PSU Magazine Spring 2003

four-hour layover. So I'm strolling along and meet two nice university girls, and they take me to breakfast. They left, and then I met the server, Jessica. I'm going to stay with her when I go back through Dusseldorf in a few weeks. This girl is so perfect. I'm bit. Anyways . . . so everything is in Spanish in Madrid. Germany was eas– ier with English translations on most signs. I messed up the metro a little bit, but that's a good thing because I now know it like the back of my hand. I'm staying three nights at this hostel. I'm like the only one there. Its a freak'n dive-I almost walked out, but they are just remodeling so everything is torn up. Nobody speaks English at the hostel so my little Euro translator is earning its money The place is down this crazy, narrow side street with a six– inch sidewalk. So far both a BMW and a Mercedes have tried to run me over. Just kidding. I cleared them by a least a good foot. My room is 20 C: per night, and I have a bathroom, closet, and TV to myself. My room is all remodeled. I got lucky-grabbed it out of my Hang– ing Out in Spain book. I need one of these for every country. I have no jet lag at all, and its about 8:40 p.m. I'm going to the 900 Club; it is supposed to be a good place to hang for univer– sity students. I'm in heaven. Ciao! June 19 So much happens everyday it is crazy I'm in Barcelona now. I just got in from Toledo, where I met a guy from Eng– land who invited me to his home in San Sebastian (northern Spain). My plans on where to go change daily. While in Madrid, I saw the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. I walked all over. The city started to wear on me, so I had to get out. I took a bus to Toledo at 8 p.m. It worked out well because the bus was full of com– muters. I was the only tourist. The guy I sat next to gave me a lift to the hostel. I'm heading to Murcia in a few days to stay with the guys I met at the dive hostel in Madrid-then on to the offer in San Sebastian. Anyway, while I was sitting in this square in Toledo writing in my journal, a little kid ran up and pointed to my tattoo. He pointed to my pen, then his arm. He wanted me to draw it on his arm. I made him go ask his mom before I started in. All of a sudden 10 kids are standing around me wanting tattoos. It was great. They drew me pictures in my journal. I tried to get a train to Barcelona, but there was a strike, so I took a bus. I met three girls from Mexico, which made the bus ride. I took a bike tour today around Barcelona that was sooooo much fun. It ended at the beach with beers and swimming. I'm going to jet and go hang with these people I met in my hostel today I'm going to email again soon. June 20 A guy tried to rob me last night. I was just walking along. In my hand I had my translator and my change, which I was counting. He hit the bottom of my hand and my translator and money flew into the air. I snatched up my translator and while he was bent over gathering my change , I grabbed his head and smashed my knee into it. It was nutz. In fact all of Barcelona is nutz. There are riots, the city is on strike, and I can't get anywhere , including out of here. The police are all around my building because it is right next to the federal building. The rioters have been setting off these loud explosions all day long, and the police are arresting them. I'm going to hang in the hostel tonight, but it's a bummer because there isn't any food. PowerBars here I come! The only thing we can do is go to the beach. There were tons of peo– ple there today. All in all I am having a great time! Michael visits the Hall of in the Palace of Versailles. July 5 I left Paris last night and now I'm in Amsterdam. I'll be here until the 7th, then to the Czech Republic for a while. I have to get the wheels turning because I spent so much time in Spain. I'm still having a good time; I keep meeting all these people. I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower with Gilberto, a guy from Mexico. Today I met a guy from Australia, and we found a place to crash together. He is an electrical engineer and saves his money, then gets jobs on the road. (Editors note: They got together recently in Milwau– kee.) When I was at the Louvre, l met a couple from Seattle. They were trav– eling for six months all over the world. Well anyways, Paris wasn't all that great. The city is pretty Its just that the people ruin it. Down in Nice