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Bologna and San Marino at Christmas

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Christmas time in Europe is such a magical time. I simply love how the snow on the ground creates a winter wonderland that transforms any European city into a picture perfect snow globe found in tourist shops. Each city has its own traditions to welcome the holiday and I love exploring each one of them. In 2018, we were in Bologna for various reasons and decided to mix it with a trip to one of the smallest countries in Europe: San Marino. Being such a hidden gem and the least visited on the continent, I knew a day trip from Bologna was all we needed to experience this hilltop destination.

From Bologna, it’s an hour and a half drive to San Marino. We had a lovely day driving to the clifftop city looking forward to the smell of mulled wine, sausages and roasted chestnuts. However, when we got to the top, we were sadly welcomed by closed up Christmas stands and deserted streets. The market didn’t open until later that evening and it was a ghost village.

We hiked to the top for the coveted photo from the cliffs. The view was well worth the climb in the ice and sludge before accepted defeat and headed back to Bologna.

Bologna

Back in Bologna, this top 10 Christmas market city did not disappoint. Rows and rows filled with all traditional Italian delicacies, piazza’s decorated with light filled trees were exactly the fix needed to get in the Christmas spirit. Our favorite market was St Lucia market which is the oldest in the city. Instead of being placed out in the open, it is placed in the portico of St Lucia Church. But Piazza Minghetti brings a French touch in case the Italian touch isn’t to your liking.

Fiera di Santa Lucia
Piazza Minghetti

 

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But being in Bologna wouldn’t be complete without a proper dinner local to the city: Tortellini. It can be served in a broth or cream sauce. I prefer the broth but be sure to try both to make your own decision. There are so many restaurants that offer this traditional plate. This blogger doesn’t promote one over the other because they are all delicious.

Mangia Tutto!

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Osteria Francescana

2018-09-03 11.21.08I first heard of Osteria Francescana in 2018 when a friend of mine suggested we try to get one of the coveted reservations. I had no idea it was the number one restaurant in the world. The website indicated it was waiting list only so I immediately dismissed it and thought I would check back again if I was ever in the area.

Later, I brought up the conversation to my sister who immediately jumped at even the idea of getting a seat at the Michelin 3 star spot in Modena, Italy. She reminded me of the “Chef’s Table” episode that highlighted Massimo Bottura’s road to being the most known chef in the world and his dishes served such as “Burnt part of lasagna”, “Five Stages of Parmesan” and of course, “Oops, I dropped the lemon tart.” Each with its own story, its own discovery and its own reason for being included on the tasting menu. But how difficult was it to get a reservation at one of twelve tables? I was going to find out.

(Spoiler Alert: We totally get a reservation and it’s awesome)

Setting up the Reservation

When you’re the number one restaurant in the world, you are entitled to make the process of scoring a reservation as intricate as you want. In the case of Osteria Francescana, it was just that. On the first day of the month at 10AM, the reservation calendar is open for three months ahead. In my case, I was logging on in September to reserve for December.

2018-09-03 14.41.06 Sleepy eyed, I pull up the website from my phone around 9AM to check if everything was still go. To my utter shock, I was immediately sent to a queue page that informed me that I was number 653 in line to reserve.

Shit.

I turn on my Laptop and phone and proceeded to wait with two positions in the queue in hopes of a miracle. The math was not on my side but my hope was I could wait out longer than others before me.

When the gates opened at 10AM, I was in the queue at number 456…it was NOT looking good. My friends were offering moral support as I was freaking out that I was wasting my time and energy for the greatest disappoinment of the year.

An hour into the opening, I was getting close but no guarantee that I would get a spot. My nerves were running incredibly high and any buzz on my phone put me into a panic. I could not afford to lose my spot in the queue for any reason.

And then, the countdown began…

At 11AM, two hours of waiting in the queue, I was in! Trying to keep my composure, I rushed to the calendar to see what dates I had to choose. All of the dinner spots were full but to my delight, I saw a few open seats for lunch! In what seemed like 5 seconds, I snatched up a date and proceeded to confirm the booking.

It was done. I couldn’t believe it. After two hours, I had confirmed my place to join a select group who would go on a food journey of a lifetime.

Osteria Francescana

Tucked back in the quiet streets of Modena, Massimo Bottura camouflages his masterpieces behind this rose colored building. If you were in Modena for other reasons, you would not know this is the world’s number one restaurant. He lets his food speak for itself as well as the top class service that awaits behind the oak door.

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My biggest fear was not knowing how to properly behave at the table. I mean, it’s the number one restaurant meaning top service, top quality, top everything. What if I ate with the wrong fork or drank my wine too fast or didn’t eat at the right pace? Often enough, I can follow everyone else’s lead but we were all in the same position… no one knew what to do. There were beautiful plates and glasses, bread and butter bowls decorating the table. Do you eat with your hands? What is eaten with a spoon? Or fork? I was overwhelmed. But the wait staff made the process as enjoyable and stress free as possible. With every dish, they beautifully explained the origin and proper way to eat. We just had to sit back and enjoy.

We already knew we were going to order the “Everything” tasting menu as everyone at the table must order the same thing. So off we went on our 12 course (ok 13 course because we added the burnt lasagna) food journey…with wine!

Food

Autumn in New York
Burnt
Mediterranean Sole

We dive into the first three courses. I was a little apprehensive about the amount of food and wine we would be consuming but the portions were very acceptable and often we would use one glass of wine or other pairing cocktail for a multiple courses. Massimo begins his experience with wonderful creations of different fish in broth. His use of truffle lightens the load and brings a very modern taste to Italian classics.

Inside
When My Mom Met Bocuse

My favorite dish of the evening was “When my Mom met Bocuse” for its delightful presentation and exquisite taste. Massimo gives complexity to this dish with the crust lid to be broken up and eaten along with what is inside the cup.

My sister was salivating over the next two dishes ever since I confirmed our reservation: Five Stages of Parmesan and Burnt Part of Lasagna.

Five Stages of Parmesan
Crunchy Part of Lasagna

In the Five Stages of Parmesan, we were given a pallet cleanser for the next meat courses to tie up the food journey. Massimo gives us what Modena is known for in different complexities and temperatures to delight the taste buds and ruin you for future cheese all at the same time. Adding the burnt part of lasagna was the best decision of the day. Another instance where chef takes an Italian classic and puts his own genius spin on it. Presentation was impeccable and the taste confirmed we were still dining in Italy. He keeps true to the origin of the dish and was truly one of the best courses of the event.

Ravioli of roasted potatoes in roasted Guinea hen sauce
Guinea hen a la Crete…
Guinea hen crunchy skin, savor livers and truffle

Our next three courses dive into his guinea hen creations; three ways he connects Italian kitchen to this popular fowl in very different dishes. Within these three dishes, he keeps the tradition of the primi and secondi courses. Italian kitchens serve pasta dishes first before bringing out the main dish, either meat or fish. He starts the guinea hen rounds with his ravioli, hits you next with guinea hen covered in trimmings, and finishes with a final presentation covered in a crunchy skin topped with truffle. Everything in its perfection.

Our last two courses to complete the journey are to leave us satisfied and with a clean pallet.

Pumpkin Risotto
Oops I dropped the lemon tart

Pumpkin risotto was so fitting to have with the cold December weather just outside the perfectly temperature dining room. But the main event was the lemon tart. The story behind this is quite the example of turning lemons into lemonade. As the wait staff explain, one of Massimo’s chefs was preparing lemon tart for a customer when it dropped on the counter and smashed, plate and all. His chef thought he had ruined the dish but Massimo’s brilliant mind saw an opportunity. He saw art. From that moment, he serves every lemon tart broken up on a cracked plate.

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Our experience could not have been better. We did not get the chance to meet Chef Massimo Bottura as he was opening another restaurant in Florence. I hope to have the chance to shake his hand one day and thank him for letting the world into his soul.

Oh, and in full disclosure, I perhaps maybe possibly took a menu. I’ll be happy to return it when I visit again.

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Lavender and Love in Provence

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When asked what is my favorite country, more often than not I turn to France. It has everything: mountains, beach, food, culture, hills, valleys, green, wine, cheese, cognac, cheese, bread, cheese…you get the idea. Provence, when in season, was always something I wanted to see for its purple spotted landscapes and well, that’s about it. But I had no idea how enchanting the entire region would be and how it would capture a piece of my heart in it.

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Marseille…or are we in Hollywood? Marseille certainly wants to make a statement to visitors upon entering this delightful seaside city. For those who schedule to visit Provence when the lavender is not in bloom will not be short of things to do. It is just as delightful any time of year. Our trip happened in May; we wanted to skip the busy tourist season in late June. We stayed in Marseille to give us a bit of city life upon our return from the lavender countryside. But we will get to seaside city a bit later. Let’s take a drive, shall we?

 

Lavender Routes

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My only piece of advice is to hire a car. Don’t go on a tour bus or with a group.

Get a car. Get a map. and Go on your own.

Take the time to drive in the countryside, windows down, to let the lavender smell fill you and cling to your clothing for happy reminders later. You can find many routes to follow the lavender but for short city trippers, I recommend to stick to Luberon and Verdon just to the north of Marseille. The majority of the fields can be found here.

There are several touristy spots to hit along the route and I have listed a few that I believe should not be missed.

L’Abbey de Senanque
Simiane La Rotonde
Saint Michel – l’Observatoire

The Abbey might be the number one spot we tourists stalk during our time in Provence, and rightly so. But it is not equipped for much more than a photo and a very expensive coffee–or maybe a potty break if your bladder is full. From the Abbey, and for a small break from lavender (if you actually need that) then from the Abbey, a stop in Roussillon is highly recommended.

This red rock mountain top village is the perfect spot for lunch and/or beverage break. With breathtaking views of Provence below, you can indulge in a wonderful hike to see the city’s iconic red cliffs, lush trees sprinkled throughout a rainbow of natural colors. Do not miss the lavender ice cream at the top!

Vineyards

And what is a trip to southern France without a trip to a vineyard for a tasting? They have tastes for every wine lover but this part of the country produces some of the most exquisite rose wines I have ever tasted. We spent the afternoon in Chateau Du Seuil and were not disappointed. Hidden behind tall trees was a quiet, country, family owned chateau that offers tastings, tours and lunches in their quaint French gardens.

Seaside at Marseille

Finally, we get to the seaside Marseille city. Even though we slept here, we did not spend a lot of time touring about the city. Anthony Bourdain praised it for wonderful local dishes and specialties; hopefully next time we will tick off his hot spots. But the seaside was a wonderful end to our Provence weekend. Sitting by the water, drinking French Rose and watching the waves roll in.

Provence has many towns and villages to uncover. It is not a one and done area to visit. It is important to remember to be respectful of the lavender farms when you are there. While they are lovely to look at, they are not growing for tourists to pick apart– it is an industry providing income to farmers. Take your pictures and leave the lavender in the ground.

 

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Agadir, Morocco

Morocco has quickly become a destination in my top ten favorite places to travel. Each city brings new adventure, amazing food and beautiful countryside. This post will dive into the popular holiday seaside destination, Agadir. We snuck off here for a mini holiday to escape the miserable Belgian rainy season for some fun in the African sun.

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This is not the typical getaway destination where we typically pack in as much as we can. Agadir is filled with all inclusive resorts to maximize on guests’ relaxation and leisure without having to leave. At first, I was very skeptical because usually these resorts do not offer high quality food, drink or service. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Hotel Kenzi Europa.  The rooms were very clean, WIFI strong, food selection excellent with a variety of Moroccan and international cuisines, and the night entertainment was a nice bonus. Each night the staff involved children in some dance before putting on a show for the older guests.

But we, of course, wanted to get out and do some exploring. Upon arrival at Agadir airport, we had the luck of getting into a cab of the nicest man in the city. TIP: don’t let anyone put your suitcase in the taxi. They are looking for money and will ask you to take from the taxi fare to pay them. It’s an awkward conversation so best to avoid it all together. I am sure the price we paid is higher than if we hired a car and drove ourselves but for 400 MAD (about 40USD) Mohammed was our personal chauffeur for one full day. Our first two stops can be seen on the above pictures. He took us to the city mosque but we could not go inside because it was Ramadan and we are not Muslim. He then took us to an herb garden to learn how Argan oil is made. Women manually shuck the argan nut from its shell for it to be processed into oil.

But the best part of the day was visiting Paradise Valley for some swim and a whole lotta sun. It is this tiny oasis located deep in the African mountains. We had a guide bring us the fifteen minute walk from the parking lot to this hidden gem. You can get fresh squeezed juice and water to drink but don’t expect any alcohol to be served! Also, be careful of the little fish that swim around the water, waiting to bite at your skin to eat the dead flesh away…it’s creepy and I freaked me out so much that I wouldn’t even stay in the water very long!

We were also told about a market in Agadir that we wanted to check out to score more rugs and other Moroccan treasures but all we found was a huge flea market of clothes, shoes and other home goods. Luckily, we stumbled upon some amazing delicacies for the area and indulged when we couldn’t shop.

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Agadir was a lovely getaway with so many wonderful sights and spots to enjoy. While it felt more like a spot for families to leave for a low cost holiday, we were able to find places that gave a little adventure.

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A Weekend in Belfast

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When you travel to the extent that I do, it takes a lot for a place to surprise me. However, with its majestic mountains, rolling green hills and charming countryside, it’s clear why Game of Thrones settled in gorgeous Northern Ireland. A weekend was enough to give just a small taste of what this place has to offer and is on my short list of places to return.

But, Northern Ireland is a tricky place for me that I don’t think I’ll ever quite get right. They are part of Ireland but use the British pound, love the Queen / hate the Queen, drink Guinness and have English accents. The only thing that makes sense is the side of the car they drive on–thank goodness it’s the same everywhere in Ireland.

Easyjet is (not my favorite) a low cost airline based out of the UK that often give exceptional deals to/from the UK from key cities in mainland Europe. We flew from Amsterdam direct to Belfast for 50 bucks each, round trip! If you can pack light, you benefit from additional savings by not paying for luggage. With two full days in and around the Belfast area, I knew on what I wanted to focus: Game of Thrones sets, Carrick-a-Rede bridge, Giant’s Causeway and the Titanic Museum.

Game of Thrones and The Dark Hedges

You can spend an entire trip touring the Game of Thrones sets but when your boyfriend started his GOT journey on the 5th season (I know I KNOW) then you have to settle for the main attractions that also offers a little something extra. What is great about the spots we went to was the public access to them. My personal favorite were the Dark Hedges which is the King’s Road in a few seasons. TV magic makes this little road look like such a treacherous path but in reality, it’s a delightful little road leading to a restaurant at the top of a hill.

Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede Bridge

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Tip number one for doing these both in the same day: plan ahead. The bridge only gives out so many tickets to cross per day and when they sell out, they stop. Not knowing this, I stopped at Giant’s Causeway first to see the sight that has left so many people wondering how it got there. And it was quite a sight to behold…after making quite the hike from the welcome center down to the sea. I decided to not pay 20ish euros for the welcome center tour thingy and opted to walk right down to the Causeway, free of charge. If you’re driving, you will pay a fee for parking which is your “entry fee”. But because my boyfriend had already been there, dropped me off to save our pounds for finer things like Guinness and ciders. I have to say I liked it but wasn’t spectacular. The view surrounding it was much easier on the eyes 🙂

The Carrick-a-Rede bridge was super cool!! After hoofing it through the Causeway to make it to the bridge before closing, I was immediately bummed when I learned of the “first come first serve” policy. And my heart sunk when we pulled into the parking lot to read a “Sold Out” sign out in front. Nonetheless, my heroic boyfriend was bound to give me every experience I wanted from the weekend. He parked the car and we made it to the ticket desk. After much persuading and begging and negotiating, we were not successful to gain access to the bridge. But we walked there anyway to see what it looked like and I vowed to make it back again to walk across. Still pretty cool to see 🙂

Bushmill Distillery

But let’s ask the question, “Why were you so late to the bridge?”

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Excellent question! Because we love to tour distilleries, especially ones we love to drink so much. And Bushmills Distillery just so happened to be in the same neighborhood as the Causeway and Bridge…so we took a last minute tour! Super neat and we had the complimentary tasting after. I would highly recommend making a pit stop if you like whiskey and if you’re doing the other two stops as well. JUST PLAN IT OUT!

Titanic

In 1997, Titanic was released and my world was immediately consumed by the story of Titanic and Leonardo DiCaprio #lovehim #celebcrush #sharethedoor

The Titanic museum allowed me to go back in time to high five ten year old me for making it to a place she never thought would be possible. This museum takes you through what it was like on the Titanic and other ships built by the White Star Line. You can see where the blueprints were first drafted, offices of the key ship designer, Mr. Thomas Andrews and where the call came in that next morning to declare she sank. I was giddy. You can choose from three different tour packages (Naturally, I paid extra bucks to do everything because I planned to be there the whole day); no matter what you choose, do not miss the opportunity to go on the last remaining ship from the White Star Line, The SS Nomadic. Quite a treat to walk on the actual ship and hear stories from passengers and employees from when she sailed.

And if you’re a crazy super fan who plans trips around one event, then you’ll know to visit the museum on Sunday for the afternoon tea!! Be ready for a first class experience when you walk in with champagne, a live band and yes, you see it on the photos…a replica of the grand staircase from the Titanic first class dining cabin. Naturally, I wore my heart of the ocean necklace during tea so the locals knew I was legit and belonged.

I can not wait to plan my next trip back to Northern Ireland to see more of what the charming area has to offer. And maybe I’ll get the whole euro or pound, monarchy love/hate and what accent should you have culture figured out. Until then, I think we can all agree the best thing to come out of all Ireland is Guinness 🙂

Cheers!

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Five Things I Learned When I Moved to Belgium

The number one question I am asked since living abroad is “Which country do you prefer? USA or Belgium?” And my answer is always the same, “I like them for different reasons.” Political answers that show respect for both parties is a key social skill you pick up when growing up in the South…and I mastered the art.

But not having an opinion is one of the key things Belgians do not tolerate; I learned this quickly. This, amongst other typical American traits, I would learn to change in order to survive.

1.Make a plan

When I made my first friends in Gent, I got so excited and expected the flow of friendship to happen as it did in Kentucky. Hell no! Everyone in Belgium has an insane social calendar that gets booked weeks in advance. I was used to everyone hangs out with everyone; there is one giant friend circle and you just co-mingle all the time. Belgians? Umm no chance. They have their school friends, work friends, party friends, shopping friends, watch movie friends, dining friends…and don’t even think about mixing them! I remember one evening I was walking my dog and happened to walk past a friend’s house. Now, in the South, I wouldn’t think twice before calling up a friend (or even showing up) to say “Hey! I’m in the neighborhood, let’s hang” with only a few minutes warning. So I tried it. I walked right up to the house and rang the bell with all the confidence in the world. She came to the door with such a confused face like who in the hell was this person standing in front of her. Well, she was having a dinner party with one of her fabulous circle of friends. Politely, she told me we could make a date tomorrow to meet up. It took me a long time to get over the fact that people don’t want to hang out with me every chance they get; no, I am not full of myself but it is not the typical Southern hospitality I was used to. Now that I am acclimated, I love the making a plan routine. Your friends have your undivided attention and no fear of someone feeling left out.

2.  Being a Hostess is an art

The time has come for you to host your first dinner party. You’ve planned it out based on your cooking strengths and you’re ready to show your new friends what an American can do in the kitchen.  The thing is, we don’t typically plan dinner parties in the South unless it’s Friendsgiving or well, that’s about it. Our idea of hanging out is going to the local bar to fill up on an assortment of fried foods in the meat and cheese variety and beer.

What did I do? Taco bar. But I thought I killed the taco bar– I had the shells and the meat and the toppings all laid out in separate containers for friends to self serve and casually mingle in the house. I kept the booze flowing, maybe a little too much, and sent them on their way in less than three hours. Success, right?

Well, they invited me over the next weekend for brunch to show me how it ‘s really done. Holy moly was I schooled. Pate, fresh fruit, fresh juice, fancy salmon on even fancier toast, little baby shrimps, cocktails and the most beautiful display of meat and cheese I have ever seen. And they made it look so effortless! Course after course of amazing food, conversation and drink that made the day go on for six to seven hours. They started the day at 11 and we left drunk and full at 8pm. Needless to say, I am not a Master Hostess to Belgium standards, but I have stepped up my game.

3. Take a Holiday

We love to work in America. Ok, maybe not “love” but it is ingrained in our way of life to never stop working. When my job became super demanding that I was working from 8AM until 11pm just to keep up with business in Europe and in the states, my friends stepped in. The majority of Belgians have 9-5 jobs or jobs that allow them to work in their passion. They get their afternoons and evenings to enjoy family, friends or just enjoy some alone time to recharge. In addition, Belgians are granted something like 25 vacation days a year. 25 days!! Compare that to the measly 10 days Americans get but often don’t take and you’ll understand why holidays are an intricate part of their yearly schedule.

This might be the most life altering habit I changed since moving to Belgium as I have learned to shut down on work to take some days for myself.

4. Get a Hobby

You know that feeling when you’re at summer camp and you’re in arts and crafts class and everyone around you is making super sculptures out of dried macaroni and you’re sitting over in the corner trying to get the glue off your hands? Try living that life every day around your fabulous, younger than you new friends.

Everyone in Belgium is so damn arty and sophisticated that I felt like I would never belong. You either know how to cook; you are into pottery or plants; yoga or some other badass exercise; tennis or cycling (oh lawd that’s another article: obsession with biking). What could I do when I arrived? Taco bar. Oh, and I could walk the shit out of my little 8 pound dog…

What can I do now? Oh, shut up…

5. Dating

If you plan on moving to Belgium and take one thing away from this article, let it be this. Do not accept a date with someone unless you plan on a life together. You think I am joking. Belgians do not casually date.  In college, it was so typical to have a date with one guy on Friday night, see a different one for a movie on Saturday then not speak to either of them for a week. It was how our parents taught us to date around to find the right guy to be with long term. In Belgium? You accept one date with a guy and it’s until death do you part. Luckily, the first guy I had a date with ended up to be great and we had a great time together. But it took him pointing out that we were a couple before I realized how awful the situation could have become.

So, there you have it. Five from a very long list of things this amazing country taught me. But, no matter how hard they try, they will never take away the Taco Bar 🙂

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A Weekend in Israel

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Wizzair has some great flight deals around Europe and recently to the Middle East. When we found a deal for 60 euro to Tel Aviv, we jumped on the opportunity to trade snowy Europe for sunny Israel. We could only spend four days in Israel despite everyone telling us that it isn’t enough time. But, we had a budget and chose to spend our time in Jerusalem.

 

Transportation to/from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

There is a bus departing every hour, on the hour, from Tel Aviv airport to Jerusalem city center.

  • Transit time is one hour and 45 minutes
  • Departs from level two
  • One way fee is about 4 euros (bring cash)

Tip: Be aware of your arrival day. This shuttle’s last journey is at 2pm on Friday night to prepare for Shabbat. If you miss this, you’ll need to take a private taxi or a tourist bus for a much higher price.

On our return, we did book a shared taxi because it took us straight into downtown Tel Aviv’s central train station. From there, we took a second bus closer to our hotel; but more on that later…

Jerusalem

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We arrived in Jerusalem just as everything was closing for Shabbat. We did not do any preparation for this trip…first mistake. Our goal was to be spontaneous so we could relax and spend time where we wanted; the problem is there is just so much to see. You have to have a plan! Thanks to our hotel concierge, we quickly realized that not only would everything be closed on our first full day,  but we wouldn’t even be able to rent a car to visit anything outside of the city. Luckily, we found a last minute tourist website that would bring us to the Dead Sea.

We super lucked out with this service because it stopped in a couple of places before dropping us at the Dead Sea. We went to the border of Jordan and Israel as well as the point of sea level. The bus dropped us at the Dead Sea around 10AM and picked us up at 3pm.

It was such a cool sensation. You sit down and you just instantly float! I realize we were in a very touristy location but we still had a great time swimming / floating and covering ourselves with mud from the sea bottom.

Back to the city

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Day two was our Old City, religious experience day. People travel to Jerusalem for its significant religious impact and we wanted ours. We started the day on the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus walked to the place where he was crucified. There are fourteen stations on the route, each with a powerful story and marked by these round icons. If you are traveling alone, be sure to purchase a station map in any of the market shops or pay a nice local man to take you on a tour. We were approached by a shop owner for this service and thought it was well worth the money as some of the stations are a bit off the beaten track.

Our favorite stop of the tour was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. According to the Catholic faith, Jesus was crucified and buried on sacred ground that the Church was built around. It is considered the holiest Church in the world. The first day we went it was so busy that it was hard for me to let go and feel the Holy Spirit move me. So I went back the next morning, before the crowds came pouring in, to have some quiet time inside. It is such a different experience to be before the place where Jesus was crucified when it is quiet and you can take your time. I know not everyone can have that opportunity so I’m thankful that I could.

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Close to the Church is the Western or Wailing Wall. Men enter one side, women the other, to pray and offer your worship to God. All religions are invited to share this experience and to place your prayers into the cracks of the wall.

 

 

From the Wall, we walked around the outskirts of the city to Mount Olives for gorgeous views of the city and the Garden of Gethsemane to walk where Jesus spent his last hours before being arrested.

Gethsemane
View from Mount Olives

 

Before we left Jerusalem, we went to the Garden Tomb at Golgotha. This is where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried. I recommend to visit both and decide for yourself which places gives you the greatest impact.

Skull Rock
Garden Tomb

 

New Jerusalem

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We actually booked our hotel in New Jerusalem and loved our hotel so much. Every morning, we had a nice buffet breakfast with typical Israeli foods and a bonus happy hour every evening with cocktails and snacks. Besides that, there was this super cool market that went from daytime fruits, veg stands to a nighttime spot for drinks and hipster hangouts.

 

 

Tel Aviv

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We were surprised by Tel Aviv. So many of our friends told us it wasn’t worth visiting, it’s just a city, blah blah; but it was super fun and pretty! Immediately, we said this is a place we want to come back to because there was just so much to do! We only had one night in the city so we took a walk on the beach to Old Jaffa for dinner and drinks.

 

All in all, we had a great long weekend in Israel but was definitely not enough time. Beware that it is an expensive place to visit but if you plan well, you can plan a wonderful trip on your budget.

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Krakow

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Poland is a country that has interested me but for different reasons than the rest of Europe. When work took me to Poland for a week, my “work wife” and I decided to make the most of it and take a tour of the southern part of the country: Wroclaw and Krakow. We rented a car from the local company, Panek.

Tip: Only in Poland did a car rental company notify me that being an American I needed an “international license.” They tried to make me pay an additional fee in order to use my Tennessee license. If you are going to be in Poland with a car, contact your car insurance ocmpany to get an international driver’s permit for the trip.

Wroclaw

Wroclaw was a delightful surprise. We enjoyed walking the streets and searching for the little gnomes spread out in the city. There are over 350 of them and are a symbol of the anti-communist movement. You can take a walking tour by going on a gnome search in the highlights of the city. Most of the tour shops have gnome maps that can help you map our your itinerary.

Auschwitz

If you have the fortune of making the road trip from Wroclaw to Krakow, you drive right past Auschwitz. Now, I have been to this camp twice and was very pleased to learn they have removed the 20 euro entry fee. While I understand there is financial obligation to maintain the camps, I strongly believe it is important to keep these historical landmarks open to the public while encouraging donations. The photos above are from the first of two camps where you can see the well known “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign (Work makes you Free) and remnants of the victims, which can be found in Block 5.

You can visit Auschwitz I and II (start in I) with either a guided tour or doing it on your own.

Auschwitz II shows the sleeping barracks, cattle cars that brought in the victims and the iconic entry way as seen in movies like Schindler’s List. In addition, there are two demolished former gas chambers located at the back of the camp. Nazi soldiers tried to destroy all evidence, including these gas chambers, when word broke that the Allies had won and were liberating the camps.

As difficult as it may be for some of you to visit Auschwitz, I highly recommend adding to your list. It is the most powerful and moving place I have ever been.

Krakow

Krakow was without a doubt the best surprise in Europe. There are so many sights to see from the Wawel Castle to the Main Square that you easily need four days to see it all. Poland is an inexpensive country to visit so four days in Krakow may equal one or two days in a city like Paris or Berlin.

We spent the majority of our time in the former Jewish district of the city, Kazimierz. Other than the obvious historical significance this district holds, present day Kazmierz is full of cafes, second hand boutiques and street markets for the masses. One such place that combines the historical with the present is “Once Upon a Time” restaurant located on Miodowa street. At the very beginning of WW2, Kazimierz hosted both Jewish and Polish business where they could work and mingle side by side. It was time and a place where everyone ate, shopped and inhabited the same place, even if they differed in almost everything. Inside this restaurant, you are transported to this time and can see the nostalgia on the walls and in the building.

Oskar Schindler Factory

Most of us have seen Schindler’s List but you can not imagine how your perspective changes after visiting the actual factory where it all began. I was a little confused before starting the tour as I thought we were going to actually walk inside the factory and see equipment and enamel goods and basically the factory as it was during WW2. However, it is an exhibition of Krakow during the occupation and walks you through the different aspects of how this city was impacted during the war. If you are a WW2 enthusiast, then this tour is a must see.

Food

Besides the super yummy Pierogi, we found that fresh juices were high in demand in several cafes in the city. Polish food can be quite heavy, enter pierogi, but we had huge success finding Jewish cuisine that lightened the load.

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Birthday in Bordeaux

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I could not wait to get to Bordeaux for my birthday weekend– the wine, the weather, the food; it was everything I needed to escape the brutal European winter that slammed us this season. I packed my flip flops, my summer dresses and shades and we started the eight hour drive from Gent to Bordeaux. (Side note: Why did we drive? My furry friend joined us for the trip and stupid Ryanair doesn’t allow animals to fly. In the future, we will definitely take a flight. It’s only an hour and a half and the airport is super close to the city center.)

Wineries

My extravagant present to myself was a wine tasting and tour at the very prestigious Chateau Pape Clement. This chateau has been harvesting since 1252 and is one of the Grand Cru’s of Bordeaux. They went in great detail on the history and significance to the chateau and its harvest, showing us the vault holding bottles of wine from every year. We finished with a very strong tasting of seven different styles of red, white and rose wines, explaining the tastes, smells and bodies of each one. For the super wine lovers, you can also stay at the chateau in their own bed and breakfast, which looked like it didn’t suck.

Dune of Pilat

This thing was nuts. After the tasting, we wanted to take advantage of the amazing weather so we head to the tallest sand dune in Europe. Before leaving Bordeaux, we stopped at a store for French cheese, meats and wine to enjoy the gorgeous sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. Don’t let the massive sand hill intimidate you, even though it is a bitch to climb. The view is simply magic.

Bordeaux itself

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As if by birthday magic, a carnival appeared in the heart of Bordeaux. After the dunes, we arrived to the city and spent the rest of our evening in the cutey carnival, playing the ducky game and target shooting. Even at 31, a girl still loves when her boyfriend wins her stuffed animals 🙂

Bordeaux is a place you need to spend at least three days in to see and experience everything. Us driving cut into the amount of time we could spend in the city but we enjoyed the things outside of the city very much.

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We did it for the Family: Sicily

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It’s bucket list time and we knocked off one that is high on both our lists- Sicily. We couldn’t wait to get out of Northern Europe’s brutal winter for a few days to bask in the Italian sun. We decided to do a tour of the island’s perimeter for the highlights, starting in Trapani. Over the next few days we would see Marsala in wine country on the west coast, Catania, Taormina and Cefalu.

Marsala

We had only one night in Marsala as it is an easy 15 minute drive from the airport in Trapani. We found the cutest little airbnb right next to the sea and meandered into the city for an amazing dinner. Sicily is any seafood lover’s heaven but we started our holiday with an amazing seafood pasta and a local eggplant dish called, “caponata”, which became a dinner regular for the rest of the trip. The next day, we visited two vineyards, Donnafugata and Cantine Florio. We didn’t have an opportunity to do a wine tour but we did some tastings of the local Marsala wine and brought some tasty bottles home.

Agrigento 

On our route from the west to the east, we stopped in Agrigento to admire the Valley of the Temples. This UNESCO site is located at the base of the city with gorgeous views of the Sicilian landscapes. This a must-visit so be sure to plan for 2-3 hours, minimum. We opted to drive our car at the bottom of the hill, take a taxi to the top and walk back down to the bottom. However, walking up and down isn’t such a hike if you decide to leave your car at the top of the hill.

Catania / Noto / Syracuse

Catania
Catania

The route we did on the first day was a bit aggressive but we knew we wanted to spend the majority of our time on the East side of the island. We stayed two nights in Catania to keep us central to other amazing locations: Noto, Syracuse and Mt. Etna. Catania was nice to visit but it fails in comparison to other Sicilian cities.

Noto
Noto

Noto was a recommendation from our cute airbnb host in Marsala as an alternative to Syracuse. I love local suggestions we decided to make Noto a priority before Syracuse. Maybe it was the time of year or maybe it’s just how the city is all of the time but we were not really impressed. We stayed enough to walk the main shopping street and have a cannoli.

Syracuse
Syracuse
Syracuse

Syracuse was super lovely!! When we arrived, we were immediately regretful we spent too much time in Noto. The largest greek theatre in Italy is in Syracuse but sadly we didn’t get to see it. Winter seasons mean shorter opening times and our long stay in Noto meant we would miss this. But, as the theme of this blog, we didn’t let it spoil our day and just enjoyed walking the city.

Taormina

Taormina
Taormina
Taormina
Taormina
Taormina

We could not love Taormina enough. Our number one city on our road trip and we can’t wait to get back and spend more time. A huge benefit to being in Sicily during the off season is you have the space and time to see everything you want without the bustle of all the people. We walked the city and fell in love with every little street, the second largest Greek theatre in Italy and a beautiful garden right inside the heart of the city. Tip: We booked Villa Sara and for 50 euro a night can have a stunning view of the city and Mt Etna plus breakfast. Oh and the owner is a doll.

Godfather route

Hands down our favorite part of the trip was seeking out the sites of famous Godfather film locations. Why? It was the most beautiful drive and we were immersed in gorgeous landscapes deep in the Sicilian hills. We cheated a little and googled popular Godfather tours to find the city names just outside Taormina. On our way out, we went to Savoca and Forza d’Agro to find the church where Michael was married and to enjoy a tasty lemon frozen treat at Bar Vitelli.

Cefalu and Palermo

Cefalu
Palermo Market

On our last night, we decided to stay in the coastal city, (ok let’s be honest, they are all coastal cities) Cefalu. Our hotel couldn’t have been any closer to the water and we imagined how nice it would be to sit on the balcony when it gets warmer.

In Palermo, we had just a few hours before our flight to see the sites. Neither of us were too keen on spending so much time here so we went straight to the street market for local red oranges, cannoli and arancini.

Sicily is amazing and you should plan at least four days if you want to do a big tour. When we go back, we know exactly where we will spend our time: East coast and Taormina 🙂

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