Monday, October 31, 2011

Fall

 It is definitely fall weather here and I love it.  I forgot that I actually love fall since I never really experienced it since I moved to USA.  In Texas there is no real fall, the trees do not change color and the temperature is highly sporadic.  I have pictures of my family playing volleyball in shorts and t-shirts at the end of December.  In Colorado, just like in Texas everything is always a bit brownish so do not really notice the color change and the temperature, in my opinion, changed more drastically.  In any case, I feel like here I am experiencing the fall of my childhood: wet, cool and full of color.  This weather is perfect for a dark read like The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, which I finished it in a few days and it was by no means a summer read.

The mornings are dreary, humid and chilly, but when the sun comes out during the day you can actually enjoy lunch on your balcony and not get a bit uncomfortable. 

I took these pictures this morning.  Fog covers everything like a thick blanket.

This is the park right across from our apartment.

Check out just how green the grass still is and it stays like that even under the snow!!! 
In a week I am going to Ukraine and I will indeed see the fall of my childhood! 

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Freiburg

My oh my, am I getting lazy!?  Well this post is about a month overdue, but better late then never, right :)

I finally visited Vishnu in Freiburg.  We went together to the same high school and now she lives in Germany and studies Medicine.  What a small world!!!

I loved Freiburg, I think this is the best 'college-town' I have ever visited.  Here are some of the things/facts I enjoyed.
--Freiburg is one of the warmest places in Germany
--it is close to the Black forest, Switzerland and France with lost of picturesque biking/hiking routs
--very bike friendly city
--small city but it felt like it had everything
These mosaics are everywhere.  Some of them could be found in front of stores: like a pretzel in front of a bakery and fish in front of seafood store, and so on.  It takes a lot of work to maintain these mosaics and they are constantly being repaired.
During my first day we walked around the city and enjoyed the panoramic views from a hilltop.
Pretty Vishnu :)
These fresh water chanels are everywhere in Freiburg.  I think they were my favorite. 

Next day we went for a relaxing bike ride and guess what I saw more cows.

Picnic with scones Vishnu made and Federweisser from the local green market.

It was perfect weather the whole time I stayed in Freiburg. 

Don't you want to live in a neighborhood like this?


Last day.  In front of the Münster.

It is a very small world.

I look happy, but I was pretty sick and taking antibiotics the whole time.  Vishnu took good care of me.

I had a great time with Vishnu sharing impressions of both living in Germany and US.  We ate Mexican food, made random things like almond/coconut butter and basically talked non stop. 
It was a perfect trip, thanks Vishnu!