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Lean On Me
Lean on me,
When you're not strong.
I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on.
For, it won't be long
Before I'm gonna need,
Somebody to lean on.
last modified Jul 19, 2004 at 0:21
I missed you guys. Point final. There is nothing more to add. I missed you, and worried about you with every ounce of who I am.
Alright you three, you can stop messing with each other, because I am back, and back in business. Kyla, it was Jesse who posted the e-mails (one that I am sure of, the other I am not so sure of) and Marie who posted the excerpt from the postcard. If I am incorrect about Jesse posting the second e-mail, which I quite possibly am, as the style is not quite the same, it was posted by Lex. Process of elimination. Kyla is confused, which rules her out. Jesse is made evident in the title of the first non-me post, and Marie with her "P.S. Yes Jesse, you are not the only one with the password." (Couldn't pass up the chance, could ya  )Lex is the only remaining person with my password, and I also know that he sometimes reads. Therefore, if it was not Jesse, and Marie would have gloated on the her first post, not her second, Lex must have done it. So, I have to say thank you to the three of you, for whatever you did. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
If you wish, you guys can set me straight on this one...
Now, on to the trip post. I am sorry ahead of time if a) I spell things wrong, b) I make stupid grammar mistakes, and c) I correct you on a few issues. It is 2:30 AM, I have been awake for 24 hours. Sue me.
First off, it is unlikely that I spelled anything wrong, the way it looked may not have been the way I spelt it. I apologize to you three that read this for the tiny writing on those postcards, but I wanted to fit everything in. Also, my writing is notoriously bad. My mother tells me so all the time. It is a fact of life, a trait inherited from my father, who, much of the time, cannot read his own writing.
Secondly, not one of you figured out that the "Pathelon", was actually the Pantheon, in Rome a one thousand year old church, with a free standing dome so large that the best architects and engineers of today cannot figure out how it was achieved.
Now, for the condensed version of the Europe tour 2004. For the full version, you can inquire about a certain picture show and a certain journal.
Portugal: The first country we visited was also the most laid back. Dogs run loose, you can drink anywhere, I could buy beer from a corner store (not that I drink it, but it was more convenient for my father to send me than to go himself,) and alcohol of all sorts ran freely. The Algarve, the coast, has tons of beach cities, the most interesting of which is said to be Lagos. There were foutains all over the place, and in Sintra, a mountain village, we entered the national palace.
Spain: Spain was slightly less lax than portugal, there were fewer dogs, and not as much alcohol on the streets. It had a more of a historical background than Portugal did, founded in its churches, palaces, and bull rings. The word church does not do these places justice. They were cathedrals, easily housing the area of Lockerby Composite School, doubled, or tripled, inside of them.
Italy: Italy was another place for seeing things historically. If you go no where else in Italy, you have to go to Rome. It has the most ancient pieces of history of any of the places I went.
I just had a better idea...I have a Journal in french, typed, for each country...Sorry about this, but it is late, and I am lazy. I know the format is kind of funny...I apologize. Dictionary.com will give you the gist of each entry if you can't do it yourself.
Journal – Portugal
Bonjour Madame! Je suis rendu, sauf et complet en Portugal!
La langue portuguese est si proche a la francais que je trouve que je peux
comprendre certaines mots seulement par appliquer mes connaisances de la francais. Pour
example, le mot « praia, » veut dire « plage, » et, une plus bonne example, les mots
« batates frites, » veulent dire « patates frites »
Le premier chose que j’avais remarquer quand je suis arrive, etait les fontaines.
Dans presque tous les cours il y a des fontaines. Ils sont partout, et ils sont si beaux. Il y a
des petits, seulement des maigres (streams) d’eau qui sort des roches qui forment les
routes, et retourne en dessous de la terre, et aussi il y a des enormes, des gigantesques
statuettes, forme en fer, ou cuivre, ou un autre metail. Ce les jettent de l’eau de bien dix
ou vingt differents trous.
Un autre choses que tu trouves tout partout est un nombre de chiens gigantesque.
Dans tous les cites et villages que nous avons visite, il y avait des chiens “communals,”
qui vient sur les routes, et survient sur n’importe qu’est qu’ils trouvent dans les
poubelles, ou ou qu’est qu’ils sont donnes par des touristes, ou des membres de la
communaute.
Quand nous etions en Portugal, nous avons passé la plupart de notre temps sur les
plages. Des neuf jours dans cette pays, six etaient passé sur les plages. Mes freres et moi,
nous aimons beaucoup nager, et les plages etaient tres belles, avec des gros vagues, et du
sable fine. Le plus belle etait celui en Faro, le premier village que nous avons visite.
Malhereusement, nous avons reste la seulement deux jours avant de change villages et
alle a Lagos.
Maintenant, Portugal n’est pas seulement des plages. Nous sommes alle a Sintra,
une ville tres proche de Lisbon, le cite capital du Portugal. La, nous avons vu un palace,
et des ruines d’un château des (Moors.) Cette petite village a eu locale sur un petit
montagne.
Chaque personne que nous avons rencontre en Portugal etait tres gentil et content.
Je pense qu’ils prendrent a vie beaucoup plus lentement que nous. Aussi, ils essayent
d’aider le plus que possible et ils appliquent, avect de la bonne humeur, tous les
connaissances de la langue anglais qu’ils ont.
Il y a aussi beacoup plus de Canadiens ici que j’avais pense de rencontrer. Un que
vient de Barrie, deux freres qui vient en Toronto, un multitude de personnes de Victoria,
un de Timmins, un de Kingston, et un de Terre Neuve.
Et cela c’est la fin de ma compte de mes voyages en Portugal. Prochaine pays sur
notre route: L’Espagne.
Journal – Espagne
Oui, nous sommes arrives en Espagne. Je n’avais pas a date remarque un gros
difference entre cet pays et son voisin, le Portugal. Il est, par apparence, un pays un peu
plus riche, et un peu plus propre, (il n’y a pas de personnes qui marchent sur le route en
buvent un biere, et il y a moins de chiens partout,) mais, apres tout, les edifices sont la
meme blanc un peu salle, et les rues sont encore tres minces, et il y encore plus de
fontaines qu’au Canada.
Nous avons vu des enormes eglises ici. Le plus large, que nous ne sommes pas
entré, etait celui en Sevilla. Il est le troisieme plus gros dans le monde, après celui de St.
Paul en Londres, et celui de St. Peter en le cite du Vatican. Il etait enorme!!! Il y a a peu
pres quarante petits eglises en dedans de le gros. Il est ridicule!! Tu peux rendre perdu
dans cette edifice! Aussi, sur les murs exterieurs de l’eglise, il y avait environ cinquante
figures, en roche, representant environ cinquante saints differents. Ils ont fait un spectacle
a voir! Mais, le plus interessant eglise, par un gros montant, etait celui en Cordoba, un
petit village dans le milieu d’Espagne. Au debut, il etait l’Eglise du Saint Vincent, mais,
avec du temps, les (Muslims) on conquerer les Catholics. Ils ont pris l’eglise, et ont le
transforme a un mosque, et pendant les annees, ils ont fais des additions, jusqu’au point
que l’espace peut tenir quarante-et-un mille de personnes. Tu peux mettre notre ecole
dedans cette espace; c’est gigantesque! Je retourne a l’histoire. Apres les (muslims) les
Catholics sont reconquerer, et ils ont redecore les murs, et les (alcoves) et les petits salles
avec des symbols Christians. L’opulence est magnifique. D’or, du cuivre, bronze, et
argile. Des meubles, des figures en roche et en bois. C’est le travail de cent ans pour faire
ces choses. Aussi, en Barcelone, notre dernier arret, j’avais vue un eglise qui est sous
construction, etait sous construction pendant le dix neuvieme siecle, et n’est pas proche
d’etre fini. J’ai monte plus que trios cent escaliers dans la plus court des tours, et n’avais
pas atteindre le sommet. Comme tous les autres choses qui sont ici, c’est enorme.
Le dernier point que je veux te dire, est que le meteo est un peu comme-ci comme-ca. Nous avons eu des jours tres, tres belles, et nous avons eu des jours miserables. Maintenant, nous partons pour rendre au Italie!
Journal – Italie
L’Italie est le plus beau pays que j’avais vu a date. Le paysage est magnifique, et
il y a tellement a voir. Toujours nous verons quelque chose nouveau, et interessante.
J’avais pense que l’Espagne a eu beaucoup d’esglises. J’avais fait une faute. Italie a
beaucoup d’eglises. Il y a presque un mille seulement dans la cite de Rome. Il y a dix
en Pacentro, qui est un petit, petit ville d’environ seulement douze – cent personnes!
Un des coutumes ici est un que dont nous avons parle en classe un jour cette
annee. J’avais remarque que toutes les femmes donnent des baisses sur chaque jou quand
ils disent au revoir. Nous sommes restes a un maison en Pacentro qui s’appartient a Maria
et Theodoro Fabiilli, les parents d’un ami de mes parents, et j’avais fais une nouvelle
amie, et elle m’a dit au revoir de cette facon. Son nom est Elena, qui veut dire les
rayons du soleil, et elle etait mystifie par le nom de mon frere Trevor parce qu’elle ne
peut pas trouver le sense de le mot, et non plus le traduction Italien. Beaucoup des
Italiens choisient le nom pour leur bebe par trouver l’explication, ou par lui nomme après
un autre membre de la famille, donc notres ont semble un peut etrange.
Hier nous avons visite le Vatican et le chapel Sistine. Ils etaient (awe inspiring). Il
n’y avait pas un centimeter carre qui n’etait pas couvrit par
I am having a good time, so don't worry about that. I am allergic to something over here, so I have been a mass of hives for over a fortnight, but oh well.
Highlights of my trip have been Las Ramblas in Barcelona, a long street covered in vendors and street performers, as well as going to the Vatican, the Sistine chapel, the leaning tower of Pisa, and seeing Michael Angelo's statue of David. Every vein, every muscle, tendon, every proportion is just perfect.
There is so much history here, so much art. It's just so different from home. I am taking tons and tons of pictures, my computer has over 500 already. A lot of places don't let you, but my father has managed to shoot from the hip quite a bit, hehe.
We have seen a million paintings, and a thousand scultpures, and they are all religious. We went to the Pathelon, which has the largest dome in the world, and we saw the remains of the Old Roman Forum, and the Colossium. Italy was the nicest country by far, Rome was the most amazing city, what with the 'word that starts with T' fountain, the Colossium, the Forum, the Vatican, and the Sistine chapel. I am telling you, the most detailed, most impressive things I have ever seen in my life. It is the strangest feeling seeing things that are more than five times older than our whole country, covered in paintings of angels and saints, and plaster and marble carvings of flowers and vines, and holy symbols.
I am running out of room though, so I'll have to sign out. Love ya and miss ya tons.
*hugs* Angel.
P.S. Yes Jesse, you're not the only one with the password.
Hey Guys!
This e-mail is being typed in word ahead of time. I am trying to save money on
internet. It is likely to be the longest one, as I keep adding to it, and will
keep adding to it until I can plug in.
I am having a great time, minus the bouts of loneliness that come mostly at
night or when I am not doing anything. I think of you guys all the time,
wondering what you are doing, changing the time in my head to tell me what time
it is at home. As I am writing this particular sentence, you guys are in first
period, Monday morning. I am hoping to get a chance to “phone home” (e-mail)
soon. I miss talking to people. There are tons of Canadians in this hostel, but
none of them seem extremely inclined to strike up a conversation with a
fifteen-year-old girl.
Most of you guys are going to Montreal soon! Have fun! Try to speak at least
little bit of French!
The Algarve is beautiful. That is the first region of Portugal that I visited. I
stayed in Faro first, and then took a two-hour train ride to Lagos. There are
beautiful sunny beaches, and nice little towns. The streets are mostly
cobblestone, and the sidewalks all are. They are a little uneven, but extremely
nice to look at.
I am in Sintra now, right outside of Lisbon. This is not a beach town. I am way,
way, way up on the side of a mountain. It is the prettiest city yet. Very
picturesque. I have been occupied taking tons of pictures. Already, we have 91
digitals. I am going to try to send some as soon as I can.
We climbed a lookout today, and looked out (no! hehehe,) over Lagos, a huge city
of around two million people. The view was spectacular. There was an old chapel,
and what looked to be an outdoor altar, and when you climbed a little higher
there was an enormous cross on top of a huge rock. The hike up reminded me a lot
of home, all the trees, and rocks, and underfoot foliage.
Okay guys, you don’t know what a hill is until you have climbed the ones in
Sintra. These roads go almost straight up at sections, and since we are not
spending much money, I am hiking up and down them with my damned laptop bag on
my back. It freaking hurts! They are huge!
You guys probably aren’t going to get this until after Montreal now, as I
haven’t found a place to hook up… How was it? What did you guys do? Where all
did you go? How did you guys play? And speaking of that, how are the new pieces
coming, in all the bands? I have people getting this that can answer for each
one. Tell me!
Well now, that looks like me, my habit of asking an endless number of questions.
I really should stop…someone told me to shut up one day. I can’t remember who it
was now.
I am beginning to think that there is absolutely nothing cold in this country. I
cannot for the life of me find a cold drink. Even stuff from the refrigerator is
only kind of coldish. I am always thirsty, because nothing quenches thirst. The
first thing I am drinking when I get home is a tall glass of ice-cold milk. You
can’t find milk here either. It comes in small cartons, 1 litre or so, but that
is not nearly the amount that my family would drink.
One last question my friends. It concerns souvenirs. What on earth would you
guys like? I haven’t the foggiest idea. I have picked up three bracelets, but I
decided to ask first. I know Kyla would like something from the Eiffel Tower,
but as to the rest of you, I am at a loss.
You guys left for Montreal today… Just know that I am thinking of you.
Yesterday, I woke up and said, “Jazz practice today…” This morning it was, “What
time do the leave for Montreal I wonder?”
Okay, I thought I would get this out yesterday, so there are going to be more
questions.
Have any of you ever taken a shower where the water was ice cold before you got
in, so you had to wait for it to heat up, and then when you finally got under
the water you had to shut it off when you were putting shampoo in your hair,
then, when you turned it back on, it was cold again, so you waited patiently
once again for it to warm up; this time however, it only got lukewarm, and so
you eased yourself under the spray and started to rinse, and then the water went
cold again? I have.
Hehehe. As you can tell I am not very happy with the showers at this hostel…We
have made it to Spain, and there is a lot more conscientiousness about water
here.
The weather is freaking cold again. It was only 5 degrees today. Not bad,
considering I am a Sudburian, but come on. It was over twenty when we first got
here!!!
The weather has finally gotten warmer again. That may be because we are now in
the south of Spain. I am alone again…Did you know that it doesn’t hurt to open
your eyes in salt water? I thought that it would burn, big time, but it didn’t.
I have just realized how much work I have to do…*sigh* … *shrugs* I guess I
will have to work late. That’s a big change.
I still haven’t found a place to hook this thing up!!!! I thought it would be
easy to find places, considering that the first city we landed in was able to do
it! I haven’t found a place since! It is driving me absolutely crazy! I have
been writing letters, and not being able to send them!
I miss home. I miss home. I miss home. I miss home. I miss home. I miss home. I
miss home.
Er, sorry about that…
I tried to phone a few of you yesterday…well. That worked well. Jesse, you were
the only one home. Luch, I got no answer. Marie…You were in Milton and your dad
had no idea where. Kyla…no answer at home, or at camp. Pat…You were at Grease.
The phone card went all screwy on me eventually so there was nothing else I
could do.
I have to go now. Later guys!
Love ya, miss ya,
*hugs*
Take care
Angel
P.S. Here are a few pictures…
I am not sure if this worked....if not, look for them in First Class for those
of you who have one, tomorrow...the rest of you....I am not sure what I am going
to do...they were too big to attach....
That’s about the best I can do for now guys…They may take some time to load…
Here are descriptions, top to bottom.
The old baths inside a palace, the place where the king and queen of Spain
sometimes reside now. They are over five hundred years old I think…The picture
turned out really cool.
That was in Portugal. We are in the common room of a hostel.
There were people selling things all over. There was acting in the streets,
people playing music, and people painting pictures. People selling sunglasses,
watches, hats, towels. Anything and everything.
This is at the lookout in Sintra. The city is Lisbon, capital of Portugal.
Gold Monstrance in a cathedral in Cordoba. It was amazing. The level below the
open parts, the level where, if you look closely, it seems like there are little
stages, looks like that because that is pretty much what they are. There are
figures inside all of those niches.
Later from Switzerland!
Angel
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