Hard Day

Hello,

So, following the events of yesterday, today was very difficult. I nearly hit a few people, but I managed to avoid that. One of my best friends took me out for ice cream after school. That made things a little bit better.

Other than that I went to archery today, for the first time in two weeks. I still suck. I can't figure out what the hell is going on. I've dropped by an average of 50 points since December and I don't know why. I am seriously frustrated and nothing I do seems to help at all.

I also practiced my choreography just now. It went just as terribly as usual the first go around and then I put a tensor bandage on and it was little bit easier. But not by much. I finally went to my mom and asked if we can get me into some physio therapy. I've been avoiding it because of bad memories from the past, but I really don't see any other option now. Not being able to dance is seriously effecting my moods and I really need to fix that. I'm not nearly as depressed as I was last year, but I'm certainly not operating at 100%.

I'm also thinking about working on a non-fiction/short story/memoir about this past of mine I keep bringing up... It wouldn't take me that long, I don't plan on making it more than 1000 words. When I get it done I'll either post a copy on here or link the piece. I won't say anymore, just to build suspense ;)

With that I will leave you for tonight. After a day like today, I seriously need to play some Black Ops, it always makes me feel better.

Tschus!
~Alexandra

Ever the Optimist...

Hello,

So something very... not wonderful happened today. I don't really want to get into it, but essentially it's helped me make up my mind about something. I've been considering getting up and moving away from home since last August, and now I finally feel like I can do that. The only reason I was staying here has been terminated (I tried so hard to make that not sound like someone died. No one died.) and now I think I have the nerve to do it.

So, my plan is to work really hard for the next four years both at a job and at my undergrad degree and then, after I graduate I'm leaving Canada. I'm planning on going to Paris for a year just to write (and improve my French). I'm lucky enough to have parents who are willing to pay my way in University, so long as I get good grades, so I can stash money over the next four years to make this happen. I've already researched the processes I'd have to go through to be able to stay in the country for a year and to gain residency, so I can live in an apartment for that year.

If I have enough money, that's what I'll do. If I don't have enough money for that, I'm relocating to Kingston, Ontario. That's where my mother was born and where my father ended up when he moved to Canada with his family and it's the only Canadian city besides Vancouver that I love more than Calgary. So, regardless, I am spending a year away from Calgary after my undergrad. It will be good for me.

Anyway, on a happy note, I went shopping today and had a lot of fun :3

I hope everyone had a wonderful day and a great long weekend (if you got a long weekend, if you didn't I am very sorry).
~Alexandra

Hella Bored

Title says it all: I'm hella bored and I kind of feel bad leaving you with a whiny post for today. Instead, I'm going to do a very long meme for you all. I'm that bored.

Basics

• Name: Alexandra
  
• Birthplace: Calgary, Alberta
• Current Location: My dining room
  
• Heritage: German, Austrian, Slovenian
  
• Eye Color: Brown with blue sclera
  
• Hair Color: Naturally brown, but I died it a deep brown/red with henna
  
• Hair Length: Just past my shoulders
  
• Height: 5'5"
  
• Weight: We're not getting in to that
  
• Figure: Not ideal, but I can deal with it
  
• Righty or Lefty: Righty in everything except chopsticks and badminton, where I'm ambidextrous :D
  
• Zodiac Sign: Rooster, Aries
  
• Introvert or extrovert: Introvert
  
• Meyers-Briggs Personality type: INFJ
  

Style

• Clothing: I'd call it simple yet chic; pants a patterned shirt, a jacket of some description and either a big piece of jewelry or a scarf
  
• Hair: Always tied back in some fashion or another. French braids are a popular choice, as well as buns.
  
• Music: Anything and everything, except country and western.
  
• Makeup: Everyday! I love experimenting so it's always something new. For everyday I usually go as dramatic as is socially acceptable without looking like out of place. I love golds and blues and purples. Black liquid eye-liner and mascara are a must!
  
• Body Art: Henna whenever I have a really good design in mind.
  
• Car: I don't own one, but I drive mom's van whenever she lets me.
  
• Decor: I have page-a-day calendar pages from Lonely Planet mini calendars stuck to all my walls. I would love to have an ultra-mod set up though...
  

Right Now

• Current mood: Chilled out
  
• Current music: Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack
  
• Current taste: I'm assuming you mean the sense, so Coke Zero
  
• Current hair: Bun
  
• Current clothes: Sweat pants and a Hanes t-shirt
  
• Current annoyance: My back is itchy.
  
• Current smell: Tulips, which are behind my computer.
  
• Current longing: ... I kind of want a hug.
  
• Current desktop picture: Macro water droplet on a purple feather. It's purdy :3
  
• Current fingernail color: Plain for once, I'm painting them navy tomorrow, though.
  
• Current likes: I like everything :3
  
• Current dislikes: I dislike my feet being cold...
  
• Current favorite article of clothing: I have this slouchy blazer inspired jacket, I feel so good wearing that thing :)
  
• Current favorite place to be: Paris, specifically in the area of the Opera house
• Current time you wake up in the morning: My alarm is set for 6:30 but I get out of bed an hour after this.
  
• Current favorite word: Slapdash

What are you...

• Thinking of: Paris
  
• Feeling: Longing
  
• Remembering: Paris
  
• Doing: This thing, obviously. And listening to music.
  
• Planning: My future!! (lame)
  

What were you doing

• 1 hour ago: Putting henna on canvas pieces.
  
• 1 day ago: Internet
  
• 1 week ago: Getting ready for a short week at school
  
• 1 month ago: Chilling out in Europe.
  
• 1 year ago: Trying to survive the end of grade 11. It legitimately almost killed me.
  
• 5 years ago: Being in grade 7, just enjoying being young.
  
• 10 years ago: Being in grade 3, loving life.
  

Your favorite

• Music: I really like electronica, opera and gothic metal
  
• Cartoon: Class of the Titans holds a very special place in my heart. Futurama, Family Guy and American Dad are all great too :)
  
• Font: Shonar Bangla
  
• Color: Dark teal is really nice
  
• Song: Right now I'm loving "We no speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool
  
• Flavor: Butter chicken flavour
  
• Scent: Japanese Cherry Blossom from the Body Shop
  
• Magazine: I'm between magazines right now
  
• TV Show: Castle
  
• Book: Memoirs of a Geisha
  
• Movie: NaPolA (Before the Fall), it's a German movie about the Hitler Youth, it's very powerful and very well done.
  
• Language: I love listening to Russian and German, I love speaking English and I like French.
  
• Food: Indian, Greek, Chinese, German and French food.
  
• Beverage: Coke Zero, Mike's Hard Lemonade
  
• Fruit: KIWI!!!!!
  
• Vegetable: Sweet potato
  
• Season: Summer
  
• Subject in School: English
• Weekend Activity: Archery
  
• Ice Cream Flavor: Coffee, Tiger, Cassis
  
• Pizza toppings: Ham, Pinapple, Bacon and cheese
  

Preferences

• Cola or Other: Cola
  
• Coke or Pepsi: Coke
  
• Fried, Scrambled, or Poached: Soft-boiled? XD
• Pancakes or Waffles: Waffles
  
• Dogs or Cats: Dogs
  
• Coffee or Tea: Tea
  
• Iced or Hot: Depends on the drink
  
• Looking out the window or into the room: Out the window
  
• One Pillow or Two: Two
  
• Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate
  
• High Achiever or Easy-Going: Easy-going, but it depends on the situation
  
• Single or Taken: Single
  
• Pen or Pencil: Pen!!! Staples Opti-Flow FTW!
  
• Gloves or Mittens: Leather Gloves are so badass :P
  
• Planned or Spontaneous: Depending on the situation either one is good.
  
• Food or Candy: Food
  
• Matches or a Lighter: Lighter... I'm less likely to hurt myself :P
• Typed or Handwritten: Depends on my mood. I get more done handwriting.
  
• Walk or Run: Walk, I can't run right now.
  
• Elevator or Stairs: Stairs
  
• Walk or Drive: Walk!
  
• Facing into the restaurant or away from the other people: Away from people
• Eating alone, with one friend, or with lots of friends: With lots of friends!
  
• Home or "Out": Depends on my mood
  
• Alone, with one friend, or with a group?: Group

Who Would You Like To...

• Hear From: My Finnish friend...
  
• Never Hear From Again: These people know who they are.
  
• Look Like: I'm happy the way I am :)
  
• Be Like: No one else really... just be less like my father.
  
• Meet: Stana Katic
  
• Get to Know: This girl I met on the Europe trip, I can't believe we've never met before, we'd be best friends :P
  
• Learn from / Study With: Arthur Golden
• Impress: Jeff Buick
  
• Teach: Any of the young archers at the club, I'm not the best teacher right now.
  

Do you...?

• Have any tattoos (where?): Not at the moment, I haven't done a henna tattoo in months.
  
• Have any piercings (where?): Ears
  
• Have any scars: One on each ankle and down the side of my knee (all from the same surgery), one by my eye when my brother hit me with a bamboo pole when we were little, and a few left over burns here and there from my kitchen escapades.
  
• Get along with your parents?: For the most part I guess.
  
• Get motion sickness: Rarely if ever.
  
• Think you're a health nut: Good lord no
• Type with your fingers on the right keys: I don't think so.
• Play an instrument: Piano
  
• Play an instrument well: More or less, I'm proficient. I've mostly taught myself.
  
• Sleep with a stuffed animals: Not any more
  
• Have a significant other: Not at the moment
  
• Have a dream that keeps coming back: Not really
  
• Believe there is life on other planets: From a statistical point of view, yes, I do.
  
• Read the newspaper: Sometimes
  
• Read the comics: Sometimes
  
• Read the sports pages: Never
  
• Check the weather forecast: Sometimes
  
• Go to restaurants alone: Naw
  
• Consider yourself tolerant of others: Yes, overly so sometimes
• Like the taste of alcohol: I do
  
• Drink: Yes, never in excess, however.
  
• Smoke: Never!
  
• Swear: Frequently ^^"
  
• Sing: All the time
  
• Sing in public: Never
  
• Sing in the shower: All the time
  
• Laugh: Every day
  
• Joke: Usually
  
• Read: Yep
  
• Exercise: I dance almost every day and I try to do archery at least once a week.
  
• Diet: Not really
  
• Cook: Sometimes
  
• Believe in astrology: No, but it's good for a laugh or a pick-me-up sometimes
• Read your horoscope: When I find it somewhere, for reasons stated above.
  
• Believe in magic: Magic in the child-like wonder sense, yes.
  
• Believe in miracles: Little miracles, none of this mystical healing crap, though.
  
• Go to church: Once a year on Easter
  
• Have any secrets: Everyone does
  
• Have any pets: Does my brother count?
  
• Have any children: No.
• Have any brothers or sisters: Does my brother count?
• Work: No.
  
• Have a college degree (or go to or plan to go to college): I'm going to University next year
• Chat to strangers who instant message you: No. Unless I'm on Omegle
  
• Talk to strangers on the bus: No
  
• Wear hats: Sometimes
  
• Like yourself: Yeah :)
  
• Wish on stars: Naw
• Like your handwriting: Yeah! Especially from the back side of the paper.
• Trust others easily: Not really
  
• Like puns: Yeah!
  
• Have a good sense of humor: I think so.
• Take walks in the rain: Oh yeah!
  

Do you prefer

• Traveling/Staying home/Going out: Travelling
  
• Cooking/Eating out/Entertaining at home: Eating out
• Large parties/Small parties where you know everyone/Quiet evenings with a few friends/Being alone: Small parties where I know everyone.

Leisure Time: Do you like to...

• Read: Yes
  
• Go out, anywhere!: Yes
• Go dancing: If I knew where I could go, I would
• See a show: If there's something good playing.
  
• Rent a video: Not really.
  
• Listen to music: All the time!
  
• Go for a walk: When the weather's nice.
  
• Watch television: A little bit, usually the food network
  
• Surf the web: Daily
  
• Chat with friends online: Yeah
• Meet people for coffee and conversation: Yes!!
• Go to a party: Yep
  
• Stay home: Usually
  

Sports and recreation: Do you...

• Jog: No
  
• Run: No
  
• Walk: Yes
  
• Ski: NEVER
  
• Swim: When I can
  
• Play on a team: Yes
  
• Play "pickup" games: Beg pardon?
• Bowl: Hellz yeah!
  
• Work Out: No

Creative outlets: Do you...

• Paint or draw: Draw henna designs
  
• Sculpt, do pottery, mold clay...: No
  
• Build scale models: No
  
• Collect... (what?): No
  
• Write (what?): Whatever I feel like writing that day :)
  
• Compose music: I'm no good at it
  
• Choreograph dances: Yes!
  
• Dance: Daily
  
• Develop software: Good God no!
• Meditate: Sometimes
  
• Daydream: All the time!

Have you ever...?

• Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Not on my own
  
• Thought about eating an entire box of Oreos: Yeah
  
• Baked a cake: Yes!
  
• Cooked Thanksgiving Dinner for a group: No
• Eaten sushi: All the time
  
• Been on stage: Yes!!
  
• Gone skating: Never
  
• Made homemade cookies: Yes!
• Gone skinny dipping: NEVER
  
• Dyed your hair: Once with henna
  
• Broken a bone: 16 or so.
  
• Been hospitalized overnight: A few times yes
• Had your name appear in the newspaper: No
  
• Published a story, poem, novel...: I had a few articles published in Junior High
  
• Played a game that required removal of clothing: No...
  
• Gotten drunk or extremely intoxicated: No.
  
• Been arrested: No.
  
• Changed your name: I developed a psudonym...
• Changed your "look": A few times in Junior High
  
• Changed who you were to fit in: No
  
• Traveled outside the country: Yep :D
  

Memories - The Past

Last Thing You Bought: A steampunk compass/clock necklace from Etsy

Last Interesting Thing You Did: Hennaed canvas

Last Interesting Thing You Heard: Don't really remember

Last Interesting Thing You Said: Good God, that happens everyday! -_-"

Last Interesting Thing You Saw: Europe

Last Thing You Touched: Keyboard

Last Thing You Had To Eat: Chocolate

Last Thing You Had To Drink: Coke Zero

Last Thing You Watched On Tv: I don't remember

Last Book You Read: Oryx and Crake

Last Music You Listened To: Memoirs of a Geisha Soundtrack

Last Movie You Saw: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Last Movie You Saw On The Big Screen: Red

Last Person You Called On The Phone: Probably Mom.

Last Person You Talked To Online: Joe

Last Person You Emailed: Necklace person from Etsy

Last Time You Cried: Earlier today in my frustration -_-"

Last Time You Smiled: Sometime today

Last Time You Laughed: Sometime today

Last Person You Hugged: Sometime today

Last Person You Kissed: No one

The Future

• Where do you see yourself in five years: Travelling in Europe
• Describe your Dream Career: Multi-genre author
  
• What do you want to be when you grow up?: Writer
• What country would you most like to visit?: Germany
  
• Where are you going to live?: Paris!!
  

Miscellany

• How many rings until you answer the phone?: However many it takes for me to get there.
• What's on your mouse pad?: Nothing, it's a laptop.
  
• Do you like thunderstorms?: Yeah!
  
• Do you like snow?: It's nice to look at around Christmas, but that's it.
  
• How many houses have you lived in?: 1
  
• How many schools have you gone to?: 2
  
• Do you like to drive?: Yeah, I guess so.
  
• What color is your bedroom carpet?: Tan-ish
  
• If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only take one thing (not person) with you what would you take?: My laptop for the Word program
  
• What was the best time of your life so far?: Europe trip
  

What is...

• The last thought you go to sleep with: Usually one of my plots
  
• Your first waking thoughts: "God dammit..."
  
• The first feature you notice in someone you just met: Voice
• Your best physical feature: Mine? I like my eyes myself :) The blue sclera are gorgeous... I'll explain them one day.
  
• Your greatest fear: Losing my best friends
  
• Your biggest weakness: Shiny things
  
• Your strongest attribute: I am highly logical and am usually able to dissociate myself from a situation in order to determine a suitable solution.
  
• Your greatest accomplishment: Surviving full IB
  
• Your most cherished memory: I'm going to keep that to myself.
  

Moods

• I Hurt: Rarely
  
• I Love: Everything
  
• I Hate: Blatantly stupid people.
  
• I Fear: Losing people
  
• I Hope: For a good life
  
• I Feel: Passionate about everything I do
  
• I Listen: To everything I can
  
• I Hide: Something....
  
• I Drive: Myself crazy sometimes
  
• I Play: Dead? lol
  
• I Miss: Paris
  
• I Learned: How to chase my dreams
  
• I Know: How to be happy, regardless of what happens to me.
  
• I Wait: For things to work out as they are meant to.
  
• I Need: The love of my friends.
  
• I Want: True love (cliche, I know. Hush.)
  

And that's it, children. I doubt anyone actually read this, but if you did I urge you to do this as well! The original is here: http://www.cfcl.com/vlb/Memes/Questionaires/aspects_of_myself.html

Tschus!
~Alexandra

Whiny Post

Hey,

I'm not sure whether or not I posted anything about this, but back in December I popped my knee out at a dance (I wasn't doing anything weird, I was just walking) and now, 5 months later, it still hasn't fully healed.

I've been exercising it regularly, walking and dancing and just generally bending it to try and regain strength. I've more or less alleviated the limp, there's still a little bit of limp present on a daily basis, but the weakness is enduring. This seriously bothers me because it hinders my ability to use my right hip properly when I'm belly dancing. I can't do a proper hip lift because the left knee won't twist the few millimetres I need it to in order to execute the move.

As much as I hate to admit it, I am crying a little bit right now because after 5 months with this it's not getting any better. I've been back dancing for about 4 months now, and it's still not working right. It's seriously frustrating. Especially since the talent show auditions are coming up on May 2nd-5th and I was really hoping to put out a stellar performance this year.

Before the accident I managed to nearly perfect a move that I'd worked really hard on coordinating myself to do, and now I look like a pirate with a peg leg trying to do it. Basically it's a pelvic tilt repeating while I walk forward. It was kind of difficult, I had to coordinate my feet with my tilts which is not as easy as it sounds. The move requires even balance on both legs while one is in the air, and now I can't do that. I need to figure out how to fix that portion of the choreography quickly either by figuring out how to get around the knee problem or by replacing the move with something else.

I've been practicing since the summer for this performance specifically and I can't express how heart broken I am that I can't do it to the best of my ability. I even had to switch the dominant side for the beginning because I can't do it right anymore. On the off chance that anyone reading this before my audition dates can help me in any way I would be eternally grateful. This is potentially my last chance at an actual belly dance performance ever, because it doesn't look like I'll have many chances to get involved with an actual community for belly dance in the near future. If that raises an obvious question: "If you're not in a belly dance community, how are you doing it?" I learned everything I know off of YouTube. I taught myself.

Thank you to anyone who bothered to read through this entire post of me whining about my problems I really appreciate it. Again, if you have any suggestions at all I would be very grateful.

On another note, Happy Easter!
~Alexandra

Almost Easter

Hello!

Tomorrow is our last day of school before the Easter long weekend! Our actual spring break was already two or three weeks ago; I spent the whole break in Europe with our languages class :) So this will be my first big "holiday" since Christmas, from a sleep point of view.

Of course, calling tomorrow a day at school is a joke since the classes are 1/2 an hour long. My first period teacher said she wants us to sleep in, she's not taking attendance. So I plan on getting an extra hour of sleep this evening. Then there's a mass type thing second period, which I'll probably skip because I really just don't want to go. Then I get to go to a party at my friend's house and we'll watch Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (a DVD present from my best friend for my birthday :D) and we'll play Magic: The Gathering because we're cool like that. Also: video games. And alcohol, to punctuate a long haul for the last month.

I managed to get some good thinking and a little writing in today on my new piece, so that's going well. I'm not really planning this one, I'm just going to do it and see where it takes me, a free-form story. I haven't done a free form story since... probably 2 years ago. With IB and everything these last two years my creativity has been terribly stifled, but I think I may have broken through that, finally.

With that I will bid you adieu for this evening, and I will post more soon! Have a great weekend!
~Alexandra

Finally Writing Again

Hello,

The title says it all, I'm finally writing again. I'll start out and say I am not writing about Klashiva, that story is still floating in the primordial ooze at the back of my mind trying to sort itself out. I am actually venturing from my usual genres of sci-fi/fantasy and crime/thriller into very uncharted territory: realistic fiction/(dare I say it) chick-lit. I don't want to label this chick-lit, but I really can't think of another thing that this story would possibly be. It's like a chick flick, only in literary form. What the hell have I been reduced to? I suppose I could call it speculative fiction, it is kind of a speculation as to a road that my life could take from where I stand now. It's shaping up to be a very... interesting story.

It's been inspired by several events that have occurred in the last few months of my life, and the story is an exploration of how my life could turn out if I won the lottery, dropped everything and moved to Paris to become a full-time writer. It's a very difference style of writing which I'm not sure I'll be able to pull off, but I'll keep you posted.

Other than that, my day was boring. I've been reading Questionable Content for the last few days and I have found that a very enjoyable webcomic and urge all of you to check that out. I did no homework today.

Have a good evening all!
~Alexandra

Bad at Keeping Up...

Hello,

I'm getting to be bad at keeping up with this blog... need to try harder.

Anyway, big news of the week: I'm finally 18. I am very pleased to say I survived the whole birthday weekend without getting completely hammered. In fact, for my birthday all I did was order a glass of wine with dinner. It was lovely and actually quite liberating; knowing the province will let me do whatever I want now. Something I plan on acting on: I'm going to be using this status to my advantage to accumulate money so that I can leave home at some point hopefully soon. I've been roped into doing my undergrad already, so I'll save as much as I can in the next 4 years and then I'm going to get out of the house. The plan right now is that I want to make my way back to Paris and find a way to stay there for a while. I was so inspired while I was there... I just need to get back there and soon. I'll find a way to do it.

Other than that, I purchased a lottery ticket on Thursday (my birthday) and I await the Sunday paper (tomorrow morning) to see whether or not I won anything. My friend has been winning straight free tickets, which is fun.

Other than that I now realized that I can now go out and buy whatever liquor I please, something I plan on doing soon. I have a few things on my list which I would love to try, not the least of which is bourbon. Also: raspberry tequila. Lots of fun to be had, in moderation, of course.

So... that's been my life this week. Just preparing for the big day and then going through with it. Thursday I took my ladies out for dinner and today I had all my friends over and we nerded it up over a 6-way game of Magic the Gathering and Black Ops. I kind of wish I knew what my brother did to get the XBOX out in the front room, 'cause I'd like to get hooked up to XBOX Live for some wager matches... I'll be seeing if he's still awake to help me.

Have a good weekend people!
~Alexandra

Pen Names

Hello!

So I was looking into doing a contest (one I probably won't end up doing after all) and one of the things I required for blind judging was a pen name. I was immediately caught by the idea because I realized that I do not yet have a pen name. I immediately went onto my favourite name website, 20000-names.com and searched their German names and found my Oma's ("grandmother's") first name. She died in 2003 and I only got to meet her a handful of times. She had a very contained life, so I've tried to live my life with her in mind in the hopes that her spirit will follow me and be my guardian angel as I live the life she could never have. Because of this I decided to use her name as my pen name's first name. The surname is "Frei", the German word for "free". I'm very excited to have this name formulated, it just seems like something I can hold on to for my sake and for hers.

Anyway, that's enough of this sad talk. I may have found a place for belly dance lessons today... I'll have to see how that works out.

Bye!
~Alexandra

I'm Home

Hello!

I'm home, as you can see, from Europe where I had a wonderful time exploring the wonders of France and Spain. I don't want to go into too much detail but I'll pop down a quick itinerary so you can get an idea of what all I did:

Friday, March 25: Leave Calgary at 9 p.m. Calgary time
Saturday, March 26th: Arrive in Paris at roughly 5 p.m. Paris time (via Heathrow airport)
Sunday, March 27th: Notre Dame cathedral, bus tour of Paris city centre, the Louvre, Seine tour on the Bateaux-Mouches
Monday, March 28th: Loire Valley - Chateau Amboise, Chateau Chenanceau, Notre Dame at Chartres
Tuesday, March 29th: Montmartre- Sacre Coeur, Versailles, top of the Eiffel Tower
Wednesday, March 30th: Train to Toulouse- Shopping and dinner at a Medieval restaurant
Thursday, March 31st: Bus to Barcelona, Museau Picasso, Las Ramplas for shopping
Friday, April 1st: Bus tour of Barcelona, Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Mediterranean Sea
Saturday, April 2nd: Bullet train to Madrid, Plaza Mayor
Sunday, April 3rd: Museo del Prado, Bus tour of Madrid, Royal Palace, Flamenco show
Monday, April 4th: Park near our hotel, Toledo- Cathedral, synagogue, forge
Tuesday, April 5th: Segovia- Castle, Cathedral, Aqueduct, and finally some other town I never caught the name of where we visited another cathedral
Wednesday, April 6th: Fly back to Calgary

Overall the trip went very well. I have to admit one of the most memorable things aside from the sites we visited was our tour director, Guillaume. After adding him on Facebook I discovered that he is 42 years old. He is a charismatic person, very funny, and quite attractive for a Frenchman. I won't go into too much detail, but he will likely be the basis for a character at some point in the near future. I'm trying to build his story before he gets pushed too far to the back of my mind.

So, all in all I'm home safe and sound and I had a wonderful time. I came back with 1100 pictures and videos, only because I forgot my camera on the last day so I didn't get pics of Segovia and the other place.

Talk to you soon,
~Alexandra