Journeys

watching: some shit on TV
mood: depressed

Well, normally I start at the beginning of my short trips, but this time the Ending was way more interesting. So I'll start with our Journey back.
Since we have been walking every day for several hours to "admire" (I'l explain that later) a lot of things in St. Petersburg, we decided to go to the airport a little earlier than we had to. Means like an hour early, BUT in St. Petersburg, you are not allowed to check in 3 hours before a flight, only two ours before! I'm not kidding. Since the check in counter are in a different room they actually make you wait in a stinky, tiny lobby with a crappy cafe. Finally at 15 past 5 p.m. (five minutes too late) we were allowed to proceed to the check in counters. Lucky us my dad has a gold card and 2 of our 5 party travel group have frequent travellers cards (^_^) why is that important....because you don't have to check in at economy class counters (^_^) anyhow, being the privileged fuckers we are, we checked in for emergency row, at least we thought, but we ended up sitting in the first row after the middle sky waitress bar (^_~) which ended up being the best place ever. Well, after spending hours in passport control we did some duty free shopping and slowly made our way to the plain. Well of course there was delay, how could there not have been delay? Righty, the problem was, because of the delay we got into a thunderstorm and ended up in a turning loop above Frankfurt. When we began to land I felt like spontaneously ruining the plain by puking all over it. Gosh, I was sick to my stomach like I've never been. But the other guests were in luck and I didn't. After going through what a Martini Cocktail goes through, I realized that the plain was rising again and a short while after that an announcement that we were starting through again was given. Well, I was like...okay, whatever I'm simply going to take the next train to Cologne, but everything ended up in big chaos. We were redirected to Nurnberg, refueled and waited...and waited....and waited. It took ages till we were allowed to start again. And waiting sucks when you left leg is a pain in the ass and the sky waitresses are incapable suckers. Not kidding the stewardesses didn't even feel the need to walk around and give people something to drink. We had to ask for it and we fought a war about the sweets, because there were too little, of course. That is the reason why it was better that we ended up having the seats we had and not the real emergency row seats. Well anyways, after those HOURS and HOURS of waiting and funny comments form the pilot like:" If you stick with us, you are stuck with us" (he was commenting on the fact that those whose final destination Nurnberg was, were allowed to leave the plain) we tried reaching Frankfurt again. Landed without any further complications, but when we arrived there was no ground crew to let us out of the plain, so we were waiting again. The Airport seemed to be deserted, until we came to the counters where we had to handle when we were able to leave Frankfrut for our final destinations. Being Cologne and Bremen. Of course there were no connecting flights anymore, it was already 1 a.m. by now. So they checked us into an hotel and gave us connecting flight for the next day. Now the odyssey was not over yet. the cab driver brought us to the wrong hotel, because they put down the wrong address. When we arrived at the right hotel there, of course, was a big queue for check in. At fucking 2 a.m. we were not exactly in the mood to wait any longer, but there was no other opportunity. We ended up in the bar drinking Gin Tonic till 3 a.m. and I had a rather nice conversation with a young man my age, being German and working in Singapore. Which makes me now feel like an even bigger loser, because Keio did not accept me. Bye bye future dream. The next morning I fell out of bed, drenched at 9:30 a.m. had breakfast and made my way with my parents to the airport again. Of course my flight to Cologne had a delay of about half an hour......the flight takes only 20 minutes, thinking about that. Well, here I am, back in Germany.....no desire to fly to St. Petersburg any time soon.

Pictures and a full report on my trip to Russia will follow soon.

listening to: Dream Theater | Images and Words
mood: scared

Well it's been already a week since I'm back in Germany, but due to some organizational stuff and studying AND being totally out of order due to that darn flue, I haven't had the time yet, to write a report on my stay in Barcelona. But here we go.
We stayed at hotel OMM, which is a neat designer hotel. I loved it there. The staff is friendly and always happy to help you out with things, especially the guys at the bar..whooohooot. All very nice and some of them not only nice, but also hot (O_O)
The Spa is very good and the Masseuses are all very skilled. I had a Thai massage and two Aryuveda massages. They rocked (^_^)
The rooms have a very cool design, but are also practical. One big plus is the fact that they have stereo's in the rooms (which meant I connected my iPod to the stereo and tortured my neighbors with Aikaryu and stuff like that hehehe). There is also a safe in the room, which I always prefer.

in the hotel lobby

Of course we were walking around a lot (^_^) And my feet are now even flatter. I had sore legs due to so much walking, even though I usually walk a lot to. Shopping and sightseeing is a fatal combination *GGG* You can see some of the stuff I shopped in the fashion statements area. The rest is not at all spectacular, therefore no need to take a picture and show you.
It was freezing cold in Barcelona which sucked, but hey, you can't have everything, right (^_^)

Of course we saw the most important things, like the Skrada Familia and stuff like that, but to be honest. Don't pay the entry to the Sakrada Familia, it sucks, cuz they are working on it, trying to finish it. But they obviously suck at doing so. I don't think that you should finish a piece of art when it was left unfinished, even if it is a building. It's prettier from the outside anyways (^_^)

Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia from further away

Gaudi's front of the Sakrada Familia

The new front. Does it not remind you of Lord of The Rings, too?

This hospital rocked. I forgot the name of the architect, but I will look it up later and tell you, its something with an M at the beginning, I think. You have to admit that this hospital is so cute, you would totally go there if you had to go to a hospital at all. the only a little bit scary things are the

Angels Of Death as I named them (^_^)

Besides that the same guy built the Ofera Catalan, which is a music house in the heart of the gothic part of the town. It is built very beautifully and with a lot of phantasy. We had a guided tour, which I hate, but they don't let people in without it. It rocked to see it though, even though you have a pattern overdose after that and need something calm to the eye!

We of course also went to the Miro museum, which is a must when you go to Barcelona. Don't forget to bring you cam, cuz pictures whithout flash are allowed. I took only a few pictures, here they are:

and here some random pictures of Barcelona (^_^)

Some more Gaudi

Restaurants I would totally recommend is MOO, for it's really innovative cuisine. I'm not kidding. I had a desert named after some Dior perfume..something something poison. After I ate it they gave me a tester to smell the perfume and I swear it tasted just the same as it smelled. AMAZING! But I wouldn't buy the perfume, way to sweet for my taste, but I'd eat it any time again. My dad had some stuff and it said with a cigar. And they actually made a cigar of ice cream and chocolate and imitated the ash with some stuff. That thing really tasted like the some of the cigar it was supposed to imitate. That was so cool and surprising. So go there, it's worth it, but you have to make a reservation in advance, especially on Thursday nights, cuz the hotel lobby is packed with young folks partying that day.
Another really good restaurant is NEGRO ROJO. At Negro they serve Nouvelle Cuisine and at ROJO they serve Japanese food. It's a two story restaurant. Pretty good food, too.

listening to: my dog breathing next to me (^_^)
mood: good

My last couple of days in Shanghai were not bad at all. After my money arrived I sorted everything out and did some shopping. Said good bye to a friend on Thursday and had my last night out with a person who I honestly like a lot (T_T) a crying smiley cuz I think it sucks hell, when you find somebody you liked to the second you met him (or her), and have to leave them after a short while again.
We had a nice evening having all you can eat Brasilian BBQ went to some bar afterwards....Big Bamboo or something like that and then I discovered the world of Google Earth a satellite program you can use and take a look at the world. Fucking neat!
Went to my hotel, kuddled up...God, I'm so gonna miss that (T_T) Nothing nicer than falling asleep and waking up next to a person you really like. But can't do anything about that now. I for sure gonna miss a couple of things about him though...maybe even himself... which is really really rare, cuz I don't tend to miss things.
Next morning we had breakfast together and then I hopped with my three bags onto a cab to the airport. When I arrived there I learned that I was only allowed to take 30kg with me...which sucked cuz my luggage weight was 65 kg. 1700 yuan per 5kg means something about 180 Euro per 5 kg!!! IMAGINE!!!
Since I didn't have a wallet anymore, I was like..sorry can't pay 30kg overweight, so I started bargaining with the woman at the counter. 5 kg she said...I was like okay...went to the paying counter and had to learn that they wouldn't accept my Chinese Bank card...she saw some 100 Euro in my wallet though and was like, you pay that and that's okay then (^_^) Ended up paying 4kg over weight luggage YAY!!!!!!! Good deal (^_^)
Off I went to the plane and fell asleep before it took off (^_^)
There was something in the meals that my body didn't like so I ended up feeling like shit with a big headache and the feeling that I wanted to throw up every second. Went to the lounge in Frankfurt hang out for 2 hours, spent it mainly talking to friends on the phone, hopped on my connection flight to Bremen where 3 of my friend greeted me with a painted welcome sign!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY ARE THE SWEETEST SHIT!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUYS, a second later my mom arrived to pick me up, God, was I happy to see her, too (^_^) So we heaved my luggage into her car, and drove home. First thing to mention FRESH AIR!!! GOD was I missing fresh air, since Shanghai is probably the dirtiest city in the world and you smell it!
So nice fresh air was a blessing to me. When I came home my dad had one of his friends there, but since it is really relaxed I went upstairs to get a shower jumped into my pajamas and sat down at the big table in the kitchen. I think I went to bed at about 1:30 after I had been talking to my mom a bit and slept like a baby till 9:15 this morning waking up to a beautiful blue sky and the mist still hanging a bit upon the lawn. Nice!
So here I am, will try to think up some more reports I can post, but most of the thins I experienced this time in Shanghai were really private and are not to be posted here.

listening to: ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION | ソルファ
mood: relieved

After I called the only friend in Shanghai I have, who was capable of understanding what my problem is, and who I at least felt like talking to, I went off to a horrible sleep. I was tired, but every time I laid down I was just wide awake, worrying how to get money!!!! Above all the couple (or guy who had a whore, who knows?) next to me was having sex!! GRAAAAAAAAA!!! So I was annoyed by that, too and of course had a hell like sleep.
So this morning the first thing I did was recharging my mobile (which was not a hustle at all, a monkey could do that), went back to the concierge who told me that I could transfer money to the Hotel and they would give it to me, but they would charge 15% service charge. WTF!!! China is not a Communist country at all, it's the freaking capitalistic capital of the world, taking advantage of some body's misery like that. So I naturally was like, hell no! But the concierge (one of the few people I like in this hotel) was nice enough to suggest to check out Bank of China (which was my second choice anyway). So I hopped over the street and checked it out. No problem there. Just need one Yuan and a passport to open an account there (^_^) Very easy! So I didn't skip school as I had originally planned if it would have been a bigger hustle to get money into my hands. So I hopped off to school and bitched about my hotel, the fact that I got pickpocketed and all those kind of things. My teacher was very patient and listened to it for an hour (^_^) I stopped school early, since I was really tired and wanted to get over with the money thing.
So I went to the Bank of China and opened an account which is really the easiest thing in the world. I got a cash card (^_^)!! It doesn't have my name on it, but who gives a fuck, I most certainly don't. You just have to type your password for like a zillion times and everything is fine. Sent my parents the data they need to transfer the money. Thank God that extra fast money transfer exists (^_^) So I probably will have my money by tomorrow, latest Thursday, which is good!
Sure I still have the hustle to get a new German ID and driving license, my insurance card and stuff like that. My parents already ordered my new credit cards and my new cash card. They are trying to fix whatever they can fix without me. I love them for doing that (^_^) I love them for being able to react quickly in situations like that (^_^)
Ahhh God I'm so relieved. Now I just have to wait for the money to arrive (^_^)
I still feel a little sick to my stomach and am totally distracted, but at least now I know that everything is gonna be all right!
Now I understand why they used to cut of the hands of Thieves in Arabian countries.

listening to: lost
mood: FUCKING PISSED OFF

Ahh finally I have something to report that is fairly interesting. I am sick...but no that's not the big news. And since I went out for dinner a lot last week I decided to get some fruit and bread for dinner, so I made my way to Raffles City to get some fruit and stop by at BreadTalk at the New building at NanjingDong Lu to get a toast or something. I picked some yummy sandwich ad BreadTalk when I discovered that my wallet was gone. Yeah some scum bag stole my fucking expensive Paul Smith designer wallet with all my credit cards, German ID, driving license and shit like that. YAY!!! So I called my parents to make sure my cards get cancelled right away. I was so pissed off that I nearly started crying. Seems only being really pissed of can make me do that lately. One experience richer...having my wallet stolen. An experience I would rather choose not to make, but it's not really on my to decide that, is it? So I went back to my hotel to ask the concierge for a police station and he called the assistant manager, who turns out to be fucking ass hole. Like totally showing no effort to make this situation easier. I so fucking hate the hotel I'm living in. Yeah it might be famous, but it honestly has the poorest service ever. They don't clean my room, when something is broken I have to fix it myself or it will never be done, when something is laying on the ground it for sure gonna stay there till I pick it up! FUCKING SHITHOLE that is....if you ever come to Shanghai and want to stay at a good hotel, please do me a favor and don't come to Peace Hotel. IT FUCKING SUCKS HELL! But to go on with my story, I got my passport from the save (at least that was not stolen), changed some money, went to the police station and they fortunately had somebody there who spoke English well enough to pretend to make an effort. He fucking took his time!! He was chatting with his friend in between and if I had not been sure that it would have gotten me into trouble I would have yelled at him to hurry the fuck up!!!! So I just sat there and swallowed my anger. He was asking like totally useless questions that had nothing to do with my wallet! For example from which Airport I came...WTF!!!! One of the police guys took a special interest in my passport looking at all my visas and shit like that. And then he went off to copy it....twice!!! My heart didn't stop beating until I got my wallet back. An hour later I was finally finished! Treated myself to some Hagen Dasz, just for the mere fact that I hadn't eaten since 9 this morning and was pissed off, so ice cream seemed to be a good idea. Still totally pissed I stamped off to my hotel, when this guy came running after me, going like; Excuse me, excuse me....and I was like NOOOOO nearly screaming at him...the poor thing only wanted to know where the Hagen Dasz store was...(o.O) Wrong day to ask me! So now...no credit cards!! Have to get a new ID and driving license and all the other cards...fucking shit, man. And I never gonna find a wallet as cool as my old one. It was a fucking Paul Smith green snake leather wallet. I bought it last year here in Shanghai! Fucking Christ. Now the hustle starts to get some money to China, so I can pay my hotel bill and shit like that......First thing in the morning to do...recharge my phone and try to organize how I can get some money. ROFL in a couple of years I'm gonna laugh about this for sure...even though right now, I'm totally pissed...what a nice pre birthday present.....

listening to: some crappy AXN show
mood: kind of good

You won't believe it, but as the day I have to depart from Shanghai comes nearer and nearer I'm starting to enjoy myself here. I actually have a good time. And to be honest a really good weekend (^_^).
Had nice dinner and some whine on Friday night and met the girl I got to know at the L'arc~en~ciel concert for dinner on Saturday. We went to a really good Japanese restaurant, which has many Japanese customers. Always a good sign. If a lot Japanese go to a Japanese place it means it's good. Always like that. A good rule to follow.
We had quite a lot of fun eating tons of Sashimi, Nabe and all kinds of stuff drinking Ume and me trying to listen to the Japanese conversations all around me.
I have to mention that she is a really nice girl, with a good education and good table manners. I was amazed, cuz normally Chinese do have (from the western point of view) no table manners at all. But she did...which was good, cuz I can't take people with bad table manners....I lose all my respect for them.
We went shopping afterwards. I got some really funky fake eye lashes! Funny thing...they are Japanese. I saw shops of the guy who makes them in Tokyo, but I didn't get any there...*ggg* now I did (^_^)
Well I had my glittery M.A.C eye make-up done (within 5 mins...I'm getting better) and the clerk asked me if I was going to a party...I couldn't resist but answer that I always run a round like that. Well at night time in Tokyo at least (^_^)
There was this nation day going on at HuaiHaiZhong Lu and MaoMingNan Lu. It was basically a parade of the foreigners living in Shanghai waving at the crowd wearing their national costumes. Ridiculous, to be honest. Fake smiles on their faces sweating like shit, since this weekend is just unbelievably hot. There is now wind blowing and the sun is burning down on the city merciless. The heat when you come out of the cooled down buildings is overwhelmingly. All you wish for at that moment is a walking air conditioning in front of you.
And I really should get a T-shirt done that tells them that there is a staring fee!!! And I should start taking money for having pictures taken of me. (o.O)
Besides that.....here some pics of the lashes and the jewels I got in Tokyo from the shop that hadn't even opened officially at the time I bought the stuff. NEAT

Shu Uemura lashes.....sooooo cool!

listening to: hide | hide your face
mood: excited

since I'm kind of rushing of to a date this is gonna be a really short post. My ex-boyfriend just compared me to the Shreck Dragonlady...ya know, the one that is in love with the donkey! Because of the eyes *GGG* He thinks I got eyes like Bambi and wonders what the eyes of my children will look like when I have them with someone from East Asia....it's gonna be Shou (Alice Nine vocals) eyes...he has Japanese Bambi eyes!!!

listening to: The family race
mood: a bit tired

Well my dears. Since everything I experience here is kind of very personal and I am not willing to let everybody read it I don't really have much to post. So I decided to go out and take some pictures of the Bund and Pudong at night. I hope you have fun looking at those.
(klick the thumbnails to enlargen - you are allowed to use the pictures, but at least give me credit if you do so!) And don't forget DO NOT DIRECT LINK THE PICTURES!!!!!

the Pudong view is basically is what I get from my hotel. I will go there later this weekend to take some pictures from the Roof, should be quite a cool sight.

listening to: JILS | Sad Song and Phantasmagoria | Fairy times memory on repeat
mood: sad

Man I'm really a fucked up bitch. I mean I travel the world, had just a fucking great month in Japan and now I'm in China, actually made couple of friends \(^_^)/ and am totally sad. My mom called me today telling me that she was worried, cuz they tried to reach me twice, but I only received a message from some weird number I didn't know, so I didn't call her back...so she got worried. Talked to her, now she is fine again, but I ain't. I feel like shit. I feel like a lonely peace of shit. And it's not home sickness, cuz I know I wouldn't feel any better if I was home. I would hang out in my apartment and would feel miserable.
It just gets freaking fucking lonely in my exciting little life. And who cares? Apperntly no one.
Yeah I'm whining......should get slapped for it.

listening to: L'arc en ciel | Awake
mood: Dunno yet (^_^)

So yesterday I came home after school and was pissed, cuz a couple of Cab driver decided not to take me to the destination I wanted to go, even though it would have only meant to turn their fucking car around. Bastards. Then one decided to rather drive a Chinsese girl to whatever fucking destination she was going to, instead of me!!! And she of course didn't have the decency to give me the ride, even though I was waiting for a longer time than she was, so I was pissed. REAL pissed. By the time I reached my hotel I decided that it was a good idea to get a massage. So I went down to the wellness area of my hotel to get a good Thai style massage. Christ the guy who gave me the massage climbed on me!!!!! And tried to relax my muscles with his KNEES!!! I mean it worked, still felt a bit weird having someone kneeling on my back! I got a bit worried when he made his way to my left knee, and yet again it showed me that it is still not a flexible as my right one. I guess it will never be ever again. But who cares. I'm not limited in my movements so everything is fine. I met with a friend afterwards and chatted a bit, went for some steak for dinner came home and simply didn't feel like going out at all, so I fumbled around on the Internet and watched some TV, went to bed fairly early.
Before I came home I picked up some bread at some bread place that reminded me a lot of Japan. HIGH CRY FACTOR!!! But I just don't...haven't cried since I ran out of class before the exams being totally brain fucked. Today is the L'arc en ciels live. I'm really looking forward to that one. I will be going out a bit before, since I feel the need to get some fresh air (^_^)
I will wear my Penicillin outfit. Even though it isn't very common to run around like that in China, I guess I won't get much more than a couple of good stares! But that's okay (^_^)