Europe – Archived Travels

Greece

What was my favorite thing about Greece? Was it the food? Was it the free shots of Mystico after the food? Was it the hundreds of stray cats lounging under the Greek summer sun? Was it the calm beaches? I have a few favorites and I’ll share some of my experiences in this breathtaking country.

Naxos –

Naxos is small and quiet. It’s a good destination if you’d like to skip the more touristy parts of Greece. The local atmosphere makes you feel like you can relax and not stress about stuffing a billion to-do’s on your itinerary. There are a few must-see attractions, but otherwise, it’s best you hit the beaches and eat as much Greek cuisine as you can!

If you love to cook as much as I do, check out Tzibalakis’ spice shop near the ports. Whether you buy anything or not, it’s an experience in itself to just sniff all the baskets of spices and tea leaves.

One of our favorite Greek dishes besides the pita and souvlaki and tzatziki was this delicious little number. We must’ve gotten this pastry, one made with feta cheese and honey, for every meal. We learned if the feta block is solid, it’s not a good pastry. If it’s a bit melted, you hit the jackpot.

Mount Zeus. This experience is not for everybody. My mother had to tap out after the terrifying drive up the mountain – no railings and extremely narrow roads. Once your car can no longer continue, it’s up to you to begin your hike a long a trail that turns into dirt and eventually turns into rubble.

The hike up Mount Zeus to the Cave of Zeus was perilous, especially in a dress, but well worth it. If you prefer the journey over the destination, this hike is for you – just don’t wear a dress like I did.

Some other attractions include the castle that sits on the hill of the port. My family and I didn’t intend to visit it but we got lost shopping in the labyrinthine streets of Naxos and stumbled upon its walls.

One of the easiest temples to visit is Apollo’s. It sits just at the end of the port and offers gorgeous views of the ocean. If you can stand the wind, stay a while. It’s a nice spot to unwind from the busier areas of the island.

I haven’t mentioned any of the beaches, but there are a variety to choose from – some are best for clubbers while others are for people who enjoy water sports. If you love to be naked, there are also beaches for birthday suits. But wherever you go, you’ll always have a gorgeous view of the sunset.

Santorini –

After a nearly three hour ferry ride to Santorini, my family only had a few hours to explore this island. Since they have been many times before me, they led the way.

It was extremely crowded, which my parents found unusual for the time of the year. They promised that this wasn’t the true Santorini, so I have to say with their word in mind, my first impression of the beautiful volcanic island wasn’t the best or truest one.

Regardless, I had plenty of fun admiring the famous blue and white buildings and shopping along the streets for the best jewelry. I have to say though that my favorite shop was quiet and tucked away. Mnemossyne Gallery had beautiful unique pieces that were incredibly affordable in price and rustic in craftsmanship.

My mother and I also spoiled ourselves with a twenty minute foot bath at the fish spa. It was definitely one of my weirder experiences, but it was quite fun to feel all the fish nibbling at your feet.

2022 update: I had the opportunity to return to the island for a longer extent of time, and while my feelings about Santorini have not changed, I did get to experience one of their iconic volcanic beaches.

The one we visited was called Kamari Beach. I recommend going for a dip, but be careful because volcanic rock is rather slippery. Also, there are plenty of restaurants lining the beaches if you need to dry off for a bite!

Athens –

When we visited Athens, it was hot. It was so hot that we needed to go back to our hotels for AC breaks. The most important things to see in Athens were outside, so you could imagine our struggle.

First things first, you have to see the Acropolis and the Parthenon. If you’re in Athens and you’re not doing that, then what are you doing? Shopping and eating is fun but you are in the birthplace of Western civilization. Let’s get our priorities straightened out. With that said, hit the Acropolis Museum first and learn about what you are going to visit.

Once you are updated on its history, the hike up to the Acropolis is filled with artifacts and ruins to admire. I highly recommend going early in the morning when it’s not too hot and crowded. My father claims that the last time he visited, it was almost ten degrees hotter…and it was already eighty something degrees at 9 AM.

There are other ruins scattered about the city. The ruins pictured below belong to the Temple of Zeus. It’s a short walk around the columns and thankfully there are some shaded areas.

You also have the opportunity to get a full view of the city – you can even see the ocean from this altitude. If you visit Mount Lycabettus, you can see just how big Athens is. It’s quite breathtaking, but I warm you that once again, it’s a steep climb and so so hot.

While you’re there, don’t forget to peek inside the small chapel that sits on top of this mountain. If you have any loved ones, you can leave a candle for them by the window.

Overall, Athens was hot and busy, but how can you really unwind when you’ve got so much history to see? Anyway, I got all my naps in on the beaches of Naxos. If you’re planning to go to Greece, definitely visit Athens, but be nice to yourself and give yourself some beach time on one of the islands or on the country coast.

I shall end this entry with a bunch of stray cats I found throughout the trip. They are amazing and precious.

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Krakow, Poland

My family and I finally made it to Poland! We were blown away by how beautiful Krakow was and the country as a whole. In this entry, I’ll be sharing the highlights: the places, foods, and churches.

Places –

We stayed in Old Town, a neighborhood full of beautiful architecture and the famous Market Square. Here, you can wine and dine, go souvenir shopping outside and inside the central hall, and check out the less advertised Rynek Underground Museum beneath the market square – in 2005, ruins were excavated and are now displayed in a beautifully designed exhibition space.

We took a wonderful bike ride around the entire city. We stopped along the Vistula River, which is a fifteen minute walk from our Airbnb. Right on the river, you can also find the massive Wawel Royal Castle that sits above it on the hill.

While on our bike tour towards the Jewish Quarters, we stopped along this Jewish cemetery that was damaged and desecrated by Nazis during their occupation of Poland. While sad to see so many headstones split apart and broken, it was comforting to see the surrounding nature cradle the graves.

On another tour, we visited the Wieliczka Salt Mines, which was absolutely stunning to see. We were guided dozens and dozens of floors beneath the ground and guided through miles of tunnels. While the tour was kind of boring, the intrigue of the caverns were not. Below, you can see a venue space created hundreds of feet beneath the ground. Many sculptures are made from salt, even the chandeliers, and everything is supported by timber.

Of course, we couldn’t travel to this region without visiting the infamous Aushwitz concentration camp. It was a very heavy visit – as one could imagine. If you plan to visit, dress respectfully and save the selfies for another destination. This visit is a time to reflect and learn. Be prepared to walk A LOT and feel a big, large knot in your throat the whole time.

Foods –

Every street corner seems to have these. These skinny looking bagels are called Obwarzanek krakowski and are a must to try while you are visiting. I personally prefer the poppy seed ones! If you don’t try one, you’ll definitely find yourself buying one as a pick-me-up throughout the day.

There are a number of foods to try, and lucky for you, they usually come together. You have the classic pierogis, which you can have stuffed with meat or cheese and potato or slaw. You also have kielbasa, a yummy sausage that pairs best with mustard. Lastly, you have highlander food, which is a smoky cheese that you dip in jam. The last of these three classic foods was a first for me and I loved it! It would be a crime to not try any of these during your visit.

Hey, I’m not really a salad person either, but you should definitely try the salads with a medley of sweet nuts, fruits, and – you guessed it – beets! Beets are another traditional ingredient of the Slavic world. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, so I’ll forgive you if you don’t try this one.

Not so Slavic, but more-so Jewish: visit the Jewish Quarters to get your hummus on. You’ll find all the yummy food in the image below if you visit Hamsa Hummus in the central square of the quarters. I highly recommend eating here – after all, haven’t you had enough pierogis by now?

Churches –

Move over Notre Dame (R.I.P. as well), St. Mary’s Basilica of Krakow, located in the Market Square, has become my favorite church of all time. Its interior is colorful, decadent, and painstakingly designed and… not allowed to be photographed. But hey, now you’re curious. Now you need to go visit to see it – don’t cheat and Google it, c’mon.

Additionally, a cool dude with a bugle pops out of the tower every hour to toot his own horn. He’s cool enough that he’ll wave at you when he’s done – you can even climb the tower to shake his hand.

The next beautiful church is actually deep underground in the salt mines. I tried my best to document how epic this place is, but it just doesn’t do it justice. Those miners needed somewhere to pray – so they whittled from the walls this pretty number.

There are literally dozens of more churches you could visit. Up at the castle, along a random road…the possibilities are endless. These people really love building churches.

For my last church, it’s more of a chapel…well, more of a cemetery. But, it’s important because it houses a ton of my ancestors. We drove about two hours to the town of Rzeszow to find Ziobro’s and much more. It was a nice way to end this trip.

Ireland

It’s been years since I’ve been to Ireland! I remember having tasty shepherd’s pie, kissing the Blarney Stone, trotting on horses through rolling fields, and roaming on the windy Cliffs of Moher.

It’s time to go back, and this time, to some cities I haven’t been to yet. Not to mention…I can drink now! Keep reading to see my adventure from Dublin to Galway and back with my good friend Kristen!

Day One –

After a stressful connecting overnight flight, Kristen and I finally made it to Dublin! We bought our Leap Card passes at the airport and then took the bus towards our Airbnb, which luckily was located right across from Temple Bar, a very pub-populated part of town.

After settling in, we explored the city with the only goal of beating our jet lag. First, we wandered around Christ Church Cathedral, the oldest functioning building in the city. If you’re a student, be sure to bring your ID for a discount and don’t miss the mummified cat and mouse.

Next, we stumbled upon The Queen of Tarts, which served fantastic pastries and other filling foods. We highly recommend the chocolate pecan tart if it hasn’t been sold out yet. Coming at an earlier time may provide more yummy options.

Once we got some energy back, we went window shopping for clothes and jewelry. We passed the Temple Bar pub and noted that we would return the next night. After receiving advice from the locals, we found the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre which was super fun to explore. Plenty of engagement rings and antique jewelry to look at. On the top floor there’s a cool clothing/jewelry place called Atrium.

Afterwards, Kristen wanted to see Trinity College, where according to her, is home to many noble alum, not to mention the Book of Kelly’s (we didn’t see it because it was closed at 5pm) We also caught a boring cricket game and tried to hype it up with our American cheering.

We stopped at the Gin Palace and had a gin and tonic with Dingle Gin, which is traditionally Irish, then headed out to dinner. On our way there we saw the Spire, which is considered the tallest sculpture in the world. We ended our night with dinner at Klaw, a poke place, but neither of us had poke. Regardless, the food was phenomenal.

Day Two –

We slept in late because we had some trouble with our jet lag. Once we got ourselves out of bed, we went to the Saturday Food Market near Temple Bar and grabbed some coffee and breakfast. During this time, we received unfortunate news that our sea kayaking trip in Howth was cancelled. Regardless, we decided to head over to the coast anyway.

Kristen and I were so delighted by this cute sea town. We took a boat ride to Ireland’s Eye and hiked towards the summit. We came across a little beach, some church ruins, many seagulls, and even a seal. Safe to say, it was one of the highlights of our trip so far. Also, it was so sunny out!

Once we got back, we strolled along the seaport towards the Howth Lighthouse, took a power nap, and headed to The Abbey Tavern for the tastiest fish and chips you’ll ever have.

Once we got back to our Airbnb, we showered and got ready for a night out. I had a pint of Guinness at the famous Temple Bar, then at the Stag’s Head, I treated myself to a shot of Jameson whiskey. Once I had all the essentials, Kristen and I went to Dicey’s, a very fun nightclub that is both indoors and outdoors. Highly recommend if you’re a young adult/college student.

Day Three –

After a rough night, we woke up early to catch a train to Galway. The view on the ride is absolutely iconic.

We only had a day to really explore the city of Galway since the next day we were going to do a tour of the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands. It’s quite small, so it was extremely manageable to see most of the city in a few hours, we even did a few laps! The Latin Quarter is so lively with musicians, pubs, and shops. There are also little alleyways filled with even more shops and artisan stalls.

We ate at 1520’s and enjoyed some traditional Irish food. We then walked along the river and passed under the famous Spanish Arch along the way.

The city was extra lively that day because Galway was facing Limerick in a game that we could only think was lacrosse. Unfortunately, Galway lost, but what a celebration it would’ve been. Everybody was gathered at Eyre Square watching the away game on a massive screen. We turned in early this evening due to our 10 hour day tour the next day.

Day Four –

We were in Eyre Square before 8am in order to catch our tour bus to Doolin. We had a wonderful tour guide named Peter and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the way to the bay which we departed. We took a horse carriage ride around the Aran Island, Inis Oirr. My favorite part of the tour were the walls which were made by the original people of the island.

After the Aran Islands, we cruised along the Cliffs of Moher before docking and seeing them from above.

We made our way back to Galway, and walked around to kill time before heading to Taafes for some pints of cider.

Day Five –

We spent the morning making our way back to Dublin. Once we settled into our Airbnb which was less central and more suburban, we headed off to the Guinness Storehouse.

It is absolutely worth it and a graphic designer and beer drinkers’ dream alike. The tour was so wonderfully curated and you even get to have a pint at the end, which you can pour yourself.

After the tour, we went back by Temple Bar and walked around for a bit before heading home for the night.

Day Six –

We started our final day in Ireland with a visit to the National Botanical Gardens. It has a great cafe that uses fresh ingredients and the place itself has free admission! Honestly, it’s the biggest botanical gardens I’ve ever been to and I’ve been to my fair share. If you have the time, certainly check it out. While a lot of gardens are outside, there are plenty indoors, so a visit on a rainy day is completely doable.

After the botanical gardens, we trekked way north to the local village of Donabate to go horseback riding at Corballis Farm. Kristen rode Calvin and I rode Surprise along the beach.

It was scary to trot English saddle where you have no horn to hold onto, but it was beyond fun!

We spent our last few hours back in Central Dublin and stumbled upon St. Stephen’s Park. Since the city weirdly has no benches on the streets, it was a nice area to rest out feet.

Since we had flight in the morning, we went home a little more earlier than usual. Ireland was such a spontaneous trip, and it was more charming than I remembered. I’m glad I was able to come back to this gorgeous, kind island.

Berlin, Germany

My solo weekend trip to Berlin was certainly an adventure. Without a working phone, I had to rely on locals and a map to navigate my way through the city – I know, so old school, right? On top of this challenge, the weather was absolutely dreary. Regardless, I had an incredible experience in this giant, modern city.

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On day one of my trip, I participated in an AirBnb experience: Wake Up Yoga! There, I did some challenging yoga (only challenging because I was out of shape) and had a yummy vegan breakfast.

Two German yogis assisted me on my travel to my next location, which was the Judisches Museum. Here, I furthered my education of the Holocaust and how it affected the Jewish people, especially Jewish Germans.

The architecture consisted of tall corridors and sharp corners – very contemporary and very fascinating to look at while moving through the building. Unfortunately the Memory Void was closed at the time (dang).

After this I took an uber to a mall that boasted over 300 stores! There, I tried to retrieve a sim card but I failed to bring my passport for validation. It was a rather frustrating time so I continued my trip without internet access. While mooching the mall wifi, I found a show nearby called “The ONE Grand Show” at Palast Berlin. It was very similar to Cirque Du Solei and very entertaining!

I will say, although traveling without internet was frustrating, it was a whole new experience and navigating with a map was probably my favorite of the trip.

On day two of my trip, I woke up to an even more dreary sky. It was raining! Good thing, my first activity on the agenda was to visit a museum! I went to the Neues Museum and saw the bust of Nefertiti as well as some other interesting artifacts such as the Berlin Gold Hat. There was also an exhibition that presented artifacts from both ancient China and ancient Egypt.

Once I wrapped up here, I went to walk the East Wall Gallery. I tried my best to document the walls, but it was raining sideways!

Once I made it to the end, I didn’t know what to do next! I hopped into a taxi and made my next impulsive choice – go to the…zoo?

The Berlin zoo was a fun way to kill some time. They also had an aquarium that certainly had more children than sea life. Once I made my rounds there, I asked a worker who spoke English where I should end my night. She recommended a local photography museum.

As I made my way to this museum, I walked past the Christmas markets locals were building since Christmastime was right around the corner. I also stopped to see a super cool church called Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and I swear Leo’s Romeo and Juliet could’ve been shot there.

Once I made it to the photography museum, I viewed an interesting exhibition on the top floor about the Cultural Revolution in China. After this, I treated myself to some wurst, went home for bed, and prepared to go back to Denmark the next day.

Bonus material – these were the cats who lived with me in my AirBnb. Aren’t they so funny?

Målmo, Sweden

Since the only thing separating Målmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark is a 2.5 mile bridge and a flash of the passport, I thought why the hell not go visit Sweden for a day!

My parents were visiting me that day so we were able to rent out a car and have a shopping day in the city. It was very difficult to navigate considering none of our phones worked. My dad was smart and found a hotel to steal a map from. He also got some recommendations.

Once we parked our car, we found a church for some shelter from the rain. It was called “St. Petri kyrka” and was absolutely beautiful. We lit a candle for Michael and moved on.

At first, we were concerned about the weather ruining the trip because it was so rainy, but as the day went by, the weather got a little nicer and we found a shopping district to explore.

Christmas was just around the corner, so all the markets were up. We hunted for some nice presents.

After we shopped until we dropped, we headed back to Denmark for some well deserved rest.

Venice, Italy

Day One –

From Florence, we took a scenic train ride to Venice. We had the wonderful company of two nice ladies from Leiden, Holland. When in Europe, always take the advantage of the opportunity to travel by train.

Upon our arrival, we discovered how high the bridges in Venice are and how difficult the city is to navigate. We roamed the canals until we could check into our room at 4 pm. We had a bit of trouble since we forgot to meet our host at agreed upon spot.

After we were settled in, we went to go and visit Libreria acqua alta. However, we got sidetracked by our lingerie hunt at Intimissimi. Ivanna managed to get the shorts we first spotted in Rome. Unfortunately, it was the last pair so I didn’t get any. Because of this, we continued our search and tried to find another Intimissimi in San Marco – it didn’t exist. I called several stores, and managed to reserve one medium pair of shorts. In retrospect this hunt seemed trivial, but at the time, acquiring these shorts were SO IMPORTANT.

In the evening, we went to get drunk on spritz, a local usual, and tequila. We went up to a peddler and bought one of those light toys that you fling into the air. It was almost stolen, and we were laughed at by other adults. After our evening, we passed out.

Day Two –

In the morning, we went for gondola rowing lessons on the Venetian canals. We acquired this activity through Get Your Guide, a site that offers getaways at great prices. Our instructor, Anna, was kind and sang beautiful melodies to row to. As we headed out to open waters, the wakes caused by bigger boats caused me and Ivanna to almost fall off the boat several times.

After our lesson, we purchased some gelato and headed to Intimissimi to claim the forsaken pair of shorts. Victory was ours! We walked the length of Venice until spontaneously decided to go to Lido beach. We met up with some of my friends who were doing a summer intensive there. It was a beautiful day to soak up the sun. We walked down the beach in search of sand dollars. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any to gift my friend, Melanie.

After we changed back into our clothes, we had out last Italian pizza and a bottle of chianti.

We rode the water taxi back to the apartment in absolute exhaustion. We frustratingly checked in to flight online, showered, packed, and slept. We headed back to America the next day, concluding this amazing experience.

Florence + Tuscany, Italy

Day One:

We took a train from Rome to Florence (somehow we got double booked one of our seats with a family). Once we made it to our destination, we checked in to our AirBnb and then walked around to find food. On our first stroll, we realized Florence is tiny and can be walked across in 25 minutes!

At one point, we saw a strange kid in a hotdog costume. I’m pretty sure he flipped Ivanna off when she laughed. We ended our day with visiting the Uffizi Gallery.

Before we made it back to our AirBnb, we crossed the Ponte Vecchio and saw a sight that had us fall absolutely in love with Florence.

Day Two:

We were in the second leg of our Europe backpacking trip, so you could imagine we were getting more and more tired by the day. This morning, we stayed in and ate cold leftover pizza in bed. Once we had energy in our bellies, we went on a walking tour of Florence. The hotdog kid makes a reappearance. On this tour, we learned that the Medicis were very extra in avoiding peasants with their 1km corridor. Also, we had to make a note of grumpy old couple who joined us.

After the tour, we prepared to head out to Tuscany. At train station, we made a quick stop inside a convenient store where Ivanna tried to find contact solution – unfortunately, everything was in Italian.

So, now we made it to the wine tour. We visited two different wineries. During the first one, Ivanna kept getting annoyed by the host tapping the bottle. Meanwhile, I was discovering that I actually enjoy red wine – Chianti, to be more specific.

After this, we stopped by San Gimignano, which was a fortress that was TOTALLY IN ASSASSIN’S CREED! I absolutely GEEKED.

After our Tuscany trip, we headed back to Florence for a night out. On the Ponte Vecchio, I spotted some beautiful art and purchased a piece for my mother. Unfortunately, the artist was a tad creepy towards Ivanna. We ended up settling at The Library, which was not only a library but a bar and cafe as well! I ended up ordering a Kamikazi…cocktail? which was ridiculously alcoholic. I had to drink it fast though because we learned that the place closed at midnight instead of 2am.

As we continued our stroll, we spotted two girls from our wine tour, Arden and Meryl, and saved their asses from a group of gross drunk bachelors. After our rescue mission, I saw a sign for mint gelato, and accidentally purchased 10 euros worth of it in a huuuge cone. Meanwhile, Ivanna went to get fries from…an Amsterdam cannabis store There she encounter a gaggle of drunk girls who only spoke in only squeals and clapping. We made it home got some well earned sleep.

Day Three:

After a tiring day, we slept in for a few hours before prepping to go shopping. We managed to find some places that made authentic pieces with leather. If you ever go to Florence, definitely check out Leonardo and the 32. After this, guess what, we saw hotdog kid AGAIN by the Uffizi Gallery. We enjoyed a nice lunch on the south side of Florence and you bet your ass Ivanna scarfed down an entire plate of prosciutto.

After we finished our meals, we hiked to the gardens overlooking Florence.

We ran into “no tav” protestors on the way back. We ended our Florence trip by hanging out in our room with ordered pizza.

Norway

When I reflect on my travels to Norway, I think about Mother Nature. I think about her raw and authentic self. I think about how I would wake up every morning, step outside, and look up to the impossible cliffs scraping the sky. It was October, so it was frigid. Despite the cold, I swallowed the freshest breaths of air. The clouds sank into the fjords. Hundreds of waterfalls diving into the earth became my background noise for this trip.

After arriving in Bergen, my group drove three hour north to stay in a tiny town called Flåm. This bus ride became our introduction to the country as we moved through the valleys and bowels of the rugged landscape. We stayed in a youth hostel, whose cabins were a vibrant yellow. I discovered playful colors of bright red and yellow endure in Norwegian architecture.

After we settled in, we rented out our bikes and began our first hike. We climbed a dangerously muddy path up to a waterfall and had the pleasure to oversee the entire valley. I recall how thunderous the water sounded and how quiet everything else was.

After our tiring hike, we went to the only supermarket that existed in this tiny town. The selection was small but new, however, obnoxiously expensive. I was warned about prices.

The next adventure we went on was hiking down a fjord. We took the famous Flåm railroad thirteen miles up to Myrdal.

Then, we went ahead a walked five hours back to our origin. When the group’s pace broke up, I ended up alone. I was so happy to be alone with only Nature. Her companionship was so special.

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Although my feet felt like they had been rolled with needles and Lego bricks, I managed to stop by a small crafts store. There I bought some souvenirs for my parents and some wool yarn for myself (I’ve yet to knit anything – I’m too scared to waste it!).

Once we finished our long journey, we relaxed at the only pub that existed in Flåm…it was next to the only supermarket. The pub was called the Aeigir Brewery and looked like it was straight from Winterfell. I was geeking as I sat on fur pelts by the fire and sipped on my electric blue drink, which was called an “ice bjorn”…or something like that.

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The next day, we drove to a rope course, which was located right next to a waterfall. It had just rained so the course was crazy slippery. We were two stories off the ground and I certainly felt like I was going to slip and die. I dipped for the second half since my hands were numb from the cold wires I had to hold. Instead, I relaxed by a warm fire.

Our last big activity in this tiny town was to go out to the fjords on a boat. My god, it was SO cold (I didn’t bring my camera and my GoPro died so no pictures 😦 ), but it provided another one of those magical moments with nature. We saw a mama seal with her pup. We saw the village that Arendale from Frozen was based off of! There, I learned the sad truth about how climate change has changed this village’s way of life. No longer can they communicate with neighboring villages since the fjords don’t freeze over anymore. :,-(

The best part of the tour was when we turned off the engine and sat at a crossroads. It was so quiet, but also so loud. Loud with waterfalls and wind rustling trees. Our guide told us that this is the only place in the world where three fjords meet. This was certainly a place to find peace.

Before we left for Bergen, we made our way to a small farm where we sampled brown cheese, a Norwegian delicacy. The cottage was so homey and the view of the fjords was so unbelievable that I had to ask the hostess if waking up every morning to this was as surprising as the day before. After we were fed, she sang some Norwegian folk music and told us about the country’s legends. Then, we were off with bellies full of bread, meat, and cheese.

Once we returned to Bergen, we had about four hours to kill. Before we all split off, some of us rode the Fløibanen to view the city from above.

After this, I decided to roam by myself in the misty rain.

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I stumbled upon a very bright cluster of traditional wooden buildings which I later discovered was Bryggen, the old wharf. There I picked up some etchings as souvenirs for my parents travel wall at home! I also stepped into a steamy cafe and munched on some food before heading back to my group to go home.

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I want to end this post with a poem I wrote while exploring this breathtaking country:

The sky, swollen with clouds.

The fjords in a veil of fog.

The walls that cradle this valley

seem to vanish

into the sky and slice open the heavens.

You enter the behemoth from time to time

and traverse its bowels.

Man has smoothed out its belly.

Mother Nature continues to carve its skin.

Forests can no longer continue

up the steep face.

Snow settles there instead.

The valley is speckled

with little red and white houses.

Loose threads of cloud hang

low above the village

and gift its people smatters of water.

Mother Nature roars

with a thousand hushes.

The river runs vertically,

splitting into tributaries against the rocks below.

It then flows into the little town in the softest exhale.

The morning cold pokes needles at your fingertips.

Your breath swirls with the air.

The sky descends upon you.

This haze will surely swallow this little town

unless it cries out.

The sky, swollen with clouds.

The fjords in a veil of fog.

Rome, Italy

Day One:

During this leg of our European Tour, I was able to meet up with my parents and family friends. That means free lodging and food! After out flight, Ivanna and I showered and enjoyed the spacious air-conditioned hotel room that we were staying in. Right after, the family went to dinner with Father Joe, a priest in training from my church at home. Here, we had our first Italian gelato. We tried to check out the shops that were around but unfortunately they were all closed.

Day Two:

Everybody got up early to have mass with the Pope. It was wonderful, but people often treated it more like a concert. So rude. Since Ivanna and I had been traveling for a week, we decided to escape to the beaches of Santa Marinella. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TRAVELERS TO DO THIS. The break from walking everywhere was so refreshing.

After burying our wallets under our umbrella, we stripped to our swimsuits and swam the long, deep way out to the rocks. We were amazed by the blue everything! The beach day was almost ruined when I nearly stepped on a cluster of sea urchins. Yikes! Some people were playing volleyball, and being the volleyball-obsessed co-coaches that we are, we wanted to join! …But the people were wicked good at playing in a foot of water…and we weren’t, haha. Instead we played with some other girls. We missed the train we wanted to get on to get home so we went to dinner by the water instead and ate calamari at a restaurant with very strange employees.

Day Three:

This day was absolutely insanity. We woke up super early for a tour of the Colosseum and Roman forum. It was super cool and educational but absolutely exhausting (especially in comparison to the beach!). At one point I tried to climb inside the coliseum like Ezio in Assassin’s Creed but was told to get down. I’ll get ’em next time.

The fam bam enjoyed lunch by the Spanish Steps. Our second tour was much worse than the one with our wonderful tour guide Marco. When we passed the Spanish Steps, we didn’t even get to walk up the steps! We bailed after the Trevi Fountain. What can ya do? We went home and I squeezed in a nap before we went shopping and dining for my mother’s birthday. We ate at La Isla Pizza where my parents dined the night before. Somehow, they became best friends with the employees and got a shit ton of food. Hey, that’s my parents for ya.

After dinner, we ran into the cousin of Amy, one of the family friends with us. We grabbed gelato and a received a private tour of this cousin’s fancy, famous suit tailors shop. It was pretty crazy that all of the garments were completely hand-made. Color my impressed!

Paris, France

Day One:

Ivanna and I arrived in Paris via train. We started our journey hiking up to the Sacre Couer. I lit a candle for Michael. Before heading to the very top of the cathedral, we waited in line where a pair of British assholes fought with the ticket lady. When she spoke with us, she said with the few words she knew in English, “They are fuckers!” We agreed!

At the top of the Sacre Couer, we got our first view of Eiffel Tower. It was absolutely unreal! Afterwards, we shopped down the hill until it was time to catch a show at the MOULIN ROUGE! You guys, listen. My dad and I LOVE that movie, so you bet your ass I shed some tears. Also the show was fucking incredible. The one act with the girl and guy on roller-skates had me SWEATING with stress. They were flawless. We ended our day with our first Parisian crepes!

Day Two:

We went to breakfast at a bougie restaurant in the 2nd district. I recall Ivanna having a soft boiled egg delicately placed atop an egg cup. Once we ate enough energy for the day, we headed over to the Louvre. Upon arrival, we realized we did not pick up tickets to Louvre. After wasting a solid thirty minutes trying to find the booth, we retrieved our tickets and entered the Louvre with the guidance of our main man Rick Steves. During this time, our feet began to die.

That didn’t stop our museum touring. Right afterwards, we walked to Museum Orsay. I obsessively hunted for for Manet’s Olympia. After spending forever in that labyrinth of a museum, I finally found her. It was fantastic! After this success, we decided to Uber home and give our feet a rest.

When we were ready again, we went to see the Arc de Triumph. For thirty minutes we could not figure out how to make it to the center. We only realized upon leaving that there was an underground path. Ah, so foolish! We cheered ourselves up with dinner where Ivanna tried escargot. After this, we went to Eiffel tower at midnight (per Mother’s request!) for an amazing light show! I have a genuine reaction caught on video 😉 Once we made it to base of the Eiffel Tower, we sat down and played durak while listening to Disney songs.

Day Three:

We started the day off by heading to Notre Dame. However, we were first sidetracked by a spinning playground disk in the park that flanked the cathedral. As we spun, we said bonjour and were benevolently laughed at by armed guards. After our visit to the Notre Dame, which is (in my opinion) the most beautiful cathedral in Europe, we went to a neighborhood famous for its gelato and went shopping. I purchased a beret and Ivanna got a scarf. When it began to rain, we took out our umbrella and took a nice stroll through the sun showers.

The next few hours was dedicated to finding tennis balls from the French Open. There was so much stress involved, but it all melted away when me made it to our dinner cruise in time. We ended the night looking at Paris from the water <3.