JJ's European Vacation

So, when I first got to Europe, I went straight to Sweden with my good friend Magnus and his wife. I stayed with them for a few nigths. Magnus' wife is from Peru, and she has quite a few latino friends there in Malmo! So, we went latin dancing my first night there in Sweden!!! It was awesome, although, little sheltered old me wasn't used to seeing sooooo much alchohol! It was crazy watching so many people dancing with beer in their hand! They've developed quite the talent! But let me tell you something! I got my groove on that night! There's something that my old mission comp taught me that we like to call the dirty mexican, and I taught that to the swedes and they loved it! It was hysterical when I started to do it!
Finally the dance ended at 3:00 in the morning... When the sun started to come up!!! It was awesome! So, we were just standing outside the dance place, and then all of a sudden this guy comes and stands like right next to a girl that was there with us. My friend Magnus told him to beat it, and so he started to cuss him out using american swear words! I was so tempted to tell him how dumb he sounded and that he needed to work on it a little bit more. As I started to open my mouth all of a sudden he popped me one in the jaw!!!! I couldn't believe it! I had never been in a fight before so I totally got up, and gave him a one-two combo, and then kicked him down! It was awesome! I was just so full of adrenaline I didn't know what to do with myself. Needless to say this story of this guy swearing at my friend was true up until I told you he popped me one! I'm just teasing you. I just decided that that probably wouldn't be a great idea! So, anyway, that was eventful that night! I went to bed when the sun was coming up! I love scandinavian summers!
My first day in Sweden I drove my friends car and parked it at the beach because that was the only place that offered free parking. So, I walked a ton that day. Anyway, I saw a building in the ocean that had a little walkway out to it, so I thought it would be cool to go out there and take a picture from the building out towards Denmark! So, when Iwalked through the doors there was a little shopping center, andthen behind it was a swimming area, among rocks, and a little island like place. Well, turns out that that was the nudist colony!!! I saw a couple of old men sunbathing, totally naked!!! I was totally grossed out! I was just grateful that that's all I saw!
Then I just hung out in Copenhagen, and walked around a ton, and shopped and enjoyed the café's and stuff! I enjoyed several pastries, and chocolates and juices that can't be bought here! Althought I was surprised to see how much more expensive everything is now! So, I didn't enjoy them too much!
Now... I'm just going to fast forward to when I went to Paris because that was probably the most exciting because well... It's paris! So, I bought tickets for my friend and me to travel to Paris, and then I started looking for hostels! I couldn't find any because they were all booked! So, I was freaking out on the flight to Paris that we would be camping in the parks because it was supposed to be totally rainy all week!!! So,when we got to France, we hopped on the train and started talking to a woman sitting next to us, and she thought we were crazy for coming to Paris without booking hostels, especially because there was some kind of huge convention going on when we got there, and that made me even more nervous! Well, we got off at the main train station, and there we started walking in no specific direction, just looking for any kind of hotel! So, the first one we came to, we went in and asked them if they knew of any hostels in the area. The man at the desk picked up the phone and called one, and they ended up having enough room for the two of us! Plus, it was cheaper than any other hostel we could find on the internet! It was totally ghetto, which only added to the whole experience! The minute we stepped into our room, it started pouring and lightening, and thundering, it was crazy! We were seriously so blessed!
The next morning, we went downstairs to buy a shower, because you had to pay extra if you wanted to shower, you know? Well, there was absolutely no one downstairs that knew how to speak english! So, it was a lot of fun playing sherades! The shower was the best part! It was just a tub, for a hostel ful of probably 50 rooms or so! So, I took one look at that and almost asked for my money back! Even greater than that, there was a pitcher that you could fill up with water to rinse yourself off! And if that wasn't enough... There was a mirror right there on the other wall so you could watch yourself make a fool of yourself! It was seriously so funny!
After we were ready for the day we went to Notre Dam, The Louvre, the Eiffel tower at sunset, and then Triumph Arch! All in one day!!! It was awesome! The next day we did the catacombs, and then just kind of chilled until the evening. The second day we were in Paris, was the 21st of June, and that is Paris' International Music Day, when anyone who wants to, can set up their band, and just rock out in the city until whenever! So, we just walked around and listened to all of these bands! My favorite part was at this one particular café, when Louis Armstrong started to sing! (ok, so it wasn't Louis Armstrong, but he sounded just like him!) People were dancing, and rocking out to Jazz music, and I was seriously in heaven! The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have some one of a little more femine nature there with me! ;) Anyway, it was pretty magical!















So, then I finished off my trip by going into Amsterdam on my way home from Denmark! That was even more crazy because I was alone, just walking around the canals of Amsterdam! It was seriously so charming, and beautiful! I loved it there! Everything except the language was beautiful! I really wished I could have spent more time there, but maybe next time!


Alas, it was a wonderful trip, but it's good to be back home in the good ol' US of A!