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Today was much more fun then day 1! My room mate (let’s call her B) and I went on a walking your of Barcelona and then down to the beach.

B is from Austria she is in Barcelona for school but can’t move into her apartment for a month so she’s staying at the hostel.

The tour was lead by an Irish guy call Kieran he was kind of awesome. I learned a lot about Catalonia and several interesting new curse words.

Catalonians have a lot of interesting traditions most of all Caga Tió at Christmas (which I will leave you to google yourselves). Catalonians seem pretty awesome and very proud.

Also got to hear about the Romans The city is over 2000 years old and we got to see the original wall the Romans built it was neat. B and I got to talking about how for me those ancient things are the cool part for her (she grew up in Israel and lives in Vienna now) that is everyday stuff. America is just so young it doesn’t seem like it but then you go to a city that can trace it’s roots back 2000+ years and you realize how not young it is.

B says we have more innovation though in Europe you won’t find sky scrapers or new architecture because they are so concerned with conserving the old. Which is better I wonder?

We also went to Eglésia de Santa Maria del Mar a cathedral built by the “working man” of Barcelona in the 1300’s it was gorgeous and “Simple” you could really stop and enjoy the architecture of it. They built it in 50ish years and it was funded by and built by the poorest section of abarcelona. Everyday after work the men would Cary huge bricks home to add to the church. I lit a candle inside for my dad I think he would appreciate the work
That went into it.

After the your we went tons cheap tapas bar and had lunch then back the hostel then down to the beach.

The beach was gorgeous… BUT the water was full of trash >8( sick sick sick! Good for sun bathing but not swimming! Also I have never seen so many naked people all at once before.

Back to the Hostel then and that is about when the French invaded. B and I are now sharing a room with 6 French boys. They look like they are 12 and kind of smell.. Someone in the group needs to lay off the aftershave. Apparently Austrians don’t like the French so B was not to happy. I was excited because it was the first language I understood being spoken. Would it be rude to ask whoever smells to Shower?

Well it’s wine time now! I’m including a picture of the beach and a picture if the wine I’m drinking now (and the cork I defeated!)

Later!

Long time no write… Guess. Where I am?

Please excuse spelling and grammar errors I’m writing this from my phone on 0 hours sleep.

So huh I haven’t updated in awhile but guess what? I’m here! (by here I mean Barcelona) the flight went by quickly and I think I’m still in shock that I’m here. Either that or I’m still half Zombie from jetlag? Either one is plausible. I did not sleep at all on the flight.

I made it to the hostel without trouble (Aerobus to the L2 metro line) My hostel is a 2 minute walk from the beach and pretty close to the old Olympic stuff. At first I was a little sketched by the area but after some walking around I decided it’s cool. It’s better in one direction then the other.

Food is crazy cheap I spent 5 Euro today on food for at least 3 days.

On to what I actually went and saw today besides crazy cheap grocery stores.

I took the metro to Sagrada Familia, last time I was here there was a ton of scaffolding this time there was much less and it was just gorgeous. The line to go in was CRAZY long (and it was 15 Euro just to go in) so I walked around it a couple times and the park next to it. Gorgeous! I think if I have the money at the end of the trip I’ll go in and check it out.

After that I went to Plaza Monumental to see the bull fighting ring. So cool checked out the museum took pics felt really bad for the poor bulls in the pens.

Then I came back to the hostel and im now updating the blog… It’s 6:46 here dinner then bed time me thinks!

I’m including a pic of Sagrada Familia and my lunch.

I better get moving…

So a bunch of cities are sinking according to US News (Check out the article it’s short and has pictures!)

I’m planning on going to Venice this Summer (About 9 months till my trip!!!) But What about the other places? Bangkok could be under water in 7 years! Shanghai is sinking fast to and apparently there is nothing to be done about it. The there is New Orleans… All 3 places I’ve wanted to go and if I don’t hurry places I may never get a chance to see unless I get Scuba certified…

I’ve wanted to go to Venice since… I can’t remember when I began wanting to go to Venice (As a kid it was more because the idea of getting around by boat seemed cool) The idea that this could be my only chance to see it is strange, that my cousins and nephews may never get to see it is even stranger.

I’ve always wanted to see the temples and just natural beauty of Bangkok. Or go shopping in Shanghai (not to mention check out the fantastic architecture) it’s sad to think that If I don’t “Hurry” I may never get a chance to see them, and more than likely my kids never will out side of a Discovery Channel Special…

All these cities are sinking why? Us. Global Warming, Over-Development, Over-Extraction… Yep we’re sinking em. The water is rising,  if any of the cities on the list are on your bucket list I suggest you see them sooner rather than later.

Mardi Gras anyone?

Uh Oh…

I don't know what this sign is telling people to do or not to do... But I think I need to not go to this place...

I saw this on HackedIRL (Hacked In Real life) And it just made me Crack Up so I thought I would share. If any one happens to know what language this is written in please let me know what the sign says, I’m very curious.

UPDATE: It’s Croatian! Private Property. Except for Tenants. OK so note to self no trespassing in Croatia.

The Attack of the Mini Bagles

Miniature Foods are the devil. They come marching in and Knock you right of your Diet with out breaking a sweat (or leaving behind a crumb).

Mini-Bagels, Mini-Donuts, Mini-Muffins, Miniature bags of chips to go with your miniature  fucking Candy Bars (Fun Sized!) Maybe you’d like some Mini-Pizza’s? Would you like them on a super Mini-Bagel? Thirsty? Try a Miniature sized Can of Coke. Of course we can never forget the King of miniature food, The Miniature Burger (White Castle… Yum…).

I for one am rebelling! No more Mini Foods that make me think I’m eating healthy because they’re tiny and not the size of a regular Bagel. Nothing that small can fill you up! So you find yourself going back to get another justifying that 2 are still probably smaller then a regular sized food item (Even when deep down you know that’s not true). 2 leads to 3, 3 leads to 4 than the next thing you know your diet is out the window. You’ve eaten the equivalent of 3 full sized bagels, just in “Mini” form.

They Never Miniaturize healthy foods either (With the exception of the Banapple, which tastes like a Kiwi strangely enough) Maybe because someone out there was smart enough to figure out that healthy foods shouldn’t be miniaturized. Maybe because they realized most people would skip over the mini apple and head straight for the mini cheeseburgers if given a choice. But probably because unlike other mini foods, fruits and vegetables are grown not engineered.

It is time to stand up my fellow dieters! Say no to mini foods! No to mini packages of things we love but goes against our diet! No more miniature servings of foods that are basically a full sized Heart Attack on a stick! No! No! No! No! No!

Ok I think I’m done. And I have a strange craving for fruit… Hmmm…

Sometimes it’s not all about me.

The last week or so I’ve been feeling this real disconnect with this whole idea. Like the novelty of the idea had worn off and while I 100% planned on still going it had stopped being the Event (The Life Changing part is implied) that I wanted and needed it to be. I was also having a hard time coming up with something to blog about. I mean how many entries can you read (and I write) about me whining about exercising and giving budgeting tips? It needed something, I needed something, and today it kind of dawned on me what that something was.

The only person who’s benefiting from my trip is myself. Which isn’t a bad thing, I need to get out there grow up and for once follow through with something in my life. I guess what I need though is more meaning to the trip, for it to make more of an impact. Which sounds so cliché to me but it’s true. Right now though it isn’t having any impact on anyone outside of myself.

So today I had a thought, it was inspired by a friend on Facebook. She’s a busy mom with 3 kids one of which is special needs.  She somehow manages to find time to give back in between the millions of things she has to do. My life basically revolves around work and fun and I find Zero time to give back to anyone but myself. I don’t want to become one of those people who see the suffering of other but does nothing to help because they think someone else will.

I budgeted $11,000 for this trip. The $11,000 assumes that every day I will stay in a hostel, spend my full food and Entertainment Budget and that everything else I need to buy will cost the max price I set. In reality I’m assume I’ll come back with 10-20% of my budget. I had no real plans for the money, maybe live on it for a bit, maybe upgrade my iPhone >8) or buy a car. Or I guess I could do something useful with it…

So I came up with a new plan for my money. A better plan. All the money I don’t spend on my trip I’m donating to Charity. I plan on saving money by not staying in Hostel’s every night, working when I can, trying to find free things to do in cities and not eating out often (buying food from grocery stores). I have a charity in mind but I want to speak with them first before putting them all over my blog. As of now I have 2400 dollars saved, which means I have about $240-$480 saved to donate to charity next October.

I’m also going to look into something I can do here in Atlanta because charity isn’t just about money it’s about doing as well. I’m also going to try to find something I can do in every country I visit when I’m in Europe.

I feel more motivated already.

Ole OLe OLe Ole

It’s the start of football season here in the US. I’ve grown up a football fan, September to me means Weekends spent gather around th TV and Beer. (of course) I am a die-hard Ohio State fan (O H!). I am a true Browns fan, (Wedding vows say the good and the bad, The Browns have been in the Bad my entire life but I still love them.) As long as I can remember Saturdays have meant College Football and Sundays the NFL. I love American Football.

I dislike soccer or as its known to the rest of the world Football. I get bored, maybe because I lack that from birth loyalty to a team. Maybe because when I played in elementary school the coaches never properly explained why chasing a checker ball back and forth down the field was so important. Maybe because any sport where they only score once or twice a game but there are no fights (Got to love Hockey) is a bit dull to me. Maybe because I am American and there for lack taste. Point being Soccer+ Cassie = Snooze Fest. (In elementary school soccer games were daisy chain making time)

However since I am going to be traveling to Europe I feel like it may be time to give soccer a chance once again. Much like baseball I believe soccer may be one of those sports that are better in person than on TV, or at least enjoyed in a bar with a bunch of other fans! Meaning it is time to add an Activity to my Europe Trip plans.

Attend a Football Match.

The when and where are up in the air and will probably be determined by where I am when there is a match but I feel like I must be missing something when it comes to soccer so I am going to figure it out!

Hopefully I won’t fall asleep during the game like I did in kindergarten.Or turn into this kid (though really I bet he’s a lot of fun)

What I think of when I think of Soccer Fans...

Finishing what I started.

I have a tendency to start things and be crazy and ready to  go. I tend to be enthusiastic and do more than I need to. Then do a bit less. Then less. Then eventually not at all. I can not tell you how many projects I’ve started but never finished…

This past week this blog was starting to become one of those things. I was crazy busy with work followed by a crazy busy weekend (thank god for the 3 day weekend!) I went from daily to every couple of days, but this is one project I refuse to let go.

I like blogging and it’s forcing me to stay on track with my plan budget wise (not so much diet wise). So this is just a short post to say, Hi. I’m still out here still 100% planning on going to Europe. Still budgeting, dieting and bitching.

And I will be back tomorrow because a girl has to set some goals for herself. I think updating my blog daily is a small one.

Potatoes, It’s whats for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Potatoes- Potatoes- Potatoes- Potatoes- Potatoes- Potatoes

I have Potatoes on the brain. (But hopefully not for a brain)

Potatoes are a staple food, we eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner not to mention in snacks. (We probably even eat them for dessert). Potatoes are fairly nutritious and if prepared correctly can be quite healthy. However I don’t eat them that way, I like my potato with a side of fat and sodium.  (And usually a cheeseburger)

The downfall of the potato is Oil, Cheese and Butter. Oh and Sour Cream. Oh and Bacon to. (Now I really want a Baked Potato). I don’t think there is a vegetable out there that we like to completely beat any and all nutritional value  out of as much as the potato. We fry them, soak them in butter, cover them in cheese bacon and sour cream then call it a side dish. We’ve made potatoes so unhealthy that the National Health Service no longer considers Potatoes part of the 5 daily vegetables we’re supposed to eat for a healthy diet. We’ve kicked potatoes right up to the tip of the food pyramid right along with Butterfingers and Pizza.

Even worse, despite the fact that I know all this I am actually still craving french fries. I literally just went on a 20 minute walk from cafeteria to cafeteria looking for some form of potato for lunch. I can’t find time to exercise but I found some time to attempt to find fries (which I did not get despite my best attempt!).

I think it is time to re-prioritize. (Or at least pick a farther away place to walk in search of food so I get more “exercise”.)

Yummm.....

P.S. O H

1 Month Down 10 More to Go!

I guess today is a two post day since I forgot to hit Post yesterday… Whoops

Today is officially 1 month down and I believe it is time to do a round-up on goals.

1) Save up 11,000 dollars– I’m at about 1500 dollars which is great! Ideally I’d like to save at least 1000 a month but ideally 1200 which would put me at over 11,000 giving me some money to live on when I get back from Europe while I’m searching for a new job (or at least while I’m figuring out what I want to do post Trip.)

2) Get in a shape other than Round– Eh… Well… Yeah, How about that… I put on 5 pounds this months. I think that is the opposite of my plan (No it was not in muscle, I think it was in Cheese Burgers)

3) Grow some balls! I’m working on this, admittedly the whole plan is still kind of well terrifying but mostly exciting. I’m not going to not go, there is no way I’m going to not do this. It’s just really being out there on my own for the first time scares me. But I’m also 24 so time to freaking grow up right?

4) Find a way to tell mother I am quitting job and running away to Europe for 3 months. Check!

So 3 out of 4 ain’t bad I guess… I just am not good at dieting or exercising! Seriously! I hate getting up early to work out I like sleeping and even when I go to bed early It’s hard to pry myself out of bed  in the morning. Honestly the time I’d most like to workout is in the afternoon that’s when I start to get a bit stir crazy but working out in the afternoon mean losing time at work which means making less money. So I guess I’m kind of damned if I do damned if I don’t >8p. Anyone have any tips? Seriously, anything is welcome!

Since I completed a goal I am going to add a goal, something I really should have added at the beginning:

5) Stop Shopping!!!!

I am a self-professed shopaholic. I like buying things, I love boxes being delivered to the house and coming home with bags of stuff. I love shopping for other people and myself. I just like shopping. The last month I’ve done mostly well, the only big purchases I made were trip related (and maybe a dress). I got the shopping urge out but got stuff I would need for the trip (A Guide Book, Bed Post Clothes Line, Roll Up Water Bottle) I’ve done good with my online shopping and completely avoided clothing stores and the mall. However there is an area that could still use some work. The check out area. I am a check out shopper. Packs of gum, Face Masks, Candy, the check out display are my enemy… A dollar here 50 cents there, It all adds up and it’s time to break the habit! In the month of September I will not buy anything from the check out line area (unless I really need it. Or it’s really cool)

Alright that’s all for now. Later!

I need to work on being less round. I don't want to be rolled around Europe by Oompa Loompas. Though on the plus side I am not blue. So at least I've got that going for me.