The historical and picturesque town of Stratford-Upon-Avon lies upon the River Avon (hence the name) and is most well-known for being the home of Shakespeare. Ever heard of him? It was the perfect little pit stop before heading to the hustle and bustle of my beloved London. We were able to stop for a delicious lunch and tour some of the main sights. Stratford will not only make you fall in love with Shakespeare all over again, but will make you fall in love with its beautiful gardens and quaint cotswolds architecture.
You all know what I’m talking about…that moment when you’re acting like a stereotypical tourist somewhere new and amazing, and after snapping away you look at your thousands of photos and find that ONE. That Golden Child. That diamond. That photo that looks like it came straight outta your “Travel” Pinterest board. And you say, “DANG that’s good! This one looks like it could be a postcard. Or better yet, I HAVE seen this on a postcard! Seriously, THIS is the money shot.”
Travel to experience new cultures, try new foods, listen to and learn new languages. Travel to walk on streets older than your country. Travel to grow and learn from all the mishaps, challenges, and setbacks that will inevitably come your way. Travel to get that exhilarating, amazing, yet terrifying adrenaline rush from being in a foreign land – somewhere totally new where you don’t know anyone. Travel to open your eyes…to everything. Travel to taste new beers. Travel to create meaningful relationships with people you meet along the way. Whether that be on a train, in your hostel, or anywhere. Whether it be a 5 minute conversation or a night out, you will learn something from them. Travel to gain a new perspective on life. Different ways to see and look at the world. Travel to take suggestions from random locals, and discover hidden gems off the beaten path. Travel to appreciate architecture, history, and art. Travel to feel that amazing sense of accomplishment, whether that be from completing a challenging hike, or successfully ordering a meal in a foreign language. Travel for those moments of pure bliss, as well as those moments of challenge. You learn from both. Travel for the lifelong memories and cool stories (and, ok yes, cool pictures). Travel to break routine and never, ever be stuck in a rut. Travel to learn more than you ever did in school. Travel to eventually pick up bits and pieces of a new language that at first sounded like gibberish. Travel to become more adventurous and adaptable. Travel to meet people and make new friends who think, dress, and see the world differently than you. Travel to gain knowledge and empathy on the struggles around the world. Travel to evolve. Travel to realize you’re just one person in this giant, amazing, diverse world we live in. Travel to eradicate all prejudice and narrow-mindedness you may have within you that you don’t even know. Travel to embarrass yourself in public but not care (because you don’t know anyone!). Travel to make your dreams a reality. Travel for some “me time.” Travel to step out of your comfort zone. Travel to know you can survive out there in the “great big world.” Travel to see famous places. Historical places. Beautiful places. Travel to change the way you see the world. Travel because life is meant to be lived and the world is meant to be seen and felt and appreciated.
Being that I’m a sucker for old churches, I was absolutely awestruck by the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. My favorite thing I did in Paris was see an aerial view of the city from the Notre Dame Towers (read about it here), but when we went back to see the interior of the famous Cathedral, I was definitely not disappointed!
Anyone else currently freezing their booties off while reading this post? Ok, so I know its still February… BUT its been cold and rainy here in South Louisiana (and apparently everywhere). So, I’m daydreaming about a little summer sun! AND I’m tired of having no tan line WHATSOEVER, so maybe a need a LOT of summer sun. So, I’m reminiscing on some memorable times at the beach. One of the best summer destinations I’ve experienced was when I visited Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
My friends and I area little weird, especially when we’re together. Which is why we often find ourselves/put ourselves in funny, outright ridiculous situations when we get together. I have some great memories and hilarious stories with my friends. Even more so when we’re on vacation or somewhere new. One event that sticks out the most to me was when we were in London and we were visiting Buckingham Palace…
I know its THURSDAY and I have yet to post this week, and for that I am oh, so sorry. BUT! I have a great reason! I was in full-fledged Mardi Gras mode. It has been absolute madness here in my neck of the woods since Friday with all of the celebrations and parties and balls going on. Mardi Gras is the most magical, most insane, most fun, most wonderful time of the year here in Louisiana (or maybe the world in general). And New Orleans Mardi Gras 2015 was no exception!
Here is my recap and review of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, including all the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes you don’t wanna miss!
In my opinion, one of the best free attractions in Berlin is the East Side Gallery – a section of the Berlin Wall that is now a memorial to freedom. This memorial is about a mile long and has 100+ paintings/murals on the East side of the Wall. These paintings were done in 1990s with themes of freedom, of the world changing for the better, of calls to action, of changing times, of hope, of happiness. And even on the overcast day that we visited, those messages came through bright, colorful, and powerful.
Day 1 in Prague consisted of an all-day trek uphill to Prague Castle, while passing through Old Town, over the Charles Bridge, and past tons of beautiful and amazing sights along the way.
Our itinerary for Prague day 2 was just as jam-packed with sights, sounds, and food! In other words, amazin’!
Here is a recap of our second day in Prague, including recommendations and things to do!
Prague is one of my favorite European cities. Walking down the streets of Old Town, you really feel like you’re walking back in time. The medieval influences are literally everywhere and the history is so evident. Not only that, but it’s absolutely beautiful. I’m talkin’ like… eye porn everywhere you turn. I know most European cities are older than the entire United States, but Prague was the city where I most felt the whole “Holy crap, these streets, these buildings, EVERYTHING I’m seeing here is older than my entire country.” It was such a cool and surreal feeling to think about how far back the city has existed.
Here is a recap of our first day in Prague, including recommendations and things to do!
