valnyhout

I Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
For some reason this blog site won't let me post my pictures, so here is the beginning of my blog with no pics.
We have spent the last few days exploring Amsterdam. It is an interesting city. Everyone is friendly and everyone rides a bicycle.
We went to the Heineken Experience and we saw how they make beer. And then, we got to be the beer. That sounds weird but that is what you do there. We also got to taste test lots of beer.
I tried croquettes at lunch because you should try the food the locals eat. That is why I had Cod Tongue in Newfoundland. It is also why I wanted to eat puffin in Iceland.
We went to the Van Gogh museum. There were lots of brilliant paintings. Van Gogh painted lots of paintings but he passed away when he was very young. I think that was in 1890.
Near the Van Gogh museum, there were giant letters that spell, "I Amsterdam".
I really liked the Canal boat tour we went on. We saw lots of beautiful buildings and there are some really cool House boats all along the canals.
Our hotel room, which is kind of like a little apartment, looks out over one of the canals. We can see House boats out our window. We are up on the third floor and there is not an elevator, only Harry Potter steps. It was hard to get our suitcases upstairs, especially the big one.
As I am writing this blog, me and Dad are having another Heineken experience but not Mom, because she is a wheat-whiner.
Tomorrow, Greece.
written by  valnyhout on May 13, 2014 from Amsterdam, Netherlands
from the travel blog: Amsterdam to Athens and Everything After

Greece!
Athens, Greece
Arrived in Greece yesterday. It was my Dad's birthday!
We took the Metro from the airport and it was really crowded.
Checked into our hotel and then went exploring. We saw the Temple of Zeus and Mom told me stories about Ancient Greece.
We had a really nice dinner at our hotel. We looked out at the Acropolis and on the other side, the Temple of Zeus., while we were having dinner.
After dinner, we went for a walk and stopped at a cafe for dessert. I tried baklava. It was okay.
Today, more exploring.
written by  valnyhout on May 14, 2014 from Athens, Greece
from the travel blog: Amsterdam to Athens and Everything After

Being Athenian
Athens, Greece
Had a fun day checking out everything in Athens. We went to the Acropolis and saw the ruins. It is up really high. I bet my Chicken Sisters wouldn't go up there. We made some new friends up there. The ruins look like a castle but they are really a temple. There are really deep holes where the ancient Greeks buried their broken statues. There is a temple for the goddess Athena. Athens is named after Athena. She was the goddess of Wisdom. I wanted to see a statue of Athena but she wasn't there. Her statue got burned in a fire and I don't know if maybe chunks of it we're put in the deep hole. There is also a temple for Poseidon. He was the god of the sea but he also should have been the god of hiking because it was a big hike to get to the top.
There are dogs at the Acropolis and also at the Temple of Zeus. They don't have homes. People make sure they have their shots and the dogs just eat what food people give them. I wish someone would take them home.year
We went to the Acropolis museum and learned about statues.
We saw the guards at the Parliament buildings. There were lots of pigeons there. We went to a stadium that was built a long time ago but that is supposed to look like one that was built even longer ago. Sometimes school children go there for their gym class.
There is a part of Athens called the Plaka. It has lots of shops and restaurants. When we were eating, people bugged us to buy things. We had dinner there. I tried lamb but I am not really a fan of it.
written by  valnyhout on May 15, 2014 from Athens, Greece
from the travel blog: Amsterdam to Athens and Everything After

Lost in Mykonos
Mykonos, Greece
Yesterday was mostly a travel day. We went by cruise ship from Athens to Mykonos. We have a beautiful room in Mykonos. There is a really nice view from here. We have the sea and a pool. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant . I had jumbo shrimp that were humongojumbo shrimp. They were the size of lobster tails.
Today we explored Mykonos. We went to the beach and we went shopping in the town for awhile. We had lunch at a restaurant on the beach. We got lost, twice. We saw windmills that are very pretty. It reminded me of the Mama Mia movie.
All the buildings in Mykonos are white and most have blue doors and windows. Everything looks clean and nice.
There are 2 famous pelicans in Mykonos and I got to meet them. They just walk around the town. I was a little nervous in case they bite.
Tonight we went to a different restaurant on the beach. In Mykonos, after dinner they bring little donuts and dessert wine and it is a gift.
I tried ouzo today. It was interesting and it was gross. It reminded me of tequila. Where is Angela's glass when I need it?
written by  valnyhout on May 17, 2014 from Mykonos, Greece

Still Loving Mykonos
Mykonos, Greece
Woke up to another beautiful day in Mykonos. We decided to take a morning boat trip to Delos. It was hot and sunny on the boat. We saw some, or a lot of ruins. Do you know ruins are very old, like for example, on the Island of Delos, they have temples and houses that are from 2000 years ago. This part is weird. People were not allowed to die on Delos so the sick people and the old people had to go live on the Island next door. That is where they were buried. There are no graves on Delos. We saw some lion statues. They were guarding the birthplace of the god Apollo. Only people studying the ruins live on Delos now. It was interesting to look at all that. Some parts of if use a little bit of science. They had lots of statues.
We took the boat back to Mykonos. In the afternoon, Mom and I swam in the pool at the hotel and had cocktails.
P.s. This site still won't let me post my pictures.
written by  valnyhout on May 18, 2014 from Mykonos, Greece

Turkey and Patmos
Kusadasi, Turkey
We left Mykonos and got on the cruise ship at dinner time. This is funny. We met some other Canadians and we were talking at dinner and then the man spilled balsamic vinegar on my Dad. I couldn't stop laughing.
In the morning we were in Kusadasi Turkey. We went to the bazaar and there were lots of people selling things. They Chase you to try to get you to buy stuff. It is really hard to get away from them. We went for a walk along the water and took some pictures.
Back on the ship we had a nice time in the sun. It was a beautiful day. The cruise people were dancing and they got my Dad up dancing too.
Around 4 we docked in Patmos. It is a pretty little place. There were some more homeless dogs. We were having drinks in a cafe and we watched one fat little dog. Every time a bus came in, he would run over and greet everyone getting off the bus. He wagged his tail and rolled on his back for people to pet his tummy. I think lots of people feed him.
We did a bit of shopping and I bought a new dress. Then back to the ship.
written by  valnyhout on May 20, 2014 from Kusadasi, Turkey

The Road to Rhodes
Athens, Greece
Today we went to the Island of Rhodes. There is a wall all around the old part of the city. It reminded me of Narnia. I looked for the lion or Peter or Susan or Edmund or Lucy from Narnia but I didn't see them. We took a tour in the early morning and then we walked around the old town before lunch. There were parrots and cockatoos outside some of the restaurants. For lunch, we climbed up really high in an old building and ate on the roof top of the restaurant We could see the sea over the top of the old wall.
In the afternoon we went to the beach. Mom and I swam in the Agean Sea. It was cold at first but we got used to it.
It was formal night in the evening. We dressed up for dinner and then had a cocktail. We watched the ship crew do a dancing with the Stars show.
written by  valnyhout on May 21, 2014 from Athens, Greece

A bit of crete
We only had a bit of time in Crete. We were in the City of Heraklion. Some of it looks like a New City but some of it is old walls and buildings. They aren't ancient ruins like some places. They were built by people that came from Venice.
After Crete, we had to say goodbye to our friends we made from Washington. They were leaving the ship.

Beautiful Santorini
We got to Santorini by Ferry boat. There is a bit of science here. There was a Volcano that erupted a long time ago. Now, the Volcano is under water beside Santorini. The sand is black or red from volcanic ash.
Santorini is so pretty. The white buildings look over the sea. They are a long way up. From the Ferry we had to take a bus up the side of a Cliff. We walked around at the top and took pictures. The scenery reminded me of Mama Mia. I asked about that but it was filmed on another Greek Island. I would like to come back to Santorini.

Arriving in England and nightclubbing with Ang
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Ready to Board
We boarded the plane in Toronto with my dad wondering how the Knights game would end. He was listening in the airport but only until the end of the 2nd period. It was a long flight but good thing I had lots of stuff to do because my awesome teachers and class sent lots of fun actitivities for me. Finally we landed in London, England. I got to use my British passport! It was rainy and chilly when we arrived. We rented a car and had to get used to driving on the other side of the road.
Me and Ang at the nightclub
It's not that scarey. In England, Spring has already arrived. The leaves are on the trees, the grass is green and flowers are up. Maybe it will look like that at home by the time we get back. We drove up to Sheffield (a long drive) and Angela and Ollie were so happy to see me. We're happy to see them too. I like where Ang and Ollie live. It isn't like anything an apartment at home.
Dancing with a new friend
In the evening Angela took me to a special nightclub that welcomes people with all different abilities. I met lots of her work friends there and we danced to a live band. There was another room with a DJ. There was an open mike and I was going to sing but I was a little bit too nervous. I was knackered - that is a new British word I learned. We stayed out to 11:30 and then we had to wait for Ollie to pick us up.
Waiting forever for Ollie
It felt like we waited for Ollie for hours. Finally after a long, long day, off to bed.Today we are going to Shropshire, Ollie's Mom and Dad live there, right on the Welsh border.
written by  valnyhout on April 17, 2009 from Sheffield, United Kingdom
from the travel blog: Finding my British Roots, eh?

Visiting Where Ollie Grew Up and Meeting New Family
Shrewsbury, United Kingdom
Me and Ang by the castle
Yesterday afternoon I went out for lunch in Sheffield with Mom, Dad, Ang, and Ollie. We had Italian. Then Ang went to work and Mom, Dad, and I drove to see Rick and Sue, Ollie's parents. It was like driving in a twisty-straw. The roads were really curvy. We drove through the Peak District and we saw sheep, cows, and horses. Dad was driving too slow and he was holding up the traffic! He was not used to the windy roads. Then we got to Rick and Sue's place. It's in a tiny village. Their house is really nice and big. Rick made a sign that said 'Welcome to Our Place, Val, Kris, and Dave.' My name went first--haha! Sue made us a nice dinner, then I got to see pictures of Ollie when he was little. Everybody went to bed, but I stayed up to wait for Ang and Ollie. They didn't get here until midnight, but I wasn't tired! Ang had to work late so that's why they got here late.
Ol and Me again
This morning we went to Shrewsbury, it's a really nice old town, it's where Ollie grew up. It's where Charles Darwin grew up too. Rick told us it's a medieval town. First we went to the castle. We climbed up to the castle wall and we could see the whole town and all the buildings. Rick and Sue took us on a nice walk through the town. We saw some buildings with little doors. People must have been a lot shorter back then.
Outside the castle
Me outside Bob Cratchett's
We also saw the house of Bob Cratchett from the last A Christmas Carol movie. Well, not his real house, but his house in the movie. There was a beautiful secret garden with flowers and waterfalls. We took pictures of the British duck in a pond.
We picked up Ollie's brother Tom and we drove to a pub half way between Rick and Sue's and Ben and Ellie's. It was in Worcestershire. We had lunch there. AND we met baby Freddie and his parents, Ben and Ellie! Ben is Ollie's other brother. Baby Freddie stole my glasses 3 times. It was really funny. He has a cute, smiley face. I gave him a teddy bear from Canada. Everybody snuggled with baby Freddie. He is always happy.
Freddie stealing my glasses
Freddie just learned how to clap and it's really cute. After lunch we went to the park and went for a walk. Everyone was there-- me, Mom, Dad, Ang, Ollie, Rick, Sue, Tom, Ben, Ellie, and of course Freddie.
British words of the day:
bap= bun or roll
written by  valnyhout on April 18, 2009 from Shrewsbury, United Kingdom
from the travel blog: Finding my British Roots, eh?

Baths and Babies
Bath, United Kingdom
Listening to the audio guide
On Sunday Sue made us a nice turkey lunch. Ollie’s grandpa Jack and the rest of his family came for lunch. We played a game called Articulate and we all laughed a lot. We went for a walk to a mere – kind of like a pond. In the evening we went to a pub quiz at the pub in Cockshutt. My team was me, Ollie and Mom and Dad. We didn’t win. Angela was on a team with Rick and Sue and Jack. They didn’t win either.
Me beside a Bath
Roman Spa
Yesterday we went to a city called Bath. We saw the Roman baths ruins – they were interesting and a little bit boring. It's sort of like a museum. They gave us phones that were audio guides so we could get information about what we were looking at. It was a place the Romans went to to swim and get exercise and go to the spa. There's one spa that is really warm and they used it for healing people who were hurt or sick. It is heated by the Earth! We saw where the ancient Romans had built a temple to the goddess Minerva.
The Bath Abbey
Beside the baths is the Abbey. This is a big, beautiful church that we went through. Me, Mom, and Dad went through. Ang and Ollie didn't go in. There were lots of plaques to read but most of them were in Latin. We walked around the city of Bath. It is very pretty.
We saw where lots of rich people live and the Royal Cresent, where they filmed some different movies. We had fish and chips for lunch and I tried a tostado for dinner.
We stayed in Bristol overnight. We checked into a nice hotel – they gave us wine while we lined up to register.
Me giving Alfie a kiss
Today we went to see baby Alfie. He’s really cute and really small. He's only 2 weeks old. He had teeny, tiny hands. He didn’t steal my glasses like Freddie. I got to hold baby Alfie. And the others took pictures of us.
Baby Alfie, Zoe, and me
Zoe and baby Alfie and me got our picture together. Dad has a cold so he didn’t get to hold baby Alfie. Alfie said to me that I am his Auntie. He calls me Auntie Val.
Now we are heading back to Sheffield. I miss you all at school!
British words of the day:
nappy= diaper
lorry= transport truck
written by  valnyhout on April 21, 2009 from Bath, United Kingdom
from the travel blog: Finding my British Roots, eh?

Knights of the Double Black Diamond
Castleton, United Kingdom
Climbing stairs in the castle
Last night I went to a social club at Gateway Mencap in Sheffield. There was a coffee house room and a music room for dancing and a games room with snooker tables. I got to see Angela’s office because she works there. I met some new friends. Simon was looking out for me for Angela. I danced with a guy named Michael. I watched some soccer, or as they call it, football. It was a really fun night.
Castle in the distance
Today we went to a castle. It is called Peveril Castle and is in a town called Castleton. It was a really, really long walk up to the castle. If they had snow, and if you could ski there, it would be like skiing down a double black diamond. The castle is over 1000 years old. When you get to the top, it is a beautiful view.
The view from the castle
When the castle was built, there would have been knights in armour and the king would sometimes come to visit the castle. This was medieval times.
Outdoor lunch on a beautiful day
After we looked at the castle, we had lunch in the pretty little town of Castleton. We saw a school that looked like something from Harry Potter.
In the farms all around the town, there were lots and lots of sheep and lots of cute baby lambs, chasing after their moms. (In England, they spell mom different. They spell it mum.)
This isn't lunch, Ollie.
There are lots of mountains all around and as we were driving out of Castleton, we drove through a tiny valley between the mountains. It felt like the mountains were hugging us. The roads were really narrow and again, they were twisty. My dad is getting more used to driving on the other side of the road but he still drives slower than the other drivers.
British word of the day: cuppa = cup of tea
p.s. So sad to hear the real Knights - the London Knights - are done for the year but it sounds like they played well.
written by  valnyhout on April 22, 2009 from Castleton, United Kingdom

Jackie Arrives!
Sheffield, United Kingdom
For the last few days we have been exploring Sheffield. At the end of our street, there is a restaurant called ‘Scotts’ – just like my boyfriend. We took a walk to the downtown, (they call it the city centre) which is only about a ten minute walk from Angela and Ollie’s apartment. Every few minutes a tram went by – we call them streetcars at home. There are also double-decker buses. The downtown is very busy with people and in one part there are no cars allowed. There are lots of stores, or as they call them, shops. There are pretty fountains and old churches and old buildings right in the downtown.
Later we drove to a huge shopping mall, called Meadowhall. I bought some new clothes that are really fashionable in Britain. I made my dad carry all my bags for me.
Then finally Jackie arrived! Now I have both my sisters with me to bug. Jackie flew into London and then took a train to Sheffield. She was very tired but she stayed up and visited with us. I dressed up in my new clothes to show Jackie.
The next day, we went for a walk through the botanical gardens. There were lots of flowers in bloom and it smelled really pretty. I made Ollie hold my purse. We had lunch at an Italian restaurant called ‘Nonnas’. Ollie read in the newspaper that it is the best Italian food in England. I had one of my favourites, mussels.
In the evening I volunteered at Angela’s work. We helped the little kids make Dirt Pie for Earth Day and we helped them do other Earth Day crafts.
Today I am packing my backpack because vey early tomorrow morning I fly to Rome with my sisters. I’ll try to blog when I can while we are backpacking.
British words of the day:
Dustbin = trashcan
Biscuit = cookie
written by  valnyhout on April 25, 2009 from Sheffield, United Kingdom

When in Rome... Do as the tanned sisters do!
Rome, Italy
We had to get up really early this morning (around 4) to get our flight to Rome. Our flight was pretty good but I wasn't feeling well. We got to Rome and I started to feel better. We walked to our hostel from the train station. It's called Pink Floyd and we walk through a nice garden to get there. We have to unlock a gate to get in.
After we checked into the hostel, we bought tickets for the bus. It's a double decker bus with an open top and it takes us to all the cool sites in Rome. First we went to ANCIENT ROME! We saw the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatino. Our tickets were free too!
Then we took the bus to Trevi Fountain. We had supper at a nice Italian place. We each ate a whole pizza! I payed for supper for my sisters. Then we had Gelato. I got mixed Berry Gelato. It was really good! Tomorrow we will have another fun day in Rome before we go to Paris.
Italian words of the day: por favore: please
grazie: thank you
written by  valnyhout on April 26, 2009 from Rome, Italy

Arrividerci Rome, Bonjour Paris!
Rome, Italy
My sisters got us messed up with the time-- they forgot to put the clock ahead and we thought it was an hour earlier than it was. It was still ok though. We got on our tour bus. We took more pictures of a place with a bunch of statues, the steps of Plazza Venizia, the tomb of the unknown soldier.
We went back to Ancient Rome and took pictures of the Roman Forum. We took the bus to the Spanish Steps. The sisters got us lost again on the way there. We finally got there and took pictures. They were really nice and big and they had statues and flowers on them. It was really busy there-- lots of people. We walked up lots of stairs all the way to the top. Then we headed back to the train station, but Jackie got us there way too early. I thought it looked like Harry Potter but my sisters said it was filmed in Scotland and England. We had a nice train and our room had three bunk beds. We chatted and had some snacks on the train. When we woke up the next morning, we were in Paris. We went through Switzerland, but we were sleeping.
On our first day in Paris, it took us a while to find our hostel because the subway in Paris isn't as good as the underground in London, England. We went on the Bateaux Mouche, a boat tour on the Seine River in Paris. From the boat we saw Notre Dame church, the Eiffel Tower, other pretty churches and houses, some buses, and I think that's all. I'll take more pictures tomorrow and try to add them to my blog. We haven't been able to find a place where I can upload my pictures yet.
Tomorrow I think we'll go up the Eiffel Tower. It will be fun. We want to have a picnic by the Eiffel Tower if it's nice. And I want to go shopping too. And that's all.
written by  valnyhout on April 28, 2009 from Rome, Italy

The Pigeon Whisperer Tours Paris
Paris, France
This morning we got up early and went to a big white church called Sacre Coeur. It was just a short walk from our hostel. It was really nice and pretty. We had to climb lots of steps to get up there. We went in but we didn't stay for long because you're not allowed to take pictures and that's my favourite part.
I bought myself a Paris top from a souvenir shop. Then, we took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe.
We got in FREE for being members of the European Community. We used our British passports, but if we used our Canadian it wouldn't be free! We got up to the top by climbing lots of loopy loop stairs. Ang said it was 106m high so that's how high I climbed!
Then we walked down the Champs Elyseés. It's a famous shopping street.
Then we had a picnic outside the Eiffel Tower! We had a baguette, strawberries, peaches, bananas, and pain au chocolat. Some birds wanted to eat our picnic. The sparrows were cute but the crows were really gross and they almost pooped on us. It had been rainy so eveything was wet, but we used a blanket from Mom and Dad that was waterproof on one side. We went up the Eiffel Tower.
It was nice and we got a really great view. There were shops up there. We only went to the second floor, because my sisters were too scared but I wasn't scared.
We went to the hunchback of Notre Dame church.
It was really nice and there were lots of statues. The funniest part of the day was that a lady helped me hold some pigeons by giving me some food for them. I was holding three pigeons. I think Angela and Jackie were really terrified but I wasn't. The pigeons were pecking at my hand for the food. Angela called me the pigeon whisperer, or PW. I liked that name.
French words of the day:
pain au chocolat= chocolate bread
sacre coeur= sacred heart
notre dame= our lady
oiseaux= birds
written by  valnyhout on April 29, 2009 from Paris, France

Au Revoir Paris
Paris, France
Our last day in Paris was really fun. I love looking at statues so we went exploring and looking for some. While we were exploring we passed the Moulin Rouge – there is a movie about that. For a snack we got crepes – I had strawberry. It was tasty and really good. A crepe is kind of like a thin pancake.
We had to change hostels because we were staying in another one for the last night. I met some new friends at the new hostel. Their names are Sam and Sword. Sam was from Australia and Sword was American. I am going to add them to Facebook.
I like staying in hostels. There are always lots of people to talk to. At the hostel in Rome there was a little elevator to our room. Angela and Jackie thought they were too big for it so I took it and they walked up. The elevator was glass so they could see me and they tried to take a picture of me. The hostel in Rome was called Pink Floyd so I listed to Pink Floyd on my iPod. I liked the hostels in Paris better because I met new people.
In the afternoon of the last day in Paris, we met up with Angela’s friend Alexia. We had drinks and peanuts. When Angela was in Grade 8, she stayed with Alexia and her family in Paris and then Alexia came and stayed with us. I remember when she stayed with us and she is very nice. Alexia speaks French and we speak English. Angela said we all spoke Franglais – which is a little bit French and a little bit English. Sometimes Alexia had to use her French/English dictionary. Sometimes we used our hands to explain things. Alexia had to make a sound like a siren to tell us her boyfriend is a firefighter. It was really fun trying to talk to Alexia.
The next morning we had to get ready to fly back to England. I like backpacking but I don’t like getting up early every morning and you do that when you are backpacking. Next time I go backpacking I am going to go with Ollie and Brian and it will be called the ‘daredevil champ backpacking’. Angela and Jackie cannot go because they are not daredevils. I will go with Angela and Jackie again another time.
Back in Sheffield, today we are going to an International Food Fair – maybe I will have food from Italy or France. Tomorrow we head to Blackburn to visit some relatives and soon we head to Iceland. I told Jackie I am going to eat Puffins because it bugs her. We read that they really do eat Puffins there.
French words of the day: Au Revoir = Goodbye
Ecole = School
English word of the day: Chuffed = Happy
written by  valnyhout on May 2, 2009 from Paris, France

It's Brilliant....eh?
Blackburn, United Kingdom
On Sunday I met Dad’s relatives and saw some relatives I had met last time we were here. We drove to Blackburn where my Dad’s cousin Janet and her family live. I finally met Miriam, she is really nice. She had just got out of the hospital so we brought her some flowers. Later Elliot, Phil and Diane arrived. Philip is Dad’s cousin. Elliot is my buddy; we met last time I was in England. We laugh a lot. Elliot brought me a nice gift.
Later we all went out for dinner for Indian supper. I had really nice salmon with a good sauce and mushroom rice. I really like Indian food. We were talking and then when we finished supper we put warm wash clothes on our faces. Elliot and Miriam were saying ‘ahhh lemony’ from a commercial in England. It was really funny so I was doing it too. We were laughing a lot.
Then we went back to my cousin Nadia's house. She is really nice and let us stay at her house overnight.
In the morning, we went back to Janet’s and talked some more. Janet’s husband, Mohammed is from Libya so we got to try some really good Arabic cookies he brought from Libya. Then Dad’s cousin Eddie, his daughter Julie and her kids James and Lucy came over. James and Lucy are really cute. Janet made us lots of nice food while we were there too. I really liked visiting with all my relatives and I really hope I can see them soon. Maybe they will come to visit us in Canada.
Tomorrow morning we are going to go to Iceland. We are going to eat some puffins, Jackie’s favourite. Maybe I will try and make Jackie eat some puffins. I hope everyone in my class is having a great time at school. See you all very soon.
British word of the day:
butty= sandwich
written by  valnyhout on May 5, 2009 from Blackburn, United Kingdom

Nice Land
Reykjavik, Iceland
Yesterday we flew to Iceland. It was a medium flight – it took about 3 hours. Iceland looks really nice. It is really, really cold. We drove to the city of Reykjavik. On the drive we saw dirt and sand and rocks. There were no trees and no grass. We could see mountains with snow and the sea. It was pretty. When we got to Reykjavik we finally saw trees but the trees aren’t that big. We got our hotel room.
It was big. It is the biggest hotel room I’ve been in. The water from the taps smells - Dad told me it is a sulpher smell. We went out to do some grocery shopping and walked down to the sea. It was pretty.
We took lots of pictures. I was looking at all the restaurants. We bought some food to make dinner in our hotel room. We also had breakfast in our hotel room this morning. Last night the sun hadn't set when I went to bed at 11:00. Crazy. This afternoon we are going to do something like go to the Pearl. Tonight we are driving to another hotel. I hope it is not bigger than this.
written by  valnyhout on May 7, 2009 from Reykjavik, Iceland

Our last days in Iceland
Skaftafell, Iceland
On Friday morning we walked around the city of Reykjavik. We did some shopping and I mocked a polar bear.
We went to The Pearl. From the top you can see the whole city. It was really nice but it was cold out there. We walked to the water and it was very chilly. We didn’t stay very long.
Late in the day we drove all the way down the coast for four hours. Our hotel was called Hotel Laki. There were two dogs at the hotel but they spoke Icelandic not English so they didn’t understand me but one of the dogs, we named him Marcus, was my friend and tried to come in my room through the balcony door. From my room I could see horses and the mountains and a lake. There was a pool table there and Ollie and I played against Dad and Angela.
There is always fish for breakfast here. There is breakfast stuff like we eat at home.
In the morning we walked up a huge mountain. I was running a marathon. At the top of the mountain there was a waterfall called Skaftafoss. Foss is Icelandic for waterfall. The falls were awesome. We went back down the mountain – that was easier than climbing up. Next we went to see a glacier. The ice is from the last ice age.
It looked a little bit like a zebra because it was striped. Jackie was terrified and we were all really cold.
We then went to our next hotel, in a place called Dyrholaey. We stayed there because we read you might be able to see puffins there.. The first night we looked and looked for puffins. Right now the puffins are staying in their nests with their eggs and their nests are really high in the cliffs over the water. I haven’t eaten any puffin yet either because it has not been on any menus but everyone here says they do eat it and it tastes like duck. They say they eat it with a fruit sauce. Then we were off to another foss. This one is called Skogafoss. You can walk behind it. It was so cold and windy!
The wind picks up the black lava dirt and spins it around. It looks like little tiny tornados all over the place.
This morning we went puffin hunting again and we saw some puffin track sand puffin feathers but no puffins. We were on a beautiful beach.
The sand on the beach is black. At first the weather was nice and sunny but then the wind came back. We drove past a waterfall and more water was going up than down because of the wind.
We went to Geysir. It was really hot if you touch it you would get really hurt.
The geyser bubbles water and then all of a sudden it shoots up in the air. It does this every few minutes and I clapped every time it erupted. We had lunch in a restaurant that looked out over the geyser. After this we went to another waterfall called Gullfoss. It was amazing.
It was really big. Then we drove a bit more and went to Thingvellir. I liked the science stuff there because there was two plates, one was Europe and one was North America so I stood on both.
Then we went to look at some Icelandic horses. It was too cold to ride them but I petted lots of them.
It was a really fun day in Iceland. Tomorrow we are going to the Blue Lagoon and then back to Canada. I am excited to see everyone at school. I am going to sleep in the airplane so I’m not too tired.
Icelandic Words of the day:
godan daginn = good morning
goda nott = good night
vegabref = passport
svefnherbergi = bed
kort = map
lest = train (but they do not have trains in Iceland)
written by  valnyhout on May 9, 2009 from Skaftafell, Iceland

Last Stop - Blue Lagoon
Keflavik, Iceland
Last day in Iceland and we went to the Blue Lagoon. We finally got out of the cold! The lagoon is outside but it is really warm water and we swam in it. The water is turquoise and the sand on the bottom is like the black sand we saw at the beach. There is a waterfall shower outside and we put mud on our faces. We had drinks in the lagoon as well. It is really nice and relaxing. We stayed there for the whole morning before we went to the airport.
We said goodbye to Angela and Ollie at the airport. It was very sad because we will not see them again until the end of the summer. They flew back to England and we got on our plane to fly home. I'm glad to be going home but I’ve had an awesome time.
written by  valnyhout on May 10, 2009 from Keflavik, Iceland

On the way to Rome

Tom, Ben, and Freddie

Waiting forever for Ollie

Dancing with a new friend

Ready to Board

Me and Ang at the nightclub

Ready to leave