Baby, It's Cold Outside...

The holiday season is here for sure, and we know this because it is COLD in England!  We got about 3 inches of snow here in Cambridge over the weekend, and although that may not sound like much, you have to understand that England does not have the infrastructure to handle snow and ice.  So many flights were canceled this weekend, roads were icy, and trains were stopped.  Hopefully, the worst is over as we have trips to Spain and Scotland planned this week.

We didn't make it to York due to the snow, and also because we were both pretty drained. We spent the weekend catching up on some much needed sleep and American television and movies :)  It feels so weird that its Christmas and New Year's and neither of us will see our families this season.  I think this may be the first holiday that I have not seen my family, and its a bit strange.

We didn't decorate our home, and we didn't buy any presents - but we are traveling - and I am learning that our travel experiences are really worth way more than any gift we could give each other.  As we make memories and create stories to tell our little ones (in a few years),  I am reminded that the holidays are not about how much money we spend, but how much time we spend with the people we love.

Wherever you are this season, I hope you are with at least one person that you love,  and that it's time well spent.  Safe traveling and stay warm :)

Awww....Dam!

Two weeks ago, the USA celebrated Thanksgiving (I will save my thoughts on this holiday for a later post), and we thought we should really make the most of our long weekend here in Europe.  So, we packed up a small bag (because we flew easyjet!) and headed to Amsterdam for four days.

You may think that the only reason to visit Amsterdam is for coffee shops and red lights, but this is such a cool city with so much more to offer.  And with the the rumors that the Amsterdam government will soon stop selling "coffee" to tourists and that the Red Light District will continue to decrease in size, you may want to plan to see some other parts of the city while you are there.


We flew from London Stansted to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, a quick 45 minute flight. Upon arrival, we breezed through immigrations and customs and headed out to the bus stops where we caught the #197 bus to Leidseplein. The bus dropped us on the bridge just across from the Marriott, and all we had to do was turn around and there was the Marriott! Luckily our room was available at 9am so we checked in and napped for a few hours. We had been awake since 4am...

Let me tell you about the Marriott in Leidseplein - if you find yourself in Amsterdam, this may be one of the best places to stay.  The location was perfect, and everything we wanted to see/do was within walking distance.  The executive lounge is one of the best we have seen - great snacks throughout the day and cocktail hour in the evenings, also extremely spacious and well decorated.  The staff here are very helpful and the concierge was extremely informative.

Once you are all settled wherever you choose to stay in the area, it really is so easy to get out and explore the city.  After you have had enough of the "coffee" and red lights, here are some other places that you should not miss on a long weekend in Amsterdam:

• Anne Frank House and the Jordaan Neighborhood
• From there, walk behind the house to see the Homomonument and then onto Sara's Pancake House for a quick snack
• Head to the Dam Square to take in all the sites, tour the Royal Palace and people watch.
• From the Dam, its an easy walk to the Red Light District -  many smaller museums are location on this street like the Hash Museum and Erotic Museum.
• By now, you will be tired...grab dinner and cocktails and enjoy the night!

• Another day, head to Museumplein and check out Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum
• From there its a beautiful walk to the Singel flower market and then on to Spui and Rokin for a Canal Boat Tour with Rondvaart tour company.
• There's a GREAT sushi restaurant near the river here, I forget the name but it's easy to spot and GOOD!

• Your last day, shop in the Leidseplein area and then visit the Amsterdam History Museum
• Take a walk to the Begijnhof and then have rijstaffel (Indonesian rice table) at nearby Kantjil & de Tijger. 
• Hangout in Rembrandtplein
• Take in a an improv comedy show at Boom! Chicago in Leidseplein - its great and a taste of "home" with American comedians who live in Amsterdam

Up next...York!

Paradise...

Can you believe it's been two months since I last wrote anything on this blog?!?! It's a shame...but I have a good excuse.  I was back in the United States to get married and then onto Turks and Caicos to honeymoon, so I think I earned the break.  I have been thinking about what I would write today, and how much of it would be travel related.  I will tell you that Turks and Caicos is a true paradise on earth, and that of all the Caribbean islands we have visited, THIS is the place I would love to return, time and time again.  More on that in a bit...

Getting married was the most emotionally filling experience of my life.  Of course, there is drama and chaos when planning a wedding, and a to-do list that never seems to end, only grow longer.  To top it all off, we planned our wedding (with the help of a fabulous planner) from England!  Imagine having to schedule things and pay for things without actually seeing them? Or trusting in other people to do things for you from so far away?  It was not easy, but it was an experience that taught me so much.

Here's what I learned:

• My husband and I are capable of achieving anything, we are team players, we are supportive and we get SH!T done.  We know when the other wants a break, and we know when we need to put business aside for some fun.  
• Giving up control to someone else and trusting in someone's advice and experience is a relief.  We were so fortunate to have a planner, however, it was not easy for me at first.  I am, by nature, a control freak and a planner.   Letting go and letting someone else manage was amazing for me.  I grew from that experience and I will apply it in other areas of my life.
• Family and friends are everything.  We are so far away and we miss those closest to us more than you will ever know (unless you have lived overseas).  Our loved ones are so supportive of us, but it doesn't get easier to hug someone and say "see you later".  That good-bye hug is always painful.  I always walk away strong (well, I try to at least), but usually cry a little on the long flight back across the pond.
• We were so blessed to GIVE that special day to our families and friends.  It meant so much to have them there.  They gave us their presence, and we hope that we have given them a night they may never forget.  
• I am stronger than I ever thought I was - we did it!!!
• And lastly, I would like to never plan another wedding, ever.  It's fun once, and that's all I will say about that :)

Now onto the traveling advice - that is what you came here to read, right?  If you ever find yourself with time, money and the opportunity to spend time on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, then here is what you MUST know.

• This place has the clearest, calmest, bluest water I have seen in my life.  You have to see it to believe it.  I promise.
• You have to eat lobster EVERY day, and you must plan to visit during lobster season - it's a rule - I just made it up.
• You must try conch salad - don't let the fact that it's raw turn you away - its taste like chicken :)
• Take a full day tour with Dream Caicos - snorkel, swim in 7000 ft deep water, dive for conchs. enjoy a secluded beach, have a bbq lunch and then try some fresh conch salad - it will change your life.
• Play golf if you like, or while your partner plays golf, go to a spa.  Enjoy it.
• You have got to eat at these places - Coco Bistro, Bay Bistro, Da Conch Shack (on a Thursday night), Tiki Hut (on a Wednesday), Yoshi Sushi (yes, sushi..on an island), Mango Reef ( the lobster pasta is everything), and Hemmingways
• Considering spending your vacation at the Gansevoort, and letting Kalvin be your taxi driver for the week.  Stock up on snacks and spirits at the local IGA, settle in, and enjoy.
• Drinks lots of rum punch, relax, and take in every moment and every sunset - this is what dreams are made of right here.

Tomorrow morning, we are off to spend Thanksgiving in Amsterdam!  Until next time, be thankful!!!

When in Rome...

So, I will preface this post by stating that its not as insightful or creative as I would like it to be, but I do want to share our 3 days in Rome with you.  We just have lots of other big things going on these days....like, getting married in two weeks!!  However, if you have 3 days to spend in Rome, I cannot really think of a better way to spend the time - we saw so much of the city and really found everything easy to navigate.

Pre-Trip Planning
We purchased our Roma Pass online in advance and picked them up at the tourist stand in Ciampino Airport - super easy and highly recommended.  The experts on tripadvisor.com helped me to plan our 3 days so that we could maximize the benefits of the Roma Pass.  We also made our reservations for the Borghese Gallery in advance, over the phone.  We did not pay for these tickets, only made reservations - our entry was free with Roma Pass.  And, we booked our reservation to the Vatican in advance as well, it wasn’t too crowded when we got there, but it was nice to not have to wait in line.  We also downloaded Rick Steve’s FREE Rome Audio guides -these saved quite a bit of money and were useful at most of the major attractions - do this.

Day 1 in Rome

We flew from London’s Stansted airport into Rome’s Ciampino airport. It was an easy flight on Ryanair AND we survived all of the carry-on luggage rules and regulations.  Upon arrival in Rome, we picked up our Roma Passes and headed to find transportation.  We had every intention of trying the shuttle bus and saving some money, but we were tired, hot, and ready to get to our hotel, so we took a taxi.  Before getting in the taxi, we confirmed that the cost to our hotel (Marriott Grand Flora) would be 40 Euro - its the standard set cost, its the law. 

We arrived at the hotel, check in, dropped our bags and quickly changed.  We grabbed a quick lunch and we were off to Vatican City!  Since the Roma Pass covers metro transportation, we took advantage of this whenever possible - we took the Metro to Vatican City and spent most of the remainder of our day there.

In Vatican City, we toured the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St Peter’s Basilica.  We took the elevator ride and 320 narrow, hot, stair climb up to the top of St. Peter’s Dome for some of the most amazing view of Rome!  The stairs really weren’t that bad, but it was hot and the staircase was extremely narrow - I do not recommend this if you are claustrophobic! After leaving the dome, we spent some time in St. Peter’s Square taking in the sites and reading about the history that was surrounding us. 

After leaving St. Peter’s square, we crossed the Tiber River and grabbed a pizza and a few beers - we were pretty exhausted at this point.  We had planned to go to the Colosseum, but we were exhausted.  Instead, we used google maps on our phone and headed to Gelateria del Teatro - we had been told this was THE place to go for gelato in Rome and boy was the walk worth it!  We compared all other gelato in Rome to this place, and none of it could top it!  The pistachio gelato was our favorite - do this. 

After our pizza, beer and gelato we were pretty full and ready to relax a bit.  We took a taxi back to the Marriott and hung out for a few hours before heading to dinner.  We had dinner in Campo de’ Fiori at Ristorante la Carbonara.  The area is quite touristy, but it was nice to people watch while we enjoyed our meal.  The food was okay, I think we may have ordered the wrong items - because I hear the place is pretty good. Anyway, we saved room for dessert, because we had plans for that!

After dinner, we walked around Campo de’ Fiori for a bit and took in the sites of the square.  Then we started our way back to hotel with Rick Steve’s Night Walk Across Rome as our guide - this walk took us to the following places:  Piazza Navona and the Four Rivers Fountain, Tre Scalini Bar in the piazza for a tartufo “death by chocolate” ice cream for dessert,  a night view of the Pantheon, Piazza Capranica, Piazza Colonna, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps - we took our time enjoying all of the sites, taking photos and really absorbing it all - it was a beautiful night.

Day 2 in Rome

Sunday morning we slept in and then grabbed a small breakfast at a cafe near the Marriott.  From there, we walked over to the Borghese Gallery through the Borghese Gardens for our 11:00am reservation to tour the Museum.  This was an easy walk from the Marriott - the gardens are just beyond the ancient wall to the right of the hotel.  The Borghese Gallery was amazing - we really enjoyed it and it was the perfect size - not too overwhelming.  The audioguide was also well worth the cost - definitely recommend this museum - but be sure to make your reservations in advance - lots of people just showed up and had to wait hours for the next available time slot. 

After the museum, we took the metro to the Colosseum - when you walk out of the metro stop the Colosseum is directly in front of you - amazing!  Getting into the Colosseum with the Roma Pass was a breeze, no line to wait in at all.  We used Rick Steve’s audio guide here also, so we were all set.  After the Colosseum, we grabbed lunch and then toured the Roman Forums (again with the RS guide) and headed up the stairs to Capitoline Hil.  We didn’t do any of the museums here because our time was limited, but we took lots of photos, sat on the steps and took it all in - again.

From here, we headed to the Pantheon - we walked a lot this day.  The weather was great and I don’t think we realized how much we were walking because of all of sites we saw along the way.  We used the audioguide again here - it took about 45 mins to really “see” the Pantheon and learn about it’s history.  There is not a line to enter and entry is free.  Easy.  After the Pantheon, we grabbed more gelato - when in Rome...

We headed back to our hotel to rest - we were tired - the sun and walking had worn us out.  We grabbed a quick nap, and then headed out to dinner in Trastevere - another touristy, lively neighborhood of Rome.  We had dinner at Ristorante Checco, outdoors in their covered dining area - this was a great meal, we really enjoyed it and the food was delicious!  The pasta was probably the highlight of our meal.  We hung out in the area some and took some pretty cool night photos of the Tiber River.

Day 3 in Rome

On our final day in Rome, we had planned to head to the Appian Way and to see the catacombs, but we thought it might be a stretch since we were flying back to London on the same day.  Instead, we decided to see some other sites in Rome that we had missed the previous two days. 

From our hotel, we walked to the Cappucin Crypt - its in the same area of the Marriott, so this was an easy walk.  The crypt, which is below the church of Santa Maria on Via Veneto houses the bones of more than 4000 monks - the bones are “artfully” arranged in various rooms - we could not take photos, but google this place - you have to see it!  After leaving here, we grabbed lunch and walked towards the Victor Emmanuel Monument, we took photos here but didn’t go in, we also took some photos at Trajan’s Column and Forum, and then headed to Mamertime Prison near the Roman Forums.  We weren’t sure what to expect with their tour, but I am glad we decided to tour the prison - this is where Saints Peter and Paul were once held.  It was also interesting to see how structures were built on top of other stuctures over the years, today, there is a church above the prison. 

After leaving the prison, we grabbed our final gelato in Rome, picked up our bags from Marriott and took a taxi back to the airport.  What a wonderful, educational three days in Rome!  The weather was great and while we didn’t se everything, we saw so much and made so many memories!  Hope this guide helps you on your visit to Rome!!

A Letter to My 19 Year Old Self

This post was inspired by a similar letter that a friend of mine wrote to her younger self.  At the time, I thought it was a great idea, but I really was not certain of what I would write to younger myself, so I decided to hold off on the letter.  And tonight at 12:00am, when I have a flight to catch in 3 hours, I was compelled to write...

Allyson,

You will be turning 19 next month, and there are somethings you need to know. 

On Time:

Right now, a year seems like forever to you and you are counting down for the end of each semester.  Trust me, you should cherish each of these days of your college life and make memories that will last forever.  Take time and get to know more people, don’t just stay close to your main circle of friends.  You will be surprised at the awesome group of diverse classmates you have, and you will regret not taking the time to get know them years later.

Soon, life will go by right before your eyes, and a year will seem like only a few months to you.  You will see loved ones pass away and learn that you are not invincible the way that you seem to think you are.  Protect yourself and your loved ones, because this it, its the one chance we have at life, there are no do-overs.

On Money:

While you may think that signing up for a credit card in order to receive a free t-shirt or meal on spring break makes perfect economic sense, you are so wrong.  Be smart with your money, and don’t fall for the schemes that target college students.  You will pay for them for years to come. 

Practice the importance of having irreplaceable life experiences and not having replaceable things.  In the end, you will not look back on your life and think about the shoes you wore or the purse you carried, but you will remember all of the amazing people and places that were a part of your life experience.  Never get so caught up in things that you forget to create memories. 

On Love:

You are your hardest critic, and you don’t give yourself enough credit.  You are much more strong, beautiful and worthy than you think you are.   You should try dating people who think this also.  Be careful of who you choose to let into your life and how you define love. 

Do not expect that people will always hurt you, and do not push away the people who are not hurting you.  Trust me, one day, when you have pretty much decided that relationships just aren’t for you, you’ll meet someone who will show you what you truly deserve.  True love really is worth the wait.

But don’t worry, everything you are going through, including the heartache, is helping you to learn and grow.  It will make you appreciate the real thing, when it finally does come along.   Don’t compare your love life and relationship status to everyone else’s - “forever” isn’t something you should rush or force.

On People:

Be prepared for both the good and bad in people to shock you.  You will be disappointed and pleasantly surprised by random strangers and friends and family.  Try not to judge people.  You may think you know what’s going in someone’s life or why they are a certain way, but you really have no clue.  Always strive to see the best in people, but strong enough to remove toxic people from your life. 

Don’t assume that people are not doing what you think they should or there for you the way you think they should be because they just don’t care.  Think about the amount that people have to “give” to you as a glass of water - for some people there glass is full and they have lots of time / generosity to give, they will be very present.  For others, there glass is maybe only half full of water or less - they may not have it in them to be the friend of family member that you think they should be - but this likely has nothing at all to do with you.  You have no clue what these people have gone through and you should be appreciative of every moment that anyone is capable of giving.

You don’t have to please everyone, and everyone does not have to be your friend.  Learn to choose your happiness over other people’s - because most people are choosing their happiness over your own.  Know when its time to put yourself first and don’t feel bad for doing it.  Also, its OK to say NO to people, and when you do, don’t regret it at all.

Cherish the people closest to you, and make sure that they know how much you love them.  The time is now to let them know and create memories with them.

On Career:

You really don’t belong behind a desk or in front of a computer, but you’ll choose a career that puts you exactly there.  You should learn now to take risks and follow your dreams, even if those dreams are not immediately as financially lucrative as a more practical career.  Most people who take daring risks eventually reap much larger rewards, try it some time.  And, try not to always make excuses for why you are not following your dreams - because truly, none of these are acceptable. 

You are a people person, you love to travel, you love to help others, and you love to share your story - find a way to do this.  No matter what.

On Travel:

You think that you have seen the world now?  Just wait.  You can only imagine the places that you will go and see during your lifetime!  And the best part is...you will get to see these new places and create these new memories with your best friend.  Appreciate the opportunities that you have to travel the world, absorb the cultures and always remember that if you wanted to learn more about America, you would have stayed there instead of traveling the world.  Live among the locals,  eat with the locals, learn about the land and go home to tell the stories.  You don't know it now, but you are going to see and experience parts of the world that many people may not ever get to see.  Share what you have seen and learned, and let all of this have a positive effect on you.  You may not agree with what you see around the world, but learn from it and be moved by the goodness that you will find in people, no matter where you are.



On Health:

Take care of yourself.  Exercise and be mindful of what you eat.  Right now, you can eat anything you want, not work out, stay up late and not gain a pound.  This will all change, be prepared for hard work if you don’t make smart decisions today.

Allyson, you think you have your life all planned out, but be prepared for the twists and turns to come.  Someone one day will compare your life and adventures to a roller coaster - hold on, enjoy the ride.

Love,
Your (almost) 29 Year Old Self.

Carolina in My Mind...

"And I'm going to Carolina in mind...", well actually I really am going to Carolina in the morning - one last time before we go back together to get married.  I am thrilled to get home and see my family and friends, but again, I am really going to miss Cambridge because it has become "home" for me now, for obvious reasons.  Luckily, this time, my trip home is a week long, and not a month filled with business trips - I should be able to find time to relax and enjoy.

As I was packing for this trip, I started to think about how quickly time flies.  Can you believe we are already halfway finished with our 2-year time here in England?!   It has been an amazing journey and we have seen and shared so much together.  I am looking forward to the year to come - so many good things to focus on when those difficult times present themselves, and I am sure that they will.

This is truly a journey, and as a mentor told me once.  "You are about to have the experience of a life time, hold on and enjoy the ride!"

I am holding on, and I don't ever want this ride to end.

See you very soon Carolina.

The City of Light - Paris!

One European city that definitely requires more than a 3 days visit is “The City of Light” - Paris, France.  We spent Saturday - Monday of our July 4th weekend there this year, and it was a great trip, but as with most places we visit these days we wish we had a little more time.  Our goal is to see most of the places in Europe we have always wanted to visit, even if it requires weekend trips.  And while some may say these trips don’t do the city justice, I really have to disagree!  We have had some pretty amazing, educational and exciting weekend trips so far! 

Today, I give you 3 days in Paris...

We flew from London’s Luton airport into Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport - quick 50 minute flight.  And while the Eurostar train is a more scenic trip, the flight was pretty fast, and much less expensive than the train.  Once we arrived at the airport around 8:30am local time, we breezed through customs and headed outside to meet our hotel transportation.  We used parishuttle.com for this.  Departing the airport we discovered it was pouring rain outside!  Not the best way to start a holiday weekend, but..when you only have 3 days, the rain cannot stop you!

We arrived at our hotel and checked in, but since it was so early, we weren’t able to go to our rooms, so we dropped our bags at the front desk, grabbed whatever rain gear we had (which wasn’t much) and headed out to explore.  We headed to Notre Dame on the Metro subway system.

The rain actually proved to be our friend, as I suppose most tourists don’t want to go out in the rain, there was hardly any crowd or line at Notre Dame when we arrived -this quickly changed as soon as the skies started to clear up a bit!

First part of day one included:

Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint Chappelle Cathedral, views of the Siene River and “Love Locks”, Palais de Justice, one of the only original metro stops, flower market, the Deportation Memorial, a yummy Thai lunch in the Latin Quarter and some delicious ice cream from the famous Berthillon ice cream parlor, just across the river from Notre Dame.    All of these sites were in the same area and in walking distance to one another.  Afterwards, we took the metro back to our hotel (which was very close to the Eiffel Tower) and took in some day views of the Eiffel Tower, and people watched for a while, before a pretty long nap - we were exhausted!

Saturday evening, just before sunset, we headed back to the Eiffel Tower for our pre-booked reservations.  We purchased our tickets online for getting to the top of the tower, and saved ourselves from having to spend 4 hours waiting in line!  The trip to the top was great, despite a lot of annoying teenagers around us.  We enjoyed the sunset from the Eiffel Tower and all of the great views of Paris. 

Once we were back on the ground, we were able to see the tower at night on our walk towards Trocadero Place.  Here we experienced the most magnificent views of the Eiffel Tower, people-watched a bit as the World Cup celebration for Spain’s victory that same night was taking place, and then found a really cool place to grab dinner and drinks.  On our way back to the hotel, while walking through the Champs du Mars, we watched the Eiffel Tower’s hourly light show.

Sunday morning we woke up and headed to Versailles, it took about 30 -45 minutes to get there and as expected the train was packed with tourists.  Luckily we had purchased our tickets in advance and only had to wait in one REALLY long line, as opposed to two of them.  Versailles is great and we could have spent a whole day here, in fact we almost did.  After Versailles, we headed back into Paris and visited Napoleon’s Tomb and the Army Museum. 

After a nap, we had a bit more energy and headed back out for the evening.  For dinner, we went to Le Relais de L'Entrecote, one of the best places in Paris for steak frites (steak and fries).  Be sure to arrive around 7, as the line is crazy and they don’t take reservations!  Also, there is no menu!  Everyone gets steak frites served in this awesome curry sauce and a salad, your only choice is beverage and how you want your steak prepared - I recommend medium.  After a great meal and bottle of wine, we walked towards the river and enjoyed an evening boat cruise.  We saw many of the sites we had seen the previous day, but from a different view - very nice.

Monday morning, we checked out of our hotel and left our bags at the front desk.  We visited the Louvre and avoided lines using the underground metro entrance.  We spent about 2 hours here - and really only scratched the surface.  I had been here before, he had not.  An art lover could spend 3 days touring the Louvre, but due to our limited time we saw the most popular pieces of art, walked around a bit, and then were on our way! 

From the Louvre we walked through the Tuileries Gardens and Place de la Concorde to the Champs-Elysees - Paris’ most famous boulevard.   We did quite a bit of shopping on our way to see the Arc de Triomphe, and the walked back down the boulevard for more shopping and a bite to eat.   At this point, it was time to head back to our hotel and prepare for our flight to London.  We ate again in the Rue Cler neighborhood where our hotel was located and enjoyed the fact that this neighborhood was nowhere near as crowded as most of the places we visited this weekend.  We had a few macaroons, and headed back to London - great weekend, and there really is something to be said about Paris, love was certainly in the air :)

Next stop...Rome...stay tuned!