Travel Thinking

Spring 2020 sure has been weird for everyone, but I know mine definitely took an interesting twist.

I am a sophomore at Temple University, and I was so lucky to be able to study abroad in Rome during my spring semester. I still look back on it and can't believe I was in Italy during this pandemic, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Fortunately, but also unfortunately, I got sent home during my spring break, halfway through my semester abroad. Immediately, I panicked thinking about the fact that I wouldn't be able to take a dip in the thermal baths in Budapest or go zip-lining in Croatia (yes I had those things planned), but I realize I am so lucky for what I did get to see abroad, which honestly is a lot more than most get to see in a lifetime. Rome, Florence, Interlaken, Paris, London, Barcelona, and Amsterdam, you have my whole heart. Now I can't wait to go back to see Dublin, Budapest, Prague, the French Riviera, Split, and the Amalfi Coast.

Rome. Literally where do I begin. I lived there for two months but really regret not spending more time in Rome. Nothing I loved more than doing work in a coffee shop or just casually going shopping down the cobblestone streets when I had some free time.

Best of Rome- Everything. I don't think I could pick just one thing, but I love this picture that reminds me of just walking around Rome. This was near the Piazza di Spagna, more commonly known as the Spanish Steps.This was just a 10 minute walk from my school; I literally felt like I was in a movie casually strolling around streets between my classes.

Best Food- Again, everything. My carb intake was alarming since I was happy eating pasta, pizza, focaccia, and then more pasta and more pizza again. The pizza was unlike any I've had, but I had to include this sexy picture of some ~homemade~ pasta I made in a cooking class.

Also, I would include coffee in this as well. Basically, I came back a new woman drinking cappuccinos rather than my usual medium caramel iced coffee from Dunkin. Jk I love my large sugary coffee, but the coffee in Italy is definitely something different.

Favorite Memory- Just frolicking around Rome. Going out and going to bars and doing what college kids do but while traveling and doing what I love most. This is one of the few pictures the gals and I were able to get while we were busy exploring all over Rome, drinking wine, and eating good food.

Florence. Absolutely amazing, one of the most fun weekends I had abroad. This was our first trip abroad, so stepping out of our comfort zone and figuring out the Italian train, getting to our Airbnb, and seeing where to start with our travels was tough. It was so fun though, just walking around the pretty city.

Best of Florence- I'd probably say the pasta I had in Florence, but I'll go into detail in the best food underneath this. Florence is so quaint, it is so different from Rome, so that was probably the coolest part. Seeing the Duomo was also so amazing.

Best Food- THE PASTA. I don't even know where to begin. If you are ever going to Florence, make a reservation at Trattoria Za Za.

MAKE A RESERVATION.

The line wraps around the block, and thank goodness for my friend Sophia we were able to walk right in. It is the coolest looking place on the inside, but it is known for their amazing pasta. I got the truffle tortellini and oh my god. It's what I miss the most of Florence. Also, the passion fruit mojito was to DIE for. 12/10 meal the Trattoria Za Za is a Florence must.

Favorite Memory- Space. That's all I have to say.

One of the best clubs I went to while I was abroad and I had the best time. Times like today when I'm sitting in quarantine is when I miss getting silly in Space.

Interlaken, Switzerland. This trip was definitely different from the rest. After a 12 hour bus ride from Rome to Interlaken, we got to our hostile at 6 am and had plans to ski at 8 am. This trip was nature filled and I saw things I would never see in any other city.

Best of Switzerland- these VIEWS. I don't know what else to say besides the Swiss Alps. You don't realize how amazing mountains are until you see these ones in person. It was so cool just walking around the city of Interlaken with the unique landscape all around you.

Favorite Memory- I'm going to skip best food because I unfortunately didn't feel like I went to any good restaurants and I also didn't take any pictures. However, the chocolate was so amazing. I paid $19 for a hotdog and some hashbrowns and I am still mad about it.

But wow, let me get into favorite memory. Skiing down the Swiss Alps was like nothing I have ever done. I do not get scared easily by heights and heart racing activities, but there was a point that I was so exhausted and scared that I sat and cried. I CRIED. It was so hard and challenging, I haven't skied in years. In the moment I wanted to turn back so badly, but looking back on it, I am so happy I did it. I have never seen views like that and am proud to say I skied down the Swiss Alps.

Paris, France. This trip was so amazing and I can't wait to go back. I went to Paris Valentine's Day weekend, so yea I fell in love.

Best of France- This is typical but just walking around and seeing everything that you always see in pictures. The Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, the Louvre, Notre Dame (even though we couldn't get close), the Eiffel Tower, and Montmartre kept us busy that weekend. I loved living out my boujiest self in Paris.

Best Food- If you go to Paris, you have to go to Le Regufe Des Fondus. It is a MUST. MAKE A RESERVATION. This was one of the coolest things I did abroad. Its a teeny little place in Montmartre and the tables are all squished together, so you have to step on a chair over the table to get to your seat. And then they have a meat and cheese fondue. Order both. It comes with so many yummy aperos and the cheese sauce was amazing. However, the coolest part was the wine!!! They served it in baby bottles because the place was so tight that people kept knocking over the glasses, so they switched to bottles. The walls were written ALL over and it also had bills from all different countries taped to the walls. I wrote my name on the ceiling and actually had the most amazing time ever here. The neighborhood of Montmartre was so amazing and the food was also delicious. 12/10 recommend. MAKE A RESERVATION.

Favorite Memory- On Valentine's Day, my friends, Katie and Jared, and I got a blanket and two bottles of wine and just sat and talked underneath the Eiffel Tower. It was one of the few times while we were traveling that we just sat and talked and enjoyed the view instead of running around like crazy like we usually did. This was one of the most beautiful things I have seen and would do it a million times again.

Another fav memory was meeting up with a friend of ours who was studying abroad in Paris, and he showed us the best time (shout out Brian Lee i love u).

London, UK. Wow. London was definitely not what I thought it was going to be. I hope nobody takes offense to this, but I was expecting it to be off brand America. All of my friends said it reminded them of New York, so I didn't know what was going to be that special about London. I didn't pick it, but I was excited to go because my best friend from Temple made the trip to meet me in London!! And wow, let me say that I was wrong about London. I had the most amazing and memorable weekend and I loved London so much I think I could live there.

Best of London- The liveliness for sure. Even though I loved the ancient and ornate buildings of cities like Rome or Paris, the modernness and aesthetic of London has my heart. It was so fun and lively and everything was energetic. There were definitely cool things like the Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace which was amazing to see, but what I loved was the very different and fun atmosphere of London. This was at Sketch which was SO amazing I actually fell in love with it.

Best Food- One of the next coolest experiences of my abroad was having High Tea at Harrods. It was so expensive but worth every penny. The tea with the little sandwiches and little deserts was so delicious and overall the coolest experience. Tea time in London is definitely a must.

Favorite Memory- Traveling with my best friend!!! London was more fun than I would've ever imaged. I met such fun people and saw such funky things I do not think I would've ever seen anywhere else. London was amazing and will forever have my heart. This pic was from Ballie Ballerson, which was a ball pit club in Shoreditch and was the coolest thing ever.

Barcelona, Spain. This was the start of my spring break and definitely an interesting trip. My roommates and I left for Barcelona and stayed the first two days at my cousin's house, which was so fun. These cousins were my best friends when I was younger, but with the distance, it was so hard to stay close, but reconnecting with them was so special to me. Also, since it was also Temple's spring break, my boyfriend and 10 of his friends were also coming to see me. This weekend was one of the best and one of the worst, full of so many emotions, mostly because in the middle of my Barcelona trip, my study abroad program was ended because of COVID-19, and I never got to go back to Rome. I felt like my world was ending, but having my family, my friends, and my boyfriend there helped me enjoy one of my favorite cities in the world.

Best of Barcelona- Personally, Barcelona reminds me of home, which is my favorite part of the city. However, the liveliness of this city was also one of a kind. The clubs were so fun and the restaurants were always full of life. Seeing the Sagrada Familia in person was also amazing.

Best Food- Paella and sangria, without a doubt. I still think about this seafood paella to this day.

Favorite Memory- Being reunited with so many people so close to me was such a special experience and I am so grateful to be able to share that time with my cousins, my boyfriend, his friends and my roommate.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This trip was the last one I did but one of my favorites. Amsterdam was unlike anything I have ever seen, and totally out of my comfort zone. It was so beautiful though and so so unique. This was the second half of my spring break trip, so I had so much fun exploring Amsterdam with my boyfriend, my best friend, and out other guy friends.

Best of Amsterdam- The houses. I simply can't get over it. They are all colorful and different and a little bit crooked but it was so fascinating. Everything from the buildings to the roads to the culture to the bars was so different and unlike anything I have ever seen. I loved it so much and will never forget it.

Best Food- My boyfriend and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Amsterdam and he made a reservation at the most amazing place called Restaurant de Kas. It was a restaurant that was isolated on a bunch of land, and it had one set menu. They grew everything in the restaurant and used the ingredients they grew that day. It was the most amazing meal ever, I got to try the most delicious oysters and caviar and an amazing wine. This restaurant was 10/10 amazing meal and beautiful atmosphere.

Favorite Memory- My favorite memory was definitely just all of the cool and modern things there were to see in Amsterdam. This was the Moco Museum which was unlike anything I have ever seen. The Amsterdam culture was so different and it was so modern but also had so much history. Everything from the Red Light District to the Heineken Experience to the Anne Frank house had so much that I learned and I loved stepping out of my comfort zone to see these things.

At the end of all of this, I am SO beyond grateful that I got to see so much, try so many new things, and travel with so many amazing people by my side. I cannot wait to return to finish what I started.

xoxo

Veronica