the sunshine state

Here are some pictures from my recent foray to Florida. They're all from my old point-and-shoot, which I dug out from some dusty drawer because I didn't want to lug my SLR around. 

These are from the place where we stayed, near Orlando. Florida is actually really beautiful. Like dang. I kinda miss it. 

               

Then on Friday we went to Universal Studios which was like the best ever. We had lunch and went on some smaller rides and then it freaking rained in Hogsmede. 

So that was my first impression of Harry Potter World. 

Then we took refuge in Honeydukes, which was overwhelming in the way that such colorful, lovely places can be. I finally decided on getting some chocolate toads for my sisters (no, they're not real toads) but I didn't realize until later on in the day that the sun would melt them. Evil sun! 

The palm trees really ruin the whole "snowy English village" mood.

I don't like carbonated drinks so I didn't try any, but I heard the butterbeer was good.

Hogwarts castle! I went on the ride in there which was super awesome and then I went on the dragon one which was more of a real roller coaster and it was kind of terrifying (for me) and I screamed the entire time.

Then we went to the Three Broomsticks and I got strawberry and peanut butter ice cream. It was even labeled "Florean Fortescue's." I love those little details. 

Non-Harry Potter stuff:

FUDGE from a sweet shop in the Seuss land. Cookie dough, M&Ms, Oreo, Peanut Butter and Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, and Caramel and Chocolate. I think the latter was probably my favorite.

Fin.

july eyes

Here's some stuff that has happened this week (in which my life continues to be exceedingly thrilling).

-I got my cartilage pierced.

I still feel kinda cool every time I look into a mirror.

-I went bowling until midnight and won at least two games even though I didn't really even try. Oh, that sounds really stuck up. Let me amend that: we're all just really bad at bowling, but sometimes I got lucky. Anyway, it was fun and they played a lot of songs from like 2006 that we screamed along to and also One Direction.

-Walked around the neighborhood, took pictures, got a white chocolate milkshake.

Also I spent way too much time on the computer but what else is new?

oh, barcelona (spain p. 5)

This is the last post about Spain, so you can all breathe a sigh of relief now. Although, I still have Florida to spam you with...

La Sagrada Familia

I loved the stained glass and the view from the very top. Looking out on the rooftops of Barcelona and seeing all the tiny people scurrying about was something close to magic. Also, it's a little bit scary being that high up.

My dad made dinner one night after we grew tired of going to restaurants twice a day, every day. It was delicious and it was even better just getting to sit on the balcony in the warm summer air in a foreign city. Afterwards, we watched Spain play in Euro 2012, along with everyone else in the country. I love how completely into it so many people get there. When Spain scored or came close to scoring, cheering would erupt outside the windows, and when they won, firecrackers and fireworks went off until I fell asleep.

One day we took the train to a nearby town called Sitges, where we went to the beach. 

Good to know I wasn't the only one taking pictures.

We went to the Picasso Museum and saw lots of paintings by (shocker) Picasso. 

On our last full day there, we went to Gaudi's Park Guell. It was hot as blazes and pretty crowded, but really wonderful. Afterwards, we stumbled upon a 4D movie about Gaudi's life a few blocks away that we watched. It was definitely one of the strangest things I've witnessed, but worth it.

Some more scenes from Spain.

barcelona (spain p. 4)

We took the train from Madrid in to Barcelona on Sunday. After settling into our apartments, we walked around La Rambla, this "tree-lined pedestrian mall" (according to Wikipedia). It was one of those places we went back to many times during the duration of our stay.

We went to this indoor market (la boqueria). I guess it's famous or popular because it was so crowded. It was cool, though, except for the parts that smelled like fish and had lamb heads. They also had lots of sweets, like some unique candies and multiple flavors of ice cream. My grandpa got the Kinder flavor. Bless.

What a sweet child.

Chris Columbus? Is that you? (It is.)

Ever since I did like 45 art projects last year on birds I have really been drawn to them. Look at that motion! The artistry in those wings! Yeah, wow, okay, I'll stop. 

They fell in right after I took this.

(No, they didn't.) 

(Also, no...I do not know them. Awkz.)

La Rambla goes out to the water (the Mediterranean Sea!) so we went on a little boat ride around the harbor.

Next time, I'll talk about my visit to La Sagrada Familia. I still have a lot of pictures, so hopefully you aren't getting bored!