“What Was Your Favorite City?” And Other Superlatives!

I got quite a few questions back in the States after my three-month backpacking trip through Europe. Number one question: “What was your favorite city?” What a loaded question, but a fun one. Based on that question, I decided to put together a list of superlatives for the cities I visited on my trip. Some are quirky, some are pretty serious, all play a big part in my travels. I’ll list the contenders and then we’ll start!

In the Running (grouped by country but not in any other particular order): London, Liverpool, Bristol, Devon (Somersault Music Festival), Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, Gdansk, Gdynia (Open’er Music Festival), Poznan, Krakow, Warsaw, Vienna, Villach, Prague, Rome, Milan, Copenhagen, Berlin, Barcelona, Figueres, Madrid

Best Nightlife: 5. Dublin 4. Prague 3. Krakow 2. Warsaw 1. Berlin

Give it up for Eastern Europe! Krakow reminded me of a cheaper, less crowded Williamsburg. Warsaw had an amazing beach to party on (and Soplica. Lots of Soplica.) Berlin, however, had something for everyone. Sure, I was told to go to the craziest nightclubs for all the tourists. My lovely group of Couchsurfing friends, however, took me elsewhere (and I’m glad they did). Shout out to the music selection at the bars in Berlin….one played only Pearl Jam, the other spun Cat Stevens, The Pixies, and The Velvet Underground on vinyl.

Hippest Cities: 3. Poznan 2. Bristol 1. Berlin

Collection of Banksy street art I found in Bristol!

What can I say, in both Bristol and Berlin I went on street art tours and found a lot of vegan restaurants. From my brief visit in Poznan, I got a chill vibe from all the students that lived in the area. Bristol had a very strong passion for supporting local business, which got me very excited to move to Austin all over again. And Berlin…I mean, it’s Berlin.

Cities Where I Fell in Love with Just About Everyone on the Street: 3. Vienna 2. London 1. Copenhagen

I have no specific reasoning for choosing Vienna…maybe I was feeling extra romantic that day. In London, the accent and nostalgia definitely got me. I felt like I was in middle school again, drooling over guys who reminded me of Alex Turner and Jamie T. Copenhagen? Everyone’s beautiful in Copenhagen. Tall, blonde, perfectly groomed…I’ll stop writing before it gets weird.

Stumbling into a screening of La Boheme in Vienna

Happiest People: 3. Figueres 2. Madrid 1. Barcelona

There was something about Spain that felt so lovely. Happy families and happy couples were everywhere, and I don’t mean the kind of happy couples that you found PDA’ing in Prague. It made Spain was definitely great for people watching, especially in parks.

Best Performances: 3. Jeremy Loops (Somersault) 2. Major Lazer (Open’er) 1. Bombay Bicycle Club (Somersault)

Of course I had to add a little bit about the music I saw on my trip! The lineup at Open’er was the number one reason I voyaged to Poland, but the performances at Somersault did NOT disappoint. Maybe I’m a bit biased because I got to have a quick chat with Jeremy Loops and Motheo Moleko after their show, but if you have a chance to see them on their upcoming tour, you can judge for yourself.

Only performance that included raps, children's toys, and a freaking beautiful man from Cape Town, that's for sure.

Only performance that included rapping, children’s toys, and a freaking beautiful man from Cape Town, that’s for sure.

Top Three Songs on Repeat: 3. The Libertines – “Can’t Stand Me Now” 2. Disclosure – “Bang That” 1. George Ezra – “Barcelona”

If I had a dollar for every time I sat someone down and forced them to listen to “Barcelona”, I’d probably be able to afford another trip. George Ezra didn’t play at Open’er like The Libertines and Disclosure, but he wrote a song about one of my most anticipated cities. His album Wanted On Voyage came from a trip through Europe that he went on for creative inspiration. Sound familiar?

Questions I Got the Most As An American: 3. “Donald Trump, seriously?” 2. “What is cheese whiz?” 1. “Do you own a gun?”

Apparently only Americans spray cheese out of a can, go figure. I really have nothing else to say here, because most of the time, my response to these questions was to just bow my head and swear silently to myself. Anyway….

Most Beautiful Cities: 5. Krakow 4. Edinburgh 3. Prague 2. Tie Between Madrid and Rome 1. Barcelona

The squares in Krakow (or any city in Poland, it was a close race between Krakow and Gdansk) were absolutely stunning. Edinburgh’s old buildings and Arthur’s Seat are still calling my name. If it were a contest on the most beautiful views…there’s no question, Prague wins every time. Rome’s churches…I have no words. I never missed a sunset in El Retiro (and honestly, spent most of my time reading and writing in all of Madrid’s parks). Barcelona’s architecture, however, made this city a no-brainer for number one. Gaudi! I was inspired by every detail on every building throughout Barcelona.

View from Prague Castle

Friendliest People: 3. German 2. Latvian 1. British

Couchsurfing hosts, Angloville friends, hostel drinking buddies…you crazy kids. I miss my Brits, I can’t wait to visit soon and watch an episode or five of Take Me Out. I dearly love my Couchsurfing friends in Berlin and my Open’er buds from Riga, but the Brits take the cake. (One of Mary Berry’s finest cakes, at that.)

Best Museums: 3. Madrid 2. Berlin 1. Copenhagen

SO. MANY. MUSEUMS. As a huge fan of contemporary art, I have to give it up to these three cities. I spent whole days in the museums in Madrid and Berlin, and I spent three hours in the National Gallery of Denmark alone. In the next few weeks, I hope to post snippets of the stories that were inspired by these museums, so keep an eye on the blog…

Rihards and I selfie’ing in one of the many museums of Copenhagen

Favorite Places to Write: 3. Glasgow 2. Copenhagen 1. Edinburgh

I spent most of my writing time in parks or museums, which is why Copenhagen wins second prize. Scotland, however, took up many pages of my notebook. No surprise, because Edinburgh provided a lot of inspiration for the Harry Potter series. There’s something about the detail in all of the old buildings and the magic of the Fringe that just got me writing.

Some of Glasgow’s most famous sites include a huge botanical garden and a huge graveyard. How could I not spend some time with my notebook open?

Favorite City: 4. Krakow 3. Madrid 2. Dublin 1. A tie between Berlin and Edinburgh!

This is SUCH a hard question to answer, because honestly, I fell in love with pretty much every city I visited. I’m craving a whole summer to explore Krakow. Madrid had a little touch of everything I want in a city. I can see myself living in Dublin, and not just because I love a good Irish coffee. Berlin and Edinburgh though…there was something magical in each city. Berlin had EVERYTHING…but that everything was a bit overwhelming at times. Berlin is the perfect place to live young and crazy. Edinburgh is a little more romantic. I can see myself retiring here, studying here, or writing here. I’m not sure which yet…guess I’ll have to go back and see.

Arthur’s Seat…from the bottom and the top!

That was fun! I’ve been wanting to write this post for a long time now. Of course, when I visit more cities, my list may change! I want to hear your opinions…where would you fit in Budapest, Paris, Porto….where do you agree with me and where do you differ? Leave me comments and keep checking in for more posts! Thanks again for reading! Cheers!

Week 1: UK, Part 1!!

hey all! It’s been quite crazy the past few days (and wifi is not always around), but I figured I’d give a quick update before starting the day. I’ve been in Europe for about a week, and what a week it was. Here are some highlights:

Regent’s Park – London : Upon leaving my beautiful hostel, I knew I wanted to walk down to lush oxford street. It was quite a walk, and with no wifi, I just had to depend on the signs and maps throughout London. Thank god there are plenty of them! On the way to Oxford Street, I stumbled upon the enormous Regent’s Park. Beautiful! Seeing such a large park on such a beautiful day was the perfect welcome to London. And the St Mary’s Garden….breathtaking!!

Lush Oxford Street – London: I made it!!! After months of looking at the 250 new lush products from 1,000 miles away, I found new Lush flagship store on Oxford Street!! Bath oils, dusting powders, new perfumes…I was in heaven. This picture of me in the Stayin’ Alive (perfume room) perfectly captures how I looked throughout the entire store:

I even got my hair done! I was freaking out over the Jersey Bounce shampoo (similar to Big) and the Avocado Co-Wash (with the best smell I’ve ever smelled) and Abby offered to do my hair. It was her first hair demo….look at all that volume!!! I smelled my hair constantly for the next day. Yup, I was one of those customers….

Royal Tour – London: for the lovely price of free + donation, I got up bright and early for a tour of all the royal touristy stuff. Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square. Oddly enough, my tour guide had lived in Lancaster County for three years.

After the tour, I had a lovely lunch with two tourists from Wisconsin and then I headed off to the museums. If my most recent traveling excursions have taught me anything, it’s that I’m perfectly content museum-hopping. I went to the National Gallery and the Tate Modern museums. For me, they’re just amazing places for inspiration. I write a lot in museums, and always make sure to jot down my favorite paintings/artists for future reference.

Liverpool! – Ok, everything in Liverpool was a highlight. For one, it was my first time Couchsurfing, so that was a huge part of my trip. I stayed with a Couchsurfer named Michael and his family – the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. Avid travelers themselves, they had tons of great stories and good advice. Micheal took me around the parks in Liverpool, the bars in Liverpool, and then we did all of the touristy things. The last night I stayed, his parents made an awesome dinner and of all things, watched a bunch of throwback music videos over a bottle or two (or three) of wine. Couchsurfing is a really cool way to travel – it’s a lot more personal than hostels or hotels, and you’re constantly social. I intend to couchsurf for most of my trip, honestly. The people I’ve met so far Couchsurfing always have great stories and a similar outlook on the world. It’s an amazing community.

Natural History Museum and Hyde Park – London: As my flight to Gdansk was leaving from London, I went back for another day to finish my roaming. I saved the Natural History Museum and Hyde Park for the last day….what a finale!! I’m a huge environmental nerd, so seeing a museum with the focus of teaching us about the earth (and how we can help preserve it!!!) was wonderful. And Hyde park was gorgeous. Best statues by far!!

This was just a quick update, as I’m headed off now into Gdansk. Currently I’m staying in a Grateful Dead hostel with a bunch of Open’er goers…but more to come on that later!! I’ll be posting after my trip through Poland is over!

Lush Haul – Backpacker’s Edition!

I love Lush, and not just because I worked there for a year and some change. They’re cruelty-free, their products smell good, and I actually know what ingredients I’m putting on my skin and hair. Yesterday was my last day working, so I bought all the birthday gifts I needed for the next year and also stuff for my trip. Luckily, Lush has tons of solid products and stuff that’s super easy to travel with!! Here’s a little list of the stuff I’m bringing with me this summer!

via lushusa.com

Jason and The Argan Oil (Shampoo Bar) – That little pink guy, that’s my haircare. Lush makes solid shampoos that lather super well and last 60-80 washes…perfect timing for my trip. It’s insanely moisturizing and I’ve used it in the past without conditioner! Plus…no plastic! Shampoo bars are some of Lush’s “naked products” that don’t need packaging and cut down on waste. The tin I’m storing it in is reusable, so when I move on to my next shampoo bar, I’m all set!

via lushusa.com

No Drought (Dry Shampoo) – The description even says No Drought is good for music festivals, bless. It’s a cornflour base with a lovely citrus scent for when I’m too lazy to wash my hair. Instead of packing Lush’s amazing T for Toes foot powder, I’m going to also try throwing this guy in my shoes when I’ve been hiking around and my feet smell, you know, disgusting.

via lushusa.com

Parsley Porridge (Hand and Body Soap) – MIRACLE. This soap has tea tree, aloe and other herbs, which make it great for your body but also your FACE! Luckily it’s the soap my face likes the best so it’s all I’ll need when it comes to soap! (It’s taking everything in my power not to pack my So White and Rose Jam Shower Gels or Yog Nog and Snowcake Soaps, but I’ll leave them here as motivation to come back home!)

via lushusa.com

Tea Tree Water (Toner Water) – Tea tree for antibacterial, grapefruit for an astringent, juniperberry to balance. Super simple and a great way to refresh throughout the day.

via lushusa.com

Confident & Independent (Makeup) – THANK YOU ALEX. My lovely coworker bought me Confident, the most amazing lip color, and I’m forever grateful. Independent is an eyeliner and just became available again after a 2(?) year long hiatus. I don’t wear makeup often, but these two are all I need when I go out on the town (I mean, I’m going to Liverpool after all).

9 to 5 (Cleansing Lotion) – Aaaand for the morning after. 9 to 5 is a great cleansing lotion that’s also a makeup remover! Super easy to apply to for when I’m traveling from one place to the next.

But that’s not all….

My first stop in Europe is going to be Lush’s Oxford Street store in London. Three stories of Lush, friends. I’ll be buying:

-Oral Pleasure Toothy Tabs (oh, Lush.)

-Deo My B.O. Deodorant

-One of Lush’s moisturizers with SPF, haven’t decided yet! (Lush does not have any products with SPF in North America because of complications with how SPF is tested here)

-Cup O’ Coffee Exfoliating Mask

….and then maybe a few more of Lush Oxford Street’s 200 products that are exclusive to just that store. Check back in…oh my gosh…two weeks, and I’ll have another Lush haul posted for you guys!!

“What are you bringing?” The Rough Packing List

Less than six weeks! And I still have no return ticket, but I’m looking at a three-month stay in Europe.

This week, however, I got a lot done. I graduated from Temple University, and I moved out of my apartment.

Everything I know is in boxes, in my parents’ garage or the basement-alcove-room of my parents’ house. It only makes sense to get started on packing, both backpacking-through-Europe packing and moving-down-to-Austin packing. Since Austin is so far away and the things I’m bringing to Europe are things I’ll be using in the next six weeks, the most I could think to do is create a quick, rough packing list. I’m only bringing a backpack, a fanny pack, and a drawstring bag, and I’ll need room for souvenirs. (Mainly Lush souvenirs from the Oxford Street store. Oh.My.Gosh.)

Check out my list and let me know if I’m missing anything, or can do without anything!! Also, let me know if you’d like to see a post of the Lush items I’m bringing to Europe (ok, ok…I’ll probably post one regardless.)

SIX WEEKS.

“How are you going to do all that?” Creating The Bucket List

Four months until I touch down in London….and then…..

I have vague ideas of how long my first trip to Europe is going to last. I have a lot of things to check off my bucket list…but first i need to make one. I want to keep one for when I’m looking at a map with a blank stare and no plans for the next day.

To create this crazy list, I’ve been Pinterest-ing, Internet-ing, and talking to as many people as I can to figure out where to stop. Big shout out to everyone who has given me advice so far!! (I also need to start investing in guidebooks. I’ve heard good things about Lonely Planet, but any suggestions would be lovely!)

So here’s the first draft. I don’t know how much of this I will complete, but, I also don’t know much of anything at this point! Let me know what I need to add, what I can skip over, what should be at the top of my list. Specifically good museums and hikes!!

“What are your plans for after graduation?”

That’s a great question, professors/parents/relatives at Christmas/concerned friends/bosses.

As of right now, I have 15 weeks until my graduation from Temple University, one class left to complete a degree in Strategic Communications, a few personal statements desperate for a review, and a one-way plane ticket from Newark to London that leaves on June 22.

I have a Couchsurfing account and a WWOOF subscription. I have three open tabs on Chrome titled, “The Best Camping Accessory….”, “Syllabus Spanish 1001”, and “Eurail Pass”. I don’t have a lot of savings (currently), I don’t have much of a plan, and I don’t have any experience living or traveling in Europe.

I have to remind myself as I step out into what is apparently only called the “real” world post-diploma, that this “real” life isn’t measured by your “haves”.

Instead.

I enjoy storytelling, reading, writing; I enjoy hiking, meeting new people, helping people, coffee, vegetables, and getting my hands dirty working outside. I enjoy writing a blog. As of right now, these are my plans for after graduation.

A roundabout way of saying I don’t have employment in the near future.

Follow this blog to follow my journey figuring out how to grab a backpack and a notebook to make the most of Europe. Tips, comments, messages are appreciated!