La Vie Est Belle means “Life is Beautiful”, and you can’t help but live this saying in the French Riviera. 

I met my friend Claire in Nice after flying from Switzerland. I’ll be honest, all I knew about Nice and the surrounding towns was that celebrities often visit the Côte D’Azur on holidays. Other than that, I was going off what Claire had told me. I’m always up for visiting a new place and Claire was set on Nice and some of the surrounding towns.

I was nervous about visiting Nice following the terrorist attacks on July 14. Claire quickly reminded me that you can’t live in fear that something is going to happen. You might as well never leave your house, and if you’re worried about terrorist attacks, Europe isn’t the place to be traveling right now. Her exact words were “We can’t let them win.” She coulnd’t have been more right. 

Claire and I decided to have Nice as our home base for 5 days, and rented a car for the first 2. We wanted to visit Cannes, Grasse, St. Tropez, Eze, & Monaco, so we decided to do these while we had he car, and it was such a good idea! Claire did an incredible job maneuvering the French roads, and not to mention the French drivers.

After Claire picked me up at the airport and we settled into our AirBnB, we headed out for dinner at La Merenda. It was recommended in Claire’s Lonely Planet book and it didn’t disappoint. I still dream about the fruit salad I had for dessert.

The next day we drove to Grasse, Cannes & St. Tropez. Grasse is famous for it’s perfumeries, Cannes is of course known for the Cannes International Film Festival, and St. Tropez is the travel destination for Hollywood’s most famous. I have never seen so many massive yachts in my entire life! This also meant we were on the lookout for Claire’s future husband. 🙂

Day 2 was spent visiting Eze & Monaco. Tuts and hunt continued at the Monte Carlo Casino and the Monaco Yacht Club. We also made a pit stop to take some pictures of the stunning view on the way there.

While strolling the Promenade des Anglais, we came across the memorial for all those who lost their lives on July 14. It truly was a heartbreaking and sobering moment. It’s so hard to believe that something actually happened. Besides the memorial and the obvious presence of the French Military, there was really no evidence that a terrible attack took place just 2 short months ago. 

What I learned was this: hug your loved ones, and tell them EVERY SINGLE DAY how much you love and care for them. Life is this precious and short thing, so fill your life with happiness and laughter. It’s too short to waste.

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We spent the remainder of our days being lazy on the beach, stuffing our faces with French pastries and enjoying the beautiful city that Nice is. We also came across an impromptu street drag show and ended up dancing in the street to “It’s Raining Men!”

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​You can’t not fall in love with the Côte d’Azur. It is the the perfect place to be reminded that la vie est belle.

Now I’m off to Croatia! My last stop in Europe!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

A<3

Over the years, my family has hosted 4 exchange students. 2 from Germany, 1 from Japan, and 1 from Switerland. Of the 4 we’ve kept in contact with 2, Kristian (from Germany, and my German big brother), and Salome (from Switzerland). Last year Salome and her boyfriend Beni were traveling through the US and Canada, and they stopped in Edmonton before heading to Vegreville to visit other families that Salome stayed with. I met up with then for a bit and caught up. It was then that they extended the invite to me to come visit them if I was ever in the neighbourhood. Well, having 2 days to kill before I met up with my friend Claire in the south of France, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take them up on their offer. 

Salome and Beni live in Olten, which is a small city just 30 mins away from what seems like everything. 30 mins from Bern, 30 mins from Basel and also close to Zurich. So I flew into Basel from Budapest to meet up with Salome. She met me at the train station and showed me around Basel before we caught the train to Olten. 

The following day, on recommendation from Salome and Beni, I took the train to Thun to explore while Salome was in class. What a beautiful little village on a river. It has so much character and I immediately knew my Mom would have loved it here. Following that I met Salome in Bern (her hometown) and she showed me around. It’s a smaller city with a homey feel like Edmonton. Had it not been so expensive, I probably would have stayed longer.

Salome and Beni, thank you so much for your hospitality and showing me around Switzerland. I truly wish I could have stayed longer, but as always, now I have an excuse to come back!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

-A<3

Budapest was never really high on my “To Travel” list, and to be honest, I really don’t know why. Paul had been to Budapest last year and raved about how beautiful (and cheap) it was, but for some reason I was never drawn there. As I had a few day before heading to Switzerland, and my mom suggested Budapest following Prague. Mainly because it’s cheap and I could get there easily by bus or train. Just like that, Budapest was the next on my list. 

Traveling from Prague, at first I decided to take the bus. Unfortunately, I was 3 mins late and missed it and Flixbus wouldn’t use the money I spent towards a new ticket (don’t even get me started). So I bought a train ticket instead. Considering it was a 6 and a half hour ride, it went by fairly fast.

Upon arriving in Budapest, I took the metro and made my way to my hostel where I met Rita & Ines. Both from Portugal and traveling via train throughout Europe for 2 weeks. They were on their last night in Budapest, so I tagged along for dinner and they showed me a few ruin bars (abandoned buildings that have been converted into pubs/clubs) and shared their insight into what the city had to offer. 

The next day (you guessed it) I went on the walking tour and got to see how beautiful Budapest really is. Having experienced a little of what Budapest’s nightlife had to offer, I was really amazed by how much the city changed during the day. One thing our tour guide said was to always look up when walking through the streets of Buapest, you never know what Angels will be smiling down at you. The buildings in Budapest were often adorned with angels, so it was definitely fitting. 

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The following day I decided to wander around on my own. I was unusually drawn to the Parliament building, so that’s where I started. On my way there, I stumbled upon the “Shoes On The Danube.” This is a memorial to the Jews who were shot into the river by militiamen in Budapest during WWII. Then I took the #2 tram along the river and caught a boat ride on the Danube.

Shoes On the Danube​

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Budapest really is a sight to be seen…so what are you waiting for?! Buy your ticket and see for yourself..don’t just take my word for it.
‘Till later…

Ciao!

-A ❤

I can never get it right. I either spend too many days in one place, or not enough. Prague is a city in which I definitely did not allocate enough time. I arrived by bus to the Main Train Station at 8:45 pm. By the time I walked to my hostel it was 9:30 pm, and I wasn’t up to being social. I got settled, FaceTimed with Sidney, then Shay, did some laundry and called it a night. I stayed at Hostel Downtown, which I really liked. The only downside was that my room was on the main floor, RIGHT beside the stairs and reception desk, and also faced the very busy street so it was NOISY! Thank god I had earplugs to at least dull the noise. 

The next morning I (once again) went for the Sandemann’s Free Walking Tour that started in Old Town Square, just a 10 minute walk from my hostel. I have seen my fair share of squares, piazzas, platz’, cuadrados and fyrkants on my trip, but this was different This was busy, yet inviting at the same time. I even got a really nice view of the Astronomical Clock as I walked across the square to join the group.

Our tour guide Karel took us through Old Town, New Town and the Jewish District. He was an authentic Czech, who was so enthusiastic about his city and it showed throughout the entire tour. Every corner you turn around in Prague, there is something to be seen. On the tour, I met Kelsey. Another solo female traveler from Australia who was 5 months into her year long travels. We talked about where we had been, where we were headed, favorite places (which really is everywhere), and so much more. We even found out that we were both staying at the same hostel! Following the tour, Kelsey and I decided to stick together and walk to Charles Bridge, the famous John Lennon Wall, the Dancing House, and then back to Old Town Square to watch the Astronomical Clock strike 4 pm. Needless to say, my feet were KILLING me when 4:30 rolled around. We headed back to the hostel to relax for a couple hours before we met up again for dinner and the marionette show.

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There is still so much I wish I would have had the time to see. But I guarantee I’ll be back!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

-A ❤

Nearing the halfway point in my travels, I’ve started to get a little homesick. I miss Paul, my friends and family, sleeping in my own bed, proper pillows, certain food, and just the feeling of home. So, having my mom come and spend 10 days with me was just what I needed.
Lots of people might hate the idea of 10 straight days with their mother. I, on the other hand, love it. My mom and I are very close. She isn’t just my mom, she’s one of my best friends, and traveling through Europe with her has been awesome!

Because we rented a car, my mom didn’t want to stay in big cities, otherwise we would likely have to pay for parking. On top of that, my mom prefers the local experience. We both flew into Munich, picked up our rental and headed to our AirBnB just outside of Munich. As we had a little time to kill before we could actually check in, and we were both kind of hungry, we drove into Munich to see what we could find for food. 

Back in 2004, my whole family (Mom, Dad, brother and I) did a EuroTrip of our own. So, this was not our first time visiting Munich. I remember seeing the Glockenspeil (but it was at night) and eating at the Hard Rock Cafe, which was right beside the Hofbrauhaus. My brother should remember Munich very well (or maybe not), as it was the city that gave him his first hangover! I mean when you go to a place that serves beer by the litre and then a frathouse that has beer on tap….of course you’re going to overindulge. 

So we decided to retrace our steps from 2004, visit the Glockenspeil and have dinner at the Hofbrauhaus!

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The following day we drove to Hallein, a small town just outside of Salzburg where we stayed for 3 nights. On the way stopped to visit the Herrenchiemsee Palace, which is a smaller and much more elaborate version of Versailles that was commissioned by King Ludwig II but never finished because he ran out of money! Our next day was going to be a busy one, so we just walked around the Old Town Hallein, had a bite to eat and called it a night!

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​Salzburg & The Sound of Music Tour

We started our day with a Historic Walking Tour of Salzburg. It wasn’t too bad, but I did find myself to be a little bored. My experience with the free walking tours was substantially better that this one that we paid for, but it still wasn’t too bad. Following the tour, we grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed to meet up with our Sound of Music Tour. 

If you know me well, you know that I love the Sound of Music. My dad and I used to watch this every year at Christmas and I know pretty much all the words to all the songs. If we were going to Salzburg, a Sound of Music Tour was a must! Well, we were not disappointed with this one! We visited the location where they filmed all the backyard scenes, including the scene in the row boat where Maria and all the children fall in the water. We also saw the Gazebo where Liesel and Frank sing “I am 16 Going on 17,” the long stretch of road when Maria is running to the VonTrapp House singing “I Have Confidence”, the garden where part of “Do Re Me” was filmed, and the little town of Mondsee which has the church where Maria and Captain VonTrapp get married. From a distance, we also saw the Mansion that was used for the shots of the front of the VonTrapp House, and the Abby where Maria was a nun. It was a great tour, and seeing all the original locations was so awesome!

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Keltenblitz & Salz Welton

This had to be one of my favorite days! My mom watches Rick Steeve’s Europe, and one of the things that Rick said is a must-do when you’re in Austria and the Salzburg area is to go on the Keltenblitz. The world’s longest toboggan ride. Conveniently enough, we were less than a 10 minute drive from the Keltenblitz. We decided to make a day of it and also visit the Salt Mine (Salz Welton) while we were in the area as well!  How it works: You’re taken to the top of the mountain on a gondola, have a short walk through the restaurant that’s up there, down a few stairs and you get to the start of the Blitz. Essentially, it’s just a tiny little car on this track (which I’m surprised doesn’t fall off) that you’re strapped into with a seatbelt. There is a long handle between your legs that you push forward to go faster, or pull back to brake. And that’s it! My mom and I both agreed that something like this would NEVER fly in Canada. It would be in violation of so many safety regulations. Luckily, we weren’t in Canada! IT WAS SERIOUSLY SO MUCH FUN! All I can say is, you HAVE to go on the Keltenblitz if you’re in the area! It was so much fun we rode it 3 times and probably could have gone 3 more times! Mom will tell you that we had to go a 3rd time cause she lost her cardigan on the first ride down and we needed to get it, which is true, but secretly I think she just wanted to go down for a 3rd time. 

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After our Keltenblitz adventures, we went for a tour of the Salt Mine. I wasn’t aware, but Salzburg’s wealth came from the salt that was mined in the alps surrounding the city. Salt used to be currency, and worth a lot! I finally understand the phrase “worth their salt.” So we went on a tour of one of the old mines that has been shutdown and converted to a tourist attraction. 

You get all dressed up in these ridiculous outfits. Mostly to keep you warm and prevent your clothes from getting ruined, and then you take a little trolley ride into the depths of the mountain. My favorite part was the wooden slides they have that you ride down to get to the next part of the tour. One was 50 feet long! It was great fun.

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​Hallstatt & the CRAZY narrow Austrian Mountain Roads

Our next day was a travel day on to the next destination. We were headed for a small village just outside of Lienz. We decided to stop in Hallstatt, a small lake village on the way there. On a whim, we rented a little electric boat, cruised around for an hour and got some pretty awesome views of the town from the water.

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After our boating adventure we had to drive to our AirBnB. Having taken a detour to visit Hallstatt, we didn’t know that the roads we would have to take to get to our accommodations would be the back country, side of the mountain, can only fit one vehicle roads! It was both the scariest and funniest driving experience my mom and I have been through. Not to mention, we were driving a manual!

There were times when we would come to a hairpin turn around the side of a mountain, on a road that only had enough room for one vehicle and you couldn’t see what was coming towards you. It also didn’t help having several roadside memorials with statues of some pretty creepy looking dead Jesus’. I’m not kidding, these were EVERYWHERE! At one point, we had to backup for a tractor, and another time, we came around the corner to see a big truck coming our way. Mom started screaming and let Jesus take the wheel.  We managed to make it in one piece and are damn proud of ourselves for driving those crazy roads!

The rest of our trip was spent exploring small towns and villages you normally wouldn’t pencil into your trip. We saw Lienz, Reith, Seefeld, Innsbruck, Romanshorn, Rothernburg and a brief visit to Zurich. 

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​I love my Mom, and the last 10 days have been incredible. So many laughs and so many memories. I can’t wait until our next adventure.

‘Till then…

Ciao!

-A<3

I can’t even begin to explain to you exactly how I feel about Ireland. It is SUCH a beautiful place. The countryside is incredible, the coastline is breathtaking, the food reminds me of home, and the people are amazing. 

Having spent 11 days in Italy (in +30 degree heat & humidity), 5 days in Barcelona (again, +30 degree heat & humidity), 3 days in Lisbon (heat & humidity) and finally 3 days in Madrid (hot hot hot…yet again) I needed cool weather. I needed long pants, sweaters, rain and no more heat. While it made no sense for me to fly all the way north to Ireland, just to come back down to Munich, I didn’t care. I wanted to be cold. Besides that, this was my first time being completely solo since I left Canada. I wanted to be in a country where people spoke English. I certainly DID NOT regret my decision.

DUBLIN

Upon arriving in Dublin, I made it to my hostel and has about 45 mins to kill before I could check into my room. I headed for Grafton Street to find a SIM card and grab a bite to eat. One thing to know about Dublin, there are musicians playing everywh

ere. It seemed like everywhere I turned, there were people playing or singing on the street. It was beautiful.

Now, I didn’t know what to expect when I got to my hostel in Dublin. I’m an outgoing person, but I had this fear that I wouldn’t meet anyone and would be stuck wandering around Dublin by myself. I couldn’t have been more wrong. After returning to my hostel to check in, I quickly met Christine from Florida, Kassie from Winnipeg, and Katie from Colorado. All being solo travelers we quickly became friends and headed out to the Temple Bar District to have a couple drinks. We didn’t have to walk far before you could hear the sound of typical Irish music coming from a few pubs. It’s like they’re trying to call you to come inside. We chose one, managed to find a table and sat for a good couple hours. Just drinking, chatting and getting lost in the atmosphere. We quickly decided that all four of us we going to go on the pub crawl that our hostel recommended. So we had a quick bite to eat to head back to the hostel to change and get ready!

What a great night! Met tons of people from all over..drank a bit (some more then others ;)) and had a bunch of laughs. 

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The following day was a slow start. Christine and I wandered around the area surrounding our hostel, and on recommendation from the guy at reception, headed for a free burger at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen. Unfortunately, Christine wasn’t feeling that great and headed back to the hostel to relax and I ventured out to do the free walking tour. This has turned into one of my favorite activities in a new city. It was great! 

Following my tour, I headed back to the hostel to fold some laundry and relax for a bit. I later met up with Christine and Kassie for dinner before calling it a night. I caught a nasty cold as soon as I got to Dublin, and we were visiting the Cliffs of Moher the next day, which meant a VERY early morning.

Cliffs of Moher

First let me say, that if you are in Dublin, visiting the Cliffs of Moher should be one of the first things on your to-do list. Not only did we get to see the Cliffs, but we were taken to Galway, a small village on the coast with a lot of history. It was stunning, as were the Cliffs. 

BELFAST

The next day I took the bus to Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital city. This is also the place where years of conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants took place. This is conflict that’s still going on. Not on the same scale, but you can still see and feel it on the west side of the city. 

The following day, I took a Black Cab Tour with a few people from my hostel. This was a one hour tour where a local driver (his name was Red) drove us around the West side of the city, and talked about Belfast’s tragic history. Red, who grew up during the conflict said that unfortunately, you just got used to hearing bombs go off. That you would see friends one day, and they would be gone the next. When he was 16, he and his parents moved to Australia to stay safe, but he quickly moved back at the age of 18. We drove by the Peace Wall, and I even signed it! We also drove through both the Catholic and Protestant communities. It was an eerie, but really good tour. I would recommend everyone take this tour when you’re in Belfast.

You can’t go to Belfast and not visit the Giant’s Causeway, so the next day I went on a tour that visited the Causeway, the Carrick Rope Bridge and the Dark Hedges. For all your Game of Thrones fans, you might recognize the Dark Hedges from Season 2.

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Ireland was amazing (great craich as the locals say), and I didn’t spend nearly enough time here. I may have caught a cold when I arrived, but that won’t stop me from visiting again very VERY soon. There is still so much for me to see and experience here in the land of 40 shades of green!

Now I’m off to Munich to spend 10 days driving through Germay, Austria and Switzerland with my Mom!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

-A<3

It’s hard to compare Madrid to Barcelona, because as you know, Barcelona and I had a sweet sweet love affair. However, the only thing that Barcelona and Madrid share is the heat. And even then, it’s not quite the same. Barcelona was very hot and very humid as it was close to the coast. With Madrid being more inland, you still get the heat, but not the humidity. So it was a little more tolerable. The shade actually cooled you off, whereas in Barcleona, you were still sweating standing in the shade.

When we arrived in Madrid, we had to figure out yet another transit system! (I think I’m up to 13 so far!) And Madrid has the second largest underground system, next to London. Surprisingly enough, it’s incredibly easy! Seriously, Edmonton needs to take notes. We have 1 line and it causes problems. Madrid has over 10 lines…common YEG!

After tackling the underground, we easily found our hostel (OK Madrid – definitely recommend!) and headed to check in. Our initial experience here was vastly better than that of Lisbon. We really felt like the staff wanted to help us and answer any and all questions we had. We were even told about the dinner they have every night for 10 euros and a pub crawl to follow. If you combine the dinner and pub crawl you only paid 25 euro, when entry to the final club itself was 20 euro. Caylie and I wanted to meet people at our hostel so we figured this would be a good thing to do…so we signed up! 

We had a few hours to kill before dinner, so we decided to walk around the neighbourhood and get our bearings. Our hostel was perfectly located in the city centre and all the main sights were easily accessible by walking. We headed to Plaza Mayor and did a little shopping before heading back to the hostel to nap and freshen up for dinner and a night on the town! Needless to say, we had a blast! We met quite a few people and were out until 6 am! It was such a fun night!

Day 1

Once again, Caylie and I met up for the Sandemann’s New Europe free walking tour of Madrid. And once again, it didn’t disappoint! Our tour guide Joaquin was so passionate about Madrid and it’s history. He was also quite funny and did a very good job of keeping us all engaged. On our break Joaquin told us about some other tours that Sandemann’s offers, including a Tapas Experience, followed by a Flamenco Show. Seeing a Flamenco show was high on my list for Madrid, as I didn’t get to see one in Barcelona, and Madrid is know for their flamenco. This seemed like a great idea, so we booked it for that night. We were not disappointed. Something about flamenco is so intense and beautiful. It’s so hard to describe, but I really enjoyed it!

Day 2

For our last day in Madrid, and Caylie’s last day with me, we decided to explore a few other parts of Madrid, that came highly recommended on Trip Advisor. First we went to Circulo de Bellas Artes which has a rooftop patio and great views of all of Madrid. Then we saw the Temple de Debod, which is the remains of an Egyptian temple in the middle of Madrid. Next on the list was Parque de El Retiro which has a massive fountain that you can rent little row boats and paddle around, and finally we visited the Crystal Palace in Retiro Park. It was a day filled with lots of eat, and even more walking. I swear I will have calves of steel after this trip.

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After our trek through the city it was time to head back to the hostel to relax (aka nap) before getting ready for our last dinner in Madrid and Caylie’s last dinner on her trip. Tonight was the night we would head out to find some salsa as well!

My 2 weeks traveling with Caylie was an experience I’ll never forget! I love that girl, and can’t wait for our next international trip together!

Now, I’m off to escape the heat and visit the land of green grass, rain, leprechauns and Guiness! You guessed it…IRELAND!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

A<3

I know I’ve been really sporadic in posting but I’m just on the go everyday and sometimes don’t get back to my room until late. So I apologize folks, I’ll try to do better!

But, let me tell you about beautiful Lisboa…

When Caylie and I started planning what where we wanted to go while she was here, I pretty much gave the reins to her. You all know me, I’ll go anywhere! She had said she really wanted to go to Portugal, Spain or Italy. Now, one week is definitely not enough time to see 3 additional cities on top of the 2 we already visited, so we narrowed it down to Portugal and Spain. I had already been to Barcelona, so I wanted to ensure we went to another Spanish city. Caylie chose Madrid, so that was easily settled.

When we arrived in Lisbon, I was hot hot HOT and of course, being on the coast, it was humid as well. Caylie and I easily made our way to the hostel following the directions we were given. I didn’t do a lot of research about Lisbon before arriving, so I wasn’t aware that Lisbon is also called “the city with 7 hills”. We had to trek up a hill (that felt like a mountain) to get to our hostel. Needless to say, I was sweating buckets by the time we got there.

This was both mine and Caylie’s first hostel experience, so I didn’t really know what to expect, but this hostel was highly rated on TripAdvisor. Overall, it wasn’t too bad! Besides the lack of AC, it was a pretty decent place to stay. Shortly after checking in, getting settled and changing, we headed to the common area for a sangria tasting and to meet some other people. Then it was time to get some food! One thing I’ve learned about Caylie, DO NOT let her get hangry and we were on the verge at this point. On recommendation from a guy we met at the sangria tasting, we went to the Time Out Market, which was just a short walk from our hostel. We weren’t disappointed. It was like a higher end food court, but still pretty tasty! I had Pad Thai and Caylie settled on BBQ Chicken and Chips!

Then it was back to the room to sleep as we had to be up early for a tour the following morning. 

Day 1

Our first full day was spent on a tour to Sintra & Pena Palace. A friend of mine who visited Portugal not too long ago said that this was a place I needed to go if I was in Lisbon. She said it was like walking into a fairytale. And, it did not disappoint. Pena Palace was stunning.

Following the palace, we headed to the western most point in Europe, which is the closest I’ve been and will be to home until October.

When we got back to the hostel after our tour, we freshened up to explore a bit more. We attempted to visit Sao Jorge Castle, but by the time we made it to the top it was closed. We were quite unimpressed. But the walk up, although a work out, was still quite gorgeous, especially when we managed to catch a bit of the sunset.

Day 2

Our second day in Lisbon was August 10, and CAYLIE’S BIRTHDAY! Caylie decided prior to our trip that she wanted to do a tour to the Berlengas Grande Island for her birthday, and I was definitely on board. Little did I know how rocky the Atlantic would be on the 45 minute boat ride to the island. Needless to say, my life flashed before my eyes, and I got seasick…3 times. I’m not kidding when I say I was certain the boat was going to capsize. Caylie even screamed at one point holding on for dear life to the side railing on the boat. Once we arrived and my stomach had settled, we hiked to the top of the island, and the view was well worth the crappy boat ride. Stunning views!

After returning from our trip on the island, we got dressed and headed out for dinner to Cay’s birthday and attempted to find some salsa dancing. Unfortunately being a Wednesday night, all the Latin clubs were closed. We would have to try and find a club in Madrid instead. 

Looking back on our days in Lisbon, we wished we would have either stayed longer, or not booked tours for the 2 days we were there. We didn’t really get to see any of the city as we were gone for both days. As I have said for many of the places I’ve been, just means I’ll have to go back some day. Of what we did see, it was a beautiful city!

Now we’re off to Spain (again) to visit Madrid!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

A<3

Few things come to mind when you think of Amsterdam; mostly coffee shops 😉 (not to be mistaken for a cafe. Yes, there is a substantial difference), legal prostitution, and stunning canals…amirite? There is, however, much more to this stunning city. 

First let me start by saying, everyone should visit Amsterdam at some point in their life. It’s a vibrant metropolis, easily discovered using public transit (or bikes, if you’re brave enough to test the streets with the “cyclepaths”). They have the best little pancakes you’ve ever tasted (known locally as pofferties), and a ton of history. Not to mention, one killer Pride Parade on the Canal. A sight that you would be lucky to experience if you happen to be there at the same time. 

We stayed outside the city centre in an AirBnB, which was about a 20 min bus ride to all the action. It was a nice room, tight for 3 people, especially Caylie who was stuck in the cupboard bed (like Harry Potter) 😂, but we made the most of it, and had a good few laughs about it too. We arrived around 8 pm, and desperately needed to find something to eat. Luckily, the Amsterdam Kookt Festival was going on! This would be equivalent to Taste of Edmonton back home. One of my all time favorite Edmonton Festivals, so I’m glad I got something similar abroad as I missed this year’s T of E! 

Day 1

As we have in most cities, we did the free walking tour on our first day with the Sandemans NEW Europe company. I have yet to be disappointed with this company. Our tour guide, Bas, was great. Not only did he know a lot about Amsterdam, but he went out of his way to get to know the people on his tour. We walked through the Red Light District, saw the oldest condom shop in Europe, which has over 1400 different condoms, including windmills, elephants, and the Eiffel Tower (no, I’m not kidding…), walked along the canal belt, and finished in the heart of the city close to the Anne Frank House, or the Jordaan District.

Following the tour, we headed for lunch. I wanted some typical Dutch cuisine and settled on a stamppot. A stamppot consists of mashed potatoes and veggies, a protein (usually a meatball or sausage, I had the meatball) and gravy. It was delicious!

Those of you who know me well, know that I’m not a beer drinker. The only beer I like is the sweet stuff, like Radlers, or Fruili (which I’m told can’t be considered a beer). I know what you’re thinking, clearly I’m on the wrong continent. Europeans brew the best beer! And you’re right, but I’m trying! So, after lunch we hit up the Brouwerij ‘t IJ (windmill brewery) for a pint. I even ordered one (that Paul had to finish lol). And even though I don’t like beer, it was recommended by my girl Shay, and lots of online travel bloggers. Just cause I didn’t like the beer, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t recommend this to others. It was a pretty cool atmosphere.

Our last item on the agenda for the day was the Anne Frank House. Every single person I talked to and blog I read about Amsterdam said this was a must see. Tickets could be purchased online, but were sold out for the next 2 months, or you could wait in the que from 3 pm – 9:30 pm, when they allow those without pre purchased tickets into the museum. Considering we couldn’t buy tickets online, this was our only option. We decided to go around dinner time, hoping that everyone would be busy getting food and the line wouldn’t be too bad. We got lucky! Only had to wait about 20 mins. This was a beautiful and eye opening experience. The conditions these people lived in for 2 years was pretty astounding. Still hard for me to wrap my head around, but I’m so glad we decided to go. 

We finished our night at the Kookt Festival again as we just didn’t  get enough of the food the night before, and Caylie had a few tokens to use up! So, so good!

Day 2

Our second day in Amsterdam was Saturday, and the day of the EuroPride Parade on the Canal. The parade was in the afternoon so we visited the floating flower markets, which is basically the place to get any souvenirs. Everything from tulip bulbs, to clogs, to key chains and magnets can be found at these markets.

After the markets we headed to the canal to reserve our spot to watch the show. We waited for a good 2.5 hours and finally the parade started. I’m glad we stuck it out as it was unlike anything I’ve seen!

The last thing on our agenda for the day was to head to the Red Light District at night, stop in at a coffee shop and see what the nightlife in Amsterdam is like. Having visited the Red Light District during the day, I was unsure as to what to expect at night. What I found were hundreds of men (and some women) walking around, perusing the various alleys with red lights. Now, I’m not overly sure how I feel about all this as it’s a completely foreign thing to me. Obviously prostitution isn’t legal in Canada, but I also needed to remember that these women chose this for themselves. Why anyone would want to is beyond me, but to each her own I suppose. It was still an interesting atmosphere and place to experience. 

Of course, we had to visit a coffee shop while visiting Amsterdam. I mean, when in Rome right? If anything, just to see what all the fuss is about. Now, if you aren’t a smoker (like myself) it’s hard to see what the big deal is, and I still don’t really get the appeal, but again, to each their own!

Day 3

Our third day was our last day in Amsterdam, and a trip to this awesome city wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the IAmsterdam sign. This was probably the busiest attraction we went to in Amsterdam. It was crawling with people…literally.

Then, because it was Paul’s last day we headed to the Heineken Experience. Even for a non-beer drinker like myself this was pretty fun!

There is something about Amsterdam..something I can’t quite put my finger on and something that draws me back. Unfortunately I didn’t get to ride bikes like I had wanted, or visit Vondel Park, so maybe that’s it, but I feel like Amsterdam is a city that has something for everyone, and I promise if you visit, you’ll enjoy it too!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

A<3

There is nothing like traveling with one of your bests…sure it tests your relationship, but it also makes for some incredible times. 

When Caylie mentioned that she was thinking of coming to Europe to visit me during my travels, I was SO excited! She decided to join Paul and I in Vienna to make the most of her time.

Vienna

What a beautiful city. So much history, architecture, food, and greenery! We did a free walking tour, went to the Prater Amusement Park, rode the giant Ferris wheel, went to Schoenbrunn Palace, the Vienna Zoo,  ate schnitzel, and drank radler. 

 Now we’re ready for Amsterdam’s shenanigans!

‘Till later…

Ciao!

A<3