to make.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wnV8y84Oh6_qT3dBLc5Matzelzut4hz8fxxRjrjU7uA-R9AjASRcQXwcX_anU7rhBvU8cBcksH58hpa5kosH6FJViuCFkE6ue29EQIL-Z0u-Hj4FQRoFhxWVxVN3nNJrmgZKCCjpj3g/s1600/P1010253.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496000334965206802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wnV8y84Oh6_qT3dBLc5Matzelzut4hz8fxxRjrjU7uA-R9AjASRcQXwcX_anU7rhBvU8cBcksH58hpa5kosH6FJViuCFkE6ue29EQIL-Z0u-Hj4FQRoFhxWVxVN3nNJrmgZKCCjpj3g/s320/P1010253.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The famous lizard thing.. This was cool too, I had to wait so long to get a photo of it with nobody sitting on it.</div><div> </div><div>So yeah, that was my trip to Barcelona. Of course we walked Las Ramblas and shopped a bit, but it was mostly just a chill on the beach kind of trip. We went out and saw how lively Barcelona is at night too which was fun, the trip overall just made me want to learn Spanish, it was sooo hard to order in restaurants and stuff, you would think they spoke Englush but that wasn't always the case.</div><div> </div><div><br /><br /> </div><div></div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-27092554131623422842010-06-15T07:08:00.000-07:002010-06-15T08:42:13.416-07:00Berrrrrlin (:I know it's late again, but better that than never: Berlin trip 21-26 May '10<br /><br />Alrighty, So here's what went down in my 6 days in Berlin. I arrived on friday and me and Olivia just chilled out mostly, and that night she took me to get a Doner Kebab which is actually turkish but aparantly is what all the Germans like to eat. It was delicious and cheap and I couldn't finish it. I was staying with Ollie who is my friend from Rangi who is in Berlin doing her exchange (:<br /><br />The the next day we went to Kudam. Which is a realy cool shopping street. We went to a place called the Ku De We or something like that.. I can't really remeber but it was like a million stories tall and all like designer labels.. But the food section was amazing.. I was THIS close to buying Betty Crocker brownie mix and potted frosting, but I resisted.<br /><br />Then we visited a bit the typical shops and stuff, Then we saw this thing, which is a chuch that got bombed in the war. It blew my mind a little bit cause you never see stuff like that, like half destroyed buildings, in NZ. In this pic I'm with Grace, an Aussie born Germany-raised friend of Ollies. Her mum is Australian so she speaks perfect english.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxJvL3EsOI2rJyF0LZqtXsyGetzeg-si3WL-D6V_QKYPjjnO_vFDCVhxKYbvOlavi2A_M-7KsEciBTsetjVKKKv0dt2vsdyppAwbbsNrTvzQks6HXIJnpxDBs2C-1mAeHsaH5ZCkPX7I/s1600/P1010130.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483010943954237730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxJvL3EsOI2rJyF0LZqtXsyGetzeg-si3WL-D6V_QKYPjjnO_vFDCVhxKYbvOlavi2A_M-7KsEciBTsetjVKKKv0dt2vsdyppAwbbsNrTvzQks6HXIJnpxDBs2C-1mAeHsaH5ZCkPX7I/s320/P1010130.JPG" /></a>The next day we went to The Carnival of Culture. It was really random, the floats were for like random cultures that definately don't exist in NZ. There was a heap of people though and a nice ambiance. I went with Ollie's group of friends and Sophia, a german girl who I know quite well because she did her exchange at Rangi and was in my french class (: So this was one float of some unidentifyable 'culture' haha: They were painting stripes of paint all over people in the crowd.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483010928277019378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcSyc2p2U3VVn0pXtnMjAN86vYFlDjCBAcHg21O5jjpvMgFb7h4uT0wMbCPLFt42DN0_FLL5fidz-NTskVUPeQlnnTxL2yi8NxC-bYyVY_Q35Mo9OKCtzHVksMUdYNbcAZ_MRlRXQ9cU/s320/P1010156.JPG" />Later on we did an on foot walk about of Berlin. This is sad, but it was actually a highlight of my trip (being the MJ fan that I am), one of the first things we went to was this place, which is the hotel that Michael Jackson was in when he infamously held baby Blanket over the railings to show him to the world. I was so giddy when they told me, its just like in the magazines!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKo7Adsc32BHmRZjZa18jZrOq84RnlUphvIoCGytl-hmEVfsx8X42KODOvjB6RQmcGgKVHvXqBOhHw8taw6imCcwdnJ-6hfYzQt6UM6HiZMW3LfMUhP_693lI6F07R8cfSnEbDzCIVBw/s1600/P1010161.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483010942289140578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKo7Adsc32BHmRZjZa18jZrOq84RnlUphvIoCGytl-hmEVfsx8X42KODOvjB6RQmcGgKVHvXqBOhHw8taw6imCcwdnJ-6hfYzQt6UM6HiZMW3LfMUhP_693lI6F07R8cfSnEbDzCIVBw/s320/P1010161.JPG" /></a><br />So yeah. The reason we were in that square though is to see this, the Brandenburg Gate. It's the gate that used to separate the borders of east and west germany. Now it's just a cool thing to see and kinda symbolises reunified Germany. It's design is based on some Greek thing. That's me, Ollie, Sophia and Lena (Lena is a penpal of Sophia who came up to Berlin for th long weekend) infront of the Gate.<br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPA51mbodg7-ON7thWFXX1WLVDiqgOZnPyDdkPdluOZB_3Q1DTdAJqg5xSpu-JTbgAiyJrAqN7uBj2qOLDNNCK3flmLJKUpZ50Xl4SQVIlL-j4DVDSJkbnqJwwmQ-ES6cIz95BV1fVdM/s1600/P1010166.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483010924733593058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPA51mbodg7-ON7thWFXX1WLVDiqgOZnPyDdkPdluOZB_3Q1DTdAJqg5xSpu-JTbgAiyJrAqN7uBj2qOLDNNCK3flmLJKUpZ50Xl4SQVIlL-j4DVDSJkbnqJwwmQ-ES6cIz95BV1fVdM/s320/P1010166.JPG" /></a><br />This photo is mostly just funny, we went on a crazy five man bicycle ride. And also to prove that I was there infront of where MJ was.. R.I.P<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_a2L_lprwaNtwn7TvgP_r7rf2sb6B0dsZEgMX6LOWhnNP915DPYjAhM6yZBN9kBvwE2D3S42SNFpN05rYhSZK2cgLvAI6cl7U2dcok2xboGI0W-NLRnr5hEYVfMJWdYXKWlcxERlRmaY/s1600/P1010168.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483008039080787618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_a2L_lprwaNtwn7TvgP_r7rf2sb6B0dsZEgMX6LOWhnNP915DPYjAhM6yZBN9kBvwE2D3S42SNFpN05rYhSZK2cgLvAI6cl7U2dcok2xboGI0W-NLRnr5hEYVfMJWdYXKWlcxERlRmaY/s320/P1010168.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Here's the Berlin Tower, we didn't go to visit it because Ollie told me it was boring. Not quite a skytower huh?<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsykartksTQP6-G4zQdJlkqe6I44_CdyssWJXr1jhXmqynvfcJ3EBUFa7Z-VldHbbjAVY0p2w8ibqrMiga9t3wS9KjZzk34pEGXJntpXX68uztdjH7r61BN1tZ2ppUxxIpgE-DLu_Am8/s1600/P1010169.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483008030680002146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsykartksTQP6-G4zQdJlkqe6I44_CdyssWJXr1jhXmqynvfcJ3EBUFa7Z-VldHbbjAVY0p2w8ibqrMiga9t3wS9KjZzk34pEGXJntpXX68uztdjH7r61BN1tZ2ppUxxIpgE-DLu_Am8/s320/P1010169.JPG" /></a><br />This is the Parliment Building.. This visit was really funny for me cause I could never imagine that many people lining up to go to the parliment building.. But apparantly it's because there's a really nice restaurant inside (: Thats Sophia in the corner with her starbucks.. I miss starbucks so much!<br /><br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkE9POGt-iuKdxprqAYAjaa3VJfC97b069-0qOf3-3m_-LW3jQRieLh_jy33ZzzUKyaK9azQdTFc1N30AVlJ74MZXkWlJZ4oq-7_uKPhwGQCmFahVUnLsEKffON8X0n9BGMPTvbAaAFT4/s1600/P1010171.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483008014984208562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkE9POGt-iuKdxprqAYAjaa3VJfC97b069-0qOf3-3m_-LW3jQRieLh_jy33ZzzUKyaK9azQdTFc1N30AVlJ74MZXkWlJZ4oq-7_uKPhwGQCmFahVUnLsEKffON8X0n9BGMPTvbAaAFT4/s320/P1010171.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The next thing we saw was this, it's a monument to commemorate the Holocaust. Its a whole bunch of grey rectangles of different sizes, apparantly they symbolise "how confusing and random the Holocaust was"<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFG6D2D7t-umzG1cv_n0o74Dhi8sUo8p75Wf6QRQWN9ef2IchTcB2kB25ztro6YMNUG4MUteDZJF7_pc4YGYEJV-oqB5OCPQi5UK5d2ObFKsfD629lY-tYhOrckzgj34u61VsQRZvTOg/s1600/P1010174.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483008010273743714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFG6D2D7t-umzG1cv_n0o74Dhi8sUo8p75Wf6QRQWN9ef2IchTcB2kB25ztro6YMNUG4MUteDZJF7_pc4YGYEJV-oqB5OCPQi5UK5d2ObFKsfD629lY-tYhOrckzgj34u61VsQRZvTOg/s320/P1010174.JPG" /></a><br />Then we went to where the Berlin wall used to be, and there it is. I put my foot in so you can tell relitively how big it was.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8ju-VZWCvqfAlQAp5cZi8dCMRsStU6um7WdFJRplzgW7LAq8QNrrbrd8bb9W0f4xiJhQI-G0OJAk87ik0OBhTApxLkXvDytXtVibnNWOBuSGBX9FHaDffsYCr3KxP0zXqc7zcwXX_sY/s1600/P1010188.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483008008179460002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8ju-VZWCvqfAlQAp5cZi8dCMRsStU6um7WdFJRplzgW7LAq8QNrrbrd8bb9W0f4xiJhQI-G0OJAk87ik0OBhTApxLkXvDytXtVibnNWOBuSGBX9FHaDffsYCr3KxP0zXqc7zcwXX_sY/s320/P1010188.JPG" /></a><br /><br />The next day we went to the zoo, but we also found this place called Aoteroa and it's a New Zealand cafe. In the middle of Berlin...<br /><div> </div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483006037015231778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM9lFwmPeAdSRmgJ3qSBFCpTRNZTb3oUwhnR1dTE9O-NcpzR0VgRu5X7ZWSRAqf6jbuEoNSBgs-5_gyEORhvOLYurHMDVIETLqtyzYZxDbQDoTLYD7ZqnLLL-yVieXHjffTn_hJ1ftS4/s320/P1010207.JPG" /></div><div><br /><br />... so we bought fish and chups. YUM!<br /><br /><br /><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483006043258864402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILrwE26PB8SXphHOB7e2esT0Xe8nizwdTPQ77LBZVlZx8UtibUmVq0RpOpaEEaRUnCC2qcWGMXBAxFFiViJ_bUA19OWVKPbrYvkuSIx223MXBLJbhXZs4CMq9vOKjVfFQPxKASHK12tg/s320/P1010208.JPG" /><br />This is the entrace to the zoo of Berlin. Apparantly it's like two hundred years old. You can't really see me cause my camera wasn't co-operating.. but there you go..<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqW5WzyTBjG949m5IwYZHGr29My6tBM677wC1nIX8BaykZit2HezlFq9qhhNabkX3IQOtQAB99MOGrrAiePaTUxP6Dixczu5-3fcH8qccW2gUlc3BK4fukF_JnLYI-BnaZddZiswulXiQ/s1600/P1010205.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483006028148204338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqW5WzyTBjG949m5IwYZHGr29My6tBM677wC1nIX8BaykZit2HezlFq9qhhNabkX3IQOtQAB99MOGrrAiePaTUxP6Dixczu5-3fcH8qccW2gUlc3BK4fukF_JnLYI-BnaZddZiswulXiQ/s320/P1010205.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Then this is Ollie and I infront of the giraffes at the Zoo.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yz9BdcLGqTUcg1HzA26GvnxeeDFuT3ZuWeBOKkfaXkVcUTw3XkI1528T_SJaVUJ_pfQPv1spIxkooUXQrnFCxfnrAfo4S6qiqdXV3lr6DtYlWQJ7qkI3clxmJa1Ektd-7nvd1u2265I/s1600/P1010203.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483006021786060194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yz9BdcLGqTUcg1HzA26GvnxeeDFuT3ZuWeBOKkfaXkVcUTw3XkI1528T_SJaVUJ_pfQPv1spIxkooUXQrnFCxfnrAfo4S6qiqdXV3lr6DtYlWQJ7qkI3clxmJa1Ektd-7nvd1u2265I/s320/P1010203.JPG" /></a><br />And then we got those hotdoggy things that Germans like. Not frankfurters (which did you know are called that because of Frankfurt? ) but nearly. They were pretty yum<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483003265572392402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiembTPPMdsBLo1Ftnp_v5v_rAd51bECfKpI0OxANpZqZRSMJwT2AQO7xCxQQ7oCEwkp5XnzviLItt_oUF2erYqVzDCxKHewWvR9t3wn9tpXrXCGkD4nK40wLMLVT0uciZGuhXazOdaTs/s320/P1010199.JPG" /><br />So yeah, that is what I did in Berlin. It was a pretty nice little visit. It was so nice to hear Ollie's Kiwi accent and talk about stuff that's going on back home with someone who actually knows what I'm talking about. Next up: Barcelona with friends! Stay tuned!</div><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-27022048256244041022010-05-28T07:35:00.001-07:002010-05-29T01:30:48.750-07:00World!<div><br /><div><div><div><div><strong>Marseille! 12-05-10</strong></div><br /><div>Okay, so this is kinda a bit late as far as punctual blogging goes, but I'm getting there. </div><br /><div>I'll start from the very beggining (I heard it's a very good place to start) I left Belgium in the middle of the day to head south in search of the sun. I arrived in Marseille that afternoon, and got a shuttle to the train station where I was found by Kyle's host grandparents who then took me to where Louise and Delphine were having dance classes, after telling me all about how Kyle is their adopted grandson and so on, so there you go Ky, they actually liked you (;</div><br /><br /><div>We just chilled out and chatted that first night because everyone was kinda sleepy.</div><br /><br /><div>The next day though was a public holdiay, a relgious holiday so there was no school or work, and we headed out to Aix en Provence. It was mostly warm, and I really liked the day. It was nice and relaxed. Here is a fountain we saw. Unfortunately we were only there because a pigeon pooped in Louise's hair so we were trying to wash it out. But I thought it was a nice fountain so I took a picture (: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0M2-CBhwtByU-Lr189_TWpuMQyVf0bLW2Z3_bAa0lP4NhuEaatDM6DvnTbS8HNjZFEFrL8LN2QLvTsYVbXuofPpq6dXW_6Ua74x8Y0jqQgoNAGamZ0jY0tjetvy4I5BLCy9dsqrKKLPc/s1600/P1010077.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476338415247153394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0M2-CBhwtByU-Lr189_TWpuMQyVf0bLW2Z3_bAa0lP4NhuEaatDM6DvnTbS8HNjZFEFrL8LN2QLvTsYVbXuofPpq6dXW_6Ua74x8Y0jqQgoNAGamZ0jY0tjetvy4I5BLCy9dsqrKKLPc/s320/P1010077.JPG" /></a> But the main thing we saw at Aix was the markets, it smelled so delicious there. They were mostly selling fruit and vegetables in this market but then there was another one for clothes and stuff like that. The guys in the background were busking, playing music in pirate costumes. It gives the market a nice ambiance.</div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476337224147221490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxwrtRyLsxAR2iGBhVGCS4xF_yhbWjG81F2yn3Ml_GFvtNWhvARN3mgFut-FBSngFmoUZPmr5sv6mrsX_9wg7Wx7VzKGosvB5Nm6h7AstfKHGaADBOpc7UAAJy3cvvhpPndlw4jRJUOg/s320/P1010073.JPG" />Savon De Marseille.. smells sooooo yum! I bought some back for my host mums, definately scored some brownie points there.<br /><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitgBWGmzoFtWN0Hfh5eCl5xxLuJa7SveKYuipFFufJLX3VfO3kpkJX9WT8-NWilMkOjQmJjo77zl3aVF3EjrkHXXu09y6k_b29iQl8K9SljhRh52xoBvw3GnK2htGlYu4O-OfyPHevko/s1600/P1010076.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476337813235374274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgitgBWGmzoFtWN0Hfh5eCl5xxLuJa7SveKYuipFFufJLX3VfO3kpkJX9WT8-NWilMkOjQmJjo77zl3aVF3EjrkHXXu09y6k_b29iQl8K9SljhRh52xoBvw3GnK2htGlYu4O-OfyPHevko/s320/P1010076.JPG" /></a>And this is the Cathedral we visited there, I don't know why but it was closed. Pretty though isn't it? I like how gothic looking all the scultping is. It makes it seem more legit.<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476330657876535730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9Sod1qt3Q0SRzP1dwZaTJ_gbrEO1l8A9DJpFoycPBOW4NHqeZ1o2lVSa3YL1WaBfanuxLOSCFE9srUC8q0AwOTaXpl9kETFLKJ9eHMIsTnGeUEJp_FG1BgH5zFK0NwnWJY2fYVIKO00/s320/P1010087.JPG" /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>The next day was actually my 18th Birthday, so Guillame made me a cake. It was delicious, the parents and Guillame left though so we ate all of it just us three girls. He would probably like me to mention that he made it all by himself, considering he told me that several times. Cuteee (:<br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476347931768941042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBb-8awkUZDqqzLLKRlVlk8Z-e3tE79nCA9Qe39mxc5LVByxqroAaN79hFMLo_UTJsloRTU3p3Vcoj2jeDZX1wL5m81HKvN_U8gyfBJeLhyXe701_es_79Is8bKzW3a-VKix2HZdFaPP4/s320/P1010091.JPG" /> So then I spent the day in Marseille with Louise and Delphine. It was really nice but quite windy. We went to the new starbucks but the line was really really long. Then we just cruised around, we tried to go to the big church but the buses were all packed out cause there were heaps of tourists there, I don't know why...</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>So this is me and Louise by the old port of Marseille. </div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476349709714054146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDfhoQmlPMX7dK8WqgQVOGu3dBkOQNZ3wytjgnEYwByalDOAGXOXuyUMxsVmIR7aAby7liC5NqCjbgvsowuq0G7BOVNfJvOgEJ7aRt8aOFPiUGLYeOx5_f2lghRRE9OAklMZdrtwSwAc/s320/P1010097.JPG" />We went to a beach after that and just chilled out. It was nice. The next day was Saturday and we slept in after the celebrations from the night before. Then we went and got brunch in town and come back and made crepes.<br /><br />Sunday, I went with the parents, Guillame and a family friend of theirs to Carry. We went there to do a walk which was pretty nice. It was a lovely day but the wind was cold. </div><br /><br /><div>So this is the beach we did our walk around:</div><br /><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 304px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 215px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476344927361950578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlKwHfO1aT6fVXAy6h0ivZMFwhJfCgAU5_V1BEQ5sT6heOCwbbGlohZtZmAJuXo0pgb0FK2PpkCW3cOP6Mo_MBV7wxXUa5SqB7d8tmQK6KRqZ-DhFlJAfE6fDmWsjMkvJf2EEt2CSYr8/s320/P1010115.JPG" /><br /></div><br /><br /><div>We had brought packed lunches with us so after an hour and a bit of walking we sat down and ate, and then we just stayed lying down in the sun for a couple of hours.<br /><br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476346591537628370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtiLdESVLsq1AWl9hbZ8BPmIHVFiMKIjrCsLi5p0TAdrX3rZyTcNEuNuHWEvLp2DbuMIHj8D2OqYgPdiXrROTs2tQ_NrcDwWz8t9I6_-Z8KIAcnf2b_jS2BDowbk3YVBm0QiZeIWUwmE/s320/P1010119.JPG" /><br /><br />The next day was monday, so everyone had to go to work and whatnot, so I went to school with Louise for the morning. She had greek which was impossible but then she had english, so I understood haha. The teacher was a nutter though.. Anyway after that we walked around near her school and she showed me this place, that's where they eat lunch when its sunny. Its a fountain that was put in to celebrate that there was enough water for the whole town.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476599720678923346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21AsO9VElUbpYVbtIRwf0qPrmyBZlSvBRTNsZzpfjtOpNy9cgBZVx9hQkPLnWwrKXevXHDfjyNc2d1vrkIRWgo0A5h0A7HkhWLscxQcQ5iTyYoNxT-aQ-sL4DkGH7R0wkjU5kM2JBI2w/s320/P1010120.JPG" /></div><div>Then we had lunch at the grandparents house with all the kids, it was nice.</div><div>After that I met up with Flo because Louise had an exam and that would have been boring. We did a tour of Marseille, a tour of the coast line and then we went to the Haribo factory but it was too late and the boutique was closed. It was nice though, he taught me lots of swear words in french haha. This is the palace of Justice:</div><div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476599728838643106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEWX7WexgozPt2Ust0STo08MAI1bBGashu_tA12hpzXsLrrQ7vSL6M_BxtpCHpf0qe7eREuEnEb87DW6lOYUSsl_Ttqo7XRHZpkY5VUrTxWk8eetzkiSFYkXRz-cX4ZPHIo4dgpVzGrY/s320/P1010122.JPG" /><br /><br /><div>The next morning I flew back to belgium. It was a really nice trip and I had a lot of fun with the Poets.<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-54943324430799758912010-05-10T07:30:00.000-07:002010-05-10T08:25:43.663-07:00ANZAC Day 2010<blockquote></blockquote><div align="center">ANZAC Day in Belgium</div><div align="left">This year I spent the big day in Ypres, Belgium, which is practically on the western front. The day started off (very early) at the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels. We got there at six am, and after revelling in the lovely kiwi accent for a while we headed off by coach to Ypres.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Before Ypres (or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Iepers</span>, depending on whether you're <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">wallone</span> or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">flamand</span>) we went to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mesen</span>. When we got there we listened to a prayer at the Municipal War Memorial, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">apparantly</span> this was to commemorate the Belgians who fought too, as a respect kind of thing. I was still effectively asleep at this point so my understanding of that little moment is blurry.. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Haha</span>.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Oh by the way, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mesen</span> is the sister town of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Featherston</span>.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Then we went to the New Zealand memorial on the other side of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mesen</span>. There was a prayer, and then some soldiers laid wreaths, and a wreath was laid there from the Government and the people of NZ by the ambassador HE Peter Kennedy. </div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651273554943746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1ZAunSrM-n_vqdMbQ7Aop1ZWbmNciYf6FldfHIGnCnaQEN8qENa5PMnEvECeCY0ktI_lMRMNsbjZaoHiKmPnTpLmomq29lkcyvqWosBepoOKvTDijElDTN7Rp1zKId2lHBO7YEuVB14/s320/monument.jpg" /><br />This is the NZ memorial at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mesen</span> with the wreaths under it. We sang the anthem too, it was cool (: and the Buglers sounded the last post as well. It was really eerie because we also got a very brief explanation of what went on there in that exact place, and it just freaked me out a little cause it was where they actually fought.<br /><br />This is the sign that says:<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651902814275538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTYze4yxhF1vSR6FPuZXK0tj8Oa_OwsB3KEWn0VO3mEMMmvly-T3MJ5m3VZ_z2hxTQkxnsyqL4J8_WIafEDEPXUos7VrmOXJscVXs7rXLdJ2PA50avj5OK9L2UDic-7YuCxY2IoE38rc/s320/nz+memorial.jpg" /><br />Next we went over to Ypres. Once there, we all got together and walked to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Menin</span> Gate. We were lead by the Ambassadors of NZ, Australia, Turkey and also the Mayor of Ypres. Once we were all under the gate, we had a lot of speeches and prayers, a kiwi sang 'a lamentation' and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">buglars</span> played the last post. Then we had a moment of silence.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651265356227858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRF3K-uWo9ONkP33J08xPBAoUtRWEloqo8QV9la0cqXjknrVJbXU6PeyWZUoHllm6tnu727ua7pEHcb1AyDlUEP1PdlLNclhBvuhYk3tvmYjrY0j_WJ4xW7o0mvzrQZwcmCYQQtN_wKyE/s320/mesin+gate.jpg" /><br />This is the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Menin</span> Gate. The names of all the soldiers who died round there are written on the walls. Its really powerful to see all the names just listed like that, its huge so there are HEAPS of names. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651288752814450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdz8FrxfIsvaHE47sQkixt766OJVF4z7guN3diFj7lcaRJLZ-_0uL5zfyUHDRgH6DWCixTWJ62ZhcVz7D_o7Vp64Mebyr9hzJSvSDtoqR-dzKl5ybs-dGBwSFyWI-ZnTji2WBv2CXaNE/s320/names.jpg" /><br />There you can see the names of the soldiers. After the silence, people laid wreaths. First was the ambassadors, and in the end after all the official folks my Kiwi friends <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Anneke</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nouzar</span> (both Rotary students also) laid a wreath on our behalf; here it is:<br /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651912054358914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FD2mQlB7Q4vGbBRwy4HhpROpgjuPxVufBSFl2mamhYEH7qnsgUkSFaF7DmOolEchMXBkTZycZaAKBarpmszlwaicQyrw-RznM8jGfwKK_DZMY7rVFfgirQa1eRSua0CFmDlDW6EbkgA/s320/nz+students.jpg" /><br />So after that ceremony we sang our anthems again. It was really cool, except the Aussies weren't too happy cause the band cut out like two thirds of their anthem. I don't know why.<br /><br />Next we all marched back to the Belgian Memorial and the Kiwi and Aussie Ambassadors laid wreaths there to be respectful. They then sang the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">flemish</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">belgian</span> anthems (and, just quietly, I can safely say by the lack of knowledge of the words of their anthem that the Belgians are not even nearly as patriotic as we Kiwis)<br /><br />Following that we went back to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ieper</span> town hall. Mayor of Ypres, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Luc</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dehaene</span> gave a speech, the Kiwi Ambassador and Aussie Ambassador respond to the speech, then Erin and I gave our speeches too. Here's me giving a speech (video to come) :<br /><br /><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651918302831858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQZm_f31dJSg9fkxRPJ5PcHLAwsoymU5LsxrKFdZ6yh4Ypav9uKzniTtBm2JE9pw8KbI0CxKuPQU0BnU5VmwKQ-GofTPPBiHcrUc_bUS8QxAmb6o9Zh-NzfyABVdAN_S86in3TrZhf8E/s320/speech.jpg" /><br />After the speeches Erin (the Aussie exchange student who spoke) and I got given a present from the Mayor of Ypres. The NZ Ambassador gave me a present too but that was in secret as to not show up the Aussie Ambassador. The one present was a book about Ypres and it's history and the other was a book of New Zealand War Photography.</div><div> </div><div>Next we went to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Zonnebeke</span>; and this was mostly for the Australians but there was some small kiwi aspects:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651240283893538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jlg6uV9mrMif5pQXwgQUFPuEBqoWfEibt6U3p-n2bwli9YpFgl3rxKYBvsx4FYPdG2IV42dxXpj1fXu4og6RGfKG4GlqQbFpVYbkX7lVxVx6wboKs0_kdl4PqwZpqud3iwdHXdvOkOM/s320/31251_125535224123802_100000019746785_332808_4678676_n.jpg" /><br />So here's a tombstone thing for a Kiwi Soldier: "A New Zealand soldier of the Great War" and at the bottom it said "Known Unto God"<br /><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469651245793468786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSR0lGlAhFs0oXETtgtU0NjqMpQqyMeZ2tBGHvR_9cqGotowXrL40OKoOR0XnqSrBlaKxCg7y2PeNy6CTrL1h6-sQwt2VKq6cPF5lmW782Gq0eYF0mfd_mWntQhjU3IDny5B8OGBiYbQ/s320/graves.jpg" /><br /><br />And here's a picture of a lot of graves. This blew my mind a little bit, I'm not sure if they were all ANZAC graves but <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">quand</span> meme, that's an enormous amount of deaths. </div><div> </div><div>So overall it was a pretty awakening day. I think we as Generation Y are kept in a kind of shelter from what the war was really about, especially World War One. We don't (and will probably never) know much about the reality of the big wars and I hope we never get to find out for ourselves, but <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span> tout <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">facon</span> I was glad to be there and was a very proud Kiwi that day. </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /><br /> </div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-8712937356375822062010-04-19T10:56:00.000-07:002010-04-19T12:29:25.941-07:00<blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><p>Greece!</p>This year, I spent my Easter holidays visiting various Archeological sites in the beautiful Ancient Greece. We left Belgium at six pm Easter sunday by coach, 112 students in total and about 8 teachers. We had three coaches and were heading towards Ancone, Italy, to catch a boat. After a somewhat tedious 18 hour bus trip and several french films later, we arrived in Ancone. There, we took a giant ferry (our coaches came too) for 22 hours and landed in Patras. Here; the journey begins. I put the photo's up in a random order so the captions aren't chronologically correct - tant pis les gars!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sY2n1sTlsJOOYe5naoOwYHRj09xZrdOQo4C9JX7W2an1siS93rJUMDLBIFE-PtD3_7lb94Hr4rC9vobPFDT869zechiYkWbii2fD0Ws5ezW6-HB1pICxln_OfVWASr1zC3R95euhn0o/s1600/P1000997.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461924313702490482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2sY2n1sTlsJOOYe5naoOwYHRj09xZrdOQo4C9JX7W2an1siS93rJUMDLBIFE-PtD3_7lb94Hr4rC9vobPFDT869zechiYkWbii2fD0Ws5ezW6-HB1pICxln_OfVWASr1zC3R95euhn0o/s320/P1000997.JPG" /></a><br />This here is a theatre in Epidaure. Its huge, and the people down in the centre were singing to prove that the sound carries really well. It's true, we could here them. The theatre is still being used today.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCKf4dcnN2Jbvf17xRv3Z55n1f47FiP4aEthyphenhyphenQbfM9-JstXCCLGXGIJNgd_AnjQee3Ei-jVvw5kkqUn-qiiaGRwG_equemDgzKWs1aOci2X1yMuk45UbUmxRhJmHOFaJC-X3rQl2uy9o/s1600/P1000995.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461924304751343330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCKf4dcnN2Jbvf17xRv3Z55n1f47FiP4aEthyphenhyphenQbfM9-JstXCCLGXGIJNgd_AnjQee3Ei-jVvw5kkqUn-qiiaGRwG_equemDgzKWs1aOci2X1yMuk45UbUmxRhJmHOFaJC-X3rQl2uy9o/s320/P1000995.JPG" /></a><br />This is the view from my hotel room in Tolo, the water was really clear but cold, some of the Belgians swam, i paddled.. being used to the southern heat I was a bit more sceptical of the water. I would like to note also that i spent the days in broad daylight without suncream (sorry, mum) , and didn't get burnt! This European sun is extrodinary. It was on average about 20 - 25 degrees.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47LqDdIztbTfgvw3HNxZLX7MJTp2Tl9HMcY1QgOep_6CSa5YrjxBFT5_hkIJBEtHoSFkRkKAEfl39RlM6awPJc1Wezn7XEoLXa3rKBm7D7Ta9jGM6Noi0FuLg3gJlqnHDAMhXtZiBupU/s1600/P1000987.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461924292436490722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47LqDdIztbTfgvw3HNxZLX7MJTp2Tl9HMcY1QgOep_6CSa5YrjxBFT5_hkIJBEtHoSFkRkKAEfl39RlM6awPJc1Wezn7XEoLXa3rKBm7D7Ta9jGM6Noi0FuLg3gJlqnHDAMhXtZiBupU/s320/P1000987.JPG" /></a> This was my favourite spot in Greece, Posiedon's Temple. It was a beautiful day when we were there and the view was amazing, we even found a wild turtle (they aren't as cute in real life) but i thought it was really cool. I think I liked it so much because of the link to Greek Mythology, which is what a lot of people my age associate Greece with (that, and toga parties) haha.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Uwbmt6oJcevS4EAX2nxXigF49ZHvQWhJE1RJ8URLxb-Kgxs3uX_ArZOA_mchRxCqeXH2JAqNFGyATbQRa8XoDMg0mnn8_WB5Vrh_11LXC623OObXfWZFb8nKNPETd8P5cF79LkjH-ig/s1600/P1000988.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461917879948974018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Uwbmt6oJcevS4EAX2nxXigF49ZHvQWhJE1RJ8URLxb-Kgxs3uX_ArZOA_mchRxCqeXH2JAqNFGyATbQRa8XoDMg0mnn8_WB5Vrh_11LXC623OObXfWZFb8nKNPETd8P5cF79LkjH-ig/s320/P1000988.JPG" /></a> Posiedon's Temple again, from a different angle. This is pretty much what Greece looks like, old rocks and Columns. Its cool though, we don't have many old rocks back home so it was nice (:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnQoYLtdOR_PDpJntRg_qncuy5Xz_mbheu-pSAzBU-qkn_BherF8GG-lADuJuX6245UJaDUapvI4_NPbwPJu2fjHey9FGrtl3VMuPABKl_6NeCTITTCL1zbZ5UiJkZ5c8xVbJanrkJWU/s1600/P1000985.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461917864941028866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnQoYLtdOR_PDpJntRg_qncuy5Xz_mbheu-pSAzBU-qkn_BherF8GG-lADuJuX6245UJaDUapvI4_NPbwPJu2fjHey9FGrtl3VMuPABKl_6NeCTITTCL1zbZ5UiJkZ5c8xVbJanrkJWU/s320/P1000985.JPG" /></a><br />This is at Mystra ( i think) anyway it's an enormous Canal, heaps of kilometres long and deep. I was scared of losing my sunnies every time i looked down haha. It was impressionnant!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3S2yciAcNZ98CkilqCtsMiQXI0PNXO1iwFXulbKmdPc_V3tCbqcc6HG51NgNJCm7ILsT2UlQ6yQ-WyCt4VGTUkXORg1_z29-tHmwCbbIacLG04s-SjK3RrucCcWlRgKgnOv1HCH9Jp0/s1600/P1000941.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461917861961834930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3S2yciAcNZ98CkilqCtsMiQXI0PNXO1iwFXulbKmdPc_V3tCbqcc6HG51NgNJCm7ILsT2UlQ6yQ-WyCt4VGTUkXORg1_z29-tHmwCbbIacLG04s-SjK3RrucCcWlRgKgnOv1HCH9Jp0/s320/P1000941.JPG" /></a><br />The Acropole: It's pretty famous I think, but we saw it by night first all alight and I thought it was pretty so here's a photo. We spent that night at the "Plaka" which is a place in athenes which had a lot of fake ray bans and chanel bags. It wasn't that safe so we weren't allowed to stay long or go anywhere without boys (this humoured me, belgian boys couldn't save you from anything). Oh and another note, there are stray dogs and cats everywhere, not just mungrels but like huskies and every breed you can imagine. It was weird and unhygenic, but i guess that's Greece.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFSAjSgc5_H7hpuJvW61YlJ8grLccEIpnjKUCfKF9e23nOQpSe6u9QJNrlmRial763KNIuzwNt4d3aQ_pBH91lYrJVn5OYYGrVOTEaMTX9K5ol3JZr7SJM_JzHZNaeDpdp1h92IfvQUA/s1600/P1000923.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461917855780251298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFSAjSgc5_H7hpuJvW61YlJ8grLccEIpnjKUCfKF9e23nOQpSe6u9QJNrlmRial763KNIuzwNt4d3aQ_pBH91lYrJVn5OYYGrVOTEaMTX9K5ol3JZr7SJM_JzHZNaeDpdp1h92IfvQUA/s320/P1000923.JPG" /></a> In Delphes, another Archological site. There were people doing yoga there which i found cool. We strolled around a fair bit, but it was the same as everywhere else we went to, old rocks..<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti7lwK2AmKnbnKJ17kRwwHuIWGlM2IG8lzEEt-UZl82DiUtlPcmjWPGTMOxLF1hP_dRNXuhE2nM5RvKS7lw91H_F7P05OS2d8ctCaDEh6tdBUrr7AxUgSnI5x4zcH6AdxsnoLn05HseE/s1600/P1000930.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461917846522966082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgti7lwK2AmKnbnKJ17kRwwHuIWGlM2IG8lzEEt-UZl82DiUtlPcmjWPGTMOxLF1hP_dRNXuhE2nM5RvKS7lw91H_F7P05OS2d8ctCaDEh6tdBUrr7AxUgSnI5x4zcH6AdxsnoLn05HseE/s320/P1000930.JPG" /></a>The museum in Delphes, I think that thing is famous but I'm not really sure.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwh1jpNwVZh6ZODZU_nlgEJwdUZVWMCfaZoK0FmNcoRzPHIOvJQCjhWI0ASMvz-tkLNfsH6nea7zudmgUe_OX7fhRybq96jtQmN2NtLkAuwUeyR0Ta0MBO-3J5UxZ2CWCtgiaunKz4U4/s1600/P1000918.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461915873530710274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwh1jpNwVZh6ZODZU_nlgEJwdUZVWMCfaZoK0FmNcoRzPHIOvJQCjhWI0ASMvz-tkLNfsH6nea7zudmgUe_OX7fhRybq96jtQmN2NtLkAuwUeyR0Ta0MBO-3J5UxZ2CWCtgiaunKz4U4/s320/P1000918.JPG" /></a> This was in Delphes too, the tombe of something or other, it also has something to do with a sacrifice to Cronos.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ97KkNsf17u08gQDF3M5lvecrKp5FuApcyqADpv9dBFBr-r8_rF7mn3kZKYcqUinW9fPXu848_Ule-hoUQ0OQb-qBrdHAytIp8ZSEbzYXNVqxQjJp_rohfoEc7uMl5Wi0sdSQO4T04SY/s1600/P1000910.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461915863777561186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ97KkNsf17u08gQDF3M5lvecrKp5FuApcyqADpv9dBFBr-r8_rF7mn3kZKYcqUinW9fPXu848_Ule-hoUQ0OQb-qBrdHAytIp8ZSEbzYXNVqxQjJp_rohfoEc7uMl5Wi0sdSQO4T04SY/s320/P1000910.JPG" /></a>Olympia! A column. I'm not sure at all what it's for. This is where the first olympics were held so that was cool. I did a running race on the original track! Far from won, but atleast I did it!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dIWTXbeMgVwilbXZt5K0nNfSc1px4y5yr13agH8V5W4KQlwoVXPRq27IOwHZzz1iCvM9K9vHf_HRUB_KtsyvqUdx9rEn6Rd7juaufPwqD01bJWRBrUTY3vJiH9yulguwY17wjwrtFd8/s1600/P1000908.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461915862349315186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dIWTXbeMgVwilbXZt5K0nNfSc1px4y5yr13agH8V5W4KQlwoVXPRq27IOwHZzz1iCvM9K9vHf_HRUB_KtsyvqUdx9rEn6Rd7juaufPwqD01bJWRBrUTY3vJiH9yulguwY17wjwrtFd8/s320/P1000908.JPG" /></a>Rocks at Olympia, not sure which olympic sport this was used for, Greek dominos? <br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1Zj2ms9cOD3R8ygD9wuu9SS_C5Hef6PXXkxLVSQH7a5ncp4_Cv1Zl5oLqeyR5C1xM1G-NKr0YZX4HegIrUJowFKGiAi9sHZBqSMdWouDm4pP5F-kvThbpaw6xFPbdmL3jKEc9yAZEEM/s1600/P1000947.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461914311476555042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim1Zj2ms9cOD3R8ygD9wuu9SS_C5Hef6PXXkxLVSQH7a5ncp4_Cv1Zl5oLqeyR5C1xM1G-NKr0YZX4HegIrUJowFKGiAi9sHZBqSMdWouDm4pP5F-kvThbpaw6xFPbdmL3jKEc9yAZEEM/s320/P1000947.JPG" /></a><br />The Acropole in Athenes by day, it was cool there, except we were constantly hounded by people who thought we needed to by 100 postcards for 20 euros and so on. The view of Athenes from the acropole was interesting too, its a randomly designed city, and is jam packed.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kbhznOqSYMS7MogUTk2n6HA39nIB943nT-ekjXA2-IGeSOus9Yi0wyZLTQw32LAItIf9iIrazxPNps-Yu_9lnFprFTtEWTXQ6BYHAmhT966u_WTsMjMyy3aZra9h7tfDirGEcE3btq8/s1600/P1000968.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461914307128401010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kbhznOqSYMS7MogUTk2n6HA39nIB943nT-ekjXA2-IGeSOus9Yi0wyZLTQw32LAItIf9iIrazxPNps-Yu_9lnFprFTtEWTXQ6BYHAmhT966u_WTsMjMyy3aZra9h7tfDirGEcE3btq8/s320/P1000968.JPG" /></a>A little thing near the Acropole, the city of Athenes in the back ground.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KmBlyoiq3ONGbZ0Wbro0GVkGnS13OZsbhJqT6AtzZ8E2iHn04epmUiuTbFPTOM5uiKjp-OnXhuQs2YkeolytUvfUCKSv8BTwJerrRmJn-z3Kr-gCnxTVI4M_0MODZpAIHPGQezLqWrY/s1600/P1000953.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461912709040966850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KmBlyoiq3ONGbZ0Wbro0GVkGnS13OZsbhJqT6AtzZ8E2iHn04epmUiuTbFPTOM5uiKjp-OnXhuQs2YkeolytUvfUCKSv8BTwJerrRmJn-z3Kr-gCnxTVI4M_0MODZpAIHPGQezLqWrY/s320/P1000953.JPG" /></a> Me and Morgane, a lovely Belgian friend, at the Acropole, still no suncream, and no sunburn!<br /><br /><div>So that's that. After all the sight seeing was done we headed back to Patras (4hour drive) caught the boat (22hours) and then drove for another 18hours to get back to belgium at 6 in the morning. Luckily I could sleep in the car, a blessing of the exchange student -ability to sleep in all situations- the others werent so lucky. The only other thing I can think to mention is the food, it was awful (sorry Greece! but my mothers Greek salad is better than what I got here) The Greek seem to like to drown everything in oil, to the extent that the taste is of oil rather than the actual dish. In Greece's defence, I was on a school trip so was potentially cut short of luxury nutrition but I will say that the ice creams we got were impecable, right up there with the italian gelato, so well done on that front.</div><div> </div><div>Well that's that little adventure. The next will be ANZAC day in flanders field (: until then!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-61454284075987939242010-03-23T09:18:00.000-07:002010-03-23T10:36:11.237-07:00<div> <span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><strong>Paris Paris Paris (: je t'aime.</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><blockquote><br /><br /><br /><p><strong>I </strong>really love Paris. Its a lovely city. </p><br /><br /><br /><p align="left">My trip started at 4:00 am Saturday morning. We had to be in Liege at 5:45 for a 6 ocklock take off. I was a sleepy, dishevelled mess. But things quickly picked up as soon as we got on the coach. 5 and a half hours later we arrive in Paris (: after a quick stop at the hotel to drop off our luggage we head to the first event, the Centre Pompidou to see some modern art. I don't love art, but it was still cool. And we had an expert among us, my host aunty is an art teacher.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451868512080254706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbHIobdyT77BZIMfBKp9Kj9xUiwfnU092JoAW2OC-o0kl_EU4p8FnDiIunboiFFJPwfBAeTOigc_HfHcAqZchctktSJQx2WJr9X2Lq3oA9oxBNSzreEc1KBQnnb2jBqTZUqKpBmagJJ8/s320/P1000875.JPG" /></p><br /><br /><br /><p align="left">Here was my fave piece of modern art, nice and abstract (:</p><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451868490081556738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyCVJe_dMB0KIO-tlohDO1sAPdaexPJS8jUxBnkGk2Yz_uil_bjPmsMqNNvknjQnUHUXZa8ZlwQDyHl2FlJHh0GCDRN87vbsf9UPxIBcqD-h79a-8vme2HDb9bS5TszvpmqL0r7BiWds/s320/P1000864.JPG" /></p><br /><br /><br /><p>The Centre Pompidou from the outside; fun fact: they put the elevators outside to maximise the interior space.</p><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><p>So after the lovely art we went to get a drink, honestly we do that like every five seconds here. It's like the European equivilant to going to maccas. except you do it like multiple times in the space of a few hours. Then we walked to le bon marche which was the first big store in Paris, now its this super nice place where rich people must shop. Then we strolled on over to Notre Dame, it was all clean looking with massive lines inside. I'm pretty sure Ive been into it on previous trips so I was content with just a pic outside (:<br /><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451868446490771282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTc2Hualx1EXJDzbvzi9Y8sfni5Ny10jM9mcwGAuwxbll4PSWtpgurpZAu9oXcyEx1L1gQaqDWWGco5h68c466Dj2u0ezySC2J4neQ42KAOZkmLsX_JLO6QUu8_im6UCCndVV2b4J5PA/s320/P1000881.JPG" /></p><br /><br /><br /><p>So there I am. Little ol' Kim from little ol' NZ standind infront of two of the most well known monuments in the world. </p><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451868519577900306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1wWOyXm2FGkI8Okjua7LG8S2F4E10yiONWoym1Y-gqFjO1-AAZ0sKsrfTejVgDTJ8OL1BvNx2gF570bukWhwWSsG4wdvCUSkmLWXtOSwf8V5C1hqN_wox2P6oQMYPaA4pn3pzxA8c4s/s320/P1000885.JPG" />As you can see from the photo, we had a spout of bad weather as we were walking the streets of Paris. It rained really, really a lot. my jumper, jeans and shoes were so incredibly soaked i couldn't wear them the next day - luckily, the weather was nice enough so that I didnt have to.<br /><br />After the Eiffel tour we rocked back to the hotel, i was soaked and tired. Slept like a baby that night. I enjoyed a lovely Parisian breakfast the next morning, pain au chocolat et crossiants (:</p><br /><br /><br /><p>We then headed to see the Louvre which was cool because I dont think I've been there before. Even though I potentially have and was just too young to care.<br /></p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451879877103447058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJxJrB6KeYIO8Wxg0wjaKVNwF9syYdi7Sk0fLCqTaGw9cebH_Ve-UAx-JnzThheMjSwFhFfuNRiThdlKPGZIR2n9i35Rudkdx5dXaXccq_nX9mLXqOeRb3cpd2I9I2YlHT2tkaaUw_yw/s320/P1000896.JPG" />We didn't go inside but i wasnt that phased. Art is art (little did I know, we were on our way to an Art EXPOSITION!!)</p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451879881507351426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69hB55ciwxZ4ErEWI0pHydw9LVVuV0gcg9S8rMUrJbwONbBOvALvc9vemX-Xo6ztHBC4OUMDSvdl3eZnC992rDwRIvxJE4ase0WLMocP3FR6h8pAoDVuXWL25LT6zmE2FtxxoAMRIQ2U/s320/P1000894.JPG" />This is my mummy host and me at a cool thing which i duno much about, it was like cool candycanes that had been chopped down. I was into it, the others not so much.. haha. Anyway so after that we went to the art expo, an artist called Turner, i duno him but that's probably ignorant of me. Anyway after that we tried to go to a picasso museum (art, encore!) but it was closed for renovations till 2012, so we went instead to the museum of hunting and nature! It was totally cool, im actually stoaked we did that instead of picasso (ignorance, encore) haha. But there were cool stuffed animals like polar bears and stuff, I thought it was really cool (child at heart maybe?)<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451879882280584546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhQfML65mCfuSh5Vf-loA5Q5T_kTxkray8_djgm-AqphgP0sBeYNRFblYSqGQjQMpo_jSLkj7v_SRwcfgOmPr2zxDZ3Qj1aBaZnzFPj4zDSelUmYhmNA2Pv0gScsPEhq8xPbk8Mqckyo/s320/P1000904.JPG" /></p><blockquote></blockquote><p><br />So then after that we got back on the coach and came home to belgium at the happy hour of 11:50. I did NOT go to school the next day, because nobody likes a sleepy exchange student (:</p><p> </p><p>Much Love (: Kimi<br /><br /></p><p align="left"></p></blockquote></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-59956840873521767232010-03-17T10:54:00.000-07:002010-03-17T12:11:07.122-07:00Update (:<div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div>So.. It's march now. Actually today is St Patricks day, so that's where i'll start. </div><br /><br /><br /><div>St Patricks day pretty much is a big deal for exchange students. So we all went down to Liege and had a merry old time, i left early though because I was supposed to do to a fashion show but then my train was late so that's why I'm blogging instead. St Patricks is the same as it is at home, people dress in green and overconsume (:</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Yesterday (march 16th) we went to the Opera. It was Rigoletto. It was cool for me because I had never been to an opera before, and my super savvy host mum got me to read the story before watching it which turned out to be a make-or-break factor for the show, lots of the exchange students couldnt follow and so they didnt really enjoy it. It was cool cause we got to get all dressed up and whatnot.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Sundayyy the 14th i spent at Stavelot. A wee town renounded for its Carnaval et blanc moussis (: It was really cool to see the culture there, i was shocked at how behaved everyone was. Nobody was walking along with the parade or anything. And at the end when the main event came there was SO SO SO much confetti, its still all through our house almost a week later. It was crazy but really cool. Here are some pics:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449665464418761346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hMZMOrqIAI85-rx-U3h0dv9XuvQSNKAqTF9hS5Ju4DVfmyZAmaqTGTypXNhNPVNqiySyPbopSssg6NbWesJ1-7zvL0PexT6pLxypK9WAc9LjBQlynVk-1t1zfFerOTZ9mmO2eHaj_SU/s320/P1010059.JPG" /></div></div><br /><br /><p>Thats me and Marie-Eve it the confetti storm, she's having a blast evidently haha.</p><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449668274112979410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95RrJBZkSe9b__jMyu_kiHBPltDiutw6BMmMOJgSm9vglwcpWs1hvV2IQCjdODaHMpt-WwDE7V2SrjGw2g1JsvXN-r7mR7Oo-5NbGUWquiLYQ6qqjndHEweOgUfkgcZp0_4wcWlQyF4Y/s320/P1010047.JPG" /></div><br /><p>The typical Stavlot thing, blanc moussi, they smack everyone in the face with those pig bladder balloons and then throw confetti at you. They also have old fish guts on the end of a pole that they dangle in your face, i dont get it either, dont worry. Haha.</p><p> </p><p>The Saturday before that I went to Luxemburgh. It was a rotary trip and we spent two hours on the bus, then a couple of hours at some sort of butchery, and then back on the bus, then a sightseeing trip on the bus, then back on the bus to come home. It was a very tiring day but Luxemburgh was nice, we couldnt take many photos though they were all rubbish through the windows of the buses. Dommage...</p><p>The friday night before I went to a school friends birthday drinks in her garage, there was a dessert buffet so I was like in heaven practically. It was a really nice little atmosphere (: I left at half-past midnight so i was a bit tired at the 7:30 start for Luxemburgh the next day!</p><p>Tuesday the 9th my Aunty Prue and Uncle Brian were in Belgium for a visit. They were in Antwerp to buy diamonds, (oh, what a hard life) but they popped down to Vise to see me. We went with my host grandparents to the Hautes-Fagnes to show the Dargavillians the snow. They were playing around like kids in the snow. After that we all ate together, my host grandparents, parents, me and my aunty and uncle. We had Boulets de Liege and frites - it was nice to see the family. I got a bit sad because Aunty Prue reminds me of my dad a tiny bit ):</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449668278847542834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE2kLamLvp1NGmugpxtHZ_Yd9TCoIKv0wm1xFR6LZZY9MWNKsQRPhZLr78Inoi52Lrxa6zG1jCkrbHQdHF3cj4MiLCkkiLgyRQYCI2SKirPHJ0ybU4nTsQmb7tSw7OAWqTWjxEW6sloQ/s320/P1000663.JPG" />This is me and Danielle and Marie-Eve on the canals of Brugge. Its really pretty in Brugges, and i cant remember whether or not I already blogged about it, so there you go, a photo hah. Danielle is cool beans, we get on like a house on fire. Im glad she's here else rotary events would be a bit of a mission, she's Australian, but I've forgiven her for that. (: </p><p> </p><p> </p>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-24199270562918217482010-02-17T09:10:00.000-08:002010-02-17T10:14:28.156-08:00Life.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA08FUUzhtQzSpEQCb0X5YRf2bO00YNLI3UHsDnmVKcX4r5p6BP4cf353H2V6A1BnpXGBgHWQMZ-ig8b7VoItsHmylK74NwbCLF1VCa5h7rErZvfOf0EdawO8IQzVv6bMLF71INitD2MQ/s1600-h/P1000393.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439277249825935426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA08FUUzhtQzSpEQCb0X5YRf2bO00YNLI3UHsDnmVKcX4r5p6BP4cf353H2V6A1BnpXGBgHWQMZ-ig8b7VoItsHmylK74NwbCLF1VCa5h7rErZvfOf0EdawO8IQzVv6bMLF71INitD2MQ/s320/P1000393.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRxUZdDMNUdHg-blQloEaX2H-EX2SGTrA0R0h37qYKA8uorXnXUuieXYQbzNwLcvH8cjDmO424VvS7-2N7iVDF4oGiXRVsjpe481oLRerTESonRZP3H2hO1apVk_nUIrlgOJuXPjav08/s1600-h/P1000464.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439276395845812002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRxUZdDMNUdHg-blQloEaX2H-EX2SGTrA0R0h37qYKA8uorXnXUuieXYQbzNwLcvH8cjDmO424VvS7-2N7iVDF4oGiXRVsjpe481oLRerTESonRZP3H2hO1apVk_nUIrlgOJuXPjav08/s320/P1000464.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>Here's a quick catch up. There is a lot of snow here in Belgium. So, we go for walks in it. The first set of photos is a walk we did aaaages ago really near my house in Mortroux. That was with Jean-Paul, Marie-Eve and I. The next walk we did was in Fagnes, which is like mountains but actually not- more like glorified hills. It was us plus Maxime, and Marie-Eves parents. My host-Grandad and real grandad are spookily similar (: It was really pretty at Fagnes even though I was beyond cold. Had an awesome hot chocolate after. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Bike riding. That's what I did with Jean-Paul. Legitimate bike riding on a bike, I never do things like that haha. But it's true what they say, you do never forget. It was really hard in like the wilderness with mud and branches, so eventually JP just went back onto the streets where I could cope. There was also a Carnaval thing at JPs school, so I went to that. It was cute. The kids really get into it. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Okay, so Carnaval. I dont really understand why it's celebrated, or what really it's supposed to be but I will try my best to explain it to you. The first Carnaval i went to was at Bassenge. Our theme was superheros, so we dressed up in random stuff like capes and masks. I was just some random superhero, nothing specific. Anyway, it starts at like two oclock and its kinda like the santa parade, but anybody can have a float if they pay. And they throw confetti everywhere, specifically at people. But they also throw lollies, and various misc items, ( i caught a sweatband, and an egg timer) haha. Its random but good. Then afterwards there's a party. But by that stage everybody has got drunk, sobered up and is tipsy again. The drinking culture is surreal. The next Carnaval i saw was at Fourons, which was smaller than bassenge but still good. I didn't stay long but I came back afterwards for the party, this one was Michael Jackson themed. R.I.P MJ.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I also have been luging which is like tobogganing its not like the rotorua luge at all, the luges are metal and there's no way of stopping once you started. I went with Marie-Eves sister and her family. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;">General Stuff:</span></div><br /><br /><div>School: Its weird, but I'm getting used to it. Its not like back home where you pick specifically what subjects you want to take, its more that you pick a course. Like a maths course will have more maths and science and economics, where as a language course (surprisingly) will have more languages, but you still have to do maths and stuff. You have the same people in all your classes, which is good for me cause I can just follow them around without thinking about what class i have. They only have two breaks for eating, i miss form period a lot. Gym class is rofl. Thursdays are cool cause i miss like 4 hours of school in the middle of the day. I start at like 8:20 most days and finish at 3:20. Similar length to home(: BUT they care very very much about what they wear to school. So my casual lonsdale hoodie and jeans attracted a few stares. Colour is also a no-go... it's kinda depressing.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Food: not much to report, we eat a lot of bread, chocolate and other carbs haha. Heellllo exchange weight. Haha. They have a spread called speculoos* and its delicious. Its like a Cinnamon scroll on bread. I'm addicted. We eat soup heaps which is good cause i like soup, but it makes me miss my nita ):</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Its hard to walk, cause of the ice. I walk slow as, and people notice. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Thats it for now(:</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4002699493897044251.post-40809301076917707822010-02-17T09:00:00.000-08:002010-02-17T09:03:09.375-08:00Trial<span >This is my new blog. I will write stuff here and you can read it if it really interests you that much, haha. Hi mum (:</span>Kimberleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08332670049896949296noreply@blogger.com0