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The Ultimate Travel Planning: A Destination Wedding

On this blog, I mainly talk about tips for planning your next trip or vacation, but I’ve never talked about my most extensive and expensive planning mission: my destination wedding in Querétaro, Mexico! Two years ago today, we had the most amazing little party, and I want to share my tips on planning a destination wedding for those of you recently engaged or helping a friend or loved one plan their special day somewhere far away.

BUDGET.

Before you can decide where you want to get married, you have to have that delicate conversation about money. With the national average cost of a wedding hovering around $30,000, this is probably the most expensive day you will ever have in your life. Are your parents going to help chip in? Will your in-laws help to cover some of the cost? Do you need to cut back on dining out to afford the perfect DJ? Have these conversations early to avoid conflict from miscommunicated expectations and to also better inform your spending - so you don’t allocate too much of your budget for the caterer and don’t have anything left for flowers.

Wedding planning sites like the knot or WeddingWire have great tools that suggest how much you should spend in any given category depending on your max budget and how many people you are planning to invite.

Don’t forget to think about the exchange rate and how you will make your payments. I literally tracked the exchange rate everyday and made payments to certain vendors ahead of the payment deadlines to take advantage of good rates. TransferWise is a great option for making international payments.

Bargain. Share your budget and vision with your vendors and see if there is any flexibility in their price points, or if certain things can be removed so you can save money.

Review your contracts carefully. We took advantage of a special promotion for off season months (January and February) to get a discounted rate on the venue, but we overlooked the fact that we also needed to rent a tent with this venue, which was an unanticipated extra cost. Look for vendors that offer packages that allow you to save money and simplify your planning. For example, our caterer included tables, chairs, cutlery, waitstaff, and tablecloths in the set menu price, which eliminated our need to find a rental company to provide tables and chairs. We also skipped cutting (and paying for) a cake since our caterer provided a dessert course.

LOCATION. Once you’ve decided on a budget, choosing the destination city and venue is the next step. But where should you have the wedding of your dreams? It might be a special place for you and your partner. Or it might be a special place for your family or a place you’ve always wanted to share with your loved ones and closest friends. The things you have to ask yourself are: What are you looking for in your wedding location? Are you looking to get married on a beach, in a barn, or (in our case) a hacienda? Are there fun things to do nearby? When you think about venue, you also need to think about transportation. How are your guests going to get to and from the wedding? Where are they going to sleep? Will they need a visa? These are all important questions to think over before you nail down the ceremony and reception site for your big day. Here are a few key pieces of advice on choosing a location:

Choose a destination that is not more than one hour from an international airport. We chose Querétaro because it has direct flights to the United States and throughout Mexico, and the downtown area is only 30 minutes from the airport. After a long flight with possibly multiple connections, the last thing your guests are going to want to do is drive more than an hour to their hotel.

Choose a destination that is is full of fun things to do! No one wants to go to a wedding in the middle of nowhere, unless maybe if that middle of nowhere happens to be a rural resort destination that is also a winery with a spa, pool, and/or golf course. If you are choosing a city, choose a city with history and culture, great food, and lots of possibilities for day trips. We chose Querétaro because it is a beautiful, colonial city in the heart of Mexico with easy access to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, and Mexico City.

Think about the weather. Querétaro in January is lovely, but Cancun in September, during the height of hurricane and mosquito season, might cause complications.

Plan for a welcome reception. Normally, the rehearsal dinner is the day before the wedding. But when you are having a destination wedding, the rehearsal dinner turns into a welcome reception for all out of town guests. Our welcome reception took place on a rooftop terrace in downtown Querétaro. It is a great way to welcome everyone to the wedding weekend and have your guests socialize before the next day’s big event. Another option is to host a post-wedding brunch the day following the wedding.

Choose a venue that can host your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. If you can’t find something that fits the bill, or really want your ceremony to happen in a place of worship, try to choose venues that are located close to one another (within walking distance) - this will make your life so much easier and your guests will greatly appreciate it. The site we chose let us move flawlessly from the ceremony in an outdoor chapel, to the cocktail hour in a beautiful garden, to the reception in an outdoor terrace.

Provide transportation for your guests. I know, it doesn’t help your wedding budget, but if it is difficult for your guests to get an Uber or taxi at 2am from your wedding venue, provide transportation so that everyone can have a great time and get home safely. Don’t leave your guests stranded or struggling to make it to your venue!

#wedding #wedding planning #destination wedding #wedding guide #boda #mexican wedding #queretaro #el bajio #wedding in mexico #boda mexicana #hacienda

Magical Madrid

Madrid was the third time I left home for study abroad. The first time was to Cordoba, Argentina. I was sixteen and could barely understand my host family’s castellano. The second time was to Cairo, Egypt. It was a long and hard semester. And then there was Madrid. I made some amazing friends, traveled all over Europe, and fell in love! It was amazing to go back in October after nearly nine years away.

The greatest thing about revisiting Madrid is that I am no longer a poor study abroad student. I’m not sure if I just didn’t notice before, because I couldn’t afford it, or if this is a new Madrid, but there are so many adorable, hip, and fun restaurants, shops, and bars to experience. Here are a few of my favorites so you can plan the perfect getaway to the Spanish capital.

DINING

For tapas, check out Casa Gonzalez and Triciclo. Case Gonzalez is a traditional Spanish taperia with amazing meats, cheeses, and wine. No frills, but friendly waiters. Triciclo has a tapas area and a more formal dining area. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and the food is amazing! The formal dining is pricier, but great for a date night.

El Perro y la Galleta is a super posh restaurant right near the Puerta de Alcala. Don’t miss the croquetas de queso de cabra (goat cheese).

La Taberna del Capitan Alatriste is a traditional Spanish restaurant in a sixteenth-century palace. Great food and ambiance.

For chocolates, desserts, and coffee, head to adorable and delicious La Duquesita (photo credit: La Duquesita)

THE MUST SEES / EXPERIENCES

Parque de Retiro is the most amazing park and boy is it beautiful in the fall. Walk through the park, do some people watching, and don’t forget to rent a row boat for some fun on the lake (pond, it’s not that big). Just 8 euros on Saturdays for one hour.

All the art! Madrid is an art lovers paradise with three huge and amazing museums: the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen. If you’re on a budget, each museum offers free entry on certain days/times of the week, but the lines can be long and the museums quite crowded. You can also save money by purchasing a combined ticket to all three museums for 29.60 - the ticket is valid for one year.

Prado: Free Mondays through Saturdays 6-8pm plus Sundays 5-8pm. General entry 15 euros. Be sure to see Goya’s Black Paintings. An impressive collection, but to be honest my least favorite art museum in Madrid.

Reina Sofia: Closed Tuesdays. Free Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays 7-9pm plus Sundays 1:30-7pm. Tickets online for 8 euros, in person 10 euros. Don’t miss Picasso’s hauntingly beautiful La Guernica.

Thyssen (my favorite): Free Mondays 12-4pm. Normal entry 12 euros. Degas and Van Gogh masterpieces.

The Palacio Real - not the Real Palace, but the Royal Palace. The largest royal palace in Europe with a beautiful garden. Don’t miss the National Cathedral right next to the palace.

Plazas - they are everywhere! The prettiest by far are: Plaza de Cibeles, Plaza de Espana, and Plaza Mayor.

OTHER TIPS AND TAKEAWAYS

The Madrid metro is a great way to get around the city and is also convenient to get to and from the airport. Buy a multi-card for 2.50 euros and load a 10 ticket pack onto the card for 12.20 (cheaper than buying 10 individual tickets). You’ll have to pay a 3 euro surcharge going to or from the airport. Ubers to or from the airport can vary depending on traffic, but can cost between 30 and 40 euros.

Madrileños operate on a very different time schedule - lunch usually starts around 1pm or later. Many places might be closed between 4pm and 6pm for an afternoon siesta. Dinners normally start around 9pm. The clubs don’t fill up until at least 1am.

After so long away, our Spain trip was much too short. Maybe a trip to Sevilla or Bilbao is in our 2019 travel future? Stay tuuuuuuned.

#madrid #spain #madrileno #espana #travel tips #travel planning #travel guide #foodie #travel #photography

Palaces and Tiles and Wine - Bom Dia Lisbon

In October, we headed to Lisbon for my grad school flatmate’s wedding. It had been nearly nine years since my first (and only previous) visit to the capital of Portugal, and this time around I was once again taken away by the absolute beauty of this city!

Since we were there for a wedding, we didn’t have a lot of time to explore because we had a welcome reception, ceremony, and dancing to attend to! Despite our abbreviated trip, here are the highlights:

THE MUST SEES / EXPERIENCES

Sintra! So this isn’t technically in Lisbon, but it is a very easy day trip from the city. Sintra is hands down one of the most magical places I have visited. The colors of this region are absolutely breathtaking and the Pena Palace is like something out of a fairytale. To get to Sintra, there is an inexpensive train with about a one hour travel time door to door, or you can take an Uber for about 25 euros each way, with a travel time of roughly 30 minutes. In total, there are six sites in the area - you can purchase a combined ticket that is valid for 30 days to save money on entrance fees. We didn’t have a lot of time so we just did the Pena Palace and the Castle of the Moors - I think these are two of the most beautiful sites and they are within walking distance from each other. PRO TIPS:

It is much colder in Sintra than Lisbon so make sure to dress accordingly (you can see the fog below).

Do not buy the Pena Palace entrance unless you are extremely interested in the furniture in this castle. We had to wait in line for more than an hour in the wind and cold, and then, because the castle was so crowded, we continued to wait in line to go through the castle. Everything you really want to see is outside, so just buy the Pena Park entrance ticket and you can wander all over the beautiful castle grounds. This will save you money and time!

A walk down the lovely Agenda de Liberdade, through Rossio Square, ending at the Praça do Comércio. You’ll see most of the cities main sites with lots of shops too peek into or cafes to explore.

Pastel de Nata - apparently you can’t leave Lisbon without trying this dessert - but we did! Oops!

DINING

Ramiro is a no frills favorite for seafood. Arrive right at noon to avoid lengthy lines.

BouBou’s has outstanding atmosphere, service, and octopus.

OTHER TIPS AND TAKEAWAYS

It’s only 8-10 euros for an Uber from the airport to downtown Lisbon.

The steep hills can get tiring - ride tram 28 for a fun way to reach new heights.

After our experience, we definitely want to get back to Portugal this year. What other cities should we add to our list?

#portugal #lisbon #sintra #photography #travel planning #euro trip #travel tips #travel guide #travel advice #48 hours in lisbon

2018 in Review

Happy new year! 2018 was both long and short, with high and lows, but overall the travel gods shined down positively on us with little to no flight delays and no lost bags in 2018. We managed an impressive number of trips in the year, which kept me motivated and excited for the next little getaway. Here’s our 2018 in review. There are quite a few places I still have to write about, but that shouldn’t be hard to do given the current government shutdown.

1. Athens, Greece - three days in January for our first wedding anniversary.

2. Stockholm, Sweden - we turned a work trip in February into a weekend getaway. It was cold, but lovely.

3. London - for Easter, we hopped over to the UK for an awesome three nights in this amazing city.

4. Israel & Jordan - in May, I attended the Forbes 30 Under 30 Conference in Tel Aviv. Then we traveled around to Haifa and Jerusalem before crossing the border into Jordan and spending two nights in Petra. Absolutely amazing trip and I think my favorite for the year.

5. Vienna, Austria - with family in town, we headed back to Vienna over Memorial Day Weekend and got to experience a few new sights while also revisiting some of our favorite places.

6. Munich, Germany - we had a great time in the Englischer Garten and then drove to Neuschwanstein for a tour of the beautiful castle and countryside.

7. Kos, Greece - back to Greece in July for a visit to one of the country’s beautiful islands. Peaceful and relaxing - I just wish flights were cheaper!

8. Vienna, Austria - our third trip to Vienna took place in August with more family (it’s so easy from Prague to get there and such a great city!)

9. Copenhagen, Denmark - Labor Day weekend in Copenhagen was beautiful and we loved Helsingor.

10. Italy - for my 30th birthday, I spent a week in Italy - Florence, Siena, Bologna, Verona, and Venice, with a few off the beaten path winery destinations in between. An amazing trip I still need to write about.

11. Lisbon, Portugal - absolutely stunning! And Sintra is a “must” on any trip to Lisbon. We were there for my grad school roommate’s wedding.

12. Madrid, Spain - my first trip back since study abroad in 2010! This was another work trip turned into a long weekend getaway.

13. Cabot, Arkansas, USA - after FOURTEEN MONTHS away from the homeland, we were back in America in November for my brother’s wedding!

14. Mexico & California - in December, after nearly two years since my last visit to Mexico (yes the last time was for my wedding!), we traveled to Mexico City and Mazatlan. It was so great to revisit my old stomping grounds. We also attended a wedding. And then it was so great to end the year in California!

In summary, 2018 kept us busy. We made it to 14 countries (if you include the Czech Republic - there were a few domestic trips in there too!) and 3 weddings, hosted 12 visitors, moved (again), failed to renew our Gold status on American Airlines, and got to revisit some beautiful destinations. Currently, I’m trying to plan out our travel for 2019. First up, is skiing in Germany for MLK Weekend, but we want to cross some new countries and cities off our list! Would love to hear about your favorite destinations.

#2018 #year in review #travel planning #travel guide #travel summary #2019 #happy new year

72 Hours in Copenhagen

To celebrate our one year anniversary of living in Europe, we checked a new European country off our list: Denmark! We had a whirlwind trip because for the first time ever, we decided to take advantage of a city discount card. The 72 hours Copenhagen Card gave us unlimited use of public transportation and access to 86 attractions and museums. It made sense when I calculated everything we wanted to see. But, then we went a little overboard by trying to visit as many of those 86 attractions as possible (we only made it to 15 but were absolutely exhausted). Here are the highlights so you can plan your time strategically:

THE MUST SEES / EXPERIENCES

Make your way to Nyhavn for the most iconic views of Copenhagen. That’s where you can snap photos like the one above.

Visit Tivoli Gardens, a theme park in the center of the city. I was skeptical that a theme park could be anything but chaos, but it is such a beautiful, charming place! And while you’re there, grab coffee and dessert at Cakenhagen.

Take a boat tour! We did Canal Tours Copenhagen and it was a great way to see the city and learn a little bit about its history.

Kronborg Castle - super beautiful scenery (see photo below) and fun day trip outside the capital. It was definitely worth it to take the train about 45 minutes from Copenhagen to Helsingor to see this castle, known as the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Christiansborg Palace - gorgeous and impressive, especially considering the place burned down twice.

The Little Mermaid - a sad, little statue that apparently is frequently beheaded, but a visit to this city is incomplete without a trip to see the tribute to Hans Christian Andersen’s Ariel.

IF YOU HAVE TIME

The Round Tower is a quick stop and has nice views of the city.

The Rosenborg Castle isn’t the most exciting Danish castle, but the Crown Jewels in the basement are definitely worth the trip.

Design Museum Denmark - lots of chairs and other Danish design elements, worth it if you are interested in design and have the time.

Danish Architecture Center - a new location right on the water. Some fun light exhibits and great views from the top of the building.

Nikolaj Kunsthal - a church turned into an art gallery. There were some interactive, creative exhibits when we visited.

SKIP

We weren’t super impressed by the National Aquarium, best saved for those traveling with kids.

The Amalienborg Palace is pretty to see from the outside, but the museum inside is not the most exciting - you can skip it unless you are a royal family fanatic.

Louisiana Museum of Art - I had heard AMAZING things, but we were really disappointed. It might have just been bad timing because a lot of areas were under construction. Also, the museum is basically in the middle of nowhere (but technically public transport accessible), so make sure the exhibits you are interested in are showing.

DINING

So Copenhagen is super expensive, especially dining out. Here are two great places that are worth the money:

Breakfast at Grod: oatmeal and smoothies bowls galore.

Dinner at Barr: rustic dishes with Nordic roots and awesome beer and wine. Reservation strongly recommended.

OTHER TIPS AND TAKEAWAYS

The airport is easily accessible by metro.

The currency is the kroner. Right now, $6.60 equals one kroner.

Hej (hey!) = hello in Danish

Danish people have great English and are super friendly

Are you adding Copenhagen to your list for 2019?

#copenhagen #denmark #hej #travel tips #travel advice #travel blog #travel planning #travel guides #photography #europe #eurotrip

Border Crossings and Bucket Lists

When I got approved for a whole week of vacation, I knew I HAD to visit Petra. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ve seen my adventures to the Pyramids of Egypt, the Pyramids of Mexico, the high altitude ruins of Machu Picchu, and the majestic intersection of nature and humanity at Siem Reap. Missing from the list was Petra. And let me tell you, it was SO SO beautiful.

If you are in Israel, Petra is so close, yet still so far away. Before I went, I scoured information online about the Israel-Jordan border crossings. Crossing the border can be complicated and the border fees can make the trip super expensive. This is one of the best guides I found. It led us to decide to cross via the Wadi Araba/Yitzhak Rabin border because we couldn’t get a visa in advance, which is a requirement to cross at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge border crossing (the one closest to Jerusalem and Amman), AND because flights to Amman were way too expensive. Here was our process:

Getting There

We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem to Eilat and parked our car at a parking lot located right next to the border crossing. You cannot drive an Israeli rental car to Jordan. There are no buses that go directly from Jerusalem to the border crossing, so by the time we added up the bus costs plus taxis from the bus station to the border, a rental car was definitely the way to go and gave us so much more flexibility.

After we parked, we walked our suitcases across the border. Leaving Israel, you have to pay a 105 NIS exit fee (approx. $30), unless you have a diplomatic passport. You will go through immigration, customs, and a duty free shop, and then walk about 100 meters to arrive in Jordan. On the Jordanian side, you will not pay anything, but they will give you a form to fill out that you need to take with you to Petra.

We then walked out of the border crossing to our taxi that was waiting. The whole process took about 20 minutes.

We arranged our taxi from the Jordanian border to Petra (about a 90 minute drive) through our hotel. Make sure you bargain. They original wanted to 145 JOD (approx. $200) roundtrip. In the end, we paid 110 JOD (approx. $150). We had read there was a bit of a taxi mafia overcharging tourists so we arranged our taxi in advance. However, there are taxis waiting around and signs posted with the “set” fares.

Taxis are cash only - make sure you get some Jordanian dinars in Israel before you cross the border - I did not see any ATM machines at the border.

Petra Tips

If you do Petra as a day trip from Israel, the entrance fee is 90 JOD per person (approx. $125). If you spend at least one night in Jordan, the entrance fee is only 50 JOD (approx. $70). You can pay with credit card (yay!). When you buy your ticket, make sure you get your immigration form stamped so your exit fees are less.

Go to Petra early! First, it gets hot. Second, all the day trip tourists arrive around 11am. Petra opens at 6am. We got there by 6:40am and it was cool and peaceful with very few people.

Get a trail map! The trails are not very well marked, but at the same time you don’t need a guide if you have a map. They are free and available at the ticket stand. We entered the park at 6:45am and were done by 12:45pm. We started off on the Main Trail, hiked up to the High Place of Sacrifice, and then continued on the Wadi al-Farasa Trail, which brought us to the Great Temple. There were basically no people and it was amazing. We then hiked the Monastery Trail before heading back out. There were a lot of people (but it was also later in the day) and lots of horse poop along the way up and down the Monastery Trail.

Some trails are marked “hard,” but they are not really that difficult, unless you have knee problems (lots of stairs).

What to Wear: Comfortable, breathable clothing and sturdy shoes. If you are just going to take your Instagram photo in front of the Treasury, you can wear whatever you want. But for the other trails, you definitely need good shoes. Also, don’t forget sunglasses and sunscreen!

What to Bring: Lots of water and snacks. There are places to eat inside, but they basically offered either packaged foods or a lunch buffet. There are plenty of places to buy water if you run out.

Getting Back *via Wadi Araba

The process is very simple and easy - basically the same as what you did to cross, but this time you reverse it.

The biggest difference, besides the direction you are traveling, is that this time you will pay a fee when you exit Jordan, and no fee to enter Israel. If you do Petra as a day trip, you will have to pay 40 JOD (approx. $56) as an exit fee. If you just cross over to Jordan for the day and don’t visit Petra, you have to pay 60 JOD (approx. $85)!

If you spend at least two nights in Jordan (which is what we did), you will pay an exit fee of 10 JOD (approx. $14).

If you spend at least three nights in Jordan, you don’t have to pay a fee!

So, assuming you would pay for a hotel whether you were in Israel or Jordan, the numbers add up to:

Total Cost of a Day Trip for Two People: Israeli exit fee $60 + roundtrip taxi $150 + Petra ticket $250 + Jordanian exit fee $112 = $562

Total Cost of a Two-Night Stay in Jordan for Two People: Israeli exit fee $60 + roundtrip taxi $150 + Petra ticket $140 + Jordanian exit fee $28 = $378

Overall, we could have done a two-day Petra pass to hike more trails, but six hours really was enough to see the highlights and feel like you had the full experience. I highly recommend the High Place of Sacrifice and Monastery Trails - both are absolutely breathtaking! Also, there are camels and horses that can carry you around, but we saw multiple animals bleeding and they did not seem well cared for, so we did not do any camel or horse rides.

Last tip, if you are flying into Amman and spending at least three nights in Jordan, check out the Jordan Pass. It might save you $!

#petra #jordan #israel #border crossing #travel tips #travel guide #travel blogger #travelinspo #bucket list

This Israeli Good

It’s been nearly a month since we got back from our big May trip, but we’ve had nonstop visitors in Prague so I haven’t had time to properly reflect on our adventures. First up: Israel! Come for the history, stay for the sunshine and food. Here’s a guide for planning your trip.

General Israel Tips:

Roughly 3.50 ILS (they’re called shekels) equal $1.

This country is pricier than we anticipated! Beers ran around $10, cocktails nearly $20.

Tel Aviv Tips:

We spent four days in Tel Aviv and thought it was the perfect amount of time to explore the city and enjoy the beach. We LOVED Tel Aviv and would seriously consider it for a future assignment. The people are friendly, the city is SO diverse and filled with life, and the weather is amazing.

The country’s main airport is located in Tel Aviv - there is not an airport in Jerusalem. The ride from the airport to where we were staying near the Marina was around 150 ILS. The exact fare depends on the number of bags and where you are headed, but there is a clear price system so that the taxis don’t take advantage of you.

To get around the city, download the app Gett. Use code GTBDFTW to get 20 ILS off each of your next five rides. There is also Uber, but there didn't seem to be as many drivers, so it was hard to get a ride.

Eat and drink:

For melt in your mouth Italian, head to Cicchetti.

For a gorgeous rooftop garden vibe, head to Suramare. Don’t be scared away by the creepy garage entrance.

For open-air Israeli-South Asian fusion in Jaffa, don’t miss Ramesses.

And last, but not least, make sure to enjoy the beautiful beach.

Haifa Tips:

From Tel Aviv, we took a day trip up to Haifa. It is about an hour drive.

The #1 reason to head to Haifa: the Baha’i Gardens - absolutely beautiful and stunning! The free English tour is at noon every day. Make sure to wear sleeves and shorts or skirts that cover your knees (this also applies to the guys!). Also, get there early because the lines can get long.

Just a short drive from Haifa, head over to Acre (Akko) to learn more about the Crusaders. After exploring this UNESCO World Heritage town, grab dinner at top-rated Uri Buri for amazing and delicious fresh fish.

Jerusalem Tips:

We spent two days here to take in all the history and sights.

The must sees: Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall, and the Dome of the Rock. Wear conservative clothing (long sleeves, long skirts or pants, and nothing too tight). For the Dome of the Rock, non-Muslims can only enter at specific times Monday through Thursday. The entrance is right near the Western Wall on the Mughrabi Gate side.

Check out Mahane Yehuda Market - there are tons of stalls with food, drinks, and spices. The Forbes #Under30Summit had a party in the market one night and it was so much fun!

You have to look hard to find it, but definitely don’t miss out on drinks at speakeasy-esque bar Gatsby.

From Jerusalem, you’re pretty close to the Dead Sea. We didn’t have a lot of time for the Dead Sea, so we stopped there on our way back from Petra. We almost didn’t go, but it really is worth the hype. There are public beaches with parking and changing rooms available if you don’t want to pay for a day pass at a hotel.

Up next: border crossings and Petra!

#israel #tel aviv #haifa #jerusalem #akko #travel tips #travel guide #travel planning #travel blogger

La La London

Although the Czech Republic is one of the least religious countries in Europe, you still get two whole days off for Easter, so we jumped on a flight to London for the four-day weekend! It was my first time really experiencing the city and now I understand the hype! There is SO MUCH to do, and I fell in love with the quaint city streets and cute shops and restaurants. Although London is starting to get more skyscrapers, most of the city still has loads of charm. The only downside was the weather (cold and rainy, of course!), but we did get about one hour of sunshine - long enough for me to snap this pic of a rare sighting of blue sky!

It was also great to visit London because we got to stay with one of my roommates from grad school. So for the first time in awhile, I didn’t have to plan anything! We had amazing Cantonese food in Chinatown that we never would have found without her insider knowledge (and language skills!). And we also got to explore some of the coolest shops and neighborhoods. We even went to Platform 9 and 3/4 but the line was SO long I didn’t actually get a pic! But really, now I just have an excuse to go back!

Andddd your essential London tips:

Make sure you have a contactless credit card before traveling to London. It will make your public transport adventures so much easier because you just tap when you get on the Underground, and tap when you get off (the same goes for the bus, but no need to tap when you exit). The system will “max” out charges to your credit card once you hit the daily rate of a one-day unlimited pass (around $10 on the days we took the Underground to/from Heathrow and only $6 a day when you stick to buses). It is an amazing system - I wish it existed in more cities!

Although London seems to be notorious for being an expensive city, there are so many things you can for free! The British Museum, the Tate Museum (with awesome views of the Thames), and the Museum of London are just a few free options.

Don’t miss out on some of London’s cool and quirky markets! My favorite was Burrough Market, but we also loved the Maltby Street Market and Spitalfields (where we had beigels, not bagels). If you go to Burrough Market, you must have a Scottish Egg and get some delicious donuts!

Buy some tea and biscuits at Fortnum & Mason! Seriously the best tea we have had - our favorite was Apricot, Honey, and Lavender. And the store itself is just so beautiful!

#london #uk #united kingdom #travel guide #travel blog #travel blogger #see the world #travel tips #euro trip

Sweet Views in Sweden

Turning a work trip into a weekend opportunity to explore Stockholm, I braved the cold and ventured to Sweden in February. Irving joined me after my conference ended Friday afternoon. It was our first time in a Nordic country and it was beautiful! Some key takeaways: Yes, it is very cold. Yes, it is very expensive. Swedish people are not as tall as I thought. Also, Swedish meatballs are delicious.

With temperatures in the “feels like 1F” range, we spent a lot of time in museums. Stockholm has an awesome modern art museum, Moderna Museet. The museum is free (!) and has some really great pieces including Picasso and Warhol. We also visited Fotografiska, which had excellent exhibits from Chen Man and Ellen von Unworthe, and the Vasa Museum, which features a huge, nearly fully intact 17th century ship. Even with the freezing temperatures, we walked around the quaint old town (Gamla Stan) and saw the Royal Palace.

And a few tips to make your trip to Stockholm easier:

The fastest and cheapest (but not cheap, at $33 for a one-way fare) way to get from the airport to the downtown area is with the Arlanda Express. If you are traveling with someone else, try to travel between Wednesday and Sunday when they have discounted tickets for groups (two people for $42 one-way). Or plan ahead and buy an early bird ticket online for just $19 one-way if you book more than 90 days in advance.

If you stay near old town, most museums are within walking distance. If not, Uber might be easier than the metro in some cases and not prohibitively more expensive.

Do not use the yellow taxis! I got super ripped off when I was too lazy to order an Uber. Uber is definitely the safest and best option if you need a ride somewhere.

Tradition is an awesome, traditional but modern Swedish restaurant in Gamla Stan and the meatballs are amazing! I didn’t think I really liked meatballs, but then I ate a whole plate of them.

We stayed at Downtown Camper, which has an awesome vibe, is pretty reasonably priced, and has an excellent breakfast.

#sweden #stockholm #travel tips #travel advice #trip planning #europe #eurotrip #winter wonderland #svedsko #svenska

The City of the Violet Crown

“City of light, with thy violet crown, beloved of the poets, thou art the bulwark of Greece.” - Pinda

Roughly one year ago, we had this really amazing party in Mexico and said “I do.” So to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, we went to Athens, Greece. I love when the numbers align, and this just happened to be our 14th country visited right before our anniversary on the 14th. Not sure if we will be able to keep that rate of adventure up in year two, but we shall see!

We had originally planned a ski trip but we were sick of the cold weather and gray skies so we headed south. Athens was about 20 degrees warmer than Prague so it paid off in the end. And just look at that blue sky!

The highlight of traveling to Athens in the winter? It’s low season, so almost zero tourists! We had most of the ruins to ourself.

And here are your Athens tips:

The currency is the euro (for now at least).

You can hit all the main sites in about two days. Three is more than enough time. We bought the 30 euro pass that gets you access to seven different ruins, including the Acropolis. You have five days from the date of purchase to visit the sites.

Uber is awesome in Athens. The set rate to or from the airport is 29 euros. There is also an option to take public transportation but protests on the day we arrived and the day we left meant that public transport was closed.

Don’t miss the tasting menu at Aleria! It is an absolute dream and one of the best tasting menus I have had.

iFeel in the super funky Psyri neighborhood is a great spot to grab breakfast or lunch.

You must go to the top of Areopagus Hill - it has amazing views of the Acropolis and Parthenon.

The city is covered in graffiti, but pay attention and you’ll find some great street art.

#athens #greece #travel tips #travel advice #travel recommendations #travel blog #euro trip #europe #greek ruins #greek history #ancient greece

Vienna for Christmas

Happy 2018 to all! I know, a bit late in the game to still be saying “happy new year.” Already #struggling with those New Year’s Resolutions. But what can you do.

Any-who, the reason I’m writing is to share my tips on a recent visit to Vienna. I hadn’t been to Vienna in almost nine years! It was so nice to go back as a real adult and not a broke college student. The good news is that (nearly a decade later) I can confirm that the iconic roof of the Stephansdom is no longer under construction, but renovations continue on other parts of the church. Also good news: Vienna is a wonderful city, actually consistently ranked the best city in the world, and I totally recommend it!

Getting There: We took the train down from Prague. It was an easy four hours and cost only 34 euros roundtrip per person! Also, an insider tip for RegioJet: We rode down in business class and back in economy, and there was basically zero difference as far as I could tell, so save your 4 euros and stick with the “standard” ticket. Once we hopped off the train at the Hauptbahnhof in Vienna, we purchased the 48-hour pass for the public transportation system at just 14.10 euros each (a normal one-way ride is 2.40 euros). The public transport system is excellent and takes you to all the main tourist sites.

Things to Do: Take in all the ART! Vienna is an art lovers dream, especially because one of my favorite artists - Gustav Klimt - spent a huge portion of his life in Vienna and his art is located in so many of the city’s museums. In general, I have a one museum per day rule. So you don’t get too tired out, don’t rush your experience, and don’t miss out on all the outdoor activities. On this trip we visited the Leopold, my favorite (with an excellent Klimt and Egon Schiele exhibit), and the Belvedere, beautiful building and some excellent pieces including The Kiss, a must see (although a bit annoying to appreciate because of all of the tourists). Entrance to the Leopold is 13 euros and entrance to the Upper Belvedere (where The Kiss is located) is 15.

Since we were there for Christmas, we also meandered through the Christmas markets. There was one right next to the Leopold, the Belvedere, and the biggest I believe we visited was right next to the Rathausplatz. Vienna was freezing so I was not all about spending a lot of time outside at the Christmas markets. I was just in it for the gluhwein.

You can also check out this post for additional Vienna tips. Schloss Schönbrunn is a definite must see.

If you are traveling to Vienna for Christmas, just a note that Austrians celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, so dining out will be difficult on December 24. We ended up just ordering delicious room service and watching Paddington. We did have a really wonderful meal at Fabios if you are looking for something a little fancy on your trip. Overall, everything was wonderful and we will definitely be back to see more art, visit a few more Viennese coffee houses, and enjoy the beautiful walkways, parks, and buildings of Austria’s capital city.

#austria #vienna #euro trip #euro travel #traveling in europe #travel tips #travel advice #travel recommendations #art #art museums #gustav klimt

Hear about the real life of a young woman in the foreign service! Between challenges, successes, even her relationship - Ariel shares all.

Check out my interview for See by Antigone. I talk about moving, my job, and more! Also: the blog is an amazing mix of current events, travel inspiration, and fashion - subscribe to #keepcurrent

#world #interiew #foreign service #keepcurrent #diplomacy #diplomacy in action #international relations #millennial life #bridging the gender gap

A Weekend in Dresden

Last weekend we took the bus just two hours across the border to Dresden, Germany. Dresden is literally a city that rose from the ashes after being bombed to the ground during World War II. Today, it is rebuilt and flourishing. We both got to practice a little bit of German, had some delicious hot chocolate at Kurfürstenschänke, and walked from the very cool student district, Kunsthofpassage, to the Elbe River.

We saw most of the key sites like the Dresden Castle, the Panometer, and the Frauenkirche. And then we passed most of the afternoon at the Albertinum, a beautiful, modern art museum with a Van Gogh, Picasso, and a few other very cool exhibits - “from the Romantic period to the present day.” We had an amazing meal at Kastenmeiers which features a very cool atmosphere and is perfect for pescatarians. It was a great little getaway, but don’t forget like we did that basically everything is closed in Germany on Sundays!

#dresden #germany #kunsthofpassage #travel tips #travel advice #eurotrip #see the world

The Pearl of the Danube

The last time I visited Budapest was as a college student on a side trip from my study abroad semester in Madrid, Spain. Seven years later, the city is just as gorgeous and has even more to offer in terms of restaurants and activities.

Unfortunately for this visit, I was in training all day and had almost no time to experience the city. Especially not during daylight hours. One of the hardest things about readjusting to winter in Europe is that it gets completely dark by 4:30pm. I can’t wait until the winter solstice when the days will finally start getting longer again. Not to be deterred, I headed out to see the city before training one day, visiting some of my favorite sites: Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Interested in visiting Central Europe? Here are some tips for planning your trip to Budapest:

The currency is the forint, currently around 265 to $1.

No Uber here! Taxis will cost around $30 from the airport.

Not interested in flying? You can easily take the train (roughly three hours) from Bratislava or Vienna.

The wine is divine. Head to a wine bar or book a wine tasting to try some of Hungary’s best wines.

Make a reservation for Bistro Deryne - a super cute, Hungarian-French bistro with live music and delicious food.

In addition to the activities pictured above, be sure to visit Buda Castle, Heroes’ Square, the Parliament Building, Shoes on the Danube, and the Great Synagogue.

#hungary #budapest #travel tips #travel advice #eurotrip

Old Town Tallinn

Our first Euro trip was to the Baltic state of Estonia. The entire old town in the capital is a UNESCO world heritage site. And for good reason; it’s like really pretty.

I had a conference, so we headed to the city early to do some exploring. We absolutely loved the food - and I know this is a bit of a weird most memorable tidbit from Estonia, but I have never had such delicious berries in my whole life! Basically, you must eat the oatmeal with berries at Must Puudel if you are ever in Tallinn (they have other amazing food options there too, don’t worry). We also loved lunch at Farm Restaurant - unique, fun, nouveau Estonian cuisine. Who knew that Estonia was such a cool foodie city?

The city is safe and easy to get around. It’s a bit chilly in October, but in the summer it’s delightful and you can even take a quick two-hour ferry over to Helsinki. Other fun Estonia facts:

The currency is the Euro.

It’s part of the Schengen zone (no visas needed for Americans).

Skype and Transferwise were founded here.

A taxi from the airport to the city center runs about 5 euros.

One-third of the country votes online - it is one of the most digitized countries in the world!

#estonia #tallinn #unesco #travel tips #restaurant recommendations #city life #european adventures #eurozone #travel advice

A Southern Wedding

While we were in Pakistan, we missed a lot of weddings. We missed birthdays and holidays and baby showers too. So even though we had only just arrived in the Czech Republic three weeks ago at the time, we hopped on a plane and headed back across the ocean to attend a good college friend’s wedding. And it was absolutely beautiful!

Neither of us had been to Charleston so it was a great chance to explore a city with such awesome southern charm. Also, it was freezing in Prague and, to us, an almost sweltering 85 degrees in Charleston, so we gleefully soaked up the sunshine. And for those looking to plan their own trip to this historic city, our favorite restaurants were 5Church and High Cotton. So glad we could be there to celebrate #thepowerstobe - take a glimpse of this stunning wedding!

#charleston #south carolina #wedding #bodaboda #southern wedding #destination wedding #wedding details #travel advice #travel tips #restaurant recommendations

Czech Out This New Post

Did I mention I love puns? Luckily, the Czech Republic and the Czech language have lots of words that make great puns in English. We’ve now passed the one month mark in my third assignment and it seems like it went by in the blink of an eye! We’ve already been back to the USA for a wedding and then took our first Euro trip for a work conference. Plus, Fall is officially here!

We are still waiting on our HHE (our big shipment) from Pakistan so it is hard to feel really settled. But we are exploring the city a lot, walking everywhere, and keeping busy! It is great to be in a city again, especially one that is so walkable and has great public transportation. We bought our annual transport passes (called a Lítačka) and so now we feel a little bit like locals, but the language is still a daunting barrier. Luckily, we are taking a Czech class and overall failing miserably, but it’s been fun. And even though the language is hard, look at this beautiful city we get to live in! We are so grateful.

And the great thing about being in the heart of Europe is the ability to travel to so many places so easily. We can’t decide what to do for Christmas so it’s looking like we’ll stay here - the Christmas markets are supposed to be beautiful. However, we have upcoming trips to Budapest and Dresden this Fall to look forward to! Where are you all heading for the holidays? Let us know if you’re in the neighborhood!

#czech republic #czechia #post 3 #prague #praha #fall #autumn leaves #settling in #travel plans #christmas vacations #staycations

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