2023 Goals Update

   For this Blogpost I'll be going over the goals I had for 2023 and how well I accomplished them as well as adding new goals for 2024. 

1) One of my goals last year was to drink more water. This goal went pretty smoothly for the first 6ish months of the year. I bought a variety of drinks instead of soda, and made sure to have water readily available. I bought a water bottle to take to work to help with this and glass jars. I also bought soda with less sugar and cranberry juice, etc. What I found however at work is that there is hardly any time to even take a second to take a drink when you're working one on one with small children. Yoi can definitely forget to as the clients are the number one priority and take a lot of attention. For some of them if you even look away for a second they could have bolted out of the room or knocked over something. After the first 6 months of the year I started buying soda more frequently again although I am still trying to incorporate other drinks. (Basically usually I am not drinking enough liquids in general and become easily dehydrated.) (Sometimes I even get cramping in my legs which zi think is due to the lack of needed water in my body.  I'll continue to work on this goal in 2024. 

2) My 2nd goal of 2023 was to keep my apartment more tidy. This was both a hit and a miss during the year.  A lot of the time I would get it tidy and then either not feel good due to allergies or be super fatigued after work that things would get messy again. Due to the fatigue I kept pushing off cleaning. Living alone you also don't have that accountability to keep it clean for others. When its just up to me it makes it harder. My apartment is pretty cluttered in general due to being a studio and having to find way too many places for different items. I've noticed I tend to start a bunch of different tasks before finishing one when cleaning and tend to leave things out after I use them. For example: I'll start vacuuming the living room, then notice there's a wrapper on the floor so I throw that away, then notice something needs to be cleaned up, etc. With that in mind I'm working on not doing these things, and putting things back after I use them to their designated spots. 

3) My 3rd goal of 2023 was to spend less time on my phone. I was still on my phone a lot this year I think, and could have been doing a lot better things. I got really into watching live-streamers so that didn't help my case. (We love a good parasocial relationship :/). This isn't an excuse but after work as mentioned above I felt drained and would nap most days after work and then go on my phone as I didn't want to do anything that took much thought. I know I really didn't work too hard to combat this addiction either like I have in the past. I will keep working on this goal in 2024.

4) My 4th goal in 2023 was to be more intentional about doing life with people. I didn't really accomplish this goal too well. I'm so used to doing things independently that it's my go to. I would also rather do things by myself then waste another person's time to have them do everyday life things that I could do by myself. I know this isn't true and people are happy to come along with day to day stuff. I will keep this in mind for 2024, but I don't think it's as big of a goal this year. 

5) My 5th goal for 2023 was to travel, and I think it's safe to say I knocked that one out of the park with all the traveling I did last year. Trip 1 being to Myrtle Beach with Rebecca during April for 5 days and Trip 2 being 13 days in Germany and England. I would like to do another trip sometime this year. Maybe another 5 day one to somewhere I haven't been yet. We'll see. 😊

6) My 6th goal for 2023 was to upgrade to a bigger apartment. This is still a goal. I would still very much like to have a bigger space and be able to have a dog. However that's currently not possible especially with the cost of living right now. I got a promotion at work and am making more than I have in my life, but I've been spending more than I make the last couple of months which is fine due to my savings. Thankfully I saved up some of my money for years so my balance never goes under. We'll have to see what happens. Even apartments have gone up in price a ton. 😥 I am still content with where I live currently though. Also my financial advisor moved to a different company. With a bigger apartment I could finally get a dog. Maybe 2024 is the year I'll get a dog. (I can dream.) 

7) My 7th goal of 2023 was to learn more recipes. I have definitely accomplished this goal. I've made new recipes I found online and with friends last year including: wiener schnitzel, german meatballs, chicken pesto pasta, and shepherd's pie to name a few. 

8) My 8th goal of 2023 was to spend more time with God. I feel like 2023 was an up and down kind of year for my relationship with God. I would pray and listen to worship music most mornings while getting ready for the day. I would attend church most Sundays and helped out with Cru. I drove a girl from campus to church and talked about God with her. I attended homegroup most weeks. However I rarely read my Bible which is one of the most important things you can do as a Christian. Instead of spending time with God I would go on my phone (because it didn't take as much effort). Relationships take work. I want to be excited about my walk with God again like how I was when I was first born-again. I'm still excited and grateful for my faith but it's more passive.  I got some great Christian books to hopefully help me get more excited again for Christmas, but this will definitely be a goal again for 2024. 

Again, like last year I will add to this if I think of anything else. I will add the same verse I did last time, because it still pertains, and is challenging. 

      "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of your time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 

2023 Reflection Post

    2023 turned out to be an incredible year. (I don't know if this is normal, but I was nervous to say if it was a good year or not in case something devastating happened last minute as a jinx for saying it was a good year in advance.) Luckily that didn't happen. 2023 was filled with wonderful adventures to new places including Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Dresden, Manchester, and Liverpool. I was promoted at work into being a Registered Behavior Technician and I traveled to Europe by myself which was my first time overseas. (Yes it was stressful but I survived.) I went to two concerts including a preshow drink and the ability to watch sound check for Phantom Planet. I also got bronchitis for the first time, and many days of dealing with terrible allergies throughout. (I blew my nose, coughed, and had more sore throats this year then any year previously that I can remember.) (The info you didn't ask for.) Besides this summary I will list the main things that occurred in each month of 2023. Throughout the year I also attended church most Sundays and was involved with kid's work for the 4th-5th grade class around once a month. I also helped out with Cru on Tuesday nights (Jan-April), and attended homegroup most weeks. 

   January

- Brought in the new year at a party at my friend Morgan's house. 

- Got bronchitis 

- Went to a Cru Leadership Conference at a hotel in Milwaukee (My friends Trae and Machaela ran the UW Parkside chapter of Cru which is a Christian group on campus, and I was one of the people to help out with Cru from the fall of 2022- the Spring of 2023.) 

February

-I got stuck in my friend's driveway. As I was backing up I got stuck in a snow drift, and also their driveway was completely frozen. It was also close to midnight, very cold, and my friend, her brother, and dad came to dig my car out and break up the ice. 

- I went to Candy Lane Milkshake Bar with friends, and had the most candy/sugar-filled shake of my life. (They unfortunately shut down)

-My brother had written a play and it debuted in Milwaukee so I went with my parents and their friends to go see it. 

-I turned 27. 

March

-Celebrated my birthday with friends at Honada's 

- Got an upper-respiratory infection 

-Celebrated dad's 60th birthday 

April

-Got blonde highlights

-Went to Myrtle Beach with Rebecca to escape the cold Wisconsin weather and see the ocean. It was freezing when we left, but ended up getting into the 70s in Wisconsin while we were gone. :P We also spent a day in Charleston. 

- My friend Trae invited me to the Youth for Christ Banquet that went over the organizations accomplishments of the year. (Racine area). 

- Went to my friend Beth's bridal shower

May

-Went to Milwaukee with my friend's Mary and Megan

-My friend Kayla had an outdoor baby shower, and it downpoured for 20 minutes. :P 

-Saw Phantom Planet in Chicago with Rebecca. Bought tickets where you could attend soundcheck and hang out with the members of Phantom Planet for a preshow drink. After the concert we stayed to talk with them as well. 

June

- My friend's Beth and Will got married

- Did a painting class with my mom at Pinot's Palate (It was a Mother's Day gift but we also celebrated Father's Day with my brother and sister in law that day afterwards.) 

July

-Went to Libertyville to visit my friend Nicole 

- Went to a 4th of July Party with church friends 

- Traveled to South Bend for our church's annual conference, OCM. I stayed with a group of girls from Cru. On our way to Indiana I ended up getting a virus which gave me a bad sore throat for the rest of the conference and achiness. 

- My friend's Trae and Machaela had a going away party. (They moved to North Carolina.) 

- Did another painting class at Pinot's Palette, this time with both mom and dad

- Helped Trae and Machaela get ready for their move

August

- Saw the Barbie Movie twice

-Got promoted into being a Registered Behavior Technician

September

- Traveled to Europe by myself and explored Dresden, Manchester, Prague, and Liverpool. I visited my friend Phil and his wife Anna in Dresden, and visited my friend Kez in Manchester. There were eight flights, a lot of bus rides, train rides, moped rides, and Ubers, and I didn't miss any of them. :P I was also briefly in Bristol, Zurich, and Amsterdam. 

- Celebrated my friend Nicole's birthday at Apple Holler 

October

- Had a movie night at my apartment where we watched "The Best of Me" 

- Went to a bonfire party with young adults from church 

November

- November was pretty uneventful. I got lunch with a few friends after church at Tacos El Norte one Sunday, and celebrated Thanksgiving at my cousin's house. 

December

- Traveled to Chicago with a few friends to explore the German Christmas Market 

- Got dinner and then saw Lovejoy in Milwaukee with Rebecca 

- Went to a Christmas themed movie night at a friend's house and watched "The Santa Clause" 

- Went to our young adults Christmas party for church and came in second place for cookie decorating. 

- Celebrated Christmas at my aunt's house and parent's house 

- Celebrated New Year's Eve with a murder mystery game and a few rounds of "Heads Up" with my parents and other family members. 

Final Days in Europe

 9/20/23 I combined the three days in Europe as they don't have as much content as the other days. The day after going to Liverpool we had a more relaxing day. I slept in longer than I meant to then Kez and I got ready and went to brunch at a place called 19 Cafe Bar. I got a smoked salmon bagel and lemongrass tea. It was obligatory that I got tea while in England. After having brunch I got to go to Primark for the first time. I had wanted to visit a Primark after hearing about them from British YouTubers I watched in high school. (Zoella, etc.). Primark was really fun and cute, and I could see myself spending some time there if I lived in England. The US equivalent to Primark is probably a mix of Target and Marshalls. Kez lives about 2-3 blocks away from the Arndale Center, which is Manchester's largest mall. We also stopped by a game/novelty store where Kez bought a puzzle which we ended up doing later that day. The puzzle was of Whitby Harbor, which Kez had traveled to before. Lastly we went into Lush. I've been to the Lush's in America, but wanted to go to one of the actual ones in England. I didn't notice any differences besides that it was a little cheaper than in the US, but so had been the jacket that I purchased 2 days prior. I ended up buying a bath bomb and Kez bought a shower bomb. I'm glad that the bath bomb was cheaper because it ended up being pretty disappointing. A bath bomb I had bought in the past had made my bath tub pretty galaxy colors (blues/purples/glitter), while this one didn't change the bath water color but smelled nice. 

    When we got back to Kez's apartment we started doing the puzzle while having "You've Got Mail" play in the background. Kez's roommate had made a Bolognese pasta and made too much so we had that for dinner. Upon hearing that we went to Primark and I described it as cute, Kez's roommate stated that cute isn't the word she would use for the store. Apparently it can get pretty crazy in there with teenage girls. So it's a good thing we went during a Wednesday afternoon. Despite looking through the puzzle box repeatedly and being sure we had gotten out all of the border pieces, we couldn't complete the border and thought for sure we were missing pieces. (As Kez discovered the next morning, we weren't missing any pieces we had just done part of the puzzle wrong. Connected too many pieces together on one side, etc.)

9/21/23  I had originally planned to travel to Wellington, England on 9/20, but decided against it. My luggage was falling apart by then, and the family that was going to host me had had an accident occur. I was going to stay with one of the Living Light Wellington elder's and his wife and their daughter. The Sunday before I was supposed to arrive the wife had fallen and broken her wrist. With her wrist being broken they wouldn't be able to take me around the area, but I could still stay there. Kez said that Wellington was relatively small without much to do especially without a car. She said that most people visiting are taken to the areas around Wellington, so I'd probably have little to do just staying in Wellington. I had originally also planned to go to Wellington to visit my friend Manu. She would have only been able to meet for a short time as she had to take her daughter in for a check up the same day we would have met up. Manu had just given birth a few weeks before, and her daughter had, had some complications, but was doing well. Manu's in-laws were also in town at that exact time to help out which is why I didn't stay with Manu. Since I hadn't planned in being in Manchester the 21st and 22nd, Kez had to go to work, so on this day I explored Manchester by myself. (In hindsight I'm super glad I had chosen to stay in Manchester longer. I had already traveled so much this trip that traveling 4 hours from Manchester to Wellington to just stay in Wellington for a super short time and do a ton more traveling just seemed like a bad idea. It was good to be able to spend more time with Kez and not have to rush and have more relaxing time.) I walked with Kez to the public transit before starting my day by first walking to the Arndale Center. Kez worked until 5 but had an hour window where she could bring me back to the apartment if I wanted to go back earlier. I had originally planned to spend most of the day at the shopping center, but thought I should do something other than be at a mall. Especially on the sunniest day I would spend in Manchester. I went into a few stores before making my way out onto the streets of Manchester. I was pretty tired this day so I wasn't much in the mood for exploring at first, but then got a second wind thankfully. I went into Black Sheep Coffee again to start my journey with a caramel mocha which I had, had two days before and then made my way towards the John Rylands Library. 

    Kez and I were thinking of going to the John Rylands Library on Monday, but it had been closed. Luckily it was open this day (Thursday). The John Rylands Library is dubbed the "Harry Potter library" as JK Rowling got inspiration for how she wanted Hogwarts to look from the library. It was definitely very Hogwarts looking on the inside. The library is located right in the center of Manchester and even looks cool from the outside. It is a neo-gothic architecture building, and is free to visit and even study inside of. The library also has a few display cases with one containing a fragment of the gospel of John. The specific fragment displayed is the oldest Bible manuscript of the Christian Greek scriptures ever found dating back to 100-150 AD. The library also tells of the history of the building, and how it came to be. The building was another one of the most stunning buildings that I saw while in Europe and pictures do not do it justice at all. 

   After visiting the library I aimlessly walked the streets of Manchester with no clear destination. It was coming up on the hour window which Kez could take me back to the apartment but I decided to stay out exploring and stay for the long haul. There was a lot of pretty/artsy things I passed on my walk. After walking for a bit I came across the Manchester canals. The area was a bit more rundown but the canals were still beautiful. The waterways used to be used to transport items like coal into Manchester. Manchester was the first ever industrial city in the world. 

   I was able to make it back to the Arndale Center area relatively easily, but I still ended up getting a little lost after wandering away from the area again towards the end of my journey. I didn't recognize where I was when heading back to the mall so I went into a fancy restaurant to ask for directions. It turned out I was like a half block away from the Arndale Center. :P. The more you know. For dinner I got food at a restaurant in the mall called "Slim Chickens". After looking it up, I guess its an American chain restaurant. Oops. Another fun fact about shopping in the UK is that they have TJ Maxx stores however they are known as TK Maxx in the UK. Another fun fact: The abbreviation for Manchester is MCR, so there were signs all around Manchester that said MCR and I love MCR. Even though they probably do love My Chemical Romance that is not what the signs were referencing. :P

   After I ate dinner it had started to rain so I waited for Kez out in the rain, luckily having had my umbrella with me that day even though the weather had been nice. Our meeting point was in front of the National Football (Soccer) Museum. We didn't go in as neither of us know much about professional soccer, but it's one of the more notable buildings in Manchester and is a fun shaped glass building. After returning to Kez's apartment we again worked on the puzzle and eventually completed it that night while listening to Kez's playlist which contained Phantom Planet songs. After completing the puzzle we walked to a nearby cocktail bar called "Be at One". The bar had dim lighting with neon signs and dance music playing. We didn't stay long but it seemed like a cool trendy place. I of course ordered a tropical drink. It didn't seem to have much alcohol in it as you could barely taste any alcohol and I felt perfectly fine afterwards. (I thought it might be one of those tasty but dangerous scenarios.) I joked about how people would usually think I'm under 21 (maybe not anymore), but realized that the drinking age in England is 18 so it that wouldn't be an issue here. 

9/22/23 and 9/23/23  Kez worked from home this day so she was able to walk me to the train station when it was time for me to go. I had bought train tickets to Bristol the night before which was a bad idea because they were way more expensive than usual. Kez made me hot chocolate before I left, and at the train station they even let her on the train to help me get my things situated before sending me off. I was able to get a bus from the Bristol Meeds train station that went directly to the Bristol airport (my 3rd time being at said airport in under 2 weeks), and thus started my journey back to the US. I bought curry for dinner at the airport before getting onto my flight to Zurich without issue. I arrived in Zurich around 10pm after leaving Bristol at around 7pm. (Switzerland is an hour ahead). My flight back to Chicago wouldn't be until around 10am the next morning so I had to sleep overnight at the airport. Switzerland is an expensive country so I wasn't able to find any deals for a hotel that wouldn't cost me over $200 for a night. The cheapest option which was still over $100 would be to sleep in an individual pod at the Swiss airport. I took my chances just settling for finding hopefully a comfyish spot to sleep at the airport for free. I was able to find a booth at a restaurant type place and all the people that were there left around 11pm. I thought there might be an increase of people that would come and have the same idea, but I was left alone, so I got a whole booth seat-like bench to myself. I had opted to have my big luggage to go directly onto the next flight instead of picking up my luggage in Zurich. It was a 12 hour layover but I still had what I would need in my carryon bag, so I had less to look after. During the morning time I made my way over to the terminal for American flights, and had to purchase more Wi-Fi. The Zurich airport lets you have 4 hours of free Wi-Fi before they charge you. Before getting on my flight I purchased two massive Swiss chocolate bars. (American chocolate is trash compared to European chocolate, especially Swiss, if you know you know). I ended up waiting at the wrong Chicago gate. Apparently their were two flights heading to Chicago from Zurich at almost the same time, however whatever gate I was at was indeed not Swiss Airlines. An employee luckily found that out in advance, and luckily my correct gate wasn't too much further away than that gate. 

     On the flight home they gave us all headphones for our individual TV screens however I'm pretty sure they weren't compatible with them because no one around me used them or used them quietly without headphones. I was able to sleep for a bit on the flight, luckily. When we were about to arrive in Chicago they made us fill out a piece of paper with our information and what we had purchased in Europe and were bringing back with us, and also what countries we had visited, along with total cost of said items. While filling it out it turned out that the 2 people next to me had been given their papers in German. They thought I must have been able to read German and could understand what it was asking, but mine was in English. It took awhile for my bag to appear at baggage claim but it was probably one of the first bags loaded onto the flight. My worst airport employee encounter happened as I was about to leave the O'Hare airport. When I had first got off the flight before baggage claim the employee said that he didn't need the paper I had filled out but to keep it with me. Once I had gotten my bags, I assumed that no one else would ask me about the papers and put them away. As I was walking out of the airport the employee ( a different one) asked for my paper. I forgot if I had put it in my big suitcase, carryon, etc. so I began searching for the paper while standing by the employee. After not being able to find it right away the employee had me stand in a different area while I looked for it. The employee must not have believed that I actually had the paper and asked me if I actually had it. I found it after a few more minutes in my big luggage and gave it to him. He seemed suspicious of me and asked me where I had flown in from, and seemed even more suspicious when I answered with Zurich. He also seemed confused as to where Zurich was located so I added Switzerland. He then let me go through with a rude attitude, and my brother and sister-in-law drove me back to Kenosha after. My sister-in-law insisted I stay up until at least 8pm that night and bought me a large caramel mocha from McDonalds. It was 12:30pm when I arrived in Chicago. It would have been 7:30pm Switzerland time, which is pretty insane. 

Thanks for reading about my adventures in Europe. It was the most amazing experience, and so fun to write these blogposts and share stories about my time. I hope you enjoyed reading as well. 

A Day in Liverpool

    Ever since I had gone through a major Beatles phase in 2010, a bucket list item for me had been visiting Liverpool. My Beatles phase back then was my very own version of Beatlemania. It came on randomly, and developed into an obsession. I wanted to learn everything I could about them. I downloaded most of their songs on my iPod. I watched every documentary about them, and owned 10+ Beatles shirts, and owned a ton of Beatles memorabilia. I'd talk about them a lot in conversation and even converted three of my friends into becoming big fans with me. 

     It was definitely a strange interest for a teenage girl, but luckily a few other people in my grade shared my interest. I remember being at Walmart and trying to decide between three CDs. A Lady Gaga CD, A Ne-Yo CD, and The Beatles. I ultimately decided on the Beatles CD since I knew my dad really liked classic rock. Even though he's a big fan of classic rock, he wasn't a particularly big fan of The Beatles, but I still thought it would be cool to get the CD anyway. I knew he would definitely not be into Lady Gaga, or Ne-Yo, not that he would ever have to listen to the CDs I bought. This was a major turning point in regards to my music taste. Before getting really into the Beatles I liked pop music. I mostly listened to Taylor Swift, and the Jonas Brothers. I would discover new songs from the "Now Thats What I Call Music" CDs at the store which had the most popular songs. I would sometimes listen to Hannah Montana songs as well. (My brother did burn copies of two of his Green Day CDs, so I did have some taste before that point. Those CDs being "American Idiot, and "International Superhits.") To clarify I do still like Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers. I do think they have some great songs, but I do like my new music palette a lot more. Lyrics with deeper meanings then just being radio hits, beautiful melodies, and actually talented musicians. I do think Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers are musically talented, but a lot of the top hit songs on the radio feel really lacking. Surface level cringey lyrics and autotune. 

  What really got me interested in knowing more about the Beatles was when I did a report on Elvis for my English class. While gathering information about Elvis for my presentation I stumbled upon a website that talked about when the Beatles had first met Elvis. For some reason this sparked interest in my first wanting to know more about the Beatles. That and listening to the Beatles CD I had bought. ("The Hard Day's Night" album if anyone was wondering.) and the rest was history. 

     Wow, okay so that was a long introduction for this blogpost. Basically going to Liverpool had been a long time coming, and with Manchester being only a half hour train ride from Liverpool I asked Kez if she would be willing to go. She agreed even though she wasn't a big fan of the Beatles. We booked the train tickets the night before as well as tickets for a Beatles bus tour that would take you to various spots around Liverpool including Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, John Lennon's Childhood Home, and Paul McCartney's Childhood Home. The train to Liverpool ended up arriving later than scheduled so when we got to the train station we decided to take a taxi to where the tour would be happening. Once the taxi driver learned that I was from America he talked passionately talked about (America and their f***ing guns.) This seemed to be a common topic among Europeans. We made it to the starting point of the tour with about 5 minutes to spare. It was easy to spot the tour bus. A yellow double decker bus with "The Beatles City Explorer" written on the side of it. The tour guide was also wearing a Beatles shirt. I immediately began geeking out before the tour even had started. We sat at the top of the bus which is where the tour guide stood. It was a wet/rainy/windy day in Liverpool so we brought our umbrellas along. Kez's umbrella ended up breaking after the tour due to the strength of the wind. I eventually opted to stop using mine after a few wind gusts had almost broken my umbrella too. 

   I really enjoyed the tour, and learned even more facts about the Beatles that I hadn't known before which is saying something. The tour guide asked a few trivia questions, and can you guess who answered those questions.....yeah it was me. For answering the questions I was given two fake British pounds with a picture of the Beatles on it. There was one question I didn't know the answer too though. I don't think the tour guide was planning on giving out prizes, but definitely seemed impressed by the young girl in her 20s and her Beatles knowledge. (I say this as if I'm not almost 30 now.) The other passengers seemed to be impressed by me too, and seemed to find me amusing. When the tour guide brought up that we were approaching a famous street, I couldn't resist shouting "Penny Lane!", which had been what the tour guide was alluding too. I stood proudly by the Penny Lane sign once we arrived with Kez and pointed to Paul McCartney's autograph. (Paul McCartney had visited Liverpool in 2018 for an episode of Carpool Karaoke, and autographed the Penny Lane sign while on his visit.) The tour guide secretly took a selfie before taking your picture with the sign. The Strawberry Fields gate is pretty close to the street so I was almost in the street while trying to get a good picture. Kez protected me from going too far back as she didn't want me getting injured during the tour. :P. The bus also passed a bar with the lyrics to Penny Lane written on the side of the building. (all of them). 

    After about an hour and a half we arrived back at the starting point, near the Royal Albert Dock. On the dock there is also a museum called the Beatles stories that has different Beatles artifacts and info, but we didn't go in. We went to a Beatles gift shop as you do and I got a Liverpool mug shaped like a drum with the Beatles on it. On the dock there is also a statue of all of the Beatles walking on the dock so I posed with them for a picture. For our next stop I really wanted to visit the Cavern Club which is where the Beatles had performed 292 times. For a Beatles fan it seems like an incredible place, but apparently back when they performed there, there had been sewer problems, and mice according to the bus tour guide. This had all been fixed since then. The actual Cavern Club was shut down and reconstructed down a couple of feet from the original entrance. The Cavern Club was originally a cellar, and opened as a music venue in 1957. The Cavern Club was shut down in 1973 due to the British Rail building underground railways. They originally planned to excavate the buried remains of the Cavern Club, but discovered it wouldn't be possible. In 1984 the Cavern Club had been reconstructed, and contained bricks from the original building. The Cavern Club was only about a 10 minute walk from the Beatles statue, located in an alleyway. 

   To get into the Cavern Club you did have to pay a $5 coverfee in advance. The Cavern Club today is basically a mini music memorabilia museum with a bar and live music. Security guards stood in the entrance of the Cavern Club, and due to this probably end up in the background of a lot of tourist pictures. To get down to the actual club you have to walk down like 7 flights of stairs. It's like an underground bunker. When Kez and I first got down there we went to the bathroom, and now have bragging rights to say we went to the bathroom at the Cavern Club? Paul McCartney had also done a surprise show here in 2018 when visiting town in Carpool Karaoke. It was cool to get to see some music memorabilia from bands like Oasis, the Arctic Monkeys, and of course the Beatles as well. In the Cavern Club there's a red phone booth with a picture of the Beatles in a red phone booth, but I don't know if it was the same one or just a replica. After looking around and taking pictures we climbed back up the seven flights of stairs and went to the Cavern Restaurant across the street. The restaurant was inexpensive even though it was literally a few steps away from the Cavern Club. One of my missions for being in England was to get authentic fish and chips which is what I ordered at the restaurant. We were sat right next to the window that looked out at the Cavern Club so every now and then we could see tourists posing for pictures in the entryway of the Cavern Club. After lunch we walked further down the alleyway. Down the alleyway there was a few Beatles shops, another Beatles museum, and a bar called the Rubber Soul Bar. (named after a Beatles album.)   We went into one of the Beatles shops, and a random British souvenir shop where I got a classic Union Jack mug. 

   While walking back towards the train station we came across a radio tower with a 360 degree view of Liverpool from above at 400ft. The radio tower is known as St. Johns Beacon. A ticket to go to the top of the tower cost around $8, and you can stay as long as you want. We ended up circling around the tower 3x. Even though it was a rainy day, you could see things pretty clearly. Parts of the windows have different buildings pictured that you can see from that view and their purposes. The views were stunning even with the cloudiness. After heading down from the tower we went to get on the train back to Manchester. 

Manchester Cathedral, British History Museum, and Waterstones

     9/18       I ended up sleeping in longer than I had expected due to it being so dark in the living room. The curtains keep the living room dark, and so did the cloudiness. It was another rainy day in England, and I didn't pack the clothes needed for visiting England. I had a faux leather jacket that was peeling, comfortable tennis shoes that were great for walking in Germany, but not for the wetness of England. Within minutes of stepping outside my socks were soaked from stepping in a puddle. It was also in the 50s when Germany had been warmer. After visiting the Manchester Cathedral we would go and buy umbrellas, and I bought a warmer coat. 

    The Manchester Cathedral is a gorgeous gothic looking church. Europe has an abundance of really incredible-looking churches. The Manchester Cathedral is only about a 3 minute walk from Kez's apartment building. While in the church there was a mirror you could look into where you could see the church reflected back in the mirror. There was a man standing near the mirror that asked to see Kez's phone. No other context, just could he see one of our phones. Kez gave him hers and then he showed her how to take a cool picture using the mirror. To get our umbrellas we went to the Arndale shopping mall and into the New Look store. Umbrellas are necessary for walking around England, and with the wind you have to learn the art of umbrella-wielding. 

   After getting an umbrella and a warmer jacket we went to the People's History Museum. The People's History Museum showcases British history mostly related to their democracy. It was really interesting to walk through, and learn about Britain's history after knowing very little about it. After walking through the museum we went to a coffee shop called Black Sheep Coffee. Black Sheep Coffee is one of the coffee chains in England. I got a caramel mocha, and it was amazing. You ordered and paid at a kiosk. 

   We went to Waterstones after drinking our coffee. Waterstones is a bookstore chain in England like Barnes and Nobles. The bookstore was 3 stories so we spent a couple hours there. It was interesting to see what the highlighted of America in the travel section, and how else they represented America in their different sections. We went to a grocery store afterwards to buy the ingredients needed for dinner, as well as buy British snacks. I got a galaxy bar, Cadbury fingers, and jaffa cakes. I also found the same juice I had in Germany so I got that as well. I could actually read what it had in it this time. :P Once we got back I tried the British snacks while Kez made dinner. The galaxy bar was my favorite. It tastes a lot like Dove chocolate. During dinner we had deep talks until it was time to go to bed. We also bought train tickets for our trip to Liverpool the next day, as well as Beatles bus tour tickets. 

Arriving in England....Again

 9/17/23: At 4 in the morning I checked out of my hotel room in Berlin, and into the Berlin Airport. I must have seemed really lost on how to go about doing baggage drop because after awhile an employee came over to me and said "come with me". Either that or God sent him to help me. He easily got luggage tags printed for my luggage and I was on my way. While going through security the TSA agent talked at me in German. She had asked me to do something it turns out. After noticing I was not responding she said "maybe English is better? and regave the task she had before but in English this time. The airport was pretty easy to navigate, with lots of signs with English translations and probably mostly all bilingual employees. 

    I made it to my plane and flew to Amsterdam for my layover (2nd layover in Amsterdam this trip).  This time it wasn't as hectic, and I easily made it through to my plane to Bristol. Once arriving in Bristol I picked up my baggage and made my way to the bus that would take me to the Temple Meeds Train Station.  Alternating the which hand I was using to pull my now broken suitcase along while being bent over. Luckily the walks with my broken luggage were never too too far. I was able to get on a bus from the airport, however the this particular bus's service ended at a central bus station. The bus station was confusing to understand so I eventually asked one of the employees for help, and he told me which platform to go to. (On my way back to the Bristol airport when I was heading home, the bus would take me all the way to the airport from Bristol Meeds thankfully). The bus arrived about 5 minutes later. Driving on the left side of the street actually didn't seem too strange when all the other cars were doing it. The weird part for me was having the driver sit on the right side of the vehicle. The walk down the street from the bus stop to the Temple Meeds (the train station) was the hardest walk with my luggage. By this time I had developed callouses on my hands so I again had to keep switching hands and crouch down. It was a slow-moving process even though the train station was only a block away from the bus stop. Luckily my train platform was one of the first ones by the entrance. The train station ended up feeling confusing to me too so I asked an employee where the train to Manchester would be, and it turned out that the platform I was meant to be at was the one we were standing next to. It was around noon at this point so I had to wait about an hour for my train. It turns out my train was a little further back then the platform when it arrived. Luckily I noticed before it took off without me. 

    The train from Bristol to Manchester takes around 3 hours by train. For about half of the trip I had my almost 50 pound suitcase on my lap so other passengers could sit by me. In hindsight I could have put the luggage on a shelf where you first get on or off. My train ended up arriving in Manchester late due to having to take a different route due to railway issues. England welcomed me with stereotypical rainy weather. The train car drove backwards for half the trip then forwards. I was able to sleep somewhat on the train. Thankfully Manchester was the last stop so I wouldn't oversleep. Kez was waiting for me at the platform when I arrived. It was around 4:30pm. Kez decided to order an Uber due to my heavy broken suitcase, and while walking towards the row of taxis/uber's one of them hadn't been paying attention and nearly backed into me. (It was a real Welcome to Manchester moment). Luckily I have fast reflexes and was able to get away quick enough. That would not have been a good start to my trip in England. Kez showed me her apartment, and handed me chips to eat while we caught up a little bit. Since it was a Sunday I was able to check out the church Kez has been going to. (The services are on Sunday nights.) We took the public transit to the church and there I got to meet some of Kez's friends. Unfortunately I was too tired after traveling all day to hang out after church. That night I had my first experience with Nandos. A British chicken restaurant, which Kez ordered as takeout (takeaway) when we got back to her apartment. I had been wanting to try Nandos, since I first heard about it. Their fries and the seasoning they put on their chicken was really good and flavorful and I would definitely recommend it. While we ate our Nandos meal we started watching "10 Things I Hate About You". Halfway through I was ready to go to bed so it was turned off, and my air mattress was set up for the night. The duvet cover had little honeybees on it which is one of the symbols for Manchester. 

Train Ride Through the Park and the Dresden Arts District

     9/16/23  For breakfast this morning Phil and I picked up some croissants, and breakfast pretzels from a local bakery. (Yes breakfast pretzels do exist, and they are referred to as bretzels.) We ate breakfast out on the balcony of Phil's apartment. White breakfast sausages I had had my first morning in Germany along with the croissants and bretzels. Phil suggested that I use the chocolate spread on the bretzel, and it was amazing. These particular pretzels did not have salt on them. 

         After breakfast we went to meet Phil and Anna's church friends from two nights before to go on a train ride through a park. Anna had gone to a Mosaic Art workshop so she wasn't around to hang out with us. The friend who was the occupational therapist had a client with Autism who volunteered to help run the train. At this park teenagers and tweens run the trains as if they were actual train station workers. Each kid had a different role to make sure the train ran smoothly. This was a miniature train like the one at the Milwaukee Zoo. The train started out with a steam engine, and halfway through they switched to a different engine. The train ride was relaxing and the park was really beautiful. It was even enjoyable for us adults, and actually lasted awhile. The train made the typical train sounds which Phil referred to as "train ASMR". 

    After the train ride we took the public transit to the arts district of Dresden. This is one of the most popular parts of Dresden, and has a lot of trendy restaurants and bars, along with art shops. For lunch we ate at a Vietnamese restaurant outside. At the bus stop there was a guy handing out information on Neo Nazism which was shocking. Apparently it's a growing thing in Germany which is terrifying. At the restaurant Phil needed to translate the menu with me since they didn't end up having an English menu (not that I was expecting them to have one), and bees must really like noodles. There was a bee that kept landing on my food and walking on it, it even flew off with a piece of noodle at one point??? For a drink I had "Mango lassi" which is a mango smoothie-like drink that's popular in India. It's made with mangos, yogurt, cardamom, and sweetener. I really enjoyed it. After lunch the church friends left, and Phil and I walked down the streets.

   The Dresden Arts District is known as "Neustadt", and has an alleyway called "Kunsthof Passage". In the Kunsthof Passage there is a building with series of pipes with water trickling down. Phil said that people actually live in that building. It's a super cool art piece. Another thing I noticed about Neustadt is there is a lot of graffiti. Graffiti that you would find in a rougher area typically. However, Phil said that this was apart of the appeal with Neustadt. 

   After exploring Neustadt we took the public transit to the city center of Dresden in search of a souvenir mug, which we did end up finding. We took the public transit to a bridge that leads to the city center, and goes over the Elbe River, so I got yet again another amazing view of Dresden as we walked over the bridge. You could clearly see the historical buildings from this particular angle. After finding the souvenir mug it was time to get packed up to leave. I had originally wanted to stay in Dresden until early Sunday morning (9/17), but figured out early on (thankfully) that the bus or trains would not be running that early in the morning, so the best option for me would be to stay the night in Berlin. I booked a room that was within steps of the Berlin airport so I wouldn't have to figure out transportation to the airport from the hotel, and could take the bus directly to the airport. (I did not want to have to go through staying overnight at an airport again, although I would have to in Switzerland). Anna had returned by this time so we were all able to talk a bit before it was time to head to the bus station. My flight was at 7am the next morning. 

   I was a little afraid I would have a some trouble finding my hotel even with it being at the airport, but that wasn't an issue. I could see the hotel right from the bus stop when I arrived at the airport. I checked in to my hotel around 7pm. The front desk guy spoke English so it was an easy process. Knowing how to say "Do you speak English?" in German came in handy. Most of them do. The airport staff in Germany either explain the instructions in German or English, and would ask which you spoke. German hotel beds have one big bed with two separate mattresses along with two separate comforters. One for each person. The comforters were thin, but in Europe they have comforter (duvet covers), and I think you were meant to bring your cover to the hotel. Not 100% sure though. Another thing I noticed about the room that was different than an American hotel was the fact that there was a curtain by the bed where when opened you can look into the shower from where the bed is. I don't know how common this is to German hotels or my particular hotel was strange. I relaxed and reorganized my suitcase before sleeping for a couple hours. (Everyday I had to calculate what time I should wake up based on my phone being stuck on Wisconsin time. It was interesting, but I always figured it out even though it was very confusing.) This is also when the handle of my suitcase got stuck and would no longer pop up, and forced me to have to lean down and pull my suitcase or lift it. When you have to carry your suitcase, and or bend over for long periods it's exhausting/difficult which I experienced the next day when enroute to Manchester.