Wroclaw Christmas Market

December 13, 2017July 21, 20202 Comments

The year before we went to Finland, Shaina, Vera and I went to Poland in early December. This was part of a larger trip I was taking (bless the Spanish school system and their many holidays) – first into Berlin and Amsterdam with G, then Prague with Vera, and then Vera and I took a train to Wroclaw, Poland, to meet up with Shaina.

Wroclaw, especially in December, is insanely charming. We stayed in an Airbnb right on the square, so were perfectly positioned for the market. There were hundreds of stalls, surrounded by the cutest, almost gingerbread styled houses, and there was so much to do. Unlike any other market I’ve been to, this one had a little carnival – a mini (but shockingly fast) rollercoaster, talking (and slightly creepy) puppets acting out Christmas scenes. It was all old enough that it didn’t feel modern and gimmicky, more like being at a (tiny) old world fair.

We took a gorgeous walk through the city after it got dark, stopping at FC café for some cake, and then checking out the university, Cathedral Island and Ostow Tumski, Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Lover’s Bridget, the botanical gardens, and gorgeous views of the Odra river. Everything was stunning all lit up and it was such a scenic, lovely walk.

Be sure to be on the look out for the dwarfs around the city – they each have an individual story, and we loved spotting them – some are quite funny.

There’s so much to see in Market Square as well – Church of Saint Elizabeth, the Town Hall. The city is so picturesque and seems almost caught between two ages – there’s the young university students that have a vibrant energy, but there’s the historical surroundings and easy to find nuns and older, traditionally dressed people in the streets as well.

For food, we basically only ate perogies and managed to spend about £3 per meal which was a great deal after places like Berlin and Amsterdam. Poland was unexpectedly great – not that I expected it to disappoint, but it surprised me how homey it felt. I’d really like to visit Krakow and Warsaw at some point as well.

30 before 30 State of the Union

December 12, 2017July 14, 2020

Well, it’s been a minute since I’ve had an update to the 30 before 30 list. This year I didn’t accomplish as much as I had hoped, but I did get a major one out of the way—I am officially a recognized Italian citizen! And I’ve visited Italy not once, but twice, going to Florence, Venice, Pisa, Vernasca, and Cinque Terre!

As we’re past the midpoint to thirty (how on EARTH is time moving so quickly?!), I figure a little check in is in order. The remaining items on the list are:

6. Visit Buenos Aires
7. Visit Costa Rica
9. Visit South Africa
10. Visit Greece
11. Visit Egypt
12. Work in the field in Africa or Asia
13. Stay in Shakespeare & Co Bookstore
15. Fix my tooth
17. Be able to cook 5 meals very well
18. Do a pull up
20. Live in France
21. Learn French
22. Reach a B2 level in Spanish
23. Get my masters
24. Get published
25. Read 10 books every year
30. Go to a Patriots game

So! We have 17 items left and just over two years to go. Because this list is about focusing on what’s important to me, rather than doing something just because 25-year-old Kristen thought it sounded nice, this list is ever evolving. As a result, some of these things just aren’t that important to me anymore. For example, items 15, 17, and 18. I don’t much care about fixing my tooth, and Gareth cooks for me so I’m eating just fine without any culinary skills to call my own. Also I just don’t care enough to put in the work needed to be able to do a pull up. Oh well.

Gareth and I recently booked tickets for two weeks in South Africa, with a day layover in Cairo! I’m so excited, it’s definitely the most adventurous trip I’ve ever planned. I can’t wait until the end of March!

We’re also planning on spending a week in Greece this summer, so that’s three of the final five travel related ones done already!

My New Year’s resolution is to pass the B2 DELE Spanish exam, so that should hopefully happen this year, and I’m organizing French lessons through my work. I’d like to be at an A2 level of French by the end of the year as well.

I’ve easily read 10 books a year. That one I wrote back when I was crazy busy working on Marco Polo, and hadn’t read a book in what felt like years. I got the 10 in each year while living in LA and have read many times that each year since I left.

As for getting published, to be honest I write less now. However, last year I worked for a travel magazine for a few months, and had a few articles put on their website, so in theory this one is finished—but now I’m being selfish and want it in print. I ended my time there when Gareth’s mom got sick, but still keep in touch and think it would be quite easy to get something published in their print magazine. That’s something I’ll try to do this year.

So, those are the ones for which I have a plan. Others have a much less defined plan, like living in France and the masters. Not to say I’m not working towards them, more that they are less in my control.

The rest, I’m less sure about. I have no idea when I’ll go to Buenos Aires or Costa Rica (except, mom, maybe next Christmas?!). Staying in Shakespeare & Co will tie into the next time I’m in France (see above), and volunteering is something I still quite want to do, but finding the time is proving difficult. Over the summer I applied and was accepted to lead a group of volunteers for three months in Tanzania from January-March of 2018, but had to turn it down for a variety of reasons.

I think that leaves just the Patriots game, which is becoming more urgent as I am desperate to see Tom Brady play before he retires. I might try to go this Christmas Eve, but if not it’ll have to wait to next year (though I’ll be in Boston for 10 days in the fall of 2018 for weddings, so it could be then barring serious injury/knock on wood/Go Pats!/etc).

24 Hours in Venice

December 10, 2017July 21, 2020

Going to Italy during Semana Santa helped me realize something about myself–I hate tourists. Not just other people, but I don’t like being one myself. It’s probably why whenever I go anywhere I even moderately connect to, I’m convinced I’ll move there one day and experience the place like only a true local can. That said, I don’t want to move to Venice. Venice is like Prague to me–too magical to be real. I couldn’t ruin Venice by actually moving there and having to worry about running late for work or changing the kitty litter or any other real life burdens. I want to preserve it’s otherworldly charm, but I do still want to go back. Because of Semana Santa the cheapest hostel I could find was over $45 and I could only afford a night there.

Venice was my second stop of 17 day trip over Semana Santa, and to be honest about the fact that travel is not all wonderful all the time, my night in Venice was not the best. Usually I love traveling alone, but after Rachel left Italy to go back to London, I was facing another week alone before Gareth and I met in Zagreb, and I suddenly felt really lonely. Add in that I didn’t arrive until the sun was beginning to set, and that romantic Venice is not exactly the ideal place to be single– I spent the most of the night sticking close to my hostel and on the phone with Gareth. Lame, I know.

Luckily after a good night’s sleep I remembered how much I actually love solo travel, and got my mojo back. I spent the day wandering through the maze like passages, stopping in awe every few minutes that a place like that actually exists.

I don’t have a ton of suggestions for how to best “do” Venice, because I don’t think I did it properly. I have a few suggestions based off of lessons I learned, however.

Book early – and by this I mean everything. Accommodation, certainly. But there are places online you can arrange a gondola share, because they are privately hired and seriously expensive. That said, the looks on people’s faces as they rode convinced me they are worth it.

Get off the beaten track – the restaurants that have their menus in a dozen different languages aren’t going to be the ones with food you never forget. One of my biggest regrets was the place I chose for dinner. I was staying in the Jewish area, an immediate left after crossing the Guglie bridge. I had wandered deeper into the city, and it was getting dark. I knew it was a bad idea, but I settled for a place on Rio Terà San Leonardo that was filled with tourists and served legitimately bad food. On the five minute walk back to my hostel, along Fondamenta Cannaregio, I passed about three places lit by candle lit and filled with Italians. Learn from my mistakes. And probably go to dinner on that street cause it looked amazing.

Buy a water bus day pass. The pass is 20 euros and a single journey is 7.50. The ride is such a good tour of the city, and to have been able to go to San Marco, Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore, and back to Guglie all on a water taxi would have been great.

Set aside time to get lost – this, I did, and it was one of my favorite parts of the day. As I wandered back from San Marco to Guglie, I passed through quiet, residential areas that were nearly empty, and offered just as much charm as the packed city center. I also stumbled upon La Bottiglia, which is an amazing deli. They asked me to trust them and built me the most incredible sandwich. If you like sandwiches, this is your place.

Saint Mark’s Square – They charge an outlandish price to sit and have a drink, but you should do it anyway. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s everything you imagine when you think of Venice. Have the Prosecco, obviously. Sit and listen to music and watch people try get a photo with the pigeons. Drink in the magic of the city, and if you’re like me have to remind yourself over and over again that you haven’t fallen into a movie set, but that Venice is a real place that exists in the world.

Though I only a day in Venice and I certainly need to go back to learn more about this magical place, I am so happy I was able to go at all. It was the perfect transition to solo travel before I went on to Slovenia.

TWO DAYS IN CINQUE TERRE

December 7, 2017July 11, 20202 Comments

Back at the end of August, I unexpectedly flew to Italy and was able to spend three and a half days in coastal Italy. It was one of my favorite trips ever, and below you can find my Cinque Terre guide to the tips and tricks I wish I had known before going!

GETTING THERE

Cinque Terre is incredibly easy to get to from Pisa. You just take the train to La Spezia, where you can change to the train line that connects the 5 towns. In La Spezia buy train passes for the days you’ll be in Cinque Terre, which makes exploring all the towns super simple. The passes are 13 euros for one day, or 23 for two, and include unlimited access to the trains, hiking trails, and (spotty) wifi. The trains run from Levanto to La Spezia and stop at each of the five towns along the way.

WHERE TO STAY

Because I booked so late, my options for staying in/around Cinque Terre were quite limited. Nearly all the hostels were completely booked, even in the surrounding towns. I booked the only place available, Affittacamere Patrizia in Riomaggioare. It had some reviews that made me hesitate, but lacking other options I didn’t have much of a choice.

The place was strange—I booked two nights and I stayed in separate buildings each night—a bit annoying because I had to respect check in/out times, and arrange to pick up/drop off my bag around their front desk opening hours. The first night I was literally sleeping in the front room—there were three bedrooms and a bathroom off where I was staying, and the front door opened to the room my bed and one other were in.

The second night I was in a new house, staying on the top floor in the kitchen, but it had a great balcony and it was the only bed in the room, so it was nearly like having my own apartment. If I had more notice I’m not sure I’d stay there again, but I wouldn’t hesitate to return in a pinch.

When considering where to stay, you can read the below to get a feel for each place. But my biggest tip is to stay within Cinque Terre, as the mornings and evenings without the crush of day tourists were my favourite times. It also doesn’t matter much which town you stay in, as they are all exceptionally easy to access and hop around. My picks for best to stay in are Vernazza and Riomaggiore.

THE VILLAGES

RIOMAGGIORE

Riomaggiore was the quietest of the towns, and it was quite small. The food was delicious and the place was stunning, probably the most beautiful of them all—this is where I stayed and I’d definitely be happy staying there again. There’s less to do than the other towns, but as a base it’s pretty perfect. It’s built on a giant hill, so be prepared for a steep incline to get anywhere! It had a good amount of rocks to use as a mini beach, and a few places to jump in as well. (Mom, that’s for you!)

MANAROLA

Manarola felt quite young and hip. It was lively and had a fun vibe. The harbour had a place where it was possible to jump off, so people who were braver than I dove off the rocks. I think a lot of people list this as their favourite town, and while it was up there for me, it wasn’t the top of my list.

CORNIGLIA

All the guides I read suggested skipping Corniglia if short on time, and I considered it. I’m so happy I didn’t! It was quite unlike the other towns—it’s high above sea level and there’s no beach access. However that gives it really nice views, and the town felt a bit more chilled and artistic. There were some cute shops, unique looking bars and coffee shops, and it had more shade than the other towns. If it wasn’t such a hike to the train and/or nearby towns, I’d consider staying here. I hiked in from Manarola and out to Vernazza, and both hikes were incredible but very hard—and the walk up to the town from the train was stairs on stairs on stairs. Be prepared for a work out, no matter how you arrive.

VERNAZZA

I loved Vernazza. It had two beaches, one hidden through a rock tunnel that was created after a huge rock slide, and another spot along the harbor next to the cliff that leads to Monterosso. The food was good, the gelato better, and I spent more time here than anyway other town. When I come back, I’ll either stay here or return to Riomaggiore.

MONTEROSSO

Honestly, Monterosso wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t go until my last day, and by then was already so in love with the other four towns, I’m not sure I gave it a fair shot. I spent the least time here, and it felt much more developed and urban than the others. It’s the only one that has a sand beach (I HATE sand, but maybe this is a selling point for someone else), and it was set up more like a resort, which is also not my vibe. It looked big and like there would be some great shopping, so if those things appeal to you, maybe spend a bit more time there than I did.

WHAT TO EAT

GELATO

You only need to go to one place, and that’s Gelarteria Vernazza. I tried the others, and none came close.

BREAKFAST

I did some real searching, but didn’t find anything other than pastries and yogurt as breakfast options. Eggs were not a thing as far as I could tell—if someone finds them please let me know in case I ever go back!

DINNER

I had dinner both nights in Riomaggiore, which was great. All the food I had there was delicious, and recommend Trattoria la Grotta and Pizzeria Da Mam’angel if you’re looking for good food that isn’t going to break the bank.

DESSERT

I know gelato technically is dessert (though I utilized it as a lunch), but Monterosso is also well known for Torta Monterossina Ricetta, which I tried at Pasticceria Laura and it was SO good. It was the best part of the town for me.

TO DO

BOOKS

Bring books! I only brought one (The Story of the Lost Child, by Elena Ferrante, which I highly recommend), and there was so much time for reading I blew through it, and struggle to find other English books available in the towns.

HIKES

I hiked Corniglia to Vernazza and Monterosso to Vernazza. They were fantastic, and if you’re in any kind of shape I highly recommend them and any other hikes that are open. They had stunning views and were a great work out—honestly both were much harder than I anticipated, and I planned poorly and did the first one right at noon, when the sun was directly overhead. Plan to go earlier in the morning, or later in the afternoon, bring a lot of water, maybe a snack, and definitely be prepared to sweat. Luckily there are beaches at either end with some seriously inviting water, and there is a cafe high in the cliffs at the midpoint of the Corniglia/Vernazza hike.

ART

One of my favorite things to do when I visit a place is collect some kind of art, so I can bring a piece home with me. There was a really cute art store in Vernazza owned by Antonio Greco where he shows his work. I got two prints there, which make me insanely happy whenever I see them. One was by Antonio, and the other was the Imago Cinque Terre poster. I get compliments on them all the time. They were affordable as well!

Thanksgiving 2017

November 30, 2017August 30, 2020

After the success we had last year having Thanksgiving in London, we did the same this year. It was wonderful, just like before. One of my friends from Logroño came, we ate lots, played games, and – of course – played football in the park. I love Thanksgiving.

London Update

November 20, 2017July 21, 2020

I’m getting quite annoyed with myself when it comes to this blog. It brings me such happiness, but I’m having such a hard time keeping it up.

To be honest, I’m having a bit of a hard time overall right now, which I think is making it a challenge to get anything extracurricular done. I was trying to wait until I felt a bit more positive before coming back, but that just feels dishonest and not a real reflection of my life right now. So, hi internet. I’m (trying!) to be back. I’m a bit down right now but I have a lot to update you on, and such a huge backlog of travel I barely know where to start.

As I said earlier, I’m living in London now, and quite honestly I’m finding it hard to adjust to life in England. I miss Spain a million times more than I thought I would. I feel my Spanish rapidly slipping away–I’ve signed up for two Spanish courses here, one was far too easy and one was canceled just last week. Still looking for the right fit/any fit.

Life is hard – we’re living in the midst of grief and also adjusting to living together (or even in the same country) for the first time, I’ve unexpectedly moved countries, started a job in a new field, and everything just feels hard and sad and a bit hopeless right now.

I’m also struggling because instead of traveling, or planning on traveling, I’m having to put down roots. I have a job in a field I love, that could lead to me working abroad in international development. That is a huge goal. But it was an eventual one. After I had traveled and learned a few languages and experienced so much more of the world. I also never planned on ending up in London, once I did settle down. Because I’ve always thought it was a hard place to live, and I don’t think I’m wrong! All my friends who live here have plans to move in the next few years. London is where the jobs are, but not where the housing is, or any real room for growth. It’s overcrowded, overpriced, and and usually raining–everyone just kind of struggles to get through, and that’s not really my ideal tone in a city.

I also know it’s one of the most exciting cities in the world with everything on offer, but my reality is I can afford to live in a suburb miles outside where we can barely find more than two or three places to go for dinner. The pub culture that was so fun when I was a student feels repetitive and draining now. I think cities have personalities, and Boston and London remind me of each other. A bit tough, a kind of “grin and bear it” attitude. LA felt like everyone had a dream and a goal and so much hope and enthusiasm. Spain was like that to an extent, and I was also living out such a dream that nothing could really get me down. Logrono was tiny but I was in the very center of everything. London is huge and I am on the outside. I spend three hours a day commuting to/from work, and it’s dark all the hours of the day I’m not in the office.

I know I need a major attitude change. I’m sitting here complaining when what I need to be doing is finding a way to like it here, to see it as the opportunity it is instead of feeling like I’m stuck in a situation I don’t want to be in. But the thing about roots is they go deep. It was so, so hard to leave LA, and I wasn’t even in a job I loved. I’m so scared if I settle in here, in the right career, I’ll never leave, and I’ll wake up in a decade wondering how I let my life pass by without doing the things I have so desperately dreamed of doing. Then I wonder what I’m doing here, if I’m planning on leaving, because all I’m doing is investing time into a job and a life that I’m not planning on making permanent. I feel confused and homesick for Spain, or LA, or back to a time when I had an idea of what my future would be and felt like I was actively working towards accomplishing my goals. Like I said, attitude adjustment needed!

A WEEKEND IN PRAGUE DURING CHRISTMAS

November 19, 2017July 14, 2020

It’s getting downright frosty here in London, and the sun has set by around 4:00 every day. Instead of finding this a depressing shock to the system, I’ve decided to get into the Christmas spirit early. The one good thing about living abroad where American Thanksgiving is strangely ignored, is that post-Halloween (another largely ignored holiday), it’s basically Christmastime. And there is nothing like a weekend in Prague during Christmas.

I’ve booked a few trips for December, and planning them has me thinking about what an incredible trip I took over the puente last year in Spain. As I said before, it was a whirlwind trip from Berlin to Amsterdam to Prague to Poland. I only got around to writing about Berlin last year, but it’s time (or about 10 months past time) to talk about the others. Because they were fantastic.

I’m starting with Prague because Prague in December is quite literally the most magical place on earth. As much as I like to explore new places, had I found affordable tickets I’d be spending a weekend in Prague this December, without a doubt. While Berlin was a bit crowded and overwhelming, Prague was much less packed. It honestly looked and felt like we’d time traveled back a few dozen (hundred) years. The Christmas market was filled with wooden stalls where people were making their crafts–metal workers, jewelry makers, booksellers, wine vendors–it was a nice departure from the more modern and pricey markets I’d been to elsewhere. There were also animals around, and a little place where you could feed donkeys. While it got a bit crowded at night, it was never to the point where you couldn’t mill around comfortably, and take in the views of the beautiful tree or the church or the astronomical clock.

48 HOURS IN PRAGUE

Stay close to the action. We stayed at Prague Square Hostel which I highly recommend. It wasn’t that expensive (about 10 euros a night for an 8 bed room), but only a two minute walk from Old Town Square, and an easy walk to all the other main things you’d want to see in Prague. If you stay around here, Cafe–Cafe had a few good breakfast options (including eggs!) and some really delicious cakes and coffees.

We missed it, but I’d recommend starting with a trip to the Old Jewish Cemetery. Then walk across Manesuv Most bridge up to Prague Castle. This is up a hill and offers some great views of the city. Walking around this area is a look into what the less touristy side of Prague looks like, compared to Old Town Square. If I came back anytime other than December, I’d try to stay around here.

The Castle is incredible, and parts are free to walk around. We didn’t actually go inside, though if you have the time and money I’m sure it would be worth it. Instead we walked around the grounds–there’s an area called Golden Lane where Kafka used to have a house, that I’d recommend checking out, and a little old toy store built into the castle where I really regret not buying something for a future kid, because everything in it was wooden and gorgeous. When we were there were quite a few stalls selling food and mulled wine, and it was a really nice place to spend some time.

From there we headed down to Kampa island, which is a teeny island off of the western side of the river that divides the city. It has a nice park, and some great views of the other side of the river.

On our way to the bridge we found Lennon’s Wall, and joined the dozens of French tourists taking pictures in front of it. Then we made our way up to the bridge (this was actually fairly confusing and eventually a guard just walked us there). I was honestly not expecting much–how big of a deal can crossing an old bridge be, really? But it was so beautiful, the sun was close to setting, and there was live music playing that just heightened it all. It was definitely a, “how is this real life??” kind of moment, one of the ones that make traveling so special.

After the bridge we went back into Old Town Square, where we had a really great dinner right on the square, overlooking the market. I’d recommend being a bit picky about the restaurant you choose–so many were incredibly touristy, with the menu is dozens of languages and a bit void of heart. Instead we tried to pick one where it was mainly Czech people eating, which ended up being the right call. We ended up at Restaurant White Horse, which I highly recommend. We sat outside, because the Christmas market was a lovely view, but the inside looked incredible as well. I had Goulash and it was so, so yummy. Definitely give that a try, and the pork knuckle is meant to be delicious as well. We didn’t get to go to Svata Klara for dinner, but it’s on my list of places for if I ever return. If you go, please have dinner there and report back–it looks so cool!

We saved the actual market for the next day, and after a lie in and a detour to buy warmer jackets (it is literally freezing in Prague at that time of year, bring the heaviest winter coat you can find), we spent hours exploring the stalls, trying the food and drink (find a stall with honey wine, you won’t be disappointed!). We also used this time to go to the top of the Astronomical Clock, which is something you can’t miss. The views, especially when overlooking the market, were so pretty, and a great overview of everything you’re experiencing down below.

Prague was everything I ever dreamed a Christmas market could be, and though I see the value in visiting during other parts of the year, I’m already trying to figure out how to make annual December trips part of my life plan for the next few decades!

24 HOURS IN BRUGES

November 19, 2017July 21, 2020

Before leaving for Belgium I heard over and over again that Brussels wasn’t worth visiting and Bruges is where we should have planned to spend most of our time. It’s the Venice of the north, they say. It’s like a fairytale. And as Venice is one of my favorite cities in the world, and the two fairytale like place I’ve visited have forever charmed me, it was hard not to have some regrets that we’d only planned a day trip.

However, I have to say I am pleased it worked out as it did. We went on a random weekend in January and Bruges was so full of tourists it almost felt like a resort. Brussels was big and exciting, and was meant to be international. Bruges was gorgeous but felt set up mainly for tourism and a day trip with the following itinerary was the perfect amount of time to see and do everything we wanted. I’m sure long term you could get off the tourist track and see the local side, but I don’t think adding a day or two would have accomplished that.

If you’re traveling by train from Brussels, note that there are stops at multiple stations in the city, so you can find the most convenient one based on where you’re staying. ALSO please note that a relatively direct train will take you about 90 minutes, and the others will take MUCH LONGER and move at what one might describe as the pace of a snail. We are obviously smart people who planned to take the fast track there… back however, we just got on the next available train. It was a mistake, but I read nearly an entire book during the never-ending journey, so at least there’s a bright side.

Upon arrival, you can follow the hordes of people to the city center. I was not expecting Bruges to be so touristy, but I swear for every local person I saw, there were ten tourists. For breakfast, we went to Marie’s House, because we heard they had good waffles. With the caveat that we weren’t able to try their signature dish, I have to say I wouldn’t recommend them. First, they don’t start serving waffles until 2:00, so you have to time it right (aka waffles aren’t breakfast for anyone in the world but Americans), but also, a bottle of ketchup randomly exploded all over us and the staff saw it all happen and did not react. They didn’t give us anything to clean it up without us having to ask, or try to replace the food or drinks that were covered in ketchup. It was all just a bit meh. Instead, you should try Books and Brunch, which sounds incredible and about which I’ve only heard good things (though be sure to have a reservation).

From there head to Markt, the main town square. Markt is gorgeous. Take some pictures of the buildings, check out the horse drawn carriages, and maybe stop into some of the bookstores. They all have an English section, and the books range from popular current fiction and non-fiction, to books about the local city, which I love.

After getting your fill of Markt, head over to Rozenhoedkaai, which is the most photographed place in Bruges. It reminded me a bit of “The Most Photographed Barn in America” from White Noise, but it was incredibly gorgeous, so again, justified.

From there, if you’re interested in getting off the beaten track and a fellow book lover, you can head to In Den Eenhoorn, which is just outside of the main part of town. I loved this walk because it felt much less touristy and a bit more like the Bruges locals see. The bookstore is huge and has books in so many different languages. We picked some up in Spanish to challenge ourselves.

There are so many cool museums, like the Torture Museum, a Dali exhibition, and the Frietmuseum which is the history of frites! After checking out some of the collections, wander a bit and take in more of the gorgeous surroundings, and if you need a break find a coffee shop to get a snack, waffle, or some tea.

Of course, you can’t forget the beer. Go to Duvelorium Grand Beer Cafe, if you have time wait for a table by the window, and enjoy your pint with a perfect view of Markt Square.

One of the chocolatiers we stopped into had a huge box (17 pieces) for a flat rate of 6.50 euros. We asked if we could fill it with less than 17 pieces, trying to exercise some form of self control, and the woman looked at us incredulously–she couldn’t begin to understand why would we ever WANT to do that. That is my kind of place.

Plan your 24 hours in Bruges well, i.e. do not take the next train but the fastest train, and you’ll leave happy you went but also feeling like you’ve seen everything you needed to see.

24 HOURS IN BRUSSELS

November 13, 2017July 21, 2020

I was not excited or mentally prepared for this trip. It was January 20th and since Thanksgiving, I’d either been traveling or hosting straight through, and even without those factors the weekend’s schedule was daunting. We were traveling/sleeping in buses or airports both Thursday and Saturday night, and only had accommodation booked for Friday. My outlook was more defeated exhaustion than one of energetic excitement. Add in that I had not heard the best things about Brussels, and those 30 euro return tickets started to feel like more trouble than they were worth.

But! I was so wrong! Belgium was amazing. I had heard Brussels was pretty boring but Bruges would be like a fairytale, and while the latter was correct, I loved Brussels! The international vibe, the gorgeous architecture, the super nice people, the bilingual population, and also THE FOOD. So much chocolate. So many frites. And the waffles. Man, those waffles. Brussels is a chocolate and beer lovers heaven on earth.

Also we were there during Trump’s inauguration. There were trilingual protests and a fantastic women’s drumming band from Spain.

We only had a day to spend in this amazing city, and while knowing what I know now I wish I had planned more time there, I think we had a good itinerary for the time we had. Check out my itinerary for 24 hours in Brussels below.

Itinerary

First thing in the morning, head towards Grand Place. We took some pictures of the amazing square, and at this time of day the sun is out and makes the gold buildings shine in such an incredible way. It’s also central to everywhere else you’ll want to go.

From there walk just around the corner to Maison Dandoy, which is SUPER cute and delicious. It has an upstairs that feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room, and it is a great place for your first waffle experience.

And as delicious as those waffles are, one isn’t nearly enough, but that’s perfect because it leaves room for Fritland, which is AMAZING. Man do they give you an insane amount of insanely delicious frites. Not going to lie, I ate an entire order all on my own. And it was so worth it. Fritland is again, just around the corner.

After that you can wander around the area a bit heading towards Au Bon Vieux Temps, which is the oldest bar in Brussels, open for over 300 years. On the way, check out some chocolate shops, because that chocolate is amazing. The bar really actually looked like an old bar, and you could feel the history. That said, they were playing 80s pop pretty loudly, so the ambience was a bit compromised, haha. Here we took a little break, had some delicious beer, and discussed how surprised we were with how much we like the city. Maybe our expectations were really low, but we were all really enchanted.

Then you have time to wander through Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, which was gorgeous but pretty expensive. My camera died, but the window displays were incredibly creative and artistic, well worth the trip. There is also a bookstore that I really wanted to check out, but we didn’t have time to stop in. If you like books, I’d check out both that and Muntpunt, a library and information center, as it is one of the coolest and most unique libraries I’ve been to.

From there, you’re right next to street full of restaurants, but most have people out front trying to force you inside. I don’t trust/like this method, and we ended up going to Chez Leon which didn’t have anyone peddling out front. I highly recommend it! The place looked small but was actually huge, made up of about 10 different cozy rooms connected by maze like hallways. The food was delicious and there was a wide variety of prices on the menu. We got the mussels, which were incredible. If you go, get the mussels.

If you feel like an after dinner walk, Grand Place is beautiful lit up at night, and well worth the quick stroll.

After that we headed back to our hostel, Meininger Hotel, which I also recommend. The common areas were really lively, there was a bar, a kitchen, and our rooms were comfortable and well designed (each bed had a plug and a personal light). At $25 a night in the city center, it’s fairly priced, and they also let us hang in the common room until 4 am on our last night, even though we hadn’t booked a room. We had an early night partly because we hadn’t slept at all the night before, but also because we were waking up early the next day to go to Bruges!

Like I said, I hadn’t expected much from Brussels, and while I do think we got a great feel for the city and saw the most important parts, looking back I would have planned to stay longer. I wanted to check out the flea market and the EU Parliament. Guess it’s just another city I’ll have no choice but to return to!

(feature photo source)

Updates

October 27, 2017July 21, 2020

Well hello there, it’s been a while, no?

After such a long absence I think it’s best to start with an update. I’ve moved to London. I’ve started a full time job working at an international NGO that deals with sexual and reproductive health in the developing world. And I got another kitten.

It hasn’t been an easy few months. Gareth’s mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer in early June and she passed away just a few weeks later. I moved to the UK on June 8th to help Gareth, and other than a quick trip back to Spain to get Brady, my time in Spain has ended.

While London feels familiar, and like the closest thing I’ll get to home while not living in America, I do miss Logrono like crazy, and often find myself imagining I’m back there, walking the familiar streets, easily speaking in Spanish, and eating iberico jamon.

That said, my move was made all the easier because I was in the happy position of finding a job unexpectedly easily, which meant I needed to get my Italian ID card quite urgently. I came home from my first interview with the realization that things could move quickly, whether for that job or another, and getting my proof of right to work was quite urgent. I booked tickets and was on a flight to Pisa the next morning.

Because I bought the tickets so last minute, I had to go with the cheapest options available—which meant I would be spending 5 days around Pisa—which just happened to be close enough for a trip to Cinque Terre, a place I had been longing to visit for years. I planned for a night in Pisa, a day in Vernasca, getting my ID card, and then three days in Cinque Terre. It was a whirlwind trip and definitely one of my all time favorites.

On my way to the airport to fly out, I was told I’d gotten a second interview, and upon my return was hired for the job. Job hunting is one of the most stressful times in life, and I’m so happy to have mostly missed out on it this time around.

Right now I’m trying to focus on making London home. I’ve signed up for Spanish lessons, and found a Pilates class right by my work. I’m also starting to book some trips, which I’m very much looking forward to. I’m leaving for Norway in about a week, and think I’ll try to fit in Sweden, Estonia, and maybe Latvia before flying home to Boston for Christmas.