Destinations

Harry Potter Studio Tour

The Harry Potter Studio Tour

Harry Potter Studio Tour

For today’s post, I’m taking it wayyyy back to the Summer of 2012. I went on a great trip through Europe with a group of college kids. One of our stops was London, and THE single most epic day of our London rendezvous started with a double-decker bus tour that led us to seeing THE QUEEN, and ended with the Harry Potter studio tour.

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Ireland Month #7

Expat Life in Ireland // Month #7 recap and photos

Ireland Month #7

We’re over the halfway mark 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 OK you get it, I’m sad that my time as an American expat in Ireland is FLYING by.

The month of November will be known to me as The Month Where Not Much Happened.

Yeah, my hectic and crazy streak over the past 2 months was bound to come to an end sometime. I mean, last month I did visit another country and 2 different Irish cities. So to be honest, this month didn’t have too much going on.

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Cliff Walking in Howth, Ireland

Cliff Walking in Howth - the perfect day trip from Dublin

As much as I love city life, it’s sometimes nice to escape the busy streets, constant cars, and general hustle and bustle of Dublin. Well luckily, there’s plenty of beautiful natural landscape that can be seen by just doing a day trip from Dublin!

When I first moved to Dublin I posted about the cute little village of Howth, just a 20-30 minute train ride North of Dublin’s city centre. Besides being a great and easily assessable getaway for anyone living in Dublin, it’s also great for visitors wanting to see a bit more of the renowned Irish landscape that may not have the time/money to travel far (a day return ticket on the DART train to Howth is only €6!!!)

The best part of this cliff walk, and the day in general, is that I hadn’t planned it at all. I had heard about the cliff walk, but I thought it was just a short trail. We ended up walking for hours (because we chose the longest trail of the 3 options).

If you want to see some breathtaking Irish nature and stunning views, this is something I DEFINITELY recommend.

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Fall in St. Stephen's Green

Fall in St. Stephen’s Green // Dublin

Fall in St. Stephen's Green

Louisiana is one of those places that only has 2 seasons – really hot summer, and then a little less hot “winter.” Some years the winter can be classified as “cold.” But most years, you can get away with wearing a thin, long-sleeve, silk blouse on Christmas Day.

And obviously, such is not the case in Dublin. And that can be seen by simply taking a stroll in St. Stephen’s Green park in fall.

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Paris: A Photo Diary

Paris // A Photo Diary

Paris: A Photo Diary

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post.

Of course, everyone knows of the tragic events that occurred Friday night in Paris, France.

Paris is the City of Love and the City of Light, and with good reason. But a few days ago, someone tried to darken that light and fight love with hate.

Because of these recent events, I thought it was only appropriate to start this week off by appreciating the beauty, uniqueness, and glamour of one of the world’s most amazing cities with a photo diary of Paris.

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Lisbon and the 5 Senses

Lisbon and the 5 Senses

Lisbon and the 5 Senses

Ah, Lisbon, Portugal. To me, this place is extremely underrated and was actually my favorite stop during my Europe trip last summer. It was a last-minute addition to the trip, and the last stop, but oh my goodness was it worth it!

Not only was it the cheapest city (that uses the Euro) that I visited, but there was SO much to do there and it was absolutely gorgeous! I wish we could’ve spent about a week more there, but it just gives me an excuse to go back.

I’ve decided instead of doing a typical “5 things to do in (insert city name here)” list, I would make my list a little different by breaking it up into the 5 senses. Lisbon is definitely a lively, beautiful, bustling, unique place, and really is a feast for all of the senses!

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Ireland Month #6

Expat Life in Ireland // Month #6 recap and photos

Ireland Month #6 - expat in Dublin

How was everyone’s Halloween? Mine was fantastic…the perfect way to ring in not only the end of October, but the end of our 6th month living in Dublin, Ireland as an expat, meaning we’re halfway there! (singing “Livin’ On a Prayer” as I typed that FYI).

When October started I was in Croatia, and when October ended I was in Galway celebrating Halloween, with a few concerts (Diplo and James Bay) and a trip to Cork for the Cork Jazz Festival in between. So I definitely got my travel in! But with this being the official halfway mark of our year-long visa, I can’t help but think about life after our Visa is up and begin to research what I can do to be able to stay longer. Because I’ll do pretty much anything.

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Irish Slang square

The Ultimate Guide to Irish Slang + Irish vs. American English

So one of the great things about moving to Ireland was that I didn’t have to worry about a language barrier. Sure, I was moving to a different country with no job lined up and no living arrangements made, but hey! At least I wouldn’t have to worry about everyone speaking in a different LANGUAGE too, right?!

WRONG. Irish and American English sometimes feel like they’re 2 different languages.

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Marvelous Markets, pt. 3: Torvehallerne – Copenhagen

The Torvehallerne Market is one of the best things to do in Copenhagen

Torvehallerne Market. I touched on this market a little bit in my 2-day itinerary for Copenhagen, but I wanted to reiterate how totally awesome this food market really is AND prove that it is an absolute must-do when visiting Copenhagen!

Like everything in Copenhagen, this market is top quality in terms of cleanliness, retailers, and overall atmosphere. But, also like everything in Copenhagen, that quality makes it a little pricier. Pricey for a food market, but definitely a cheaper meal in the grand scheme of things in Copenhagen.

But it’s totally worth a visit, don’t worry!

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Copenhagen 2-day itinerary

Copenhagen: A 2-Day Itinerary

Copenhagen 2-day itinerary
I recently got to visit Copenhagen, Denmark, for the first time. It’s a city that’s been on my bucket list for quite a while. And yet, when I arrived I literally had no idea what to expect or what to do.

Not only that, but Copenhagen is pretty expensive, with a 25% sales tax already included in everything you buy. So, I arrived wanting to make the most of my weekend there, but also not spend ALL of my money (which is something I tend to do…).

If only I had had access to a super awesome travel blog that had mapped out the perfect weekend in Copenhagen for people on a budget, like me, suggesting things to do, places to eat, and must-see spots! Ah, well now I plan to do just that for if when any of you finally make it to this amazing city!

Although Copenhagen, and all of Denmark and Scandinavia for that matter, is known to be expensive, you can have an amazing time there by benefitting from free/cheap attractions!

So here it is, my 2-day itinerary for anyone visiting Copenhagen for the first time on a budget. OR, someone who doesn’t have much time there and wants to make the most of it!

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