Hi there, followers of Sam! I'm Valerie, and I normally blog at Threads and Thoughts and Things I Love about sewing, life, and things I take pictures of.
Since Sam is currently studying abroad in the absolutely gorgeous country of Australia, I thought I would share a few of my own experiences studying abroad - in England! I had the good fortune to be able to travel almost every weekend of the semester I was there and visited six different countries. From what I know of Europe (though I can't wait to go back and find out more!), here are my personal top five places to go/things to do if you ever travel across the pond:
1. Take a bike tour of Barcelona - Our tour was an entire afternoon and covered basically the entire city by bike. Our guide was informative, funny, and spoke English (whew!) and he gave us the history on sites all around the city. Plus, bikes are fun!
2. Wander around the Louvre in Paris - Obviously the most famous art museum in the world, the Louvre certainly does not disappoint. It is quite inspiring to be surrounded by so much beauty, creativity, and innovation. Spend an entire day!
3. Climb the Duomo in Florence - I think there were something like 455 steps to get to the top, but the journey was completely worth it to see the views of the city and be standing right beneath this church's elaborately painted dome.
4. Gaze at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland - I'll just let these pictures speak for themselves...(breathtaking, right?!)
5. Punting on the Cam River in Cambridge - A classic British pleasure activity, I would recommend dishing out the dough to have someone punt you around...it was much, much harder than it looked. As you punt down the Cam, you pass through the heart of Cambridge University - a lovely, inspiring campus.
Also, my top three things not to do:1. Drink the water in Bath. It seems like a good idea, but just trust me that it does not. taste. good.
2. Wear orange pants. For some reason, everyone in Florence did, and it was just kind of freaky.
3. Take pictures of Michelangelo's David. It's not allowed. Okay, just kidding, try to sneak one anyway! (Don't I look thrilled?)
My fellow travelers: what are some of your top, not-to-be-missed travel experiences? What's the farthest you've ever traveled from home? Where is your favorite destination in our 50 states?
I know we all can't wait until Sam returns to the U.S. of A. and can provide us with her own list of all her favorite things about Australia!
5 comments:
val - your punting skills looked superb. i would like to do all these things! go back to europe with me?
Val, I definitely wouldn't miss Vatican City for ANYTHING!
Yay for Valerie being your guest post-er for the day! I can't wait to see who is tomorrow and Thursday!
Love this! I am jealous of you both for the places you have visited *sigh*- one day!
these pictures are beyond beautiful. super excited i found your blog. I'm a new follower, I hope you will as well. I started my blog 2 months ago. It's all about celebrity fashion from the point of view of an LA stylist. I moved to cali last year after graduating back in the south and I can't get enough of your blog. Would love if you could stop by to see multiple post a day on all the latest celebrity fashion news. Would love your support. xoxo
www.fashboulevard.blogspot.com
I feel like bike tours, although incredibly touristy, are definitely the best way to see the city! I did an amazing one in Berlin! Great post Val- I love your suggestions!
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