Category Archives: Travel Posts!

Sadly our stay in Amalfi was coming to a close. We woke up early to pack and head to to the Ferry in downtown Amalfi. The tickets were cheap, and the boat was a lot less scary compared to the bus. Riding the ferry gave us a gorgeous view of all the towns tucked in the mountains of the Amalfi coast. Minori, Maori, Salerno… all were gorgeous and unique. We made it to the train station in Salerno around noon and waited for the train to take us to Pompeii. We arrived in Pompeii around 1:30. Who knew that Pompeii is still a thriving city!

We walked from the train station to the archaeological site. I waited in line while Bryn and Sena looked for the (free) bag check. This service may seem a little sketchy, but it was well worth it. If you do go to Pompei they have a full time staff in place to watch your luggage while you explore the site! They came back successfully with our bags safely stowed, and deliciously refreshing fruit slushies. Bryn had booked a guided tour of Pompeii for us and BOY were we excited! The tour started at 4, so we had a few hours to kill before meeting up with our guide. We bought tickets to enter the site and began sightseeing the city!

HOLY MACKEREL.  Walking through the homes, bath houses, brothels, bakeries, and streets of the city is a humbling experience. Pompei was a travel destination for the rich and powerful, and all of the vacation homes are decked out in lavish mosaics, sculptures, and artwork. This city was at the height of its power when Vesuvius erupted. Poisonous smoke and hot volcanic ash quickly engulfed everything around the volcano including nearby villages and the city of Pompei ( which is about 6 miles away from the eruption). Only those able and wealthy enough to leave by boat were able to escape.  Since the chaos occurred so rapidly, the life within this ancient city is almost perfectly preserved. People and pets suffocated in their homes from the toxic gasses, and the lavish artwork of the city was frozen in time.

Archaeologists discovered the site and began to clear away the hardened ash. They began to slowly uncover buildings, streets, and these small air pockets. One of the scientists decided to inject a plaster into the small air pockets within the hardened ash. Clearing the ash away from the plaster revealed casts of the people and pets who were not able to escape the eruption. This is one of the reasons why Pompei is so important and unique. It is from the casts that we are able to glimpse the actual people who lived in Italy during this time period.

Now I am sure that you have heard all about the eruption at least once during school, but nothing can prepare you for the magnitude of the destruction this volcano caused. The city itself is HUGE, and it is saddening to see all of the adults, children, and dogs who perished. No amount of words can recreate the sheer amount of emotion you will feel walking where the Romans walked. I would highly recommend that you go to Pompei to see everything yourself.

We met up with our tour guide at 4pm. He was easily the best tour guide we could have ever asked for. Emiliano knew a TON about the city. He brought us around to amazing places, and knew awesome fun-facts about the hilarious things. I don’t want to spoil the excitement for any of you, but if you do go to Pomei, TAKE A GUIDED TOUR.

We left Pompei after the tour and hopped on board a train to Rome. The trains around Naples were experiencing delays therefore our train to Rome was delayed a few hours. We eventually made it to Rome around midnight. Thankfully our host for the AirBnb was understanding and waited for us. We immediately went to sleep.

Thursday, June 14: we were woken up by the sound of rain. The soothing noise lulled all of us back to sleep again until about 10:30 am. After waking up we immediately walked back to Amalfi using this amazing back tunnel/alleyway system. It was amazing to see all of the homes up close. Plus the alleyway led us up the mountain to a beautiful view of Atrani (of course we had a photoshoot here).

The walk to Amalfi took a little longer using the alley, but we made it eventually. Sena and I bought earrings from a street vendor (for the upcoming wedding) and we walked around the town for a bit before deciding to tour the amazing 9th century Cathedral in the plaza. Amalfi Cathedral is amazing. Statues, frescoes, paintings, and intricate mosaics decorate the hallways, and is home to the relics (and bones) of the Apostle Saint Andrew.

A few things to note about the cathedrals in Italy: 1. Silence is expected in the cathedral and crypt areas. 2. Men are not allowed to wear hats inside. Women are allowed to wear hats. 3. Men and women must dress “respectfully” i.e. shoulders are covered, skirts/shorts must be below the knees, no bare exposed midriffs. Unfortunately for us, we did not plan out our day, and therefore did not know we needed to follow a dress code… Sena and I were able to adjust our outfits to be able to pass into the cathedral without uproar, but poor Bryn was singled out by a (probably a ghost) woman that made her wear a paper shawl to cover her shoulders. I swear this woman disappeared as soon as we walked away. PLUS we saw plenty other people that should have been more covered up. For some reason Bryn was the only one asked to wear this (loud) paper shawl. SHE ROCKED IT THOUGH.

The entire cathedral is gorgeous especially the crypt where the relics of Saint Andrew are kept. All of the walls and floors of the crypt are covered with gorgeous tile mosaics and stained glass depictions of biblical scenes. There is a huge statue of Saint Andrew in the middle of the room, with an illuminated hollow box situated below it. People are encouraged to deposit donations into the box after praying.

We finished waking through the cathedral and went back to our apartment to change into beach clothes. We went back to the delicious pizza place we ate dinner at previously and ordered pizza to go. Despite the cold weather we laid out on the beach and enjoyed our piping hot pizza. Eventually the cold weather go to us and we ventured back into town for a real meal and to watch the world cup games. We ate a lot at dinner and decided it was a good idea to explore the part of Atrani up the mountain.

We followed one of the alleys to a staircase then followed the staircase for about 30 minutes. It was a long staircase. Along the way we ran into several stray cats. Turns out Bryn is the cat whisperer and made friends with an adorable little fellow <3 We made it to a plateaued portion of the mountain, sitting above a waterfall. The view of the city from here was fantastic in the night so was stayed here for a while and took in the sights. This was enough walking for us today so we made our way back to the AirBnb. All three of us were exhausted and went to sleep immediately following our trip up the mountain.

Our AirBnb was situated in Atrani, and was located at the top of a small mountain. We had to climb a beautiful 5 flight staircase if we wanted to go to our room. There was a rooftop that was accessible for people to sit on with a gorgeous view. The apartment itself was adorable and had air conditioning (super important). Atrani is the smallest community in all of Italy. Everyone who lives there is extremely family oriented and everyone knows their neighbors. The majority of the inhabitants also smoke, giving the air in the town the faint smell of tobacco. The homes in Atrani (and in any of the small towns that dot the Amalfi Coast) are organized around a central square where the majority of the restaurants are. Cobblestone roads spread out from the central square like spokes on a wagon wheel. Thin alleys connect the roads and allow access to the homes.

Day two in Amalfi was dedicated towards relaxing and exploring. We slept in until 10am and ventured down to the main square for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of a pastry and a hot beverage. We finished eating and made our way to the main road connecting the towns. The town of Amalfi is a short 5-10 minute walk on the main road. Now… the main road connecting the towns (as described before) is a thin, winding, paved road perched on the edge of a cliff. There is not enough room for two cars next to each other much less a walkway for pedestrians. Walking to Amalfi along the main road gets the adrenaline pumping! The majority of the cars swerve to avoid hitting you, or if there is oncoming traffic, must wait until the coast is clear.

Thank goodness the walk was short! We made it to Amalfi around 11:30am and began to explore the beauty of the city. Amalfi is the most commercial and touristy of the towns in the Amalfi coast. During the day, vendors line the colorful streets, and tourists are everywhere. You can spot tourists pretty easily (us included!). All of the clothes in the shop are bright, patterned, or beach-y giving the whole town a relaxed feeling despite the crowd. Bryn, Sena, and I spent the majority of the day bopping into shops and trying various gelato! All three of us ended up buying some form of clothing that was more italian looking, so we wouldn’t look like such Americans.

We left Amalfi around 4pm and went back to the apartment to change into beach gear. The beach in Atrani is small, and perfect for relaxing! We spent the next two hours swimming in the beautiful blue waters and laying in the sun. After all of us were a nice golden/bronze (minus Bryn haha) we changed again, took a short nap at the apartment, then made our way to dinner. We all ate a glorious amount of pasta throughout this trip. Gnocchi, linguine, spaghetti, ravioli, penne….. we gorged on every type you can name. Every meal we got also came with a liter of wine.

After dinner Sena went back to the AirBnb to go to sleep, while Bryn and I went back to Amalfi to explore and take pictures. The skyline of the city is gorgeous at night. All of the houses, hotels, shops, etc. are lit up with a dreamy golden color. The streets are illuminated with a similar soft golden glow. We bought more gelato and ate it while walking along the pier. It was a spectacular lady date. If anyone reading this is trying to propose to someone I would highly recommend doing so in Amalfi. Sadly Bryn and I did not have a ring 🙁

After our romantic walk we went back to the Airbnb and went to sleep.

 

Side story: In Italy it is completely normal to drink from the fountains. People use the fountains to fill up their water bottles, and we maintained our hydration by drinking from the fountains! Here is a picture of Sena drinking from one of the fountains:

 

Waking up to the smell of coffee is a blessing. Our host of the AirBnb was generous enough to make us cups of coffee and offer us Italian biscuits to start our day on the right foot. Following breakfast we re-packed our backpacks and left to find the train station. Today’s mission: travel to our AirBnb in Atrani (a small town next to Amalfi). We were in for an adventure!

Roma Termini (the train station) was a quick 15 minute walk from where we were staying so we had some time to kill before the train left. Obviously we spent that extra time shopping. Sena bought a gorgeous swimsuit then we made it to the station around noon. The ticket machines in the Italian train stations are hilarious. After selecting a language to display on the screen, a cheery Italian woman announces to “Beware of pick-pockets”. Just in case all of the tourists weren’t aware, keep an eye on your bag. Luckily we did not run into this problem, but its always good to be cautious.

Buying tickets was a success, and we were able to quickly locate the correct platform. The train ride from Rome to Salerno took about 3 hours. We slept the entire ride! Upon arriving in Salerno we had the task of finding transportation to Atrani. The bus schedule from Salerno to Atrani seemed relatively straight forward, and the ticket only cost 3 euro per person! The first bus we wanted to take never showed… so we anxiously awaited the second bus. This bus did arrive on time. Little did we know the ride we had in store for us.

The Amalfi coast of Italy is absolutely gorgeous. Little towns are precariously perched on the sides of cliffs, and many homes are carved out into the cliffs themselves. There is one main road connecting all of the towns: a two lane (big enough for two Fiat’s) winding along the edge of the cliff. Both Sena and Bryn had the time of their lives looking out the windows of the bus down the cliff side. The only thing separating the bus from the sea below was a thin metal barrier that did not stand a chance if we were going over. I cannot imagine driving a motorcycle or car along this road… and we were in a large bus. Those bus drivers do not get paid nearly enough for the work and talent needed for their jobs. Rounding the blind curves requires taking over both lanes of the road, and the bus drivers need to blare their horn to warn oncoming traffic to stop.

This drive was supposed to take an hour and a half. This drive ended up taking over two hours due to traffic and the winding road. I was extremely motion sick by the time we arrived in Atrani so we found our way to the AirBnb. On our way to the Airbnb we ran into some fellow Americans who asked us if we wanted to grab dinner with them. We eagerly accepted their offer, and rested up until about 8pm.

The pizza place that we ate at was beautiful. All of the pizzas were cooked in an authentic wood fire oven, that added a delicious smoky taste. After talking with our two new friends, we found out that they were also from Minnesota! What a small world! We drank a nice white wine with our pizza, talked for another hour or so then went back to the room for bedtime.

 

I love life. Waking up everyday to a whole new world of possibilities is the best part of my day. Meeting new people and experiencing new places is what I live for, and the purpose of this blog is to help me remember my adventures, and to inspire others to try something new. Plus this blog is a great way to keep friends and family up to date <3 I would like to thank all of the wonderful people in my life for helping me through the past several weeks. Although thing have been difficult, Nemo and I have successfully moved home and are happily in Minnesota. Huge thanks to my dad for driving from Minnesota to New York, New York to Rhode Island (twice), then back to Minnesota. We managed to pack up all of my belongings and drive home in a pickup truck and trailer thanks to him.

For everyone at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, I miss you and hope that work is going well! You all do amazing things, and I am proud to have worked there. Thank you to those who helped me pack and for throwing me such an amazing going away party!

This is the first post in over a year and I would not have picked a more fun trip: ITALY! Bryn, a fantastic friend from work, and I decided to travel to this beautiful country together for a ten day tour. Neither of us are planners so we knew right off the bat that this would be an adventure. She bought her plane ticket, we booked an AirBnB experience to go kayaking off the Amalfi coast, and eagerly awaited our travel date. Two days before the trip Sena (my sister) decided to join us.

Sena and I decided to fly to Washington DC on for the weekend to be ready for our flight to Rome on Sunday. We made it to DC late on Saturday and immediately went to sleep. Sunday morning was filled with brunch and walking through the monuments. We had a great time sight seeing before heading to the airport in the afternoon. After waiting around the airport, we were told that the flight to Rome was full (we were flying standby). Fast forward five minutes, Sena found a flight to Geneva Switzerland with open seats. We had to jog to make it to the gate on time, but we managed to board right as the doors to the plane were closing.

The plane ride itself was smooth buttttt neither Sena nor I managed to sleep at all, so you can imagine how we were doing going through customs at 8am in Geneva. After sleepily figuring out how the train system worked, we decided to go out an explore the city. The countryside surrounding Geneva was gorgeous. The city itself is probably beautiful as well, but we the rain put a damper on our parade. Here are a few pictures of what we did see in Geneva!

We carried our backpacks through the rainy streets of Geneva but the jet lag, heavy backpacks, lack of rain jackets, and absence of knowledge of Switzerland spurred us to retreat back to the airport after two hours. (During our short duration in Geneva, Sena and I managed to set off an alarm in a grocery store and look like fools for not speaking french).

Sena and I bought a plane ticket to Rome in the afternoon, and arrived in Rome around 6pm. Bryn had flown into Rome a little earlier in the day; we met up with her at the AirBnb, lounged for a bit, and freshened up. Italians like to enjoy dinner later than Americans, after 7:30, so we were right on time. Despite battling exhaustion, nothing was going to stop us from enjoying a delicious Italian meal with a liter of wine. Dinner was delicious! Bryn had gnocchi to die for. Sena had spaghetti that was tossed in a roll of flaming cheese before serving. My meal was filled with truffles and cheese. Safe to say that all three of us were in fatty heaven. After dinner we retreated to the AirBnb and immediately knocked out.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This past weekend was the global climate march in our nations capital: Washington D.C. Now I wouldn’t consider myself a climate expert by any sense of the term, but I do believe that humans need to start paying more attention to the negative impacts we make, and to do whatever we can to protect our mother earth. Sounding like a hippie aside, a coworker of mine was taking a bus to D.C. for the weekend to be a part of the climate march and I decided to join in. Cue a gorgeous last minute trip!

Old Friends

The Thursday before was when I realized that the only thing that I had done in preparation for my trip except make signs for the march. Sadly I did not snap any pictures on my sign, but you can check out Nemo’s in the picture slideshow. Holy Hannah usually I love planning ahead but I had put everything off until last minute! I was able to find an open flight with no problem and I scoured AirBnb, hotels, hostels…. anywhere that offered a reasonable price and allowed dogs (Nemo was coming with). It took hours but I finally found a lovely hotel and booked it for Friday and Saturday night.

Ok. Now that I had the transportation and lodging figured out I had no idea what I was going to do the entire time I was there! Although I love museums, theses treasure troves of history were not an option because of Nemo (unless I found someway to register him as a legitimate service dog in less than 24 hours…). My coworker was bussing down Saturday morning and was leaving immediately following the march so I had Friday evening, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning wide open.

One of my very good friends lives in the area, and I was ecstatic that she would be in town on Friday night 🙂 Hanging out with her was a blast and it was nice to catch up after not seeing her for a couple years! We met up at a bar in Georgetown for happy hour with several of her friends from work then hung out at a coworkers house for a chill night in.  Even Nemo hung out with us! 10/10 would love to do again!

Heated Marchers

Nemo and I were awake bright and early to prepare for the climate march. It was supposed to be sunny and HOT outside for the entire day so I made sure to pack water bottles as a part of my “protesting essentials” backpack. The morning temperature was cool so I decided to walk to the Mall from my hotel (around 2 miles) instead of taking an Uber.

We arrived around 10 and the temperature was already in the high 70’s. Nemo and I walked past the WWII memorial and the Washington monument all the way to where the march started. My coworker met up with us around 11:30 and we were PUMPED to help support the environment. Apparently mother nature has sense of humor because today was the hottest day ever recorded for April (further supporting the theory of Climate Change-just saying). It was in the low 90’s and humid! Poor little Nemo was panting up a storm no matter how much water I poured on him. Nemo and I were only able to march for a minute or so before I had to find us a place to sit down in the shade.

My coworker went on without us and had a great time standing up for the environment! Nemo rested in the shade while I planned what we were going to do. We slowly walked through all of the monuments on the mall from the capital building to the Lincoln Memorial (a 3 mile distance). Nemo and I were admiring the White House when another one of my friends met up with us! It was amazing to explore D.C. with someone who lives there. We had a couple drinks and caught up while Nemo slept in the shade. I went back to the hotel, took a power nap, and ate dinner while Nemo rested his little puppy head.

Penns vs. Caps

Game 2 for the second round of the Stanley cup playoffs was tonight for the Penguins and the Capitals.. and the game was held in D.C.! There were excited fans throughout the entire city! My friend and I met up again to watch the game later that night. Being in D.C for that game was amazing; you could feel all of the emotions in the air. Ultimately the prevailing emotion was defeat, as the Caps lost 6-2. We left the bar with all of the other fans to see tens of Penns fans standing on the steps to a building and cheering/chanting! I have never seen the fans from an opposing team do that before, and the experience was odd.

Monumental Adventures

Leaving the hockey game behind us, we walked to the mall to explore all of the monuments in the dark. Everything was clean, and well-lit- with the added bonus of being crowd-free! All of the monuments were glorious at night. The entire walk took us from the White house, to the Washington Monument, Jefferson Monument, JFK Memorial, and the MLK Memorial. By this point it was already past my bed time so I hopped on an Uber and went to sleep immediately after getting back.

The next morning was bittersweet. Everything was packed, Nemo was relaxing, and I was on my way to see Arlington National Cemetery. I find it hard to describe the feeling of being in that historic setting. The grounds are beautiful: greenery covers rolling hill,  trees provide scenic shade, and majestic headstones stretch as far as your eye can see. Despite beautiful environment there was a perpetual solemnness clinging in the air. Just the sight of all of the graves fills you with a mixture of sadness, pride, and respect. Those individuals buried there were amazing people; some of which died too young protecting our country.

It was muggy when we got there, and I only had enough time to look around for about an hour and a half before I had to leave for the airport.We walked around and saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Eternal Flame at the Kennedy gravesite, and the house where General Lee lived. The tour around was quick, and left me wanting to see more. Unfortunately I had to leave, so my friend and I parted ways and I left for the airport.

UBER

Uber was the star of the shoe throughout this entire trip! The ease of having a cash-free transportation option was amazing. Every driver that I met had exceptional personalities, wondrous stories, and were skilled at navigating the city. Plus the fares were reasonable compared to the taxis in Albany. I hope that Albany will allow Uber drivers here soon otherwise I am going to organize a protest.

 

Thank you for joining me today and I hope you enjoyed reading about our Nations Capital city! I had a blast and would be more than happy to answer any questions or comments that you have! Have a lovely rest of your day 🙂

Edam, Volendam, and Markan!! These three beautiful towns lie in northern Holland in an area fondly known as Watertown.

29Mar2017- Cheese and DRAKE

Today we bundled up in our rain jackets and hopped aboard a bus to visit the three gorgeous towns of Edam, Volendam, and Markan! The bus system was easy to navigate and  we were quickly able to figure out the best route for our adventures. The weather was a little chilly today with some intermittent showers. Luckily, Sena and I were both wearing the warmest jackets we had… which was not enough.

Upon arriving in Edam, was decided to immediately track down a cheese shop since Edam is well known for its handmade cheeses. The chees shop that we found was perfect and we ended up testing every type of cheese in the store at lease three times, along with purchasing some camembert, baby Edam, and this delicious smoked goat cheese <3 <3 Ughhhh it was too great to describe.

Our next stop was the historic Fort Edam. Although Holland was neutral in WWI, forts were erected in a 20km circle around Amsterdam should an enemy army try to invade. The best part about learning about the fort was their primary line of defense. Each fort was equipped with barracks and weapons, yet the number one line of defense they were prepared to use during an invasion was the water in the area. In the event of an invasion these forts were instructed to break the levy’s and flood the surrounding area deep enough so horses would not be able to cross, but shallow enough to prevent boats from being able to navigate the waters. I found this to be hilarious. Luckily the Dutch never had to use this method, and the fort was still perfectly intact for us to tour.

We walked back through Edam to buy some chocolate then boarded the next bus to Volendam. Volendam was a lot bigger than Edam. There were suburbs, factories, and (of course) tourist areas. We explored the main strip for a little bit before stumbling across the main tourist area-near a ferry that went to Markan. Here we were able to try Pannekoeken with Nutella, and visit a cheese-making factory! Learning about cheese making was a highlight of this trip as we were able to see what the process entails, see all of the actual equipment, AND try all sorts of samples. We must’ve eaten our body weight in chees by the end of it all. No regrets either!

We boarded the ferry to Markan and enjoyed being on the water. Markan was gorgeous and quaint <3 here the shops were mostly closed except for a clog-making workshop! Sena and I tried on clogs, looked around a disply filled with amazing works of clog-art, and learned about how to make the beautiful shoes! After seeing the clogs we bopped over to a grocery store for food for tonight (Uncle Matt was coming to visit!!) and we took a bus back to Weesp.

The doors to the Drake concert opened at 7… and Uncle Matt go to the airport at 8. We met Matt and brought him back to Weesp. By the time we arrived at Ziggo Dome it was 9:30pm! We were 2.5 hours late. Its a good thing that Drake was also late. We had been at the concert for around 5 minutes when Drake took the stage to perform. It was absolute perfect timing! Sena and I were overjoyed. The concert was absolutely amazing! Drake was awesome and the fans were even better. We took the train back to Weesp to head to sleep a little after midnight.

Hallo! Here is the second part of the trip to Amsterdam!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

28Mar2017: HUP HOLLAND

 

Sena and I woke up, made breakfast, and prepared for a day of exploring the city. After taking the train to Amsterdam Centraal, we had formulated three goals to accomplish before the afternoon: purchase souvenirs for our family, buy (more) macarons, and find appropriate attire for the Holland vs. Italy Exhibition soccer game that night!

Finding items to bring home to the fam was a snap. We wandered around the city- stumbling across vintage stores, bakeries, high end clothing stores, and obvious tourist trap type stores. We  were able to find two Holland Orange jerseys for the soccer game that night, a scarf for papa, approved tulip bulbs for momma (they needed to be approved in order to go through customs) AND the most beautiful box of macarons you can imagine. Please at least look at this picture in the slideshow. 100% guarantee that you will start to salivate.

After finding out treasures we decided to continue our brave exploration. Dam square was bustling with activity (please see attached picture), and the line to enter Madame Tussauds Wax Museum snakes around the block. The sky was cloudless, and the temperature in the high 60’s/low 70’s. We could not have asked for better weather! All of the canals glittered with midmorning sunlight, casting reflected light on every surrounding, canal wall, boat, bench, and tree. The city was thrumming with activity and Sena and I were lucky enough to be a part of it!

We had somehow wound up walking all the way to Vondelpark: a gorgeously huge park filled with water, animals, and picnickers eager to soak up the sun. Museums and old houses flanked the park on all sides only adding to the effect of a secluded oasis in the middle of the city. At this point Sena and I were getting tired and wanted to fit in a nap before the soccer game. We hopped on a tram back to Amsterdam Centraal Station and boarded a train to Weesp.

Finding Amsterdam ArenA was a walk in the park (hehe) since it is located next to Ziggo Dome (where Drake was performing). The stadium was GIGANTIC.  Our Aunt Katherine, or Kacky, had bought us tickets to the soccer game as an early Christmas present! Sena and I were so excited to go that we had made the mistake of not looking up the translation of our tickets beforehand. We began to stand in a line to enter the building and realized that none of the information on the gate matched the information on our ticket… cue a lap around the building. Eventually, after pushing through thousands or people, we found our gate right next to where we began.

The soccer game itself was amazing. The fans were passionate, yet polite; rambunctious, yet respectful. It was the perfect atmosphere of excitement- it also helps that all of the announcements with in English since it is the language shared by Italy and the Netherlands.  Apart from the match itself, Sena and I thoroughly enjoyed watching all of the paper airplanes thrown from the stands. The majority of the planes wound up hitting onlookers in the back of the head. Only a fraction of the airplane actually made it on to the fields, but the crowd always went wild when one did.

Sena and I were exhausted by the time the game ended. We took the short ride back to Weesp and immediately went to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello and welcome! The weather is beginning to warm up again as spring is in the air! Rain has replaced the snow and people of all ages are flocking to warmer climates for a week of sunny escape. Sena and I had slightly different plans…. instead of going somewhere warm (like Cancun) we planned to go to Amsterdam! Thanks mostly to our Aunt Katherine for planning out almost everything to do in the city, finding an AMAZING place to stay, and for gifting us with tickets to a soccer game: Sena and I had the most wonderful trip that I have ever been on. We were in the Netherlands for a total of seven days therefore this trip will be broken up into a few posts. I would not want to miss sharing a single detail with you!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

25Mar2017 and 26Mar2017- Day 0 and Day 1: Adventurous Arrival

Sena drove from Providence to Albany after class on Friday. We had dinner with Coleman’s mom (delicious chili) and dropped off little Nemo. (Thank you for watching the little man while I was out of town <3!). After getting back to the apartment, Sena and I made some last minute changes to our flights to Amsterdam, I started and finished packing, and we went to sleep. Tip: If you are flying standby it is best to pack only carry-on baggage. This will help you enormously if your flights change last minute, or if you have to go through customs.

 

Our layover flight to D.C. did not leave Albany until the afternoon so we had a lovely breakfast and took care of a couple last minute errands before going to the airport. Once we had arrived, we discovered that the flight we wanted to go on was full. Shoot. We were bummed out at first then immediately dove into finding a backup plan.

About ten minutes after searching like crazy, the gate attendant waved for us to go to him. “I don’t know how I did it, but you two are the luckiest girls on earth.” he said triumphantly, holding two reserved tickets in his hand. Two other passengers had missed their flight and we took their places… sitting next to each other! Sena and I quickly thanked the man, packed up our bags, and found our seats.

We had no problem obtaining seats on the flight from D.C. to Amsterdam. With a evening departure time, the plane landed in Holland early Sunday morning. Customs went smoothly and we were on our own in a foreign country after flying in on a red-eye! Woooo! I can think of better situations to be in but Sena and I managed to figure out the transit system, get breakfast, and explore the area a little with our bags in tow.

The apartmnet we were staying in was located in the neighboring town of Weesp. We were able to check into our AirBnB at 1400hrs where we immediately took a power nap. A power “nap” that lasted a total of 15 hours. Haha I guess that is one way to overcome jetlag!

27Mar2017- Day 2: Free Shmoke, Free Shmoke

The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, lies on the IJmeer (lake) with canals criss-crossing throughout the city. Biking is the primary mode of transportation, evidence of which can be seen through the thousands of bikers on the street at any given time. Despite all of the gorgeous natural and artificial sights that Amsterdam has to offer, perhaps the most well-known part about this city is that marijuana and prostitution are both legal and rampant. Our trip focused of other aspects… so if that is the type of story you are looking to read (and not fantastic, fun, adventure) then you might be disappointed… and in need of re-evaluating your priorities.

On this beautiful Monday morning, Sena and I had plans to go to Keukenhof, the famous tulip festival in Lisse, and to see Drake in the evening! After our “nap” we ate breakfast in a cafe in the airport, bought our tickets to Keukenhof, and hopped on a bus to the gardens! The tulips were only beginning to bloom while we were there. If you have the chance to choose when you see Keukenhof I would highly recommend visiting in mid to late April.

It will be worth it whenever you choose to go! The gardens were absolutely stunning! Statues, art exhibits, gazebos, and live animals are tastefully placed throughout the enormous park. The sheer size of the park is awe inspiring. A calliope plays cheerful tunes in one corner of the park with nature trails, fountains, and ponds with stepping stones nearby.  A ten minute walk away will lead you to an indoor greenhouse with more ponds and flowers of every kind blooming among statues and dutch-inspired displays. Another ten minute walk yield a working full-size windmill that you can stand on. This especially gives you an excellent birds eye view of the surrounding park! The opportunities for photos are  everywhere!

We spent hours at Keukenhof. Around 4:30 we hopped back on the bus to the city. One aspect of the city that took us an entire day to figure out was where the grocery stores were located. Turns out that Dutch grocery stores are primarily situated in transport hubs ie. Schipol Airport, Amsterdam Centraal etc. Another fun fact, that our Aunt Katherine told us before leaving, was that it is customary to bring your own grocery bag to the store. Be sure to remember this for your trip!! With groceries for dinner and breakfast, we took the train back to Weesp to prepare for the Drake concert.

Sena was the best sister and bought both of us surprise tickets to see Drake! I am so happy that she did. We changed into Drake-worthy clothes, packed our inhalers in our purses, and left for the train station. The inhalers were deemed necessary judging by the usual crown that follows Drake, and because of the national laws of the Netherlands…

We arrived at Ziggo Stadium promptly when the doors opened at 7pm. dvsn performed his opening act and the crowd was READY to see Drake! 9pm rolls around and the crowd is getting restless. The venue was nearly full of excited fans, and the restlessness was still there at 10pm… and 11pm… Finally after over 4 hours of standing, a woman came on stage and announced that Drake was sick and would not be able to perform. She also said that our tickets would still be valid for his performance on Tuesday, and that the concert would be moved to Wednesday instead.

Sena and I left (obviously disappointed) and went to sleep ready for our next exciting day!

 

 

 

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hello again and welcome! This past week/weekend I was blessed enough to travel to El Paso, Texas and I would love to share all of the excitement that this city has to offer. If you are planning a trip to El Paso (or surrounding areas) in the near future I would highly recommend reading this post  and consider all of the amazing options from this delightful region 🙂

 

Hiking

One of the most exciting parts about El Paso is the unique scenery and wildlife. Located right on El Rio Grande, across the Mexican border from Ciudad Juarez,  this city is tucked in a beautiful desert valley surrounded by the Franklin Mountains. Independent of your skill level you are bound to find several trails to your liking complete with exquisite views and one-of-a-kind experiences. A few near the area that stand out are the Aztec Cave Trail, the Ron Coleman Trail, and the El Paso Tin Mine Trail. Here you can see picturesque landscapes, the only functional tin mine in the United States, and hieroglyphs left by the Aztec people.

Hueco Tanks State Historic Site

Pronounced whey-coe, Hueco Tanks is the one place that I highly recommend that you call to reserve in advance.  Only 70 visitors at a time are allowed within this sacred desert sanctuary and for good reason: the walls of the caves here are lines with gorgeous hieroglyphs and ancient history. Visitors here are able to take a step back in time and become a part of the ancient Aztec civilization. Gravel trails interweave throughout the site and connect all of the major attractions. Feel free to watch for birds, hike, picnic, camp, rock climb, or star-gaze! Hueco Tanks is magical and will be sure to spark your curiosity. Just remember your sun screen!

Fort Bliss

Fort Bliss was established in 1854 and named after the famous mathematician LTC William Bliss. Located adjacent to the White Sands National Monument, Fort Bliss is full of exciting events for the entire family. On the post is a mall, numerous restaurants, Industrial-era war artifacts, desert scenery, and (my favorite) the Old Ironsides Museum. Walk around the mall/restaurant area where there are events for all major holidays. Plus whoever is running the museum is doing an excellent job or renovating the exhibits. Everything is highly interactive and personal, and makes learning fun! Enjoy factual videos and try on war garment styles dating back to the 1800’s. This portion of the museum is perfect for a photo-op! Anyone can visit the fort with proof of identification, so if you go visit here be sure to stop by the museum!

Carlsbad Caverns

The Caverns here were easily my favorite part of this trip. After a 2.5 hour drive from El Paso, you will arrive at the site. The lines may get a little long during the spring break season, but do not let this deter you from seeing this natural wonder! Tickets can be purchased in the main lobby area next to the gift shop (admission for military personnel is free). Keep in mind that the temperature of the cave will be about 56 degrees Fahrenheit year round, with 90% humidity. You will want pants or a light jacket during your time here.

From the lobby you have the option to descend into the caves via elevator or by hiking down through the natural entrance. The hike covers about 1.25 miles with a vertical depth of 80 stories. Although 1.25 miles may not seem like a lot, the 80 stories is killer on the knees and I would not advise people hike up this route if they have any health issues. Otherwise, the hike down this trail allows you to see the beautiful rock formations and take in the sheer size of the caverns.

Both the hike through the natural entrance and the elevator will lead you to the “Big Room”. It’s title is spot on! The main portion of the cave is GIGANTIC. Signs are places throughout the cavern to help you keep your sense of direction, but the hike around the cavern is a roughly 1.5 mile loop. You will see gorgeous natural displays such as the “Bottomless Pit”, the “Hall of Giants”, the “Boneyard”, the “Devils Spring” and millions of speleothems. This cavern is also known for having a fantastic bat flight program, where visitors can watch thousands of Brazilian free-tailed bats exit the cave to search for food.

All of the pictures that I took from the self-guided tour do not do this beautiful experience enough justice, and I highly encourage you to make the Carlsbad Caverns a priority for your visit!

L & J Café

If you want to experience delicious authentic Mexican food then look no further than L & J Café in the heart of El Paso. Their guacamole is mind blowing, tacos to die for, and margaritas the ABSOLUTE BEST. Make sure you go here at least once if you are in the area!

 

I hope that these suggestions help you during your next trip to El Paso Texas. As always, thank you for reading and feel free to leave any comments or questions!