Austria

This is a tunnel we climbed through to get to the top of the picture above. It was used as an escape during WWII...

Is this a tree inside a tree...I can't quite figure it out? The picture below is just some buildings i thought were pretty in downtown Graz.

The above picture is a delicious pizza i got which has jalapenos, broccoli, garlic, and olives of course! Since I've been in Malta my spicy tolerance has gone way up...(I'm on my second bottle of Tabasco...hehe).

Proof of gnomes in Austria!!!! Yay!!!
This huge clock is at the top of the hill we climbed in the first picture. Maria, the friend I stayed with, said that there used to only be the hour hand so it was easy to see from far away, which is why it's longer than the more recently added minute hand. The below picture is snow-covered Graz.
This is a snow fallen vineyard located in a small village outside of Graz (I really like this picture)!! This is the vineyard with the highest elevation in all of Europe!
Me next to a pile of logs.
Maria and I sledding.
Downtown Graz with Christmas decorated with upside-down Christmas trees.
A 200 year old tree located in Kitzeck, a town outside of Graz.
Beautiful sky at sunset...
This is my favorite picture from Austria!
Me standing next to a really old outhouse...hehe!
Maria's parents house in a small village outside Graz.
Me trying to ice skate in Leibnitz.
Maria and I!
Me standing next a huge castle door in Kitzeck (I wanted to open the small door and stand in it, but we couldn't undo the latch...).

Bern, Switzerland

I'm back in Malta now getting ready for exams and finishing papers. My adventure was amazing! The first place I went was Bern, Switzerland...I think it's my favorite! I couchsurfed (www.couchsurfing.com) with this woman named Christina, and she showed me around all day.

For dinner she made me butter nut squash soup, and we had unpasteurized cheesed, called Nonnenstolz, from a local farmer...mmmmm....cheese! (I bought cheese and chocolate from every country)

This is one of my favorite pictures!!


Bern at sunset! Unfortunately I was only in Bern for a day and a night, but I had to see Switzerland! Next, I set off by train to Graz, Austria. On the way towards Austria a lovely view of Switzerland was seen from the train...

Another favorite picture!!

Greece

Hello from Greece!  Today I went to the Acropolis in Athens, where the Parthenon, the Erecthion (temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena), the Theatre of Dionysos are located.  I also saw the Temple of Olympian Zeus.  It was amazing!  All these huge structures are made out of marble!  I can't wait to post my pictures when I get back to Malta.  

Merry Christmas Family!!

Merry Christmas! Right now I'm in Graz,Austria with my friend Maria. It's beautiful here, and snowy! For Christmas breakfast we ate toast and salmon...mmm...it was delicious. Today we're going ice skating...wish me luck. I love you all!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells...

It looks like Christmas in Malta, but feels like spring time! And the Maltese do like their hanging Santas... I love my "Christmas tree in a box" my parents sent me...all the girls here are enjoying it as well. It feels like December is going by so fast! I leave for my trip in four days!! In most of the places i'll be staying, i'll have internet access...so i'll be sure to keep posting.

Monday...Monday...

Hello family!! Well the countdown has begun...12 days until Christmas break! Yeah!! But of course I can't get excited until my papers are finished, but hopefully soon. For those who haven't heard...my Christmas travels are quite extensive. I'm flying to Venice, because it's only 20 euro round trip!! Then, take the train to Switzerland, and stay there for a night. From there I will go to Graz, Austria and spend Christmas with my friend Maria, who I met here in the residence. I'll leave Austria after about a week, and head to Amsterdam where I will meet up with Zack, a friend from home studying there, and three other friends from home. I'll also be meeting two friends from Malta there. After the New Year on the 3 of January I'll fly to Athens and stay with my friend Fotis, who is Greek but he goes to OU, and explore Greece for a week. After Greece I'll take the ferry to Bari, Italy...then work my way North: Rome, Bologna, and finally fly home from Venice on the 12....I'm so excited!!

Thanksgiving!

Well....Thanksgiving was a success. We had about 28 people, 9 pies, two 20lb. turkeys, and a partridge and a pear tree. Me and two other American girls cooked all the food with lots of help from our housemates of course. In the true meaning of Thanksgiving we made entirely too much food, nonetheless everyone was stuffed. I made Grandma Anne's cheesy potato casserole, which was delicious, and Grandma Betty's homemade rolls and pecan pie. All my dishes were very popular, not quite as good as when Grandma makes them, but still well-liked. I also made deviled eggs, a plum pie, which I have only made once before, and I attempted to make a chocolate meringue pie...but since it's very difficult to make meringue without an electrical appliance, it turned out just being a chocolate pie. It was an all day event of eating, drinking, and enjoying each others company. Since most of our guests had never been to a Thanksgiving feast before we told them of "the first Thanksgiving" and why we celebrate and give thanks. So after a weekend of nonstop cooking and preparation, I enjoyed my day of rest on Monday, to say the least. Gobble Gobble!