Category Archives: Europe

Location: Salzburg, Austria

The Hills Are Alive!

I have been a huge fan of ‘The Sound of Music’ ever since that magical VHS first appeared in my Easter Basket way back in 2002. So when I decided to study abroad in Germany, I knew that one place I absolutely had to visit was Salzburg. In fact, Salzburg was number one on my abroad bucket list. So when the plans for our weekend trip finally came to fruition, it was a dream come true!

Five of my friends and I– all girls, we couldn’t convince any of the guys to go with us for a Sound of Music weekend– headed to Salzburg by bus on Friday after class, and after an hour delay in the Munich bus station, finally arrived in Salzburg late Friday night! The hostel we stayed at played the movie nightly at 7pm, but as we had missed it, we instead watched in our room to truly get into the mood of the weekend.

One of my favorite things about getting to a destination at night is that when you wake up the next morning, it’s a complete surprise as to what the place looks like. This is especially wonderful in a city as gorgeous as Salzburg, for as we opened the windows the next morning, singing along to the Sound of Music soundtrack already, the sky was a perfect blue, the sun was shining, birds were singing, and you could see the Alps in the distance. Talk about a picture perfect morning. We headed out to walk around the city and grab breakfast before getting on our Sound of Music Tour at 2. Salzburg is the prettiest, most quaint city I have seen- it is a relatively sleepy town filled with friendly people, churches, pretty facades, and the most gorgeous views of the Alps that you could imagine. My new future plans involve retiring to Salzburg and becoming a Sound of Music our guide.

Our Sound of Music tour was everything I could have hoped for and more. On a bus, we drove through the city and to the outskirts where the vistas for the opening scene and the wedding scene was filmed, singing along to the soundtrack the whole time. We stopped at both houses used for the Von Trapp villa (they used two different locations for the front and the back), and the infamous gazebo! We ended the tour in the Mirabel Palace Gardens, where most of the ‘Do Re Mi’ scene was filmed, and had a great night eating spätzle and drinking bier before heading back to the hostel to watch the Sound of Music… again.

Sunday we went on a tour or the fortress above the city, which offered amazing views over the Alps and Salzburg itself. It was fascinating to be in a fortress that had been occupied by bishops and cardinals of the region rather than princes, as Salzburg was an important religious city for the Catholic church in the region. Since it was a Sunday, and as we have learned abroad Europe shuts down most everything on Sundays, we took a 3pm bus back to Freiburg. All in all, Salzburg was one of the greatest weekends I’ve had since coming abroad. I now want to retire in Salzburg and become a Sound of Music tour guide! Salzburg truly delivered, and it was hard to leave this little town nestled in the Alps. Next stop: Munich for Frühlingsfest!

‘I have confidence’ in Salzburg!

Rooftops of Salzburg

Sound of Music Tour

16 going on 17 gazebo

Wolfgangsee

Eating one of my favorite things… crisp apple strudel

Alps surrounding Salzburg

Skipping through the Mirabell gardens

Location: Salzburg, Austria

Hello Spring Break!

Spring Break came a little late for us in France (about a month later than Penn State). I had basically a week and a half to travel anywhere around Europe. It’s super easy to travel anywhere in Europe since flights and train rides are very cheap and affordable. Before travelling, I did my research online to find the cheapest tickets I could to places I more South and by the beach. I ended up buying a 15-euro ticket to Ibiza, Spain, followed by a 10-euro ticket to Naples, Italy, and a 15-euro ticket back to Nice, France. I paid under 50 euros for transportation for my Spring break, which probably couldn’t’ be possible back on the American continent. (Thank goodness for Ryan air and EasyJet!)

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Ibiza

We arrived in Ibiza on Sunday the 24^th, just in time to get some dinner and enjoy the sunset by the beach. Our hotel was very nice, with a huge balcony facing the Mediterranean. We ended up going out to eat at the restaurant next door to have some typical Spanish seafood dishes. The next day we decided to walk around the beach. It was pretty cloudy, so we couldn’t really sun bathe until the next day. We tried finding sun block at every store around us only find out that the cheapest bottle was at a whopping 25 euros. I ended up not buying any, which I regret very much as I looked like a tomato for the few days.

Aerial View of Naples

After the beach and relaxing days in Ibiza, we flew to Naples. Of all the cities I have visited these past months, I would have to say Naples is towards the top. The first thing we did when we got to the center of the city was find the first pasta place to eat while we waited for our Airbnb to be ready. I had the best pasta I have ever had in my life. It was spaghetti with fresh pesto and pine nuts and fresh grated Italian cheese (Pecorino, maybe).

Pasta!!

The city itself didn’t have a great impression on any of us at first, although you can tell it’s an ancient city with a rich historical line. That first day we basically spent it walking around and eating Neapolitan food. The next day I convinced everyone to come with me to the ancient city of Pompeii, which was a 40-minute train ride from the center of Naples. Getting to Pompeii was a hassle since the train was over packed. Once we got off of the train, we were basically in front of the entrance to Pompeii. After paying the basic entrance fee of 13 euros, we were quickly emerged into the ruins of the ancient city. Pompeii is absolutely enormous. It takes the entire day to look through everything, as there are many different sections within the city. There are only 13 preserved molds of bodies in a small section of the city, near the amphitheater. Visiting Pompeii was one of the best decisions I have made yet, and it will definitely be something I remember for the rest of my life. Pompeii was just breath-taking overall, and I definitely recommend it to anyone that has the chance to visit this magical place.

Downtown Naples

Mt. Vesuvius; Pompeii

After Naples, we had a flight back to Nice, followed by a train back to Montpellier. I got back around midnight, just in time to catch the last tramway to my house. May 1^st is a national French holiday apparently, where everything is closed since nobody works. Monday, there was a huge protest (not a surprise) that I got to see by the Place de la Comedie (center of town). To my relief, this manifestation did not get too wild like the last one did.

Today is Tuesday. I am completely finished with all of my classes at Paul Valéry and at the office. I have exactly one week before my next final, giving me some time to plan some day trips perhaps. This is my last weekend in Montpellier, so I am thinking of just getting to know this city that was my home for the past few months. The weather has gotten so much better these days, good enough to wear shorts (although shorts are not widely accepted in French fashion).

My mom is coming again next week, and we will be touring France and Spain, as well as Greece. In about a week and a half I will be in the famous island Santorini. In about 18 days I will be back in the states. It’s so crazy how time flies.

Location: Playa D'en Bossa, Ibiza, Spain

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

The other day, I was sitting in my favorite place. The one where David and Andrea work. It sits on the Arno, and we call it “Caffè.” The sun illuminated the rough, uneven white-brick walls and the golden brown wood of the tables. Adam sat across from me. It was his birthday; he turned 32. David sat at a table behind me on his late lunch break. Andrea behind the counter continuing the daily grind of Caffè work.

David and Andrea are brothers, (“i fratelli”), and they look like twins (“i gemelli”), but Andrea is two years older than David. David is but 22, and I am 20. I could easily fall in love, but it surely isn’t meant to be. They brought out an omelet with a little heart reading, “With love! 32” on it, and their classic goofy smiles. (Earlier that day they gave Adam a two day old piece of cake with two candles that were shaped like 22, which wasn’t even the right age, and then another slice of cake after the omelet. So funny and sweet!) They are just cute for the fun of it, and they enjoy life. It’s refreshing.

Alexxus sat behind me and to my left at the barrel with her iced cappuccino and biography of Tiziano Ferro, her favorite Italian singer and songwriter. Alexxus is younger than I am, I learned this just yesterday. She is a deep thinker, and coming without knowing a single soul, brave indeed. The sun warmed my soul as did the presence of my friends.

The romance of a moment, irrepeatable.

I was wearing my favorite dress in my favorite caffè, where I always do my work while Adam does his, and we joked with David and Andrea that “we all work together.” My hair was neat in my ballerina bun as usual with the wispy tendrils framing my face, and my soft tan dress tied at the waste by my dark blue denim collared shirt–a bit warm on this sunny day but just perfect for me. I sat at the table with my laptop and phone in front of me, hard at work on my photography homework. Beside my computer was a copy of a letter. It was addressed to the editor of one of the english speaking newspapers in Florence where I hope to remain for the summer months. I had just submitted it online the evening prior.

In part, it read: “…before I arrived in Florence, I thought I wanted to see the whole world, but once I arrived here, everything changed. I fell in love with this charming city. As I enter my fourth and final month in my study abroad program, I can’t even fathom leaving…”

I held the paper in my hands with my shoulders back and the warm sunshine on my face. With one ear available for the sounds of the caffè and an earphone in the other, the soft music of Ben Rector’s Sailboat awoke me to the romance of this moment. Suddenly, I realized just how intricate it was, irrepeatable. This moment of longing, of loving, hoping, and desiring for this experience to last a little longer–a moment that defines my 20-year-old life in a way that I am now different, somehow transformed from who I was before.

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

Who knew I would find part of myself here of all places? I have grown a lot from this experience. Annie has taught me to be myself. Elizabeth says not to care what others think. Why need we be all the same? Santi Apostoli has given me a home and a mission. Gianna and Giovanna have made me smile with authentic zeal. Alessio teaches me to be free, to always try, and to never fear failure. And, my Florence family, and Cici, and Katie, and the staff of my school, and everyone! Florence especially, if I may personify the city. Everyone has taught me to love so deeply, so deeply that I am drunk off the sweetness of life–figuratively of course, but so deep that it almost feels literal.

The bliss, the riding of a wave that feels like a natural forever… But, in the back of my mind, and somewhere in my heart, I know I have to leave. I know the wave will eventually break against the shore. But, I just don’t know… how long will this loveliness last? And, I praise the Lord. I praise His holy name for giving it to me in the first place, and I hope desperately that my desires match His will. But, I also know that I need to trust Him. He is goodness and depth itself, while I am a little whisp… here and then gone in the blink of an eye in the whole history of human existence. My sight is so limited, tethered to here and now, latching onto the best thing I know in this world.

Fr. Mike Schmitz once said, “God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he loves us better than we love ourselves.” I love this. It reminds me that God has created me, His will is always and forever better than mine, and whatever He has planned for me is good. He has handcrafted this perfect bliss, one that speaks to my heart in ways nothing else can. And, whatever is to come is what is best. God is the bliss.

“The threshold which the world crosses in him
is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II

“My soul doth magnify the Lord.” -Mother Mary

More sweet moments

Last night I went to Adam’s birthday party. It was an apperitivo at La Petite, near Piazza della Repubblica. Rena and Alexxus came too. There we had a drink and some Italian food and enjoyed conversation about nothing yet everything with Melinda. Melinda is a writer and expat here in Florence, a woman who fell in love with Florence just like I am beginning to drink up its sweetness, only three months deep. Little did I know I would come across a former writer from the very publication I was applying to. What a truly lovely surprise this was.

Long story long, I am loving it here, the friends I’ve had the pleasure to meet, and all life’s serendipity. More photos to come!

Ciaooo

Angela

xoxo

What I Ate in Copenhagen

If you had asked me a month ago what makes Denmark so great, the last thing I would’ve said would be the food. When I think of Scandinavian cuisine, I immediately picture lots of fermented/pickled fish or something you could get from an Ikea cafeteria. So needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised to find AMAZING food in Copenhagen! The food scene there has been gaining more and more attention over the last several years, with Copenhagen being home to several Michelin-starred restaurants and what is considered to be the best restaurant in the world, Noma. While we didn’t partake in the some of the nicer eateries, we were able to find great food all around the city:

Smørrebrød

Smørrebrød: Don’t ask me how to pronounce it, but Smørrebrød are open-faced sandwiches that are quintessentially Danish. They’re made with Danish rye bread and are usually topped with some sort of seafood or egg salad, and can be found almost everywhere in Copenhagen. We went to Torvehallerne, an upscale food market (and one of the best I’ve ever been to) to try them, and we weren’t disappointed. I had a less-traditional Smørrebrød with roast beef, pickled veggies, grated horseradish, and fried onions, while my friend had one with breaded white fish and a shrimp topping.

flødeboller

Pastries: They’re not called danishes for nothing! Still at Torvehallerne, we stopped at a bakery for some dessert. Denmark is famous for cinnamon buns, or Kanelsnegle, so of course we had to get one of those—and it was out of this world! I also got something called a flødeboller, which when I translated the name on my phone it came up as ‘cream puff’. I was expecting the typical choux pastry with cream in the middle, but it turned out it was just marshmallow fluff covered in chocolate–still teeth-rottingly sweet and delicious though!

Carlsberg

Carlsberg: Copenhagen is home to Carlsberg beer, a brand that you can find in probably every bar in Denmark. They have a “Carlsberg Exbeerience” visitor’s center at their original factory that includes tours of the factory, the largest collection of beer bottles in the world, 20 Jutland horses, and of course, a bar. Admission includes two free drinks, so we tried the original Carlsberg and the Carlsberg Special Brew. I’m generally not a beer person, but Carlsberg is my new go to–though I’m not sure how common it is in the US.

Cheesecake

Cheesecake: One of our walking tour guides told us that we would be crazy not to try the cheesecake at Bertel’s Salon, so of course we couldn’t pass it up! We got there about an hour before closing, they only had a few flavors left, and it was expensive (a whole cheesecake goes for 450dkk, or about $70!)–but it was the best cheesecake I’ve ever had in my entire life. Hands down, no contest. I had the cherry, and it was the perfect mix of tart and sweet, and the cake itself was rich without being too dense. It was my heaven.

Othellokage

Hot chocolate and more cake: Yet another cake place we couldn’t not go to. Conditori La Glace is the oldest confectionery in Denmark, and the interior is the same as it would’ve been back in the 1870’s when it first opened (so basically adorable in every way). It also has one of the best hot chocolates in the world (according to the internet), so we were there. We got the hot chocolate which was delicious and intensely rich, and it came with its own little silver dish of whipped cream. They offered free seconds, but I literally couldn’t move afterwards so I wasn’t up for it. We also had two of their famous cakes–the sportskage, which was crushed nougat and whipped cream with a macaroon bottom and caramelized choux pastry, and the othellokage, with custard cream and chocolate ganache. Both were to die for, and the atmosphere of the cafe made it even better.

Brunch at Paludan

#Danesknowbrunch: The morning after we arrived, we went for brunch at Paludan Bogcafe, a bookstore/cafe/bar recommended to us by a friend who was in Copenhagen a few weeks earlier. We each got the Paludan’s Brunch, and it was mind blowing. It included scrambled eggs with sun dried tomatoes, bacon, sausage, prosciutto and melon, smoked salmon, a pancake, danish brown bread with butter, two cheeses, and homemade berry jam, mixed fruit, Greek yogurt with berries, syrup and muesli, and a choice of a smoothie or fresh-squeezed orange juice. I didn’t even know where to start but everything on the plate was delicious!

That’s all for Copenhagen!

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen

A few weekends ago, we decided to make a last minute trip to Denmark–you know, to get away from the cold and overcast weather and the expensive restaurants and stores of London. Copenhagen has got to be one of my new favorite cities–it’s small for a European capital but it couldn’t have been more different than London. Here are six things I loved about København, Danmark.

Nyhavn

Nyhavn: I’ve been to a lot of places where I’ve seen pictures of the most iconic place/street, and then have expected the whole town or city to look like that, or be in that style. Copenhagen was the first place where the style of the iconic Nyhavn harbor carried throughout the city. It almost felt as if everything was built at one time, because all of the buildings look the same and they’re almost all the same height–kind of like “it’s a small world” land. That being said, Copenhagen was adorable. Pastel-colored houses and cobblestoned streets were around every corner.

Hygge: Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) is the one word of Danish I learned while in Copenhagen (it’s a hard language!), and it’s my new favorite word. It doesn’t have a direct English translation, but the closest would be ‘cozy’. It’s basically the feeling that you get when you curl up under a blanket by the fire on a cold night, in an oversized sweater while drinking a cup of tea. It’s not just a term, but it’s a lifestyle–I’m convinced Hygge is why Denmark was just named the happiest country on earth, even though it’s insanely expensive to live there and for a lot of year it’s dark 17 hours a day and freezing cold.

Spa day at the aquarium

Fish Pedicures: This isn’t a Danish thing, and it’s definitely not something I planned on doing while in Copenhagen, but when we walked by the window we couldn’t help but go inside. I’d seen fish spas on TV (I’m pretty sure the Kardashians did it once), but I’d never seen one in the US (and as it turns out, a lot of states have banned them). Basically what you do is wash your feet really well, a spa worker checks for any broken skin or scabs (which need covered by a bandage), and you just dunk your feet in the tank for anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. The fish go crazy and start eating all of the dead skin off your feet (which I definitely needed after months of walking around London), and, as gross as it might sound, it really works! It didn’t hurt at all either–the fish don’t have teeth–but it tickled like crazy!

The People: Everyone we met was super friendly (and they all speak English!). So nice and friendly–until they got on their bikes. I didn’t see anyone with a helmet (I saw several with noise-cancelling headphones though), and they tend not to care about the rules of the road–our tour guide put it best when he said “the biking vikings take no prisoners”. All near-death experiences with bikers aside, everyone was super nice–and so pretty! Maybe it’s because they don’t see that much sun so their skin is just really nice, maybe it’s because everyone is very tall and blonde, or maybe it’s because everyone dresses like a model out of an H&M catalogue.

Sweden: Just because we could, we decided to get lunch on Sunday–in Sweden. It was only a half-hour train ride to Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city, from Copenhagen, so we were able to just make a quick trip over. We probably should’ve realized that, like many European cities, most things are closed on Sundays, but we found a big shopping mall so we were set!

The entrance to Christiania

Christiania: Where do I begin with Christiania. A self-declared free city, Christiania is a community in Copenhagen founded in the 1970s that is most famous for its “green light district”, also known as Pusher Street. The rules? No photos (because what they’re selling still isn’t legal in Denmark), no running (it incites panic), no hard stuff, and have fun. The Danish government is well aware of what goes on but doesn’t really care–it’s a sort of crazy social experiment that while isn’t universally liked in Denmark, is still fascinating to visit.

And of course, there was the food–but that’s too long to fit into one post. Next up: what I ate in Copenhagen!

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark

10 London Things

I can’t believe that it’s already the third week in March. Mainly because it means I only have ONE WEEK OF CLASSES LEFT. Yup. One of the craziest things about UCL is that unlike at Penn State, where I would’ve just been coming back from spring break, I will have no more official classes after this week. I have a four week break (!) before term three, or the examination period, officially begins. Many full-time students haven’t had any sort of exam all year because it all comes down to one exam per subject during this period. Luckily for me, I only have one exam to prepare for (which is 100% of my grade for the course) and one essay. Such insanity coming from a school with 16ish week semesters. Most British unis are like this, but some are even worse–Oxford and Cambridge only have eight week terms! So as you can probably imagine, I have some pretty major plans for that time.

Before coming here, a common thing that I heard from people who had studied here in the past was that I shouldn’t forget London. After all, I didn’t just come here to jet off to other European countries every weekend (well, not entirely)– I came here to experience London. I’m so incredibly lucky to be living right in the center of London, where I can casually walk to Soho or Covent Garden to go shopping, pop into the British Museum after class, or be in Notting Hill or Shoreditch in less than 15 minutes on the tube. I’ve fallen into a routine here, so sometimes I have to step back to pinch myself and realize that I’m actually here. I realize that I haven’t really written about the city much (I hope to change that) and that I’ve mainly been focusing on my trips, so here are just 10 amazing things I’ve done in London in the last three months!

Shows, Shows, Shows!

It was on my to-do list to see a west end show, and almost three months in, I’ve seen The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Wicked, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Bend It Like Beckham The Musical. It’s definitely possible to get reasonably priced tickets for most shows, especially if you go on a weeknight–I paid less for all of those shows combined than I did to see the Book of Mormon in Chicago. We also went to the ballet at the Royal Opera House, and ironically it was one of the cheapest activities I’ve done in London at only £4 (for literally the worst nosebleed seats in the entire place, but hey, you get what you pay for!)

Shoreditch/Brick Lane
Brick Lane

Shout out to Ouarda Paluzzi for being the first to show me the wonders of Shoreditch and what a unique place it is. Home to awesome street art, the best Indian food in London, my favorite chocolate joint Dark Sugars, rainbow bagels, the famous Cereal Killer Cafe, and probably hundreds of vintage stores, Shoreditch is a hipster’s paradise and is one of my favorite places to just walk around because the surroundings are always changing.

Holland Park and Notting Hill

Portobello Road in Notting Hill

It’s not the biggest park in London, but it’s a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle–and it’s also the only park I know of in London to have peacocks roaming around. It’s in Notting Hill which is probably the prettiest (and most expensive) neighborhood in London, with its iconic ivory and pastel houses and Portobello Road market.

Soho (always)

Because of how close it is to where I live, my friends and I find ourselves there multiple times a week. Whether it’s to eat, grab a drink, shop, or just walk around, all roads seem to lead back to Soho. My favorite street is Wardour Street, which is packed with restaurants that all look SO GOOD (including a Hummingbird bakery and one of London’s only Chipotles).

Covent Garden

Another place that I can walk to (which is awesome because the tube station there is always a nightmare), it’s my favorite place to shop in London. It has any and every store you could think of, including iconic British brands like Cath Kidston, Barbour, and Jack Wills.

Sky Garden
Sky Garden

Don’t buy tickets to the Shard’s observation deck–make a free reservation at Skygarden! On the top three floors of what is affectionately known as the Walkie Talkie (I have no idea what the actual name is), it’s a huge urban garden on top of a skyscraper with panoramic views of London. There’s also a restaurant and bar, and I’ve heard they do morning yoga there sometimes!

Markets!

Borough, Old Spitalfields, Southbank, Covent Garden, Greenwich, Leather Lane, Camden Lock, Columbia Road, Portobello Road–the list goes on. Exploring different markets is my favorite London activity, and each one has their own unique vibe. Markets will get their own post soon!

Westminster at night

It’s great during the day, but on a weeknight the crowds are gone, and you’re free to walk around and enjoy the most iconic London landmarks all up in lights, from the Houses of Parliament to the London Eye.

Bakeries

I don’t know how much weight I’ve gained since I’ve been here. I don’t want to know how much weight I’ve gained since I’ve been here. Calories aren’t supposed to count while you’re on vacation, so I’m extending that to apply to study abroad as well. That being said, bakeries! London has so many! I watch too much Bake Off not to try to go to as many sweet stores as I can, and some are dangerously close to my flat. Lola’s Cupcakes, Ben’s Cookies, Hummingbird Bakery, Kontidor and Cooke, and Choccywoccydoodah have been some of my favorites!

Greenwich
The Prime Meridian

I love Greenwich because while it’s still in London, it feels a million miles away. It has a cute downtown area with tons of restaurants and shops, and a beautiful park that has spectacular views of the city if you climb to the top of the hill. It’s also where the Prime Meridian, or Longitude 0, passes through, so you can stand with one half of yourself in the eastern hemisphere and the other half in the western.

That’s all about London for now–next up, Copenhagen!

Location: London

Glasgow, Fife, Scottish Borders, and The Highlands

(I promise, this is the last post about Scotland!)

We were lucky enough to experience a lot of different areas of Scotland in such a short amount of time, thanks to two excellent bus tours and quality public transportation. We spent the better part of one of our days in Edinburgh on a guided excursion to the Scottish Borders, south of Edinburgh towards the border of England. It’s some of the best Scottish countryside, green rolling hill after green rolling hill. We were on a Rabbies bus tour lead by our very enthusiastic guide Ewan, who told us all about famous Scots like William Wallace and Walter Scott along the way. We stopped and had lunch in a little town called Melrose, famous for its Abbey, and found some friendly sheep! We then drove through the Tweed Valley to a village called Roslin, whose chapel became famous in The Da Vinci Code. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but the detail of the carvings inside of the church was beautiful. It’s said to have links to Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, and the Holy Grail, but I don’t think anything has ever been proven. Although, there’s apparently a chamber below the main church that goes down at least as deep as the chapel is tall, but the family/trust doesn’t want it opened…

We also spent a day around the East Neuk of Fife, about two hours north of Edinburgh. I never really understood why Nova Scotia has its name–I would’ve thought a place called “New Scotland” would be filled with rolling green hills and lots of cows and sheep. I could definitely see if the part of Scotland they were referring to when naming it was Fife, because the whole region gave off an east coast fishing village feel. Our first stop was in St. Andrews, the biggest and most well known town of the region. It’s famous for its university and golf, and even though it was a chilly day it we had a great time walking along the beaches and (possibly trespassing on) St. Andrew’s golf course. We had heard about a fish place that we could not miss for lunch, so we hopped on a bus and headed 15 minutes down the coast to a town called Anstruther. The town was pretty dead (the amount of closed ice cream and souvenir shops indicated that it was more of a summer getaway than a February excursion), but Anstruther Fish Bar was packed (you can read more about it in my ‘What I Ate’ entry for Scotland).

Our last stop was Pittenweem, a cute town with an even cuter name, only a few minutes drive from Anstruther. All of the fishing villages are actually connected by the Fife Coastal Trail, and if I ever went back in the summer it would be amazing to rent a bike and ride to each one. Thankfully for us there’s also a hop-on-hop-off bus that was the better choice for winter. Most things were closed, but we walked along the docks and the coastline (which was much needed after our lunch) before catching the bus back to Edinburgh. I’d definitely love to come back in the summer and head to the beach, and see the puffins that make their summer homes along the coast.

After four days in Edinburgh, we hopped on a train and headed an hour west to Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city. I liked Glasgow, but it was too similar to London–there wasn’t much of an unique old town like in Edinburgh. We didn’t spend too much time in the city, however, because we spend a whole day on a trip up to the Scottish Highlands.

Glencoe

When I thought I saw Nessie

The highlands aren’t exactly close to Glasgow, but it was definitely possible to get a taste of them in one day. We departed from Glasgow, heading up Loch Lomond and making stops at viewpoints along the way. My favorite stop was Glencoe, a valley in the west with a tragic backstory but gorgeous views–it was even in Skyfall and some of the Harry Potter movies. I’d seen pictures of it in the summer, but it was stunning covered in snow as well. We finally reached Fort Augustus where we stopped for lunch, which sits on the end of Loch Ness, and took a lake cruise. I always thought the story about the Loch Ness monster was a bit farfetched, but the thing about the loch is that one, it’s extremely big (it’s almost 1,000 ft deep and holds more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined), and two, the peat soil from the surrounding land turns the water black, making underwater visibility almost impossible. I won’t say I believe in Nessie, but I wouldn’t go swimming in the loch either. After our cruise we started our journey back through Inverness, admiring the beautiful countryside the whole way back (at least until the sun went down). Our tour guide was great, even blasting classic Scottish songs from Scotland the Brave to I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles).

Heilan’ Coos

The next day was our last in Scotland, but we had the whole morning and afternoon before we had to head to the airport. Our only goal? Finding Heilan’ Coos. Highland Cows are almost like Texas Longhorns, but with a tuft of hair on their foreheads that makes it look like they have bangs. In short, they’re as cute as they are delicious. We had to see them up close, so we headed to Glasgow’s Pollok Park in the pouring rain, where they keep a small herd. It took a while, and we even ended up on a Downton Abbey-esque detour to the country manor Pollok House, but after trekking through the woods and mud, we found them. It was awesome (I’ll let the picture speak for themselves).

Scotland was absolutely amazing. I had always wanted to go, and might’ve even studied there had Penn State offered more programs. It’s definitely a place I want to go back to again–as much as I enjoyed the beautiful British February weather, something tells me that I might like it even more in July!

Until next time!

Location: Loch Ness, Scotland

Feeling Like a Freiburgian

Life has been so so busy the past week and a half since I’ve been back from Brussels and Paris! Coming back to Freiburg this time around really felt like I was returning to a home; from knowing the public transport to seeing the familiarity of the German language (who would have thought!) I believe like I am feeling like a Freibergian!

**Apparently the people of Freiburg are not called Freiburgers, as I previously thought, we learned that is the vernacular for the local beer, and that people are called Freiburg-ians!

I also cannot believe how much my German is improving here. I have really been trying to use it as much as possible and I find myself looking at the German signs and understanding them moreso than the English subtitles. I was having a conversation with my friend Sean the other day and he lapsed into German, which I didn’t even realize until someone else pointed it out! It is so rewarding to be able to use 5 semesters of German in everyday, and feel like I make sense and can understand other people!

Weekend Trips:

With the program I’m on, we’re fortunate to be able to go on so many trips that are embedded with class, however this does cut into what every student looks forward to most when coming abroad, individual travel. Luckily, Freiburg is located in a particularly nice region in Germany, Baden-Würtenburg, with easy access to France, Switzerland and some lovely German towns. Last Saturday some of my friends and I took a day trip to Heidelberg, which was about a 2 hour bus ride from Freiburg. Heidelberg was a beautiful town for a day trip, we were able to walk through the Old Town, climb up to the castle, eat dinner at the house of 100 Schnitzels (a recommendation from my cousin Tom, who lived in Heidelberg for 4 years), and watch the sun set from a bridge over the River Neckar. Great friends, great food, and the weather wasn’t too shabby either! My German was also challenged this day, as I was asked in the train station while waiting for our bus that night to explain the difference between a flex price train ticket and a fixed price, auf Deutsch! I think I was able to get the point across, and it felt really, really cool to use my german skills to help someone who spoke no English!

View of Heidelberg Castle from a church

Quaint Heidelberg from atop the Schloss (castle)

Valley awash in gold at sunset, taken from the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge)

This past Saturday and Sunday we enjoyed a very traditional Black Forest weekend. For weekend fun, most Germans hike or ski, so the regional trains leaving Freiburg are usually bustling on a Saturday or Sunday morning. On Saturday, six of us went skiing up at Feldberg in the Black Forest, and I was surprised at how I could keep up fairly well with my friends who had much more experience than I on the mountain! They were great for moral support, they even convinced me to go down a black diamond! Things went well until the last really steep part. I was just exhausted and freaked out, and spent most of my time making good use of my waterproof ski pants. Regardless, I definitely have gotten the ski bug and was glad to have such great company to do such a fun activity on a free Saturday.

A ski run at Feldberg!

Ski squad!

On Sunday the traditional German fun continued when I went with my friends Phillip and Sean on a hike through the Schwarzwald! We got on a train to Triberg, and walked across the tracks and into the forest. We scaled up rock walls, repelled using trees, trudged through snow as we gained elevation, and scrambled down a few small waterfalls. The weather was mild and slightly overcast, and it was great to be out in the density of the Black Forest. Just walking through and not seeing any other people was an experience in itself, although I half expected to find Hansel and Gretl walking down the path toward us at some points.

Hiking in the Schwarzwald, near Triberg

Stopped to build a little snowman!

Beautiful views of the dense Schwarzwald

A hint of blue sky!

A Freiburg study abroad pro tip: you will not regret packing (or buying!) your Bean Boots!

This upcoming week I have two midterms, and the week after is another exam and then off to Ireland for spring break! So far the weekend plan is looking like a day trip to Basel, Switzerland on Wednesday after class, then down to Lucerne, Switzerland on Friday, getting some homework done Saturday, and getting ready for a week in Ireland! Here’s to another week of adventure with just a ~dash~ of school!

Location: Freiburg, Germany

All About Edinburgh

We managed to do so much in Scotland that I had to break it up over multiple blogs! We spent the most time in Edinburgh, so I think it deserved its own post. That being said, Edinburgh was absolutely stunning. It’s definitely one of my new favorite cities–I could’ve spent weeks there! We stayed near the Royal Mile, a stretch of the old town filled with bagpipes, kilts, and whiskey shops, capped on either end by Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The old town

In the Edinburgh vaults…

definitely has a dark vibe–the grey stone buildings, narrow alleys (known as closes), and almost constant cloudy skies alone contributes to that, but when you learn about the sinister history of the city (think grave robbers, underground crime cities, public torture and execution…) it’s even more chilling. I always thought ghost tours seemed cheesy and theatrical, but we took took one into a series of underground chambers called the Edinburgh vaults, and it was absolutely terrifying.

On top of Arthur’s Seat

The scary underground of Edinburgh was a must-see, but the hills around the city were even better. The best view of the old town has to be from Calton Hill, which takes less than ten minutes to reach the top of and is gorgeous at sunset. For the more adventurous there’s Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano overlooking Holyrood Palace–some legends even say it was the site of King Arthur’s Camelot. It took us a little under an hour to reach the official summit, which was quite snowy and rocky. On a clear day you can see for miles, out over the sea to the east of the city and even the beginnings of the Highlands to the north.

Victoria Street

The bathrooms at Elephant House Cafe

Edinburgh is also where J.K Rowling wrote a lot of the Harry Potter books, and all around the city you can see where she took inspiration. The Elephant House Cafe is a now-famed spot where she would sit and write, and if you ever go there to eat, it’s worth checking the bathrooms–they’re covered in Harry Potter graffiti. Not too far away (and right next to our hostel as it happened), Greyfriars Kirkyard cemetery has a McGonagall, a Moody, and even a Tom Riddell buried there (and was also home to a dog called Bobby, whose story is so adorable and sweet it’ll make you forget all about Edinburgh’s dark history–check it out!). Victoria Street was also said to be the inspiration for Diagon and Knockturn Alleys, and we went into an antique store that I would definitely believe was the inspiration for Borgin and Burkes.

My next post will be about the side trips we took to the Scottish Borders and the Kingdom of Fife! Stay tuned! 🙂

Location: edinburgh

What I Ate: Scotland Edition

While writing my previous blog about my trip to Scotland, I realized that if I was going to talk about all of the food I ate then it would’ve been a mile long, so I decided to dedicate an entire post to all of the delicious (and not so delicious) things I tried while up north:

Haggis:

Haggis balls featuring Irn Bru: basically Scotland in a nutshell

Probably the most infamous of British dishes, Haggis is the lovely Scottish delicacy that consists of minced sheep’s pluck (heart, lungs, and liver), oats, and spices. It’s unfortunate that I knew what it was when I went to take my first bite, because if I hadn’t I probably would’ve gone in for a second. We ordered it as an appetizer, so it came in little fried balls rather than in the traditional sheep’s stomach casing (which was fine by me)…and it was not terrible. I only took one bite, but at the fault of my brain and not my tastebuds. The spices were pretty tasty (they do make veggie haggis–I would try that sometime), but the texture was not especially appealing. An interesting experience, but not one I particularly want to have again.

Irn Bru:

Irn Bru earrings: in case there was any doubt of how much the Scots like this beverage

Scotland is one of the only places where Coke is not the best selling soda on the market, and it’s because of Irn Bru. A fizzy orange drink, it looks almost like Fanta, and some people say they just taste citrus when they drink it. In my opinion? It tastes like bubblegum and battery acid. It’s acidic but not in a citrus-y way and is so reminiscent of that Hubba Bubba bubble tape I used to eat in elementary school that I think it would make a way better candy than a drink. It was, however, oddly refreshing to just keep sipping–I finished my bottle.

Salmon:

Salmon

I’ve only been eating salmon for a few years, but this was by far the best I’ve ever had. Scotland is known for their salmon and I’ve just never had any that was so fresh. It was also a nice break from all the fried pub food I had been devouring!

Fish and chips!

Fish and Chips:

Fish and chips is definitely not just a Scottish thing, but the fish and chips I had there took over as THE BEST, in my opinion, fish and chips ever (a title previously held by The Codmother in San Francisco). It was in a little fishing village in the East Neuk of Fife called Anstruther, at a restaurant called Anstruther Fish Bar. The village is pretty much dead in the winter but this place was packed with locals on their lunch breaks. The fish was unreal. I’ve never had fish that was so good and fresh, and you could look out the window and see the fishing boats that brought it in. It’s about a two-hour bus ride from Edinburgh, but I believe that it’s worth making the trip for Anstruther Fish Bar alone.

Hot toddy:

Hot toddy

I’m not a huge whiskey drinker, but when in Scotland you can’t not have at least a dram. I became familiar with hot toddies at the pub down the street from my London flat, but unsurprisingly, they make them better in Scotland. A mix of hot tea, whiskey, lemon, honey, and spices, it’s the perfect winter warmer after being outside all day (and was much needed after a terrifying Edinburgh ghost tour we took)!

Brazilian Crepes:

Brazilian crepes in the making

It might seem about out of place, but when a bunch of locals told us about a food stand in Edinburgh that had the best crepes in the Scotland, we couldn’t just pass it up. Tupiniquim sells sweet and savoury Brazilian crepes, which are naturally gluten free because they have a tapioca base instead of traditional flour. We had just eaten lunch so we opted for a sweet sugar, cinnamon, and banana crepe that was out of this world. It was similar to a regular french crepe but lighter and a bit more sturdy, which made it excellent street food!

I also had an amazing dessert, but you can read about it in my post on Hot Chocolate! More about my adventures in Scotland coming soon!

Location: Edinburgh

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The Hills Are Alive!

Hello Spring Break!

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

The romance of a moment, irrepeatable.

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

“The threshold which the world crosses in him
is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II

“My soul doth magnify the Lord.” -Mother Mary

More sweet moments

What I Ate in Copenhagen

Copenhagen

10 London Things

Glasgow, Fife, Scottish Borders, and The Highlands

Feeling Like a Freiburgian

All About Edinburgh

What I Ate: Scotland Edition

The romance of a moment, irrepeatable.

Who knew a piece of my heart was in Florence?

“The threshold which the world crosses in him is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II

“My soul doth magnify the Lord.” -Mother Mary

More sweet moments

“The threshold which the world crosses in him
is the threshold of wonderment.” -Saint Pope John Paul II