The Romance of Venice

Today we venture into Venice, Italy. Venice is an amazingly romantic city with beautiful scenery and jovial people. The sun glistens off the water just right and the sound of water softly breaking against the buildings is perfect. Last time Robbie and I were in Venice we celebrated our third wedding anniversary (talk about spoiled) and totally splurged on a meal right along the canal. To be honest, we don't remember the meal being that great, but the atmosphere was incredible. Here is an excerpt from our last trip to Venezia...

Day 9 - July 9, 2009
I love Venice from the water; it is such a beautiful place. I love watching the sun glisten on the surface of the water. It seems so whimsical and romantic. I love the smell of the water and the breeze on my face. I am going to miss this. 

This time around, we probably won't eat right on the water, unless we pack a picnic. We'd rather spend our money on an amazing meal and enjoy the environment by walking along the water. I'm so excited to snap pictures of the colorful houses and live like a local.

Do you have any recommendations for Venice? Any tourist traps to avoid?
(Photos from the Airbnb accommodations we will be using during our stay)

Friday the 13th!

It's Friday the 13th! I know I've mentioned it before, but I just love when these days come around (bonus: it's the second one this year). I'm excited to see how a different culture embraces the day. Are Austrians superstitious? Will they joke around with it? Is it celebrated as a holiday? Probably not! 

Do you have any special Friday the 13th plan? 

Happy Birthday, Ian!

Ian is one of our best friends. He is easy going, fun loving, and always ready for the next adventure. He is extremely dedicated to his friends and family and shares a vulnerability with others that is admirable. I love that he helps me to feel calm in crazy situations and is always there to laugh at my jokes (no matter how terrible they may be).

Ian, I am so excited that we get to celebrate your birthday with you. I hope you enjoy what we have planned for you (enjoying a beer on the patio of an outdoor cafe), as well as the treats your mom sent along (she's always thinking of you :).

Urban Backpacking

Here's a secret: I've never gone backpacking. I've been camping and I've walked a heck of a lot of places, but I've never been responsible for carrying all of my essentials on my back. This little fact intimidated me a bit when we decided to backpack through Europe. I was worried I wouldn't be able to handle it and that my sore muscles would slow me down (we still need to see how I'm going to do).

That's when I decided to train! I packed my backpack with weights, books, notebooks, anything that would fit to add pounds and set out on the streets of San Jose. I already walk during lunch several days a week, so throwing my backpack on was super easy. I was surprised by how many stares I've gotten from people who look utterly confused, and I'm pretty sure someone thought I was homeless when I was walking Zoey around my neighborhood. Even though people were acting like they've never seen a backpack before, I don't care! It's funny to see their reactions and I enjoy extending vacation prep into multiple areas of life. I want to make it last as long as possible, so a few jokes about how I look isn't going to stop me!

Well, Hello Prague!

After spending too little time in Berlin (I feel like this is going to be a common theme: not enough time in these amazing cities), we've made our way to Prague. Rick Steves describes it as "the best Art Nuevo in Europe". It is a bustling city that consists of four towns: Castle Town (where the King lived), Little Town (where the nobles lived), Old Town (with the historical market), and New Town (which now holds the main market). I would like to take a New Prague Tour as soon as possible, so that we can get a feel of the city from a local guide. Based on my research, here are some of the highlights I would like to make sure we check out:

• The Jewish Quarter: it is the oldest Jewish community in Eastern Europe, which was completed segregated/ walled off until 100 years ago
• Castle Town: Full of castle, cathedrals, and offices; the president still rules from here
• Charles Bridge: a lovely stroll that connects Castle Town to Old Town

Have you been to Prague? What must-see recommendations? 
(Photos from the Airbnb accommodations we will be using during our stay)

Guten Tag, Berlin

Tonight we depart from Malmo and take an overnight train to Berlin. Berlin is the city that I know the least about. Robbie has been the most excited about visiting Berlin, so  I left the researching up to him. I'm not totally sure what to expect from the people to food to weather. I have always wanted to visit a beer garden, and I definitely want to see the world's largest mural on what remains of the Berlin Wall. Other than that, I'm open!

Do you have any recommendations on Berlin? Anything that I have to see in the next couple of days?
(Photos of the Airbnb accommodations we will be using during our stay)

Dishcrawl San Jose

Last Wednesday my good friend, Sarah, and I attended the vegetarian Dishcrawl in Downtown San Jose. Dishcrawl is similar to a pub crawl, except it focuses on food instead of alcohol. We met at a starting location and began the testing right away! Food is such a great equalizer and ice breaker. Sarah and I didn't know anyone else before the event, but were able to make strike up conversations easily.

From here, we walked to three more establishments. Each offering different textures and flavors, while all focusing on vegetarianism. My favorite stop of the night was with SV Local Market (#2). SV Local Market isn't a formal establishment, rather it's an online Farmer's Market. Paige (the owner) created SV Local Market to bridge a gap between CSA's and the people who feel overwhelmed by them. For dinner, she presented an entire meal created with local ingredients; cheese from local goats, honey from a local bee keeper, and fruity beverages from local trees.

Overall, it was a GREAT night; Sarah and I loved it. It was so fun to walk around downtown and try places we'd never been before.

Locations included: Good Karma / SV Local Market / Fahrenheit / Whipps

Happy Birthday, Grandma + America!

My grandmother is one of the sweetest people I know. She has a deep love for her family and her faith. She has taught her children and grandchildren to work hard and appreciate the gifts we are given. She has been such an amazing example of love for my family and I am so thankful that I have been able to have her be a part of my life.

Gmama - I hope you enjoy your day. Surround yourself with love and know that the beautiful fireworks displays are all for you! 

We've Made It to Malmo!

Hello friends! After a LONG travel day, Robbie and I have made it to Malmo, Sweden (it's after 7pm, local time)! We actually flew into Copenhagen, Denmark because it is a much larger airport and it is only a 15 minute train ride to Malmo. We met up with our friend Ian at the airport, and are all navigating the train system together. Ali and Elijah will be picking us up at the station in Malmo and taking us back to her parents house.

Ali and Elijah have been to Malmo before, so they're excited to show us around. They already have a few favorite spots in mind, so we will be able to get a jump-start on exploring. I'm hoping to get a good nights sleep tonight, so that I can beat jet lag from the start (fingers crossed). I'm not sure what our plan is for tomorrow though; we'll probably walk around, take in some sites, and eat delicious food. Oh man, I can't believe we're already here!!!

Have you been to Malmo before? Any must "sees" I need to know about?

Goodbye Friends!

Today Robbie and I are boarding a plane headed for Europe (yikes)! I can't believe the trip is already here; I've been anticipating this day for months! I'll be posting as we arrive to our next destinations so that you can keep up with our itinerary (plus, it'll help the moms know where we are :).

Since the idea of creating four weeks of posts was super intimidating, I've decided to re-post some of my favorite posts. You many not have seen them before, so be sure to check in regularly.

Ciao!

p.s. There are probably going to be a LOT of exclamation points in my updates. Please know that I am very excited about this trip, so these are genuine. :)