I have not had truly clean clothing in three weeks.

And everything smells. 

Another night of hand washing a few pairs of socks and underwear in the sink hoping that they will get clean enough (they never do).  And my feet smell and I smell and I really want a washing machine.  With a dryer.  A luxury I haven't had since I was staying at Ed's flat three weeks ago. Plus my only pair of pants, capris I bought with Tia and then took my Veggie Knife to on the Allotment to fold down the hem into pants, have split open in 28 hours from a small rip on my inner thigh, to traverse the width of one panel of fabric: side to side.  So, new pants are a must.

In Prague now.  My parents arrive tomorrow mid-day if all connections go well.  We spend the weekend here and then....ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!!

So excited.

Went on alternative pub crawl in Berlin last night and had to sit and defend Israel to an Irish guy.  All because a girl from NYC asked if it was worth going to Auschwitz if she visited Krakow.  I emphatically said yes.  The funny thing being the Irish guy, JP, was going to Auschwitz in two days time.  But then got all political and was trying to make some point about American politics, but really couldn't manage to do it without badmouthing Israel and comparing the situation to the IRA in Ireland.  I fianlly got him to understand that a pub crawl where I could only half hear him was NOT THE TIME for this debate.  And that frankly I think he didn't know what he was talking about and needed to back the fuck off my grill.  (Oh, excuse me, he DID write a thesis on something or other with the policy...he has DATA!)  He was nice, and we ended amicably and whatnot, but fucking annoying.  I clearly didn't want to discuss Israeli-Palestinian politics in a goth bar blasting music I would have killed to own in junior high school.

Otherwise the crawl was fun.  Hung out mainly with a couple from Madrid after that.  Discovered that Drum+Bass techno is just that: only drum and bass.  Oh, and that it is boring as fuck and super awkward to dance to.  The hilarity of everyone doing so was great. 

Well, I really should do this sleeping thing I keep saying I need.

I am not a donut, but I want one

Strudel in Köln?  Yes please.

Riesling wine with dinner and then Riesling wine gelato for dessert in Bacharach?  Yes please.

4 hours cruising down the Rhine in the blazing sun?  Yes please.

Watching the sunset against the Köln skyline with one of the biggest gothic buildings in ever?  Okay, yeah, I´ll take that, too, thanks!

From Brussels I went to Amsterdam.  Mainly spent the time in shul for Yom Kippur.  I found the gayest congregation ever.  Bob told me several things, includig that his boyfriend is 32 years younger than him and that the congregation was all "faggots and dykes".  Led mostly by women, the about 40 person congregation, welcomed me for services with open arms and an amazing break fast.  The cantorial soloist (or maybe one of three cantors?  not totally sure) of the morning service sounded as whimsical as Regina Spektor.  It was awesome.  Mom says how Cantor Carl, my late Chazzan, would prostrate himself on the floor on Yom Kippur.  I fail to remember ever seeing this.  But everyone at the service did it three times.  All laid out in white in what I´ll call a "super bow" to G-d, on the floor facing a movable Ark with white flowers on the table.  HI-larious.

Went to see a BOOM CHICAGO show, which was great sometimes and a bit wane in other scenes.  I got selected for the FACEBOOK game and signed into my account for them.  They chose 3 random friends by profile pic and made me explain them during act 2.  They chose Andy Rivera, the only Mexican on Smile and Nod, Becky, Val#s friend who makes corsets, and Cantor Wally Shachit-Briskin, who worked at Swig in summers.  I was played by a black man.  In the scene I was on a quest to become more like Alan Rickman.  It was hilarious!

My hostel was a block from the start of the Red Light District.  I dont think those hookers were even trying.  Only one had a librarian look going on.  Mainly they wear glow in the dark underwear sets and knock on their windows to grab men.  Everything was obviously aimed at men.  No male prostitutes to be seen.  And just a ton of loud stag partiers.  A very modern seedy.  Boring.  Sort of like a freak show really.  And at all hours of the day too.  Saw some underwear I wanted on the girls, but that was about that.  Had a pot milkshake from Betty Boop Cafe.  Wandered about, but it just made me really tired, honestly.  Disappointing, really.  Wish I had had more time to try the other places suggested to me, but Yom Kippur makes it kinda hard.

Yesterday, train from Amsterdam to Köln, dropped my bags in luggage storage, train to Koblenz, boat for 4.5 hours down the "romantic Rhine" to Bacharach.  Wandered, ate dinner, train back to Koblenz, train to Köln.  Total from 8 am to 11 pm of travel.  Awful.  But beautiful.  And the sun!  Fuck you Holland and Belgium and your rain and cold.

Staying with a girl called Helen from Couch Surfing here in Köln.  Very sweet girl.  Tomorrow morning to Berlin, at a hostel cause I suck and forgot to email more than 2 CSers for Berlin.  CSing is so much easier with a smart phone or iPod touch that carries internet. Boo.

Berlin tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday, with a night train to Prague.  Meet parents, get Lactaid (yay).  Spend two days in prague and then ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I´m so excited I could puke!

photos

1 Me Nora and Tim at Sterling Castle on our Highlands Tour in Scotland. Yes, we bought those hats.  They are highland cows, or hairy coos.
2 A real wild hairy coo!
3 With cocunuts at the castle from Monty Python and the Holy Grail
4 Giqnt lilypad house at Kew Gardens
5 Nora Rachel and I go to Greenwich for the day
6 Pray for the Royal Family, please
7 These are made from wax in Mexico; this is the Modern Art Museum in Brussels
8 This is where government happens.....ALL of European government

really slow to type

Officially, Belgium keyboards are the most confusing I have used.  The A key is on the top row, the M is next to the % sign, and the period and numbers need the shift key to work.

Not murdered yet, obviously.  Stefanie & Martin are very nice and even gave me a spare key.  Saw a lot of the city today.  Had dinner with Martin, who found a legit beer I like, not even a fruit beer.  Mission for Belgim accomplished!  Saw St. Nikoas Church where a cannonball is embedded in the wall from the 1600s.  Tomorrow, going to pqrks with my Lord of the Rings.  I will be done with Two Towers by tonight; 30 pages left.  Have not done a Hebrew lesson in days.  Very bad.

Nowhere to stay in Amsterdam yet.  Debating between a hostel in the city and Couchsurfing 20 miles away in Haarlem or Almere.  Hostels are at the dirt cheapest for 3 nights 71 Euro, at normal 95 to 115 Euro:  Not more than say Spain or Greece, sure, but a lack of secure place to stay in London for the final 4 weeks scares me with money.  Whatever, I suppose.

I will wait until tomorow for the last two responses from CS, if they are to come, then book this hostel thats a little outside the main ring of the city, but only 100 USD for a 6 bed female dorm or 105 USD  for a 4 bed mixed dorm.  Once that is booked, I should plan ahead to Germany so I dont run into the same problem again.

Hopefully one of the two synagogues will have space for me for Yom Kippur:  So far the third has told me they are out of room.  Clearly I forgot that North Europe does not run on Spain/Israel/Greece laxidasical time.

Spoke to Coutney Robinson on SKYPE the other night about things to do in Israel.  I forgot how much I missed her.  Seriously, I wish I had the money to go to Victoria, Canada to see her when I get back.  I really must keep in better touch with her.  I wish I could introduce her to Mark, though, seriously.

Also, Nora Doaner Kebab came up with a great Halloween outfit I can do without buying much:  I think I can do it in 15 quid.  As the other two I want to do I cant do well enough on my time and budget.  LIFE

Somewhere in Bruges

This city is pretty and all, but I probably should have done Antwerp, too, like I originally planned.  A little boring.  Also massively colder than London.  And the true danger of being in the UK for the past month has indeed surfaced.  I am not happy traveling alone, as I once was.  I know it will pass, but I miss my friends and I was really in a good rhythm of life.  And hearing Courntey's voice and laugh on Skype for the first time in years as she told me about things to do in Israel, makes this all so much lonelier.  Granted, as I am still ill and have felt like vomiting for two days now, I'm not being that outgoing.  But I rented a bike today and really saw the city, including the windmills.

Found out that Belgium food makes me feel sick.  Fries?  Sick.  Chocolate?  Okay in small doses.  Waffles?  Sick.  Beer?  A little of both.

Tomorrow I go to Brussels for my first CSing experience of staying overnight at a CSer.  I'm staying with a couple who live just outside of the main ring.  I am very excited.

Found a third beer int he world I like: Framboise, which just means Raspberry.  Shit here is so expensive though, gross.  I am practically sick with longing for Israel.  Only 14 days more.  I am actually excited to see my parents and Evan.  Weird, huh?  Not homesick by any means, but it will be nice for a bit.  (Try not to die over that sentence, mom.)

Leaving London on a High (speed railway)

Tomorrow at like 630 I have to catch the train to Saint Pancras for a 730 Eurostar to Brussels, then on to Bruges.  A day and have there, Brussels for two days, three in Amterdam, two in Koln/Rhine River, two and half in Berlin, a nigth train to Prague, meet parents for two days, then to Israel!

Too tired to update really now; will do later.

Londres, again

I am back in London.  I have been staying with a friend called Mark, saving myself some money and having a lovely time.  Tomorrow I return to the hostel, as he is going home for Rosh Hashanah.  Rachel Berkowitz is here, en route to her job in Austria, and we are having a good old time.  Nora Doane will arrive on Tuesday and I want to go see Money by Chunt Theatre Comapny.  Wednesday, Rosh Hashanah with Rachel.  Thursday drag Rachel and Nora to Greenwich.  Never been.  Friday, probably Nora, and a girl I met through Leria and Mark called Hanisha and I will go in for day tickets to Prisoner of Second Avenue starring Jeff Goldblum and Mercedes Reuhl at the Vaudeville Theatre.  Saturday is a hurrah, maybe or a play if we can't get one of those days.

Sunday to Belgium!  Planning for 3.5 days in Belgium, 3 in Amesterdam, 3 in Berlin, 1 in Koln, 1 to ride the Rhine River and get to Frankfurt, and 1 to get to Prague the night before my parents arrive.  THEN TO ISRAEL!!!!

Saw Welcome to Thebes an new play of the myths of Eurydice, Thesus, Antigone, etc al. set in the war-torn West African country of Thebes.  Think child soldiers, beggers, ruins, and women in charge trying to create democracy. So good.  Good rec, Josh Machamer.