European Anticipation

Today, (in t minus 25 minutes) I leave for the Pittsburgh airport and fly into Edinburgh, Scotland tonight. I will be there for a few days...doing the stuff and seeing things and then I drive to Oxford, England for a bit. From Oxford I travel a short distance to London where I will see things like the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, (not to be confused with the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger) etc. After living it up in England, I will then travel (by train via the Channel Tunnel) to Paris, France. This is where my trip will end. I can't think of a better way to end a European mini-adventure than eating crepes and seeing a show at the Moulin Rouge. (I'm totally kidding about seeing a show at the Moulin Rouge, but you better believe I will be seeing some shows during my 11 day European travels.)
During my trip I plan to see as much art as possible. I will welcome all forms of art. Famous and un-famous paintings, beautiful and not-so-beautiful music, plays, musicals, nature, the filth of the city streets, etc. I also plan to take a lot of pictures. There will be no hiding the fact that I am a crazy US tourist. (Why try to hide it when you are traveling with 8 other big Americans who will most likely be too loud and get all excited to see a McDonalds or KFC?) I also plan to listen to a lot of pod casts and take good notes. I might purchase a few souvenirs and send a post card or two (to my boyfriend, don't everyone get your hopes up).
So, be expecting a full update on European Vacation 2008...including pictures, thanks to my Mom, who is letting me borrow her new camera.

free

I've decided that "free" is my favorite word. Well, maybe not my absolute favorite, but it is at least in the top 5. I'm a sucker for anything that's free. I love going to conferences and getting all the free swag. Typically it's nothing I would have ever desired or payed money for...but it's free so I'm jazzed about it! I also enjoy "buy one get one free" opportunities and I usually take advantage of those. At Garage sales, I go straight for the box at the end of the driveway marked "FREE".
I've recently re-realized my excitement for the word free as I was looking over my itinerary for my upcoming trip to Europe (England, Scotland and France). I leave on Sunday the 18th...in one week! When I noticed how many museums and various tourists sites I will have the opportunity to visit at absolutely no cost to me, I got all excited! I think I will really enjoy this trip to Europe, but I think I would enjoy it a bit less if nothing was free.

beautiful?

Oh, spring time in Pittsburgh! It's beautiful...check this out to see what I mean. :)