I still, two weeks after leaving for Belgium, cannot believe that this trip happened. I can now say I am a well-traveled woman, and I saw so many beautiful things. Along with including a wrap-up of these three cities, I wanted to also point out some of my favorite parts of each, both for my own memory and in case you ever get the chance to visit! BRUSSELS Brussels was very, very cute. After only one night, it felt cozy and welcoming. My group ended up coming to the city on the last night of their winter lights festival, so we got to walk around and look at some really beautiful light displays. We got some yummy churros from a food truck, and even though I got corrected on my French accent after I ordered, I did say the correct thing! Favorites: Food: The waffles. Without a doubt. They were the best three euros I spent the whole week, and we got three which I still do not regret at all. You also have to get chocolate from one of the many shops in the Grand Place, and frites from Cafe Georgette! Exploring: The comic book memorabilia. We walked around the whole city, and it had a very urban, artsy vibe, which included showcasing a lot of comic books and cartoons! Stop at any given street corner, and you'd likely see a mural or two. Site: The Atomium. Not gonna lie, I was not super excited for this. But it was totally worth it. This massive structure was built for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair and from the top, you can see the whole of the city. It's got a lot of cool history inside and going up the escalator felt like being inside Spaceship Earth. (We are HERE for anything that makes us feel like we are at Disney World.) PARIS WOW OKAY Y'ALL I have dreamed about Paris my whole life, and I never actually realized I would be able to go until I was, I don't know, on the way there. It was just as beautiful and chic as I had hoped, and it was romantic in every sense of the word. She is my new favorite city. (side bar: I'm reading my journal entries to type the details of this post, and my Paris one has so many run-on sentences because of how excited I was!) Favorites: Food: I had so. much. bread. I think I had a stomach ache for three days and literally gained 7 pounds, but we don't need to talk about that. We found a cute little bakery to get our breakfasts from, and our apartment was directly above a bakery as well, which meant that we could smell fresh bread through the window! I also had lots of cheese, including some delicious honey and brie as my dinner the last day (far right photo). This dinner, as well as our first one, were my favorite Paris experiences, because here we were, casually eating, and a restaurant down the road began playing live music. It was so peaceful. (At the first dinner that I mentioned, the pianist played La Vie en Rose and it was beautiful.) We stayed in Montmarte, near Sacré-Cœur, and I definitely recommend any restaurants around this area! Exploring: We walked so much. I think we racked up 11 miles in one day (but we also chose the Eiffel Tower's stairs instead of the elevator to the third level. I have still not recovered.) While the Champs-Élysées, the Arc, and the Tower are all musts, I loved Montmarte. We found so many shops and bookstores and cafes. It was so artsy and Parisian! I bought a cute beanie from a Parisian start up called The Paris Collective (of course I'd find a local business my first day in Paris) and a beautiful card from a bookstore that I'm going to frame! -- I would also like to take this time to point out that I ended up buying said card without speaking English, and that multiple waiters who took my order thought I was Parisian. What an accomplishment. -- Site: We watched the sunrise at Sacré-Cœur, which was perhaps our best idea. I also used this time to eat my last two macarons to fully savor being in Paris before we had to go! Of course, Parisian sunrises are the palest shade of pink. MADRID I'm not gonna lie. The first afternoon/evening in Madrid was #rough. One, I was very ready to get back to England by this point. I am a homebody so I was exhausted by day 5 of our trip, and we had already spent a ton of money. Two, I haven't learned a word of Spanish since fifth grade, so I was the tiniest bit panicked. But it didn't take long for Madrid to grow on me, and to give me some freckles and a pink nose! (As you can see from the photos, everything about this city, including the colors, was very warm. It was giving me such summer fever!!) This was a beautiful place that I definitely recommend going to if you get the chance. Favorites: Food: While Paris had lovely pastries and Brussels had those heavenly waffles, Madrid had them beat for Best Meals. Everything we ate (Paella, avocado toast, tapas) was so fresh and so filling. I loved how, even though we were eating dishes I had eaten before (churros, enchiladas, etc.) they were so different than their Mexican counterparts! You HAVE to go the Pum Pum Cafe if you're ever in Madrid (middle photo). Our host recommended it to us and it was the best brunch I have had in years. Exploring: The Plaza Mayor, and what surrounded it, was my favorite part! So many fun shops and good eats, including the San Miguel Market, which has lots of small dishes to pick and choose from. We also looked inside a bunch of cathedrals, and honestly, they were the prettiest churches I have ever seen in my entire life. So colorful and detailed, you can really tell how much effort and love was put into their design. Site: The royal palace. It was AMAZING and so COLORFUL! We got a free tour thanks to one of our friends, but I gladly would have paid to go inside. My other favorite was the Crystal Palace, which was a structure just made of glass. The design of this country is unparalleled, and everything blew me away. Where are your dream travel destinations? Or better yet, where's your favorite place you've ever been?!
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AuthorI am a September baby, which may be the root of my love for fall. I love dark chocolate, popcorn, and I do actually like brussel sprouts. I'm the kind of person that listens to a Christmas song in September. (But only one. I don't want to ruin the ~magic~). Archives
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