For a fun game - go to this link! Name as many countries as you can in 12 minutes time!
http://www.jetpunk.com/quizzes/how-many-countries-can-you-name.php
Let's recap: I went to Spain, Morocco, Portugal, and Ireland! Earlier this year I was in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia! That's 7 countires and 3 continents in 6 months......I have a problem.....
The hardest question people ask me (after "Are you crazy?") is "What was your favorite part?" I can never pinpoint one moment exactly. I love traveling and being able to see all the things first hand that I've only seen in photos or on TV. I love the rush of being somewhere completely foreign and needing to use your wits to figure out where you need to be and how to get there. I love trying new food, new clothes, new languages! My favorite part is knowing how fortunate I am to experience all of the wonderful things in the world! This trip was no different. Let us begin the onslaught of photos (cause that's why you're here anyways!). This is only a TINY selection of what I took. The sample platter. For all 1,300, come on over!
SPAIN
So much sangria!!!
BARCELONA
- Home of Antoni Gaudi and all of his whimsical designs
Gaudi's 'House of Bones'
Here I am in Park Guell - also designed by Gaudi
Park Guell
Park Guell
The beautiful and infamous Sagrada Familia (Still under construction after 150 years!)
Hungry - why wait?
Maybe just stick with the vending machine food options.....
VALENCIA
-One of my favorite cities. So much old European charm
This is a Spanish tradition. Hold the sangria at arms length and pour it in your mouth! I had to through that shirt away...
One of many cathedrals visited. This one boasts having the "Holy Grail'!
A famous Valencia drink: Horchata. Kinda tasted like potatos
Valencia is also known for it's oranges.
Gate to the city
Here's that Holy Grail! I totally crashed a service to try to get a photo. Damn tourists...
The amazingly gorgeous science museum.
Meanwhile, inside the museum....
Seriously, why don't our museums look like this?
GRANADA
It rained :(
Lots of moorish/arabic influences being so near to Africa.
Street spices
The chapel where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella are buried
See! (One of many "illegal" photos I took. Like hell I flew that far to be told I can't take a picture!)
Confessing that I am misbehaving in cathedrals.
Up in the old gypsy village of Sacramonte
The view from Sacramonte: La Alhambra in the background. It's one of the oldest and most well preserved moorish palaces around. See the following photos below for a glimpse inside!
A tie with Valencia to be the favorite Spanish city
Home of the Seville Cathedral which houses the remains of Christopher Columbus.
Here he is! Chris C. himself!
We're homies now. He totally promised to name the next continent he discovers after me.
Doing inappropriate things in cathedrals kinda became a theme.
Plaza del Toro. Bullfighting is still legal in Southern Spain
Me and the ring
Plaza de Espana: Part of the new Star Wars movie was filmed here
See a fountain- get in the fountain
Pretty!
Working the streets.
Getting my grocery on
Random wedding party. I'm pretty sure they can wear those bridesmaids dresses again.
Waiting for a flamenco show to begin with a new friend, Bronwyn. She looks much more put together than me. I tend to air towards the "I'm travelling, what you see is what you get" approach.
SALAMANCA
Small city! Only a quite pit stop on my huge trip.
Seashells covering a side of a building. Yeah, cause that's timeless...
City center- Plaza Mayor
Guess what? It's a cathedral
During restorations, some smart ass decided to put an astronaut in the cathedrals design. He's my new hero.
MADRID
The capitol and one of the top 3 cities in Europe for pickpocketing. Awww yeah!
This photo won't upload the right way! Ugh. Here I am outside the oldest chocolate store in Spain
And enjoying my churros and chocolate inside
Lots of hookers in Madrid! You know who they are because they stand by the trees just like this (except in heels and mini skirts!)
NYC has the statue of liberty, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Madird has......a bear eating a tree. Really, this is their icon.
Me and Meg! We got to travel together for half the month
Madrid's royal palace
Madrid's Plaza Mayor
Street preformer. Still not sure how this one works...
Temple of Debod. A gift from Egypt
My hostel situation wasn't always nice, but this one had indoor swings!
Got my art snob on and visited this famous gallery
And what's a visit without breaking the rules?
I don't understand art....
Something I recognize - Salvador Dali
Guernica- Picasso. This is the most famous painting at the Reina! It has multiple guards who yell at you.
SEGOVIA
Another small pit stop!
Home of some well preserved Roman aquaducts over 2000 years old!
Getting my princess on in front of the castle that inspired the castle for Disney's Cinderella
I need more friends for this to be efficient.
Valley of the Fallen right outside Segovia. To honor those who lost their lives during the Spanish civil war
Lovely views from the hilltop
More sneaky photos inside (Silly security thinks they can stop me!)
SAN SEBASTIAN
Cute seaside town with a crazy nightlife
They had a giant Jesus statue. Calls for a 'Jesus and Me' selfie.
Gelato in the streets!
Gotta try some seafood! Squid in it's own ink!
Spanish food is delish! This is like a small tapas buffet. Grab what you want at the bar!
Enjoying a night out with my friend Elle! We witnessed cops arrest a drunkie and a troop of old folks take down a pickpocketer!
:)
ZARAGOZA
Zaragoza has this pretty cathedral (Our Lady of the Pillar) that has this funny little doll of the Virgin Mary that they will dress up.
Illegal photo again (apprently the Mary doll is off to the right in this picture. I didn't know that when I was taking it.
Here she is. Yup. That little wooden thing on top of the lampshade looking thing. People flock to see this!
I don't understand Catholicism.....
I understand ferris wheels
Ok..it's not just catholicism I don't understand
PORTUGAL
Pretty and understated. Like if Spain had a little sister she was totally jealous of.
LISBON
Another cathedral!? It's been like 2 whole hours since I last saw one of those!
Lots of people out enjoying the beautiful ocean
They used to have a lot of tram systems. Not so much anymore
Taking time out to practice those trick riding skills!
So Lisbon had a lot of things like looked like other places. Mini Notre Dame, much?
Huh, I didn't know I went to Rio, Brazil... (First: Lisbon. Second: Rio)
Still a beautiful city though
Even with the suggestive fountain
Tons of awesome artwork on old abandoned buildings.
PORTO
Porto...porto.....port.....port wine!
Yum...wine
I took a tour of this port winery: Taylor's Port
This bridge was built by Mr. Eiffel himself (before his tower fame)
I climbed this tower! Because you can never have too many stairs to climb in Europe.
View from the top!
Lots of buildings were adorned with this lovely blue tile artwork
Adorable church (not a cathedral!)
In case you were worried. Here's the cathedral
Cathedral selfies!
More cathedral shenanigans
SINTRA
Crazy adorable city with the most colorful palace! I wasn't here nearly long enough (I almost missed the bus in fact!)
Damn, it must be good to be royal.
Let's be honest, even with this kitchen I wouldn't cook.
MOROCCO
First time in Africa! It was incredible. I don't recommend it for your first 3rd world country experience, but definitely a must if you're accustomed to the crowds, smell, filth, and chaos that normally accompanies underdeveloped nation's cities. Plus - being a ginger white girl in an arabic community will draw attention.
FES
Once you get passed the chaos - it feels like you're in Aladdin!
Don't eat this. Your bowels will thank you.
Cruisin' the maze of the medina (market)
Overview of the city
Royal palace doors
Wool market
Mode of transport
The city tannery. It smelled SOOOO bad, but it as neat to see everyone dying leather.
In a medina shop
Smile with your eyes!
VOLUBILIS
An old city of roman ruins near Fes
Every roman city had a brothel. Might as well make giant stone penises so the city patrons know where it's at.
Neat old mosque
The worst part about Africa was leaving. Anytime the bus slowed or stopped on the way to catch the ferry, a swarm of children and teens would run to the bus in order to climb underneath into the piping and possibly escape to Spain. 14 kids were removed from under the bus I was on.
IRELAND
Let's move on to something happier- booze!
Dublin
This was the first pub us weary travellers stopped in after our flight. Wonderful decision! Full of crazy singing Irish and our own addition of playing WHAM! on the jukebox.
Eeek! See - I told you we look weary! 3am departures to the airport will get you like that. No one said budget travel was pretty, but it sure is fun!
Notorious Temple Bar
Dublin Castle
Over priced luxury from home. About $6.75 USD
Me with Oscar Wilde
Outside the Jameson tour (which we took at 10am!)
We were 2 of the few selected for extra tastings :)
My whiskey sampler
Naturally, right after the Jameson tour, we went to Guinness.
Learning to pour my own pint
Enjoying our drinks on Guinness' 7th floor Gravity Bar
CASHEL, CORK, and the BLARNEY CASTLE
Old cross inside the Rock of Cashel
Rock of Cashel
My people!
Blarney Castle
Pucker up! (and please don't drop me!)
Narrow staircase to get to the glorified kissing booth
It was a wonderful trip! The end was spent in Colorado with my mom and brother before finally heading home. I'm still adjusting that sleep schedule and getting my life back in order - but a month off was so.
totally.
it.
Let the 2014 travel plans commence!
