Europe
Travel to European countries
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High-Up in The Austrian Alps: 48 Hours in Innsbruck
We took a small local train that wove through the mountains like a snake, stopping in small towns with peaked train stations and only a few roads stretching off into the emerald-green hills. We went over bridges that spanned deep ravines and we were even with the clouds that settled low over the valley. A hawk soared beneath the struts…
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A Gem in the German Alps: Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Springtime
2022 European Adventure: Part 5 of 6 Garmisch-Partenkirchen (along with being a mouthful of a name) is a beautiful town nestled in a valley in the German Alps. When deciding where to go after the lovely town of Heidelberg, all it took was one picture before I was hooked on Garmisch-Partenkirchen (just scroll down and you’ll probably feel the same).…
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The Red-Stone Ruins of Heidelberg Castle
2022 European Adventure: Part 4 of 6 Any one who knows me knows this: I am obsessed with castles. The German town of Heidelberg is home to imposing castle ruins rising above a red-roofed medieval town. It’s the medieval kind of castle, with towers and bricks and spiral staircases and looming walls. Palaces are the lacy, frilly, gold-gilt ones. That’s…
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Highway to Heidelberg: a Must-See Stop on the Way Through Germany
2022 European Adventure: Part 3 of 6 Heidelberg is red-roofed, green rolling hills, river running through it magical. The next stop on my European Adventure is Heidelberg, Germany! I picked this place–I’ve been dying to go for ages. Actually, there are very few places in Germany that I don’t want to go. However, this one has been on my list…
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Amsterdam for Introverts like Me: How to Make the Most of a City Known for Weed & Sex
European Adventure: Part 2 of 6 The second stop on my Great European Adventure of 2022 with my friends was the city of Amsterdam. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. I’m not a city girl. I prefer small towns, nature vistas, farmer’s markets, and quiet streets. I went to Amsterdam after Delft (one such small, quiet town). When I stepped…
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Detour to Delft: Charming Churches & Canals in a Picturesque Dutch Town
European Adventure: Part 1 of 6 The town of Delft in the Netherlands was the first stop on my first trip back to Europe since Covid! I remember leaving Aix-en-Provence, France on March 16, 2020 with the belief that this Covid thing would never last. I planned to travel that summer, retaking the days and experiences I was missing out…
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Media Minds: How France Writes about Muslim Footballers
As a recent grad from the University of Colorado, I now find myself in the position of having spent four years working towards receiving a piece of paper, and a year of research and writing to add three little words to that piece of paper: summa cum laude. Now I'm asking myself what the hell I'm supposed to do with…
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Covid Catastrophe in the Czech Republic
I can't say that I didn't know any better. But we thought we were untouchable. We thought the chaos wending it's way through the world was ridiculous. There was no precedent for everything shutting down. Surely in a week or two everything would be back to normal. Do you remember when we all thought that?
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Paris à Pied: Exploring the City of Love in 30 Hours
I spent 30 hours in Paris this weekend–a whirlwind vacation. My friends were busy, so I hopped on a train by myself and came to the City of Love. (Pairs is both the City of Love and City of Lights). Lucky Paris–to be known for both great things! Paris Catacombs I kicked things off with the Paris Catacombs. The underground…
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Barcelona Basics: Food, Friends, and Gaudi
Barcelona was a non-stop adventure. I arrived at midnight on Friday night and made my way to Don Moustache Hostel via the Aerobus. My friends, Kate and Sarah, had arrived Thursday night. After a good night’s sleep (despite all the snoring–good thing I always travel with ear plugs!) we started off Saturday morning with some Gaudi. Antoni Gaudi is Barcelona’s…
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Camp des Milles: What France once Tried to Erase
Camp des Milles is located in the old tile factory in the town of Les Milles. In fact, the roof of one of my school’s buildings is tiled with tiles from this factory. But that’s not why we we’re here. From the beginning of World War Two in September, 1939 until June, 1940, the French government (the Third Republic), interned…
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Aix-periences Closer to Home: Montagne Sainte-Victoire and Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur
Montagne Sainte-Victoire A friend and I decided to hike the prominent mountain to the northwest of Aix: Montagne Sainte-Victoire. We began by walking along the ridge (above right), then the trail pretty much goes straight up the side of the peak. It’s a total of 10 kilometers and over 1,700 feet of altitude gain. Despite the hot sun, it was…
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A Day in Marseille: History and Street Art in France’s Oldest City
La Porte d’Aix is Marseille’s triumphal arch, like the Arc de Triomphe. Construction begun in 1784 to honor the Peace of Paris, which ended the American Revolutionary War. The arch was finished in 1839. It marks the entry point to the city on the old road from Aix-en-Provence. Marseille has existed as a port city for over 2,500 years, the…
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Nice Carnival: Battle of the Flowers
Carnival kicked off in Nice today with a Flower Parade, called Batailles des Fleurs. We embraced the sun and the season (even though all the locals were in coats and scarfs). It is a Flower Parade, so we wore our flower clothes! There are a bunch of performers and floats, but what is most unique is that the floats feature…
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La Côte d’Azur: Sunshine, Flowers, and Spring-time!
Spring has come in Nice, France! The colors are bright, the sea clear, and the sun shining. We walked through the old town, grabbing a lunch of traditional foods: socca (flatbread made from chickpea flour), pissaladière (pizza topped with onions, anchovies, and olives), and les petits farcis (eggplant and zucchini stuffed with ground meat and garlic). We met our Airbnb…
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The History of Geneva, as told by a Church
When I told my dad I was going to Geneva for the weekend, his reply was, “I’ve always wanted to go to Switzerland, and now you’re going there…in a way.” F for geography skills, Dad, because Geneva is in Switzerland. But, also, I know exactly what he means. It sure doesn’t feel like Switzerland. It just feels like a big…
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A+ for Annecy and the Alps
I took a whirlwind day trip to Annecy today, beginning at 5 am. It’s a process to get out of Aix; it’s a 35 minute walk to the bus station, and then a 20 minute ride to the train station…and then, finally, the real journey can begin. And begin it did. We had delays on our ride to Lyon, only…
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Carcassonne: a Castle Playground
Carcassonne is a French town in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. It’s a 3 hour train ride from Marseille. This is my first time on a train (but not my last). And the whole process was made so easy by my Eurail Pass (thanks Mom and Dad!). Carcassonne is divided into two towns—the Bastide Saint Louis and the Cité. Our…
