Back at the end of March, early April, I took a trip through Austria and Germany. Well, life gets in the way (aka thesis time), and I never talked about my time in Munich. I did write about Neuschwanstein Castle, but never about the charming city of Munich itself. It’s only been four months, but hey! Better late than never!
Sevilla is a wonderful city, just see my last post. But sometimes it’s great to get out of the city and experience something more relaxed. On my last day in Sevilla, I went to Itálica, considered to be the first Roman settlement in Hispania. However, people today may recognize it more for being the Dragon Pit in Game of Thrones.
Let’s be real. The main reason I went there was because of its GoT connection. When I visited San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, it was full of fans playing the theme song and decked out in fan t-shirts. What a pleasant surprise when Itálica was nearly empty.
Andalucía: typical Spain. Tapas, hot weather, flamenco, palm trees. That’s what most people think of when they hear Spain, but really, those are more typical of the South. In three years of living in Spain, I had never been down there, making up so many excuses about needing time or the trains being too expensive. Finally, I decided to stop making excuses and just go to Sevilla.
Back in March, I entered my name into the lottery for the Champions League Final. I had no expectations of getting a ticket since I didn’t get picked for a single Euro 2016 ticket two years ago. Yet, on a cold night in Vienna back in March, I found out that got a ticket to see the Final in Kiev! I immediately called my dad. I was nervous because it was in Kiev, a city that was famous pictured for the riots just four years ago. This isn’t a typical “here’s what to do” post, but rather a “don’t believe what you hear” post about the lovely city of Kiev.
Part of the reason I waited so long to go to Lisbon was so that I could have the opportunity to go to Sintra. I wanted to really have an experience so I packed FOUR sites into my itinerary. Sintra is town just outside of Lisbon that is filled with mansions, castles, and palaces. It’s an easy day trip and it’s sure to take your breath away.
It’s been almost two weeks since I went to Lisbon, but I’m still blown away by how awesome it was. Honestly, I went to Lisbon with no expectations, which I think was a great thing to do. I was able to experience the city and make my mind up for myself. Last week, I told you things you needed to know to enjoy the city, but today, I’ll let you know what to do and see in Lisbon.
It took me three years of living in Spain to finally make it to Portugal. I always thought the flights were too expensive or that the train took too long … it was just cheaper to go to another country. Finally, finally, I thought it was time to stop making excuses and just go. Man, am I glad I sucked it up.
I originally wanted to go to both Lisbon and Porto, but due to a lack of time and an increase in airline prices, I decided to only go to Lisbon. That was a great choice because it gave me enough time to see the city. Well, actually, there are still so many things that I want to do. I guess I will just have to go back again.
There’s something about a castle that I’ve always admired. Maybe it’s the history, the story behind the castle. Or maybe it’s just the hope many little girls have of being a princess. No, I’m still not bitter, Prince Harry.
Neuschwanstein Castle has been on my list for a few years now, mostly because it serves as the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Los Angeles. (The castle at EuroDisney is slighty different.) But once you hear some more history about the castle, it makes it even more fascinating.
I’m fresh back from my vacation through the German-speaking countries! Vienna was great and I got to meet up with a friend there to make it even better. It’s a gorgeous and historic city, but there are some lessons I learned while in Austria.
Spain has so many problems. Many government officials are corrupt, the unemployment rate is still high ten years after the crisis, and the banks run the economy. Yet for some reason, so many of flock to Spain and want to stay. There have to be SOME redeeming qualities. Actually, there are tons. I recently talked about what boggles my mind about Madrid, but now I think it’s time to talking about what makes it amazing.