Just because :)

Hello everyone who is checking up on me!

It's Wednesday. Night. And I'm supposed to be leaving for Germany tomorrow!
However, it has been snowing like mad here the past couple of weeks, so I'm dead nervous about my flights this weekend. A lot of them have been getting cancelled, and we are supposed to be leaving around 8 tomorrow morning, so we'll see how it all goes! I'll definitely keep all of you informed, regardless of how my weekend ends up. Hopefully I'll be roaming around in Germany! But maybe not.

My two German flatmates did give me and my friend a list of the Christmas markets we need to go to while we are there :-) So, I'm very excited to see all of those. We are scheduled to fly to Berlin and then head over to Munich as well, so hopefully everything goes as planned!

It has been pretty cold here lately, and like I said, it has been snowing an awful lot. I don't think people in England know what a shovel is either. lol None of the roads or sidewalks or anything is shoveled or plowed,  (and because it's England) it will turn all slushy and then freeze back over, and over, and over. I have about wiped out more times than I can count. I also have this gigantic hill I have to climb up and down everyday, and its pretty much like an ice slide! It's kind of fun. It's pretty entertaining waking up in the morning and being like.... "Hmm.. I wonder how many times I will fall down today!"
However, the snow isn't really that high because, it will snow, and then rain, and then sleet, and then.. sunshine! lol. This has to be the most random weather I have ever seen. It even beats Ohio if you can believe it. But it's proper cold, so thanks Grandma for the extra gloves :-)

Everything is going well over here, it's sad to think that I only have two weeks left here! I really do miss all of you back home, but I'm just not quite ready to come home yet! I probably will be when the time comes though. All of the Christmas decorations are up, and it's definitely getting me ready for Christmas. I have been doing all of my shopping here, and I have no bloody idea how I'm going to get everything home! That should be fun.

Anyways, I was just letting you all know that I'm doing well! And before you know it, I'll be back in the States with all of you :-)

I hope everything is going great back at home and that you guys are enjoying your first snowfall as well!  Have a great weekend :-)

Thanks for checking on me and my blog!



(Sorry for not adding any pictures this time!) Later I will.

SCOTLAND! :-)

Scotland :)

As you probably know, my parents came over to visit me this past week over here in the UK! They got here around noon on Friday last week, the 12th November, and then we left for Scotland later that afternoon. We spent the whole weekend there in Edinbourgh, and walked absolutely everywhere! We saw about everything there was to see in Edinbourgh, and we all really wished we would have had more time to travel to Northern Scotland, where the Highlands are. Since southern Scotland was so beautiful, seeing the country sides in the Highlands would have been amazing as well! I have heard that this is best to be seen in April, May, or June though, just for future reference!

There really aren't too many landmarks in Scotland, unlike some other cities I have traveled to, but it was still so scenic. Everything there was so pretty to look at, it was definitely an outdoorsy kind of place, which was fabulous, because I love the outdoors. :) We went on a Scottish Whiskey tour, toured the famous Royal Yacht Britannia (Queen Elizabeth's Yacht), and of course toured the Edinbrough Castle! Which was absolutely massive. It was so amazing to see something built like that, because it was so old and so big, the structure was very impressive. I think they built it in sections, so I'm not sure how long it actually took to build, but it was still ridiculous. Ahh it was so awesome! I wish all of you could have seen it.

Mom and Dad left Thursday morning to go to London, and after they left, it made me miss home a little. But I knew it was going to happen, so I was kind of ready for it. Now I just want to see all of my family! But, I only have four weeks left, and I know it's going to fly by, because it already has! And, four weeks, just seems like such a short time. Thinking about leaving actually makes me want to be productive and go out to see people all of the time, so I know this missing home will pass in a day or so! lol
I miss traveling with my parents, because doing those kinds of things with family creates such a unique bond, but I know they are having a great time in London, so I'm not worried! I'm sure they are.. there is so much to see and do, that it can't be a bad trip! Plus, mom had texted me that all of the Christmas decorations are up in London, so that it's just beautiful.

So yes, mom and dad got here alright, and I really think that they are enjoying themselves! I am so happy for them that they got to come here. But I will let them tell you all of the details when they get back! I'm sure they will be so excited to tell all of you about it.

Ah, well I shall go now! I hope everything is going well back at home, and thanks for checking up on me throughout my journey :)

Our hotels we stayed in were so hilarious. They were so old, it was absolutely brilliant. It was neat staying in something that was built hundreds of years ago, with leaky ceilings lol

Beautiful Scotland from atop a hill :-) It was so pretty in person 

HAGGIS! I think it's sheep's heart, liver, and lungs? I'm not completely sure. but it was actually really good! Me and my dad wanted to bring some home lol (the dark stuff) It kind of had the texture of grits

a street at night in Edinbourgh

Monument on a hill in Scotland

Me and madre lol (it was really windy up there by the way! We about blew over)

Mom and Dad!

Lovely view from the hill :)

streets in Scotland

Scotland! : )

we thought this shirt was hilarious (the blue one) 

my parents lol  dad actually bought one of these.. can't wait for christmas caroling NOW!

lol. lookin' good dad. never knew hair would look so good on you

Monument - Edinbourgh Castle behind it! (It was literally built up on a cliff)

Edinbourgh Castle at night!

Me, Mom, and Dad outside of the Edinbourgh Castle :-) 

view outside of the castle

Another view taken from inside the castle (The castle was huge - I have loads of these pictures)

The Scottish Whiskey tour - The Whiskey collection room! Soo much whiskey in one place (wouldn't you like to be trapped in here for a week? lol )

The steps they showed us on the Whiskey tour

Inside of the Royal Yacht Britannia

The Engine room of the Britannia 

The dining room inside the Britannia.. it takes them over three hours to set up all of the china, because they measure everything with a ruler! how crazy

Aren't my parents so cute :)  (They didn't know I took this!)

A building in Scotland (British Flag!)

Me and Dad :)

All three of us with the Edinbourgh Castle behind us :)  (Computer background!)

Everything in Scotland was so GREEN. Even though winter was coming and a lot of  the leaves were off the trees, everything was still so green

Another view of Edinbourgh, Scotland. I believe this is old town Edinbourgh

We found a river!

And it was lovely :)

A path we walked down 

Amsterdam :)

Amsterdam!

I just went to Amsterdam this past weekend ( 4th November - 7th November ) and that was something to experience! The city is actually very beautiful, with canals and bridges everywhere throughout. I knew there was more to the city than it's reputation has to offer, but I didn't really know what quite to expect. One of the girls I was with said that part of the inner city, where the canals were, reminded her a lot of venice. So yes, it was beautiful! We left on Thursday afternoon and got back Sunday afternoon, so it was a bit of a longer trip, which was kind of a nice change of pace.

We toured the Van Gough museum, the Anne Frank house, went to a Botanic Garden, and went on the Heineken Brewery tour. So, we were definitely busy while we were there! I would have to say that the Anne Frank house was very fascinating to me, I was really interested in that. Also, the Heineken tour was awesome, that was definitely one of my favourite things I ended up doing over there. Overall, it was just really a great tour, because they included and showed all of the processes throughout the beer making procedure. They gave us two free beers at the end too, which was nice of them!
Heineken originated in Amsterdam, and it is everywhere over there. It's pretty much the only beer that they sell throughout the city. I'm not even kidding. But I like it, so I didn't mind!

Oh. Another thing that is everywhere in Amsterdam... BICYCLES! I literally about got ran over from more bikes than cars, and I'm surprised I didn't get hit at least once. I did trip over one once though. lol.

They had cute little Christmas shops up all over Amsterdam too, which got me really excited for Christmas! I'm trying really hard not to think about it though, because I don't want to get homesick or think about home while I'm still here. I still went through them though, and did buy a sweet blue and white Amsterdam looking ornament though, that will look great on our tree at home! I won't get to decorate our tree this year, but at least I get to put up one ornament :-)

I know all of you are curious about the Red Light district as well, just because I have had loads of questions about it already! It's actually not that bad of an area, it looks just as scenic as the rest of the streets in Amsterdam. It's still a very strange concept to me though, and I still can't quite wrap my head around it. As much as I try, I just don't quite get it! I guess that's a good thing!
All of Amsterdam felt pretty safe though, which was definitely a good thing. Our hostels were actually the nicest hostels I have been in so far too.

Alright, well I should stop making these so long, so I will go now and get back to homework! Sometimes these Huwer genes really get the best of me.

I hope everything is going well at home, only 5 weeks left! 

By the way, Mom and Dad come tomorrow! I'm so excited. They are actually on their way right now,  in a plane or at an airport somewhere. I really hope that they get here safe, and they their travel goes smoothly. They will be in my prayers all night for a safe trip. They should be flying into Newcastle by 11:00 on Friday morning, and there I shall go and meet them :-) After all of the hugs and kisses, we are going to set off for Scotland! So, I'm very excited for that as well!

I'm so happy that they get a chance to come over here to travel and experience everything at least once in their lives. I know they will really appreciate everything they get to see and do here, which makes me very excited for them. It really is such a wonderful journey, and we are very blessed to have all these opportunities. 

Well, I will talk to you all soon enough, and keep you updated on our travels :) 

Thanks for your interest and checking up on me and my blog!

Here we are! :-)

Bikes everywhere! They really aren't kidding when they say that everyone rides bicycles everywhere. They pretty much have the ride away with pedestrians AND cars in that city. Basically, they are taking over Amsterdam. lol

Me with my ridiculously huge pancake! I got bacon and apples in it. I couldn't decide if I wanted a meaty one or a sweet one. So i mixed them. lol. It was delicious! They are big on Pancakes in Holland.
Not quite like grandma's but you know.  :-)
Oh. Brother Brent: Palm Beer (It was very good as well!) Maybe I should get more picky with what beers I like

What most of the streets / canals look like in Amsterdam

Bike! I really like this picture :)

It was fall when we went to Amsterdam as well.. very pretty season! I really like autumn

Anne Frank House ( They reconstructed the outside of it for more support.. they almost had to tear it down before it opened because it was crumbling and deserted, and then they had to restore it again in the 1970's.  After this, it went through a major renovation in 1995 )

Pictures of Anne Frank

The secret door ( a bookshelf ) that leads to the Secret Annex
I find all of this information so fascinating, and if you want to check more out about it, the website is: http://www.annefrank.org/en/   -- just in case you were very interested as well :)

They have a cafe named after me! whoop whoop

Heineken Brewery tour!

Some of the ingredients they use to make their beer

Brewery! (Dad and Brent, you would have loved it. It really was a very good tour)

Some samples of beer they gave us before our two free ones lol

The horses carrying barrels of Heineken beer 

fall :)

Pretty colours

I amsterdam. This sign is actually very famous!

Van Gough museum! It was amazing. Almost all of his work, and then the works from the artists that inspired him are in the museum.

One of his famous paintings - Sunflowers :)

Sweet looking bike!

Very Pretty :) 

One of the many lovely bridges throughout Amsterdam

Me by a canal

We went to go see a Boanic Garden.. which was really really neat! This plant was hanging, and reminded me of some kind of weird octopus. lol I really love science. I think if I wasn't a designer, I would be doing something with science.
(Mrs. Niekamp, I'm not sure how much you actually check this.. but you would have thought this was so neat!)

Part of the Botanic Garden we went to go see

Amsterdam by night! 

Red Light District --  It was actually a nice area! Still strange.

Me in the Amsterdam shoe!

A coffeeshop on the streets of Amsterdam -- Pretty neat looking