Europe | Wendy On A Whim

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Rome, Italy

By Wendy · Comments (1)

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Rome, Italy, I had a fantastic time exploring the beautiful city.

I took a free shuttle from our hotel to the airport. From the airport I caught the train into the city. It was very easy to get around.

While I never thought I’d be this kind of tourist, I thought the fastest and easiest way to see as much of the city as possible was to buy tickets for a “hop-on, hop-off” bus. Many of the pictures I snapped were taken from my seat on the roof of the bus. While it’s not an in-depth experience, it is the perfect way to see the most in the least amount of time.

The Vatican. I got off the bus here and went inside. Breathtaking.

Gelato, of course. I chose two flavors, pistachio and chocolate.

The Trevi Fountain.

The crowd at the Trevi Fountain.

I ate at a restaurant near the Trevi Fountain. The pasta had mushrooms and truffle sauce and was so good that I couldn’t leave even a crumb behind.

Wine, candlelight, and a freshly cut rose in a dimly lit restaurant. How I always imagined dining in Rome!

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Categories : Europe, Travel

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

By Wendy · Comments (0)

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013

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We had two choices the day we docked in Livorno, Italy: to spend the afternoon at Pisa or in Florence. I was dead set on seeing Florence but it was further away than Pisa and we simply didn’t have enough time to make the trip worth it. A group of us decided Pisa would be the best decision. After taking a bus to a subway to another bus, we finally reached the great leaning tower! Even the grey, chilly day couldn’t stop us from enjoying and making silly poses – a must!

I’ve seen many photos of the leaning tower before but never actually thought I’d be there myself one day. I was so happy to cross it off my bucket list!

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Categories : Europe, Travel

Jerusalem and Nazareth

By Wendy · Comments (1)

Sunday, January 27th, 2013

A couple summers ago my brother Danny spent three months traveling all over Europe on his bicycle. He rode all day and slept in a tent or on the random couch at night. Being the architect he is, he made sure to visit all the popular architectural sites. Once he returned home, the question he got asked more than any other about his trip was: “which place is your favorite and why?” To this he would heave a big sigh and say, “I can’t choose a favorite! Why is that all anybody wants to know?”

I now understand exactly where he’s coming from. After my four-month long Mediterranean adventure, I get asked this question more than any other. This is why traveling is such an intimate and personal affair; you can’t possibly express to those that weren’t there every site you set your eyes on, every smell, taste, or sound you sensed, and each excitement, pain, love, or heartache you felt. Therefore, if you’re not traveling for yourself but rather for the sake of boasting you’d be wasting your time, as you’ll be sorely disappointed to learn most people can’t fully appreciate the minute details.

Nevertheless, because this is the question most asked, I thought to answer it here. If I had to pick only one favorite place I would gladly return to again, it would be Italy. Italy has Pompeii and Herculaneum, pizza in Naples, the coliseum and Vatican in Rome, the gondola rides in Venice, the Renaissance art in Florence, and much, much more.

But, if I could pick two favorites, then for all it’s history and jaw-dropping effects, I would include Israel. More specifically, the Israeli cities Jerusalem and Nazareth. And because I haven’t yet shared that experience with you in photos, I’d like to do so now: