No matter what the Danes say....

....I know I got you Check Mate :D hehehehe oh silly me

Oh the underwater wonders!

So as many of you know I am currently "unemployed" - that is, until my next job starts. I'd rather call it extended vacation :) By the way, my new job will only be starting on August 18th, I recently found out, so I have a lot of time on my hands and I intend to use it as well as I can.

First thing I have been doing? Learn how to dive and get my certification! I just got done with it, and Troels and I went diving last weekend with a group of people so I could finish my certification. It was a sort of Amusement Parc for divers that we went to, and it was absolutely AMAZING! Will post some real diving pics as soon as my instructor sends them, but in the meantime here are some pics of the place. My favorite moment? Diving with Troels and Britney fr one last dive around this huge underwater army helicopter. I could even stand in it!!!!!! Wish I had some pics of that, but we didn't have a camera at that moment.

Second thing? Learn Danish as much as possible - oh and that is some task let me tell you!

Third - travel around if I can manage???!

The rest I have not quite decided - a lot of thinking, drawing and painting, picture taking. If you have any ideas I am up for suggestions :D

Before the dive. Was the 5.00am wake-up a bit too much for you T?

Buff!

Britney cracking up and the rest of the group getting ready

The other fun part of the parc, where you could go jump, clin etc. Fun fun fun!

After the first dive - hehehe same position as before :D

So close and also so far

Soazic, Nico, Cal and I
After my little fun trip to Paris, it was off to the Tourraine region I went, with Soazic again to meet with my friends from Tucson, the Millers (I used to nanny their kids in college, and Soazic will be taking care of them all summer while they stay in France). Was so nice to see my two little balls of fire again...hehe yeah, let's just say that Cal and Nico have a lot of energy between the two of them :)

Tourraine is a region that I am ashamed to say I never visited during the whole time I lived in France. It is truly not far from where I live (2-3 hours) but I guess I never had the chance (we would rather go on vacation to places that where further away). Thank God the Millers are here to bring my cultural level up, as they often do hehe. The region is truly beautiful, and inspired many famous people, from kings and queens who built the most beautiful castle along the Loire river, to writers and painters who would settle here to find their inspiration.

During our little trip, we visited the house where Leonardo Da Vinci lived the last few years of his life, saw Alexander Calder's house (which I found the most amazing= my dream house!), and looked for Monet's but the ran out of time unfortunately. We also visited the beautiful chateau de Chenonceau.

And what else did I learn? That canoeing during storm showers isn't as bad as it would sound :D Hehehe. No need to fall in the water to get wet on this one. Will post some pics of our canoe trip as soon as Lindsay sends them to me. Oh good times ;)

Nico & I, Chateau de Chenonceau

Trying to get one of Leo's inventions to work :)
Leo's house

Veni vidi vici

For the past four years, my friends Matt, Pam and I had been talking about going to the parc just about a million time - hehhe oh so so silly planning, we found out we were just the best at it :) In any case, Veni vidi vici le parc asterix, with Pam, Matt, Soazic and NIco. Fun fun time in Gaul, par Toutatis!

Out again I go

...out of Ireland this time.

Leaving Dublin as I am writing those words. It's like the city is saying a quiet goodbye to me. Everything is sunny and warm and quiet outside, probably the first time I see the city like this. Or maybe it is just my heart that is feeling at peace with the city, finally, as I am making my way out. Feels like the city is wishing me goodluck. There is calmness in the air, sun shinning on my face and the nicest breeze coming through the window of the cab that is taking me to the airport. Through the village-like Ranelagh and the waters of the canal, St Stephen's Green and over the Liffey River that splits the city in two, driving by Mountjoy Square where I used to live. My eyes are drinking these last images while Michael Bubble is playing on the radio:

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

I close my eyes and I feel so at peace, finally. Bye bye Dublin. Regardless of it all, you brought me more than I could have ever hoped. It is now time of me to do another in n' out. Or rather, another out n' in :)

Leaving Ireland... in true dublin style :D

Leqving Dublin? Then you got to celebrate in the tur Irish way.... that is, drinking your way out in Temple bar with a funny group of lads. Oh those going away drinks!!!! My last night hanging out in the streets of Dublin...and shall I say, one I will remember for a loooooooong time. A BLAST.
Warming up with our yum yum Leffe. From L to R: Matteo, Julien, Pascal, me, Rich and Anika
Alex, Chris and Julien cuddling :D
Pulp Fiction revisited :D
Someting hurting, boys???
haaaaa the Dublin team
Love this girl!!!!! How much? How much??? This much!!!
Monkey games
hahaha
ooooooh evil evil absynth!
Alex and I dancing -mmmmmm

Messy mess

Conversation between T and me this weekend, passing by a jewelry stand in the streets of New York:
T:"I wanna buy these earings for you! They are like you :)"
A: "Awww, you mean they are pretty?"
T: "Nah, I mean they are a mess. Messy earings for messy girl"
A:"..."

Seriously needed to remind me? :D

Weekend in the City

Windy Brooklyn Bridge
Now how did we fit 4 people in this appartment again?
Love the parc by the waterfront
TnD enjoying the sun :)

More wedding pictures

and the most beautiful post about the wedding: click here :)

Lisa and Bob saying their vows

The kiss :)

:)
Mum, T, D and Emmmmmmm
Dancing

hahahahhahah - no comment
D & T


MMMM nothing like the apple juice effect to heat up a party :D

Heaven on earth

Most beautiful place, most wonderful man, loveliest day in Sedona.

More wedding pics :)

The Wedding!!!!

A beautiful beautiful day, totally at the image of Bob and Lisa and the love they have for each other.

So here is a list of my 10 favorite things about the wedding - keeping my fingers crossed that I can keep it down to ten :)

1) The part of the vows that said "today I give you my heart, because it is the greatest gift I have to give to anyone" - awwwwwww teary eyes
2) Feeling all the emotions going on between Lisa and Bob as they wear saying their vows
3) The little flower girl going from all being sweet to totally mischievous, starting to throw rose petals at the audience :D
4) The CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN!!!!! - can't possibly beat that
5) Hearing Jennifer's smooth and beautiful voice to entertain us
6) Dancing away with the love of my life, not caring at who's watching
7) Jumping in the river, and drinking champagne from the middle of the water
8) Drinking Calvados with friends and family like it is water, hehehe
9) The father and bride dance, on "I love her first" - totally love this song and Jim totally made me cry
10) Hearing my father's toast at the wedding - he totally made me cry.






On the boat:"Splash! Just married. They made the big plunge!!"