One word to sum up a 3 week Spring Break through Italy, Switzerland, Paris and London= Epic! I knew coming into it, that this vacation would be incredible, but it was almost surreal to actually see all of these amazing places. It is hard for me to even begin to sum up what I did on this trip so I will try to talk about my favorite experiences.
Here are a couple of my favorite journal entries that I wrote over the trip; Enjoy!
(We first flew into Pisa and stayed in a hostel for 3 nights- continually taking day trips from there)
Day 3- April 15: The Cinque Terre, Italy
I had been looking forward to this day trip since the first time I saw a picture of it. It was surreal when the day finally came when we would actually see it!...... That is, until we saw the weather forecast of rain and a temperature of 55. It was hard at first to keep an open mind and optimistic attitude when I was forced to carry an umbrella.
BUT, God always provides. He provided us with sun- which only became more and more apparent as the day went on:
Our 1st stop: Riomaggiore (one of my favorites)
This was the first of five small villages which make up the Cinque Terre. There were absolutely gorgeous views of the town
Our 2nd stop: Manarola
We didn't stay here long but the sun came out and we were able to take some nice pictures
Our 3rd stop: Monterosso
This is where we gout our first round of gelato and ate it on a beach, with views of the Mediterranean and gorgeous mountains. I had a couple of fabulous moments here-
1. Standing in the Mediterranean Sea, letting the waves slowly roll over my toes, watching my friends laughing while searching for rocks to take home. Feeling so small in between the mountains and the sea- letting God's peace and power wash over me like the waves.
2. Laying in the sun on the beach! Letting the warmth soak my skin while listening to those familiar sounds of water crashing onto the shore. I even took a short nap after eating gelato on the beach-- some of my favorite things:)
So, all in all, amazing moments at Manarola.
Our 4th and final stop (we decided to skip the town of Corneglia due to time restraints) was Vernazza!
We spent out time here sitting on a jetty, listening to the church bells play a familiar hymn, getting dinner where I once again butchered the Italian name for my pizza and eating more gelato of course (*you will find a theme of eating gelato in Italy.... we may have had a problem).
It truly was a spectacular day that I will never forget. I hope to come back again someday.
overlooking the beautiful city of Manarola
Vernazza
First steps in the Mediterranean
Day 5- April 17: Venezia (Venice!)
Today, we got dressed up and took a day trip to the beautiful city of Venice! The day started out a bit rocky with us thinking we might be stranded in Venice for the night because the two trains going back to Florence were full (we were staying in a hostel in Florence)- Oh and I should add that we received this news after standing in a massive line for about an hour because the workers were on strike. All 5 of us were about to burst into tears at the thought of being stranded in Venice, but then we asked the worker what other options we had and he told us that there were seats available in first class for 60 euros..... when we had a Eurail pass that should have made 2nd class tickets free..... So rather than being stranded, we begrudgingly gave away 60 euro for first class. Once that ordeal was over, we decided to make the best of it, and of course, I already found it slightly humorous once out of the station. The day turned around quickly with the warm sun shining brightly overhead, the gorgeous canals surround by quintessential Italian buildings, and my beautiful friends.
We found the sutnning Saint Marco and the Rialto Bridge overlooking the Grand Canal. Finding all of these landmarks were not an easy task in Venice due to the winding alley ways which make up the city- consequently, a ton of walking was involved!
I absolutely loved Venice! I loved walking through the small shops, watching the gondolas go by, eating gelato and exploring the city.
And on the plus side, there actually were perks to our first ever first class experience:
- tilty chairs (which is what we paid for according to Karyn)
- a tiny glass of extremely cheap wine
- 2 stale biscuits (cookies)
- a built in pillow in the seat
- and, to finish, one cherry gummy
You know, this being my first "first class experience", I imagined what it would be like. I always thought first class would be a bit more impressive, like with a parade.... or acrobats.... or gelato..... maybe firebreathers..... I don't know, just thoughts.
Piazza San Marco
classic gondolas.
Day 6- April 18: Firenze (2nd day in Florence)
We named this day, Epic Monday.
WE started the day with a "free" breakfast at the hostel, and were then super relieved that we were able to buy our train tickets for Interlaken the next day (after the scare we had in Venice, train tickets were nerve racking). Once we were relaxed, we set off an an unfamiliar stroll's pace to see the Duomo (which is actually more impressive from the outside. I guess we have been spoiled by those Anglo-Saxons in England). Then we set off to the market for some souvenir shopping and cannolis. We came back to our hostel to rest for a couple minutes in order to store up some more energy for the rest of the big day planned. The next stop was to Michaelangelo's Piazza for a gorgeous view of the city. Then after a lot of unnecessary walking we ended up eating dinner in fron of the "Dead People's Church" (this isn't actually its name, but we called it that because it had a lot of famous people buried there, like Galileo and Michaelangelo). At this restaurant, we were given a baby-portion of pasta. *Note to self, always get pizza in Italy because they are actually worth the money* We ended up paying 9 euro and we were still super hungry afterwards. It also didn't help that we were all exhausted from walking.
We tried to pull ourselves together before setting out for our LAST GELATO RUN. We all chose waffle-cones for our last gelato. We were pretty bummed after we were done- especially after not eating any lunch and having such a small dinner.... so we decided to go back to the same gelato place for seconds, just like fat kids! And it was not a mistake- we couldn't stop laughing, such a good memory.
We ended "Epic Monday" back on Michaelangelo's Piazza with a breathtaking view of the city at night; drinking wine and laughing. A perfect way to end my fabulous stay in Italia.
Michaelangelo's Piazza
Last gelato run:(
Best Italian dinner
The whole Spring Break group! Love these girls
*photo credit to Brittany- I just LOVE her night pics
Days 7 & 8- April 19-20: Interlaken, Switzerland
The scenery in Interlaken was absolutely spectacular! We were surrounded by the Swiss Alps and once at Interlaken, a lake as well.
Apart from the magnificent beauty surrounding us, we also noticed Interlaken's outrageous prices!! A normal meal at McDonald's cost around $18- no joke! We couldn't find cheap food at any restaurant. So we made the executive decision to go to the grocery store and make pasta- Good choice.
The fist day in Interlaken, we decided to walk by a canal and take tons of pictures. I also saw cows wearing bells.... classic!
Our plan for the next day was to take a tram up to the top of a nearby mountain (more like a big hill, but we decided to call it a mountain). We didn't want to hike it because we had been walking so much the past week and we didn't bring good hiking shoes.
BUT, the tram was closed for the season and was scheduled to open two days later- we would just miss it. So we decided to hike it anyways... which was definitely not a mistake!
We took frequent picture breaks so we weren't too tired and we felt so accomplished afterwards. We took lunch with us- bread and Nutellla, apples and pretzels. Once at the top, we found a playground, so naturally we were entertained for awhile.
It was an absolutely gorgeous day. I couldn't help but take in God's great majesty while looking at the mountains. Although it made me feel small, I also felt an indescribable peace in knowing that God is that powerful and yet cares for me; such a humbling thought!
we made it to the top!
Overlooking the gorgeous views of Interlaken
Day 10- April 22: Yvoire & Good Friday
Today was gorgeous! The sun was shining as we made our way across Lake Geneva to the small French town of Yvoire. The town was brimming with beautiful flowers (Stephanie Goudzwaard said it had won awards for its flowers). We decided to slowly meander through the small boutique shops. We also had sandwiches and Nutella crepes. After Yvoire, we went to a Good Friday service with the Goudzwaard family at their church. These lines kept running through my head as I meditated on Christ's sacrifice:
"Once again I look upon the cross where you died.
I'm humbled by your mercy and I'm broken inside.
Once again I thank you,
Once again I pour out my life"
The small, medieval city
Day 11- April 23: Genève (Geneva)
A Day with John Calvin!
Yes, today was the day we spent tracing John Calvin's footsteps in Geneva, where he lived for a majority of his life. We came fully prepared with various Calvin garb, ready to learn about the history of the Reformed Church!! We are such nerds, and we loved it.
We started at the famous cardboard cutout of The Man himself and went through the Reformation Museum with our audio tours. I have to say we did a good job staying focused and ended up learning a lot.
Then we saw the Reformer's Wall and played over-sized chess in a park with old men watching. We then explored the city of Geneva. We ended up watching a man get dramatically arrested while we sat and ate our lunch of baguettes, apples and chocolate.
We came back to the Goudzwaard's and enjoyed a delicious Swiss dinner of cheese fondue.
I also was able to call my dad today and wish him a Happy Birthday! It was so nice to talk with him and tell him about the adventures he helped make possible. I am so very blessed.
classic John Calvin
the man's chair
by a Swiss flower clock
taking a chess break
channeling our inner Reformers and the Reformer's Wall
Day 14- April 26: A Day in Paris
Because of another train issue, we were only able to spend about 26 hours total in Paris, so we decided to make the most of it and fit as much in as possible. We woke up at 4 am to go from Geneva to Paris. We were sad to leave the Goudzwaard's home after they had taken such good care of us!
Once in Paris, it was noon and we went straight off to walk up the Eiffel Tower. I was giddy with excitement to actually climb up the Tower because every little girl dreams of being in Paris one day and I actually was there. After taking in some spectacular views and eating french fries (it had to be done), we set off to see Notre Dame. The Cathedral was stunning inside and out (and I have seen many Cathedrals, but this was definitely a favorite). We were able to see an evensong service as well, which was also a surreal experience. After the Cathedral, we headed to the Arc de Triomphe, found a Starbucks across from the Moulin Rouge, and brought a picnic dinner to the Eiffel Tower to watch it light up at night- absolutely magical!
The next day we woke up early to go to the Louvre and I saw famous art pieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus, and Winged Victory. Then, off to London just in time for the Royal Wedding!
Paris was one of my favorite cities and I hope that I can go back one day and spend more time there. I would have loved to see Versailles, but we just ran out of time.
We met up with Kristi under the Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame
The light show!
love these girls!
Days16 & 17- April 28-29: Royal Wedding Madness
So, I wasn't planning on actually going to the Royal Wedding. The original plan was to sleep in and go watch the wedding on a big screen in Hyde Park... Well, that was the plan until Tessa and I saw how much fun people were having camping out the night before. We quickly called up our "wedding fanatic" friends, Karyn and Anna, and told them that we should camp out because we thought we found a good spot. We decided to camp out in front of Buckingham Palace so we could see the Royals come out and back in the next day. We ended up snagging a really nice spot in front of some press and right behind a huge hedge of yellow flowers. We were also slightly higher than everyone else so we had a good view of the street and balcony, and we were right in front of Al Roker so we were definitely in his shot.... Overall, the money spot.
The night was long, freezing and sleepless so we were excited to see morning come. By 8:00 the parades were starting and we eventually saw guests leaving the Palace (even the Queen!). Katherine even drove by before the ceremony so it was fun seeing her in the car with her dad. Then we waited (luckily they played the ceremony on a loud speaker so that was cool to listen to), and then the Wedding Party drove by!
Overall, despite the fact that we had been there for sooooo long, it was a great experience! It was also cool to see the Nation of Britain come together and be so excited, happy and proud of their traditions. Although it seems a bit silly to make such a huge deal about one wedding, I find it refreshing that the news could talk about something happy for once (despite the fact that it was over-talked a bit in the states). I really enjoyed witnessing this piece of British history and am grateful that we happened to be in London at the time.
from where I was "sleeping"- excited to see morning
Al Roker just doing what he does best.
The Royal couple!
Prince Harry
Kate's sister Pippa
THE QUEEN!!!!!!! I was so excited to see her!
So. many. people.
The Royal Family
The next day we were able to go to Westminster Abbey and see all the flowers from the wedding
