My Month in Europe: Lake Como

Lake Como, Italy

This is where our travels ended.

We were originally supposed to spend our last day in Europe in Cinque Terre, but it was a very rainy day and our instructor knew better than to attempt cobblestone streets and swimming in the Mediterranean on a sub-par day.

So, Lake Como it was, and Lake Como could not have been better. 

This day was bittersweet from the moment we woke up.

Everyone knew it.

The bus ride was full of jokes and laughter as usual, but there seemed to be this air of awareness over all of us that this was the last day we'd spend together traveling Europe.

But instead of getting all teary-eyed right now, let's talk about Lake Como, because it was remarkable!

We all took about an hour-long boat ride around Lake Como, but before that we naturally had to find a gelateria that was open early in the morning.
This particular gelateria had a balsamic-strawberry mascarpone gelato.
Let's just say that isn't something you can describe and effectively get the point across, so I'll just leave it to this:
It. Was. Heaven.

Our boat ride around the lake was beautiful.
We were able to drive past George Clooney's property, but we unfortunately didn't spot him or Amal (even though this was just two or three days after their wedding which shut down the entire city!).

After the boat ride we wandered around Lake Como for a bit and found a spot for lunch.
Now, I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of gnocchi, so I had yet to order it anywhere in Italy, but the place that we ate lunch had a Havarti Chickory Gnocchi that I had to try.
It did not disappoint!

It was so delicious and light, and to this day I still haven't had gnocchi anywhere else because I'm sure it won't be nearly as good!

After lunch we went back for a second round of gelato, and then just walked around the homes and piers.

Lake Como was the best way to end one amazing month. Italy, you're fantastic! #lakecomo #italy

We all kept remarking on how surreal it was that this was our last day in Europe, and that we'd soon be back in the United States with the memories we made and experiences we'd had.

When you spend a month traveling Europe with a group of people you've just met, you create a truly unique bond.

Whenever I think of the month I spent in Europe I think about more than just the places I went to and the things I saw.
I think about the friends I made, the people I met, and everything that I learned about myself as well.

So after our beautiful day in Lake Como, we took the bus back to Milan, where a group of us just couldn't resist riding the metro back to the heart of the city for yes, you guessed it, a few last scoops of gelato.

We walked around the shops and Duomo, and stumbled upon a street performer.
All of us in the group I was with looked at each other and just knew that we were all feeling the same thing.
It was one of those indescribably palpable moments - like a scene from a movie, which resulted in teary eyes from almost all of us.

I took a video, and I'm putting it below, although I'm fully aware it won't even begin to translate what that moment felt like! 

At that point we went back to the hotel to get some sleep before our early (and long) venture back to the United States!

We were exhausted, excited, sad, and already nostalgic, but most importantly, we were changed for the better as a result of every minute we had spent in Europe.
We had made it home - until next time :)

Tomorrow morning I board a plane back home, but a part of my heart will forever be in each part of Europe I have visited over the last month of my life. I have seen rolling hills and sheep in Ireland, walked the streets and fell in love with London, spent half an hour in awe of Van Gosh's Starry Night at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, came closer to God while hiking the Alps in Switzerland, was kissed twice on the hand by a completely wasted man in the famous beer hall of Germany, sampled every type of balsamic vinegar and olive oil in Austria, ate more gelato than I should have in Milan, and got lost in the squares of Venice. I have developed relationships with the people I have traveled with as well as the people I have met along the way. I have gained a deep appreciation for all cultures and the lives each individual leads, and most importantly, I have learned more about myself than I ever would have anticipated upon boarding an airplane from New York to Dublin. This has been the most spectacular month of my life, and is one I am not soon to forget. 

My Month in Europe: Milan

We started off our day in Milan with a business visit to the AC Milan soccer stadium, which was pretty impressive despite not being a big soccer fan. 

^That's the face of a girl who's spent nearly a month traveling Europe and is so brilliantly exhausted.

Afterwards, we headed downtown near the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping center for lunch and gelato!

We went to the most amazing gelato place, called Cioccolati Italiani!

(Side note - I just googled it for the correct spelling and the pictures made me incredibly nostalgic.)

This gelateria was incredible. 

They have chocolate fountains with three different types of chocolate, and thee best raspberry gelato my mouth has ever tasted and probably ever will!

With one bite of Italian Gelato my life was forever changed. I may have purchased gelato here three times today... #nevergoingbacktoamerica #italy #milan #gelato

Okay but really, I had 16 scoops of gelato in my 3 days spent in Italy.

I don't regret it.

After lunch and gelato (I swear, my memories of Italy revolve around when and where we got gelato) we had a business visit with World Expo 2015.
We had a beautiful view of Milan from their building and it was a really interesting visit!
It was crazy to think then that the event was still a year away, and now, as I'm writing this, we're almost a year beyond it.
Proof that I'm the most diligent blogger ever :)

From there we headed back to the main shopping area and toured the Duomo.
The Duomo is the third largest cathedral in the world, and I absolutely loved it.
It was the millionth cathedral we had seen in Europe, but easily the most impressive.

Visited the Duomo Cathedral today in Milan!

We spent the evening shopping (well, mainly window shopping), eating pizza and, you guessed it, gelato!

I bought a pair of jeans at Zara, drooled over purses at Prada, and savored every spoonful of Cioccolati Italiani gelato :)

It was a great Milano day.

Katy's Wedding

One of my best friends, Katy, got married at the beginning of December!

Katy is the one I went to Europe with, but more than that, we've been friends through a lot over the last four years.

We've lived together, travelled together, obsessed over Ed Sheeran and went to his concert together, and more!

I was so happy to be a part of her wedding as a bridesmaid, and it was such a perfect day for her and Dylan!

(Never mind the freezing temperatures that turned my innocent cold into bronchitis...)

Europe friends, reunited! :)

It was such a great day!

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Jones!

My Month in Europe: Strasbourg Days One and Two

Strasbourg Day One

After Paris our next adventure was on to Strasbourg, the capital of France!

We desperately needed a little bit of a break from the adventure filled days of London and Paris, so this couldn't have come at a more perfect time!

Our travel day to Strasbourg was very relaxed, and to be honest, I don't remember a whole lot! 

Before we left Paris we stopped by the Paris Temple site, where we had a presentation from a member of the church involved with purchasing the ground the temple was to be built on. 

I was so miserably tired that I was hardly coherent and barely remember the presentation.

Oops!

Once we got to Strasbourg we went to an "American" diner called Franky's. 

I was surprised to be craving a hamburger and a milkshake, but I suppose nearly two weeks into the trip I just wanted a little taste of home!

I had the best chocolate banana milkshake and I was satisfied for another few weeks until we were home :)

That night we just spent in the hotel playing catch phrase, chatting, and catching up on some major sleep.

Strasbourg Day Two

The next day we woke up bright and early for a business visit with the European Union. 

I was really ridiculously excited for this visit, but unfortunately, I was still so exhausted.

When we were preparing for the trip, our teachers told us that there would be a point that we hit a wall, and this was definitely that point.

Our tour guides for the EU were fantastic and so incredibly knowledgeable.

At one point they took us to a room for a presentation with comfy chairs and dimmed lights, and I can honestly say I don't think I've ever struggled more to keep my eyes open. 

I kept looking around and nearly half of our group had their eyes closed.

I felt so bad, and we probably came across as so unprofessional. 

Overall though, it was a great visit!

We had the rest of the day to ourselves, so first up on our list was a nice long nap.

Katy and I went back to our room and were out nearly as soon as our heads hit our pillows.

That was the most glorious nap of my entire life...

Until...

The loudest, blaring, fire alarm woke us up.

I am an incredibly light sleeper, but it took me a good minute to realize it was a fire alarm disturbing me. 

I thought it was Katy's phone and I was so irrationally angry at her, I was about to yell at her to make it stop.

Then, at the same time, we both realized it was a fire alarm.

I confusedly and sleepily poked my head out the door, half dressed, wondering if we actually needed to go downstairs.

By the time Katy and I were putting on clothes and shoes and grabbing our most important belongings, the fire alarm stopped.

It took us a good while to snap out of our groggy and grumpy state, but once we did we felt refreshed enough to head out for the day!

Katy, Brandon, Ryan, and I all went to Old Town to explore and walk around for a bit. 

It was absolutely perfect and everything I had imagined France to be!

Bakeries, patisseries, Fromageries, Creperies, Chocolatiers, quint mom and pop shops, dogs wandering around off of leashes, cobblestone streets, and more. 

I was in heaven. 

I mean, just look at that! ^

We made our way to the Cathedral Notre Dame de Strasbourg, which had magnificent architecture. 

Story goes that the building owner didn't want the design of the cathedral to ever be replicated, so once they finished building it he took all of the architects and builders up to the top and pushed them off. 

The locals claim this to be true, but who knows!

After the cathedral we were on a hunt for crepes and gelato.

We found a place that served both, and I'm pretty sure were those obnoxious tourists who don't speak french, don't know how to order food, and went back twice for crepes and gelato ;)

But let me tell ya, those crepes and that gelato sure hit the spot.

Who says you can't have dessert for dinner?!

When in France, right? :)

Straciatella, Raspberry, and Mango gelato pictured above :)

What I wouldn't give for some of that right now!

On our walk back to the hotel we sampled nearly everything we could in all of the different shops.

It was a truly fantastic, relaxing, and rejuvenating day.

Exactly what was needed!

My Month in Europe: Paris Day Three

There was so much anticipation for me leading up to this day, mainly because it was the day my mom was the most jealous of!

Right away when I told her we were going to the Palace of Versailles she begged me to take as many pictures as possible :)

We woke up and took a train to Versailles, which is a gorgeous little French town!

The Palace itself is massive and the exterior is absolutely stunning.

This is my, "Look, mom! I'm here!" pose ;)

We did a tour inside with an audio guide and it was stunning, but to be honest, I was a little disappointed.

I suppose it just wasn't quite what I was expecting, as far as only being able to see a portion of the Palace and it being so insanely crowded.

(I don't do well with crowds, as was very clearly manifest at the top of the Eiffel Tower... You'll hear about that soon...)

My favorite rooms were the hall pictured below, which I believe was either a dining hall or used for parties, and the Hall of Mirrors.

 

Had I known that I would be so unenthralled by the inside of the palace I would have skipped it all together and spent the entire morning in the gardens.

I would gladly take a trip back to Versailles to explore the gardens some more!

Seeing the gardens was a non-negotiable, as we had seen Powerscourt in Dublin, ranked #3, and now we had the chance to see Versailles, ranked #1.
I was so antsy with excitement!

They had courtyards where classical music or Opera were playing, and I instantly wished my dad could have been there.

My dad raised me with a love for music and that's often how we bond.

Well, that and going on hikes, so this was kind of the best of both worlds :)

I knew he would love being in the secluded parts of the gardens with that music playing so serenely in the background.

It was so peaceful.

Fall was in full swing in the gardens, so I couldn't resist making everyone take a cheesy leaf-throwing picture. 

We were in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, how could you not?!

P.S. Brandon's face (far left) made and ruined this picture all at the same time :)

You guys, I can't even begin to describe how massive the gardens are.

I'm positive we only saw 1/5 of the entire thing, if that!

We spent a couple of hours walking around, eating lunch (and gelato of course), and buying some gifts for family back home.

There were so many perfect kitchen and garden things I would have loved to get my mom, but there was just no way to keep them safe throughout the rest of the trip and transport them back home.

I settled with Wild Elderberry Jam and we've been enjoying it on occasional Sunday dinners since I've been back home!

We had to get back to Paris because we had group tickets to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

This was the first time I'd seen it up close and it is so much bigger than you think!

It was a long wait and a long ride to get to the top, but the view was gorgeous!

I never had brothers growing up, but I imagine they'd treat me like these four did all throughout the trip.

From endless teasing to heart-to-hearts, these guys made Europe a blast!

You can see almost every big Paris landmark from the top of the Eiffel Tower, including the Arc de Triomphe in the photo above!

Being 100% honest, I will never ever pay or take the time to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower again.
It was so crowded just waiting in line to take one of the elevators down and I had strangers pressed up against me on all sides.
I started feeling incredibly claustrophobic, and having asthma that's never a good thing.
I took my inhaler a couple of times, but the wait was just so long and I wanted to be out of there so bad.
It sounds silly even to me now, but I ended up having a full on panic attack.
I've never had one before and I honestly don't even know why it happened, but it was pretty scary and I'm pretty sure a part of me will always hate the Eiffel Tower because of that :)

Thankfully after about an hour of waiting and taking cramped elevators we were back on the ground.

From there we decided to grab some quick dinner and take a night tour by boat.

Quick tip - if you ever go to France, never buy crepes from the street vendors on the river, unless they're banana nutella crepes.
You have been warned.

By the time we got on the boat it was dark and we were last on so we ended up standing out on the deck.
We left on the hour right near the Eiffel Tower, so it was twinkling.
It is so true that Paris is most beautiful at night.
Not only at night, but in the rain.
It started raining and luckily I was prepared with my raincoat, so I stayed out on the deck and took in the lit-up city.
I could honestly not have been happier being able to experience Paris at night, from the river, in the rain.
It was a dream practically straight from a movie.
(Midnight in Paris, anyone?!)

 The boat tour was the perfect farewell to Paris, getting to see the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, the Lock Bridge, people dining right on the river, and a twinkling Eiffel Tower greeting us at the end.

Although Paris wasn't my favorite city from the trip, I'd say it definitely treated me well.