Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Europe, aka Photo Spam


I am (yes, you guessed it) back from Europe!  It was a wonderful trip and I have taken lots and lots of photos... and I even brought a journal along, mostly to practice my cursive of course.

Picture quality isn't great since I couldn't take my Alpha 200 with me.

It was a tearful goodbye (on my mom's part) at the airport. Once we checked in, it finally hit us: WE'RE GOING TO EUROPE!


We flew from Toronto to Montreal, and then Montreal to Zurich.  On the Montreal to Zurich flight, we were upgraded to business class. It was wonderful, you know, because we actually had some leg room.  What I'm reading there is my own dinner and breakfast menu; economy class was just "chicken or beef?"


Our final destination was Nice, France.  We stayed in Nick's great aunt's flat in Antibes, which is 20 minutes away from Nice. We were also only 10 minutes away from the beach!



We took a day trip to Nice, it was pretty nice! :P  We climbed the Colline du Chateau, and this is the amazing view from the top:


There was also a waterfall!  ... but no castle (it was destroyed). Uhh... don't mind the muffin top.


Back in Antibes for a rest day: we bought the coolest desserts. This is orange sorbet in a real orange peel:


We were originally planning on going to Marseilles, but... it would have cost us around 100 Euros. Impromptu trip to Monaco it is!


Hi seagull.


Then we spent a week in Italy.  Of course, this being a trip that I'm on, things couldn't just go smoothly.  Our train to Ventimiglia was delayed an hour because someone had committed suicide on the tracks. :(  We arrived in Venice (Ventimiglia -- Milan -- Venice) in the evening. It is a beautiful city.

Waiting in line to go up the bell tower in Piazza San Marco.


*Drools*


à la Audrey, except the opposite hand and with a breadstick instead...


Us with our amazing gondolier!  I imagine his name is Marco or Pietro.


The Bridge of Sighs. *sigh* Stupid advertisements... Marco/Pietro told us that they've been up for 3 years now.


I'm on a boat taking pictures of other boats.


Next stop: Rome!  First was the Spanish Steps.


Hi Trevi Fountain!


I interrupt all these beautiful things now with a pictures of Nick wearing the Casillas jersey he bought in Venice:


Playing peekaboo in the Colosseum because I can.


He found me.


We had to go back to the hostel in the afternoon because it was extremely hot.  That night, we walked to the pantheon. I think it's important to note that Nick is holding Nutella gelato:


Hint for those of you who are planning to go to the Vatican: covered shoulders and covered legs if you want to go into the museums!  We didn't know this, so we didn't bring our jeans along (it was 40 degrees outside). Oh well.  Anyway, we just took pictures of St. Peter's Basilica:


Best sign ever:


I also found out that my boyfriend is Justin Bieber...


Nutella on the go?! (If you haven't figured this out already, Nutella = Nick's heroin)


First night in Paris: Ben and Jerry's profiteroles mmmm


We then visited the Arc du Triomphe, where I was promptly photobombed:


Who visits Paris without seeing the Eiffel tower?!


Who visits Paris without walking up the Eiffel tower?!  (Lots of people, apparently)  My thighs hated me that day.


We didn't go inside, but the Louvre was beautiful from the outside as well:


*sputters* I AM WORTH SO MUCH MORE THAN 11 EUROS! HMPH


From Paris, we took a train to Mannheim to visit Nick's aunt and uncle.


They took us to Heidelberg castle, which was beautiful and full of Asian tourists.


Hehe, Nick's uncle is silly


Heidelberg + the river Neckar


This, ladies and gents, is spaghetti ice cream:


Our next destination was Prague.  We arrived at the train station at midnight but couldn't get a taxi because our VISA cards weren't working and we didn't have any Czech crowns on us.  So guess who got to spend a night at the train station?

We were kicked out from 1am to 3am because they were doing maintenance work.   It was kind of cold.  And Nick needed to shave.


It was cold.


On the Charles Bridge


Next stop, Munich!  Marienplatz.


English gardens:


There was a sign that said "do not feed the animals."


Back in Paris!  Waiting in the metro station, how attractive:


Last day in Europe! We're back in Antibes, and hitting the beach.


All in all, it was an amazing vacation that I won't ever forget. What did you do this July? 




 

7 comments so far.

  1. Meg on August 4, 2010 at 6:08 PM

    Beautiful pictures! They compound my jealousy even more. You and Nick are adorable together.

    The profiteroles look delicious. I'm not sure if I'd want to try spaghetti ice cream, though... was it good?

  2. lyrical charlatan on August 4, 2010 at 7:08 PM

    Haha, the spaghetti ice cream was just vanilla ice cream with strawberry sauce, so yes, it was good. :)

  3. Kaylee on August 4, 2010 at 10:05 PM

    Your trip looks like it was amazing!! You and Nick are so cute together :)

    A few of my friends are planning a trip to Europe a few years from now... I hope my parents will let me go with them!

    I love your boyfriend's Casillas jersey :P

  4. Meg on August 4, 2010 at 11:36 PM

    The spaghetti looked so real! Ignore my stupidity :P

  5. Kristin on August 4, 2010 at 11:49 PM

    Wow I am speechless! What amazing photos! All the food looks to die for, god I'm obsessed with food! :P

    You and your boyfriend look too cute! And lucky duck! Upgraded to Business Class!! Hooray!

  6. Emsz on August 5, 2010 at 1:20 PM

    I have seen the spaghetti ice cream in various places in Germany. I usually think it's rather boring and order something else instead :P

    You should have asked for some tips on Snark, because I totally would have told you about the Vatican :P Oh well, hindsight. :P

  7. Clem on August 7, 2010 at 1:49 PM

    THIS LOOKS LIKE THE MOST AMAZING TRIP EVER AND I AM SOOOO JEALOUS. *flail*

    And, like everyone said, you and Nick are adorable together. And you are super pretty. :D

Something to say?