Travel tips from around the world
This was one of my favorite stops in Europe. I loved the culture, the food, and the entire vibe the city gives off. I even got to practice my very small French speaking skills. Foodwise, we did not have a disappointing meal in our entire week’s stay. The cafes were amazing and the food quality was unlike anything we’ve had before. I could have lived off of their bread, cheese plates, and wine alone.
Continue reading “Paris, France”
Following our Mediterranean cruise, we visited San Gimignano with some other family members for a few days. This is a gorgeous, historic castle town in Tuscany. We loved the old-timey feel with its cobblestone streets and medieval towers. It was like traveling back in time. We do not recommend driving your own car much through here as the streets are tiny and full of pedestrians. We learned this the hard way. However, this was an unforgettable adventure and one of our favorite spots that we have visited throughout our travels.
Continue reading “San Gimignano, Italy”
Following Rome, we took a train via Trenitalia transport to Venice. (This is a good way to see the Italian countryside and is much less stressful than flying.) From Venice, we were taking a Mediterranean cruise with family. It was planned for five stops, but we were unable to make our fifth and final stop (Dubrovnik, Croatia) due to weather. We were looking forward to a Game of Thrones excursion here so were disappointed and now have to return! However, the places we did see were gorgeous and, like other parts of Europe, very historical. Throughout the journey, I found it quite difficult to comprehend just how extensive these towns’ and villages’ pasts are.
Tidbit: Cruises are a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time, especially if it is your first time visiting. However, if you are looking to spend more time in certain areas, cruises may not be the way to go. They do allow you to explore many places and perhaps help you find ones you wish to return to for a longer trip in the future.
Continue reading “Mediterranean”
Rome, Italy
In 2018, two days after I left my job in California, Brian and I packed up for a four week trip to Europe. We had planned a Mediterranean Cruise with family, leaving from Venice, so decided to make our first stop in Italy, specifically Rome. I was still exhausted from finishing up at school, on top of the jet lag, that it took a few days for me to get acclimated, but once I rested up, we were able to do a lot of sightseeing. Throughout our week, I was awestruck by the history. I often found myself staring at a random building and pondering what life would have been like here centuries ago. Everywhere you look there is something with a historical background. Right across the street from our hotel was what archaeologists had recently discovered to be the actual site of Julius Caesar’s stabbing. It is an archaeological site that used to be a theater.
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A few years ago, before I left my teaching job, two of our close friends and we planned an exciting adventure to Barcelona, Spain! It is a beautiful city with a robust past. This was a whirlwind of a trip, some days going on little over an hour of sleep (jet lag is the worst), but we had a blast. There is so much to see and do in Barcelona, from the architecture to the history to the delicious tapas. One highlight of ours was seeing the stunning work of Antoni Gaudi all throughout the city. A lot of sightseeing and eating was crammed into our five-day trip, but it was worth it. We hope to return one day and to visit other parts of Spain as well.
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I have always wanted to travel and explore the world but never seemed to have the opportunity. I didn’t even have a passport until 2010. My husband traveled often for work, but teaching year round made it difficult for me to join him. However, three years ago, I was able to take a week off and journey with him for a work week to London. This was one of my first big trips and definitely the longest flight I had ever taken at the time. A few of our friends were coworkers of Brian, so they joined us along with some additional friends. We all enjoyed exploring the beautiful city, with the workers joining us in the evening time. I learned how to navigate without GPS and mingle with the locals. I believe this trip is what got me hooked on traveling.
Continue reading “London, England”