It has just been flat too long since I last posted. We have traveled a lot, and, obviously, I have written but little. While part of me hates to skip so many of the colorful and delicious details, Tex suggested writing a quick recap of our recent trips to catch myself up. So here goes.
Southern Italy—February
We hit the “trullis” of Alberobello, the white-washed walls of Ostuni, some interesting seafood in Monopoli, a pretty sea-side sunrise in Giovinazzo, and the ruins of Pompeii. Oh, and Tex learned to drive like a true Italian (in a tiny Fiat).
Prague—March
This was a wonderful trip over spring break with Tex’s sibs. We visited the Clementinum library where we got the best view of the city, tramped across the Charles Bridge, and took a fancy dinner cruise along the Vltava River. And most importantly, we ate as many trdelniks as our poor tummies could possibly fit.
The Netherlands—April
I keep telling everyone that this was my favorite place yet. We walked through the waterways and windmills of Kinderdijk and camped near Delft, where we shopped for the iconic blue and white dishes, followed by a day of biking through the rainbow fields of tulips. The last day, we headed down through Belgium for a stop at the Waterloo battlefield.
Spain—June
I spent over a month studying “abroad” in Spain to fulfill my foreign language requirements. It was an unforgettable experience of Spanish culture. Not only did I discover my favorite Spanish dish, pisto con huevo, but I saw my first (and probably only) bullfight. My class visited the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Cordoba, and La Rabida (where Christopher Columbus embarked on his journey to the New World). Tex came to visit for a weekend too! I showed him around Seville and took him to eat tapas in my host family’s neighborhood. We also hopped onto the train to Cadiz for a day at the beach.
Rome—July
As soon as my family arrived, we all took off for an Italian adventure. To name the big sites, we saw the Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Pantheon, and the Vatican. But I’m also pretty sure that we saw everything else, walking almost 12 miles on one of the days 🙂 And, we had what could have been the best pizza in my life. Another day was spent in St. Francis’s town of Assisi, where we gawked at the mystical, medieval basilica. And finally we stopped in Florence to see the Duomo and the rest of the lovely city. And I can’t forget to mention our pit-stop at the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the middle of a torrential downpour!
Berlin—August
This was our latest little trip and our first time to the German capital. We visited the outstanding Pergamon Museum on Museum Island, where the Ishtar Gate of Babylon has been reconstructed. And we also made a stop at Checkpoint Charlie, before going out for… Korean BBQ. Ha!
I can hardly bear not sharing more stories and photos from each of these adventures. But for now, it will have to do.
We send our love to our families and friends back home. Thanks for reading!
Hearth & Yonder 