Ireland

Our first pints, set against a backdrop of live music and trad dancing

Within moments of landing at the Shannon airport, it was evident that many of the Irish stereotypes are true. From what we could tell, these were some of the most lively, friendly people that we came across during our travels, and Ireland itself is like one big, lush, cow-studded garden. It wasn’t long before we were swept up in a conversation with a local about JFK over a huge plate of fish and chips and a pint of Guinness.

My sister’s Irish friend later joined us for a road trip to the Cliffs of Moher, and then we drove from our base in Galway over to Dublin, where we wrapped up the last few days of our trip wandering around, sampling a few Anthony Bourdain-approved restaurants, and visiting a few of the farther flung spiritual sites like Glendalough and the Newgrange.

Peeking over the Cliffs of Moher

Cliffside cows

6,000 year old portal tomb in the Burren 

Kevin's Tower in lovely Glendalough

 The start to a noteworthy meal at Chophouse 

A deeply intense and eye-opening morning tour of the Boyne Valley

Well manicured gardens and puffy clouds in St. Stephen's Green

The act of getting here was a loooooong and memorable story

Scotland

Gorgeous hike to the top of Arthur's Seat

Scotland is so much more than the land of Loch Ness, Braveheart and Harry Potter. It’s one of the most mystical and rugged places that I’ve ever had the opportunity to visit. Though I was prepared for an enjoyable time, I think that the sheer beauty of the country and its many faces caught me a bit by surprise.

We spent a few days in Edinburgh—one completely cloudless and sunny, the other more characteristically dreary. It only rained once during the day throughout our entire trip, and I’m glad that it happened in Edinburgh. The steam coming off of the cobblestone streets at dusk created the perfect mood for our evening ghost tour.

Next, we rented a car (aside from the Tube, the only other source of anxiety during the whole trip, which also turned out to be no big deal thanks to my boyfriend’s trusty driving skills) and headed up to the Scottish Highlands. We stayed in Glencoe, at an inn that served as the social hub for the entire area and, as our photographs can attest, the most picturesque place to have a post-hike beer.

One of the hidden closes on the Royal Mile

Upper and Lower Bow Street in downtown Edinburgh

The creepy cool Witchery

Misty morning on the way to Oban

Oban's catch of the day 

Must-see roadside stop: Castle Stalker

Crystal clear waters and a glimpse of Glencoe at Loch Leven

Stirling Castle, atop a landscape that made me want to head home and watch Braveheart

Wales

The way to Wales

After our quick stop in Bath, it was on to Wales for a few days to visit with Michelle, a friend of mine who put down roots there after our college days together. Because we stayed with her family and not in a hotel, this was perhaps our most authentic European experience. Michelle had many exciting plans for us, including a lively and engaging personal walking tour with Nigel of Cardiff on Foot and a trek through historic Cardiff Castle. 

The unbelievable view from Michelle's front door

The National Museum of Wales, and the starting point for our walking tour

The lovely, flower-filled Gorsedd Gardens around back

One of the many intriguing gargoyles on the walls surrounding Cardiff Castle

The flag-lined path through downtown Cardiff

The perfect amount of sugar encouraged us to eat more than our fill of these traditional cakes

The most classic sight of the day: the Norman shell keep

Paris

The majestic Montmartre

Oh, Paris, how I’ve waited for a visit! Even though we knew we’d be pushing our luck (and our feet), we dedicated an entire day to the City of Light. We had a rough idea of what we wanted to see, but we decided to play it by ear with some of the major attractions since we had no intention of spending the entire time in line waiting for tickets.

We took the earliest Chunnel ride over from London, and hit the ground running. We took in Montmartre, Notre Dame, the Louvre (believe it or not, no line!), “Love Lock” Bridge, the Tuileries Garden, the Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and finally the Eiffel Tower (again, no line!).

By the time we boarded the train to return back to London, we had walked nearly 15 miles, which removed any lingering guilt that I felt about the many chocolate croissants and macarons that we ate along the way. The guilt that I had from not being able to keep up with the language after having spent 5 years in French class was another story altogether.

Notre Dame's gorgeous rose window

Leaving our mark at the Love Bridge

No lines!!

Rows of ornate pastries at Laduree

A very busy Arc de Triomphe

In all of her purple flower-clad glory!

A final view of Paris before our ride back to London

London & Bath

A promising sign when I opened up my first magazine on the plane overseas

Upon our arrival, it became immediately clear to me that London is my foreign home away from home. The city is everything you expect, and more: hospitable, royals-obsessed, picturesque, steeped in tradition and history, easily navigable, and really, not so different from the U.S.

We began every day with “bacon and beans” and “loads of tea,” and then proceeded to make our way around town. The Tube wasn’t nearly as scary and confusing as I thought it would be, and it really helped us to cover a lot of ground. We each bought the London Pass, and because of the sheer volume of activities that we took on while there, it ended up being the way to go. Every night ended with a stop at the local corner store for jugs of water, Crunchie bars and stacks of British tabloids—certainly, my idea of a the perfect nightcap.

We reserved one whole day of our time in London for a Chunnel trip to Paris (covered in tomorrow’s post), and then we took the train to Wales via Bath. Bath was charming, and the town’s main sights can be seen in a 5-hour layover. It’s a stop that I’d recommend if you have the time and an appetite for Georgian architecture.

The first sight of London, after emerging from the Tube at Victoria Station

Believe it or not, we stumbled across the Houses of Parliament while wandering around the hotel

Another view from atop the Thames

The Horse Guards Parade

Vibrant flowers fit for a Queen, on the way to Buckingham Palace

Ta da! After all the walking, these taxis sure were tempting 

Perfectly sized cubbies so cute they almost seem fake

The Tower Bridge from within the famed Tower of London

Views from HIGH atop St. Paul's cathedral dome

End of day stop at Westminster Abbey

Blue skies and the Eye

View from the ferry on the way to Greenwich

Setting my watch at the Prime Meridian

Statue guards at the Roman Baths

Bath water...literally!

Georgian crescent, and a walk in the shoes of Rick Steves

Quaint bridge shops spanning the River Avon