http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Paddler2009/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Paddler2009 en-us Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:15:02 +0000 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:15:02 +0000 My time here 'across the pond' is quickly coming to a close. Here's how I spent my last few daysGoKarting with 20 Formula 1 junkie aerospace engineersIntenseWalking into the Foret de SoignesKayaking the Lesse River 21 km with 3 great guysWriting my project reportGoing for one last pizza with 14 interns for Antonino's and I's last day of workHanging out with my dear wonderful amazing http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-422413.html So I bet you are all expecting another wild crazy adventure right Well it wasn't so crazy. WhyThe weather hasnt been so great leading up to the weekend most of the week... rain more rain clouds...I'm starting to miss home....my friends....I hadn't been eating right....or runningexcersing nearly enough....and money is starting to run out.... Needless to say I was a little 'anxious to get ba http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-420686.html I just finished my 6th week of internship in Brussels I've been in Europe for two monthes now WOW Dad flew in tuesday and was greeted with wonderfulok typical Belgium weather rain clouds and chilly. and did I mention rain. I think he managed to survive the weather throughout his trips to the market in Brugge the climb up Butte de Lione at Waterloo and his journey to the Supermarket http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-417775.html So I'm writing this on the way back from strasbourg on the 5 hour train ride that was definately worth it I got up very early Friday morning and trekked with my 35 pound kayakbelonging monster off a backpack to the train station. After realizing I was on the wrong car the one I was on only went 2 hours of the journey and wold stay in Luxembourg I had too haul my way to another car. End trai http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-412924.html I really need to get this out there work is going great I'm so blessed to have access to such an amazing facility. I wake up everyday and go into work knowing that I get to go use with my hands a facility that is uniquue to the world and extremely interesting and relevant. It is certainly satisfying. Just finished today running our heat flux measurement device campaign for the Plasmatron and http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/Walloon-Brabant/Waterloo/blog-412257.html After work Thursday we started our France Adventure to Normandy and on Friday evening we ventured out to Paris for the Air Show. So right down to it.NormandyOur visit to Normandy was perhaps the most moving heartfelt exhilarating exhausting emotional place I have ever visited. Sitting on the Omaha Beach with Evan staring back at the American Flag on top of the Ravine reminded me so vividly o http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Lower-Normandy/Bayeux/blog-411049.html So I suppose it has been a few days since I last updated on here. It sure has been a busy few days ESANetherlandsLast Thursday a group of us students took a trip up to ESA in the Netherlands. After a drive that took twice as long as we expected due to wonderful traffic conditions around Brussels we arrived got badged and toured around. Itrsquos really a neat facility and they have a large http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/London-City/blog-409022.html As promised here are the two videos Ilsquove yet to put up hereVideos Week 2 in Ireland and Vogalonga 2009.My Vogalonga videos donrsquot do justice to the scope of the boats involved. Imagine a full Sea of Boats stretching for more than a mile long. And maybe that can come close maybe. SummaryWork has been very exciting Wersquove been busy running tests from right after the coffee brea http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/Brussels-Capital-Region/Brussels/blog-407234.html SaturdayGhent and Brugge My day started much too early 700. I wanted to get an early start because two cities plus trainbus travel makes for a full day.Ghent Didn't really like it. It was too metropolitan and it had a sketchy feel to it. I did find some pretty gardens though... I ended up stayng for only an hour much less than I had planned but I didnt find the city too appealing. Now le http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/West-Flanders/Oostende/blog-405893.html Work Just finished my first week of work. I have a wonderful summer jobin my humble opinion. I am working at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics. As a stagiaire shortterm student I am assigned to a particular project. My project involves the use of the plasmatron wind tunnel facility a subsonic tunnel extrapolated to hypersonic flows. In short we research the reentry of a space veh http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/Brussels-Capital-Region/Brussels/blog-405596.html Friday we went Sea Kayaking to see fungi but the beautiful day had too high winds and flipped 6 of the 12 people out so we didnt make it to fungi. Look for those pics in a dideo later in the week.Hello from Italy Traveled from 4am to 1145 pm to get to to Venice It was surely a long day bus totally worth it. I got up this morning around 545 and after eating went to the bus stop some 200m fro http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-403985.html Friday Kayaking in a few hours and leaving in less than half a day. Time has flown. The memories and experiences I have gained have been incredible. ThursdaySummarry Took my last test for my literature course and then ferried over to the Blasket Islands It was a great ride overmost of my friends didnt agree they didn't have one of their first play pens on a pontoon so they weren't used to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle-Peninsula/blog-403276.html Saturday Horse Back RidingWe went horse back riding through the Dingle Mountains. Ashley if your reading this major props to you. My horse was only trotting and I felt like I was going to fall off.Sunday Mount Brandon ClimbSunday we trekked up Mount Brandon second highest peak in Ireland standing at 952 m. No where near as intense as Half Dome but still fun and beautiful. I now understand w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle-Peninsula/blog-402558.html Blog 3 Friday SaturdayOvernight to KillarneySummary We left around 1000 in the morning on Friday to head over to the Blarney Castle. Our bus driver is an avid golf player. Apparently Tiger Woods goes to a golf course 20 minutes from Dingle fairly often and one of his friends got to caddy for him Not a bad gig Blarney Castle was really prettyalbeit pretty touristy. I kissed the Blarney St http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Killarney/blog-401896.html My internet is going to run out here in just a few minutes. So no long update until Mondaywent to most likely. But I finally found an awesome bodhran As promised pictures are here.Ill be writing all about the trip to Killarney soonblarney stone bodhran nightlife etc. Stay tuned. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle-Peninsula/blog-401467.html MondaySummary Class started this morning Irsquom taking Contemporary Irish Literature. It was very obvious I was an Aerospace Engineering Major definately not like my Tech classes Danny Sheehy came and spoke this morning hersquos a Blasket Island Poet who is full of life passion spirituality and spunk. He said something that really stood out to me ldquoYou canrsquot fear the bad d http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle-Peninsula/blog-400729.html Saturday May 16thLanding in IrelandFlight For all of the other AeroEnthusiasts out there I sat window side on all of the plane rides. I managed to get a few good shots of the wing in the clouds. What can I say no trip is complete without plane shots. Summary We landed in Shannon and then promptly started on our two hour plus adventure to our cottages by bus. We rode on the left side of th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Kerry/Dingle-Peninsula/blog-399899.html This will be my travel blog for my trip to Europe this Summer. Currently the plan stands as May 15May 30 Dingle Ireland Study AbroadMay 31 Venice Italy Vogalonga Kayak Race June 01July 31 Brussels Belgium for work at VKI Aug. 15or so Denver CO for ConferenceAnd finally home to good ole Smith Mountain Lake afterward. I invite each of you to please read comment and enjoy the pictures. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Georgia/Atlanta/blog-397345.html