My Florence

We’ve finally come to the (almost) end of my abroad blog. I’ve been tossing around ideas on how to close the curtain on this digital adventure for some time now. When I closed the curtain on the real-life adventure, it involved lots of running around town and seeing and eating all that I could inContinue reading “My Florence”

Adventures in Verona

Verona might just be the most under-rated city in all of Italy. Ever since I first read Romeo and Juliet, I’d wanted to see Verona. Even just walking through other Italian cities, I often found myself saying something like, “This looks just like how I pictured Romeo and Juliet!” So after two days in Venice, IContinue reading “Adventures in Verona”

Wandering Venice

Before I even knew I’d be studying in Florence, I dreamed of going to Venice. The sparkling city on the water, full of extravagant elegance at every turn, was like a far-off fairy tale to me. It was something out of the pages of an ancient romantic story, its pages telling of mysterious and festive masqueradeContinue reading “Wandering Venice”

My Celtic Adventure | Blarney Castle and Last Days in Dublin

The next morning, the time came to leave Annascaul. We boarded the bus after an early breakfast at the hostel for our last day with our tour. Today’s agenda: the Blarney Castle and Guinness Storehouse. We spent much of the morning at the Blarney Castle, and it’s a testament to the castle’s size and intricacyContinue reading “My Celtic Adventure | Blarney Castle and Last Days in Dublin”

My Celtic Adventure | Killarney National Park and the Dingle Peninsula

Galway set the quaint-ness bar pretty high, but our night in Killarney was a good competitor. We overnighted at a hostel downtown just minutes from a small web of shops, restaurants and a beautiful church. Killarney’s main attraction, though, is its national park – a sprawling 25,425 acres (about 40 square miles) of forests, lakes,Continue reading “My Celtic Adventure | Killarney National Park and the Dingle Peninsula”

My Celtic Adventure | Ireland’s Western Atlantic Coast

The past few days had been so full of breathtaking beauty that I couldn’t imagine there being any left in the country to see. But, I learned that Ireland is a country full of surprises, and it’s wealth of beauty proved endless. We woke in Derry where we’d spent the previous night and boarded theContinue reading “My Celtic Adventure | Ireland’s Western Atlantic Coast”

My Celtic Adventure | Day One In Dublin

Just an hour in a plane and we were landing in Ireland. It didn’t feel real. I’d been hoping all my life for that moment, and there it was. We flew over green fields dotted with sheep before landing in the Dublin and taking a bus to the center. We set off right away toContinue reading “My Celtic Adventure | Day One In Dublin”

My Celtic Adventure | Edinburgh, Scotland

I’d dreamed of visiting the Ireland and Scotland ever since I was little. If at any point you’d asked me where in the world I most wanted to go, the answer would have probably been one of the two. I’m not sure what started the dream (I suspect a book or some music), but nonetheless,Continue reading “My Celtic Adventure | Edinburgh, Scotland”

I Hiked a Volcano

…and it was exactly as awesome as it sounds. This weekend was quite an adventure. Volcano exploring aside, it was my first solo trip and my first trip by airplane. I’m happy to report that both of those went incredibly smoothly. And what a weekend it was! I landed in Sicily on Friday morning, leavingContinue reading “I Hiked a Volcano”

Budapest, Vienna and Salzburg | Part One

Three cities, two countries, one weekend. On October 7-9, I took a whirlwind trip through Budapest, Vienna, and Salzburg. This post will focus on day one: Budapest.  Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is one of the worlds prettiest cities. With over 1.7 million citizens and 200+ museums, fairs, festivals, and other attractions – it’s a world-classContinue reading “Budapest, Vienna and Salzburg | Part One”