Backpacking through Eastern Europe (Solo!)

October 15, 2019November 7, 20194 Comments

What a weekend! Another wild experience, very different from most of my trips so far – so another LONG recap!!

This weekend I decided to travel through a number of Eastern European cities. Alone. Why? I’m not really sure, to be honest, but this seemed like a good way to experience each city to its fullest capacity, have some time to myself, and explore things I probably wouldn’t have had the chance to otherwise. I booked a non-refundable, one-way ticket to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, so that I couldn’t back out, and from there I planned my backpacking journey through Eastern Europe.

It started Thursday morning with a very early three-hour flight to Prague. Going into this weekend, I was still exhausted from the previous weekend’s trip to Morocco and hadn’t had enough time to get settled back in Madrid, so getting to Prague was a bit hectic. I wasn’t able to plan too much beforehand, so I kind of just showed up and decided to wing it from there. I went straight from the airport to the Prague Castle, and that was the start of my journey. I didn’t know much about Prague beforehand, but the city has so much history and is so rich in culture. There was SO much to see, so I spent the entire day walking around and making the most out of my 24 hours in the city.

After seeing the castle and it’s neighbor, St. George’s Basilica, I walked over to a highly recommended cafe, The Farm, to get out of the rain. This little restaurant was the perfect welcome to Prague. I had a latte and the yummiest french toast, and I was able to relax for a while, recharge, and plan the rest of my day. After lunch, I walked through Letenske Sady, a nearby park, and it was so nice to see so much nature and leaves changing color – it’s still hot in Madrid! The famous Prague metronome is also in this park, with an amazing view of the Vltava River. I then crossed the bridge into Old Town, which was so cool to walk around – it truly felt like late fall in a medieval style town, and there were even some Christmas decorations out. Here I saw the famous astronomical clock, the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, and the Old Jewish Quarter. I also tried Trdelnik, a rolled pastry covered with cinnamon sugar and filled with ice cream – so delicious!

On my way to my hostel, I passed over the Charles Bridge, which truly amazed me. Not only the view over the river and the cityscape in the background, but the energy of everyone walking around and bands playing as you cross over – it was all so cool to experience. On the other side of the bridge I walked by the John Lennon Wall as well, which is now covered over by graffiti (mostly focused on peace and love), but still such an interesting part of history. For dinner I tried a traditional Czech restaurant that was an underground tavern type of place. I got a caprese plate, and potato soup (a traditional Czech dish).

Friday morning I woke up early to catch a train to Vienna, Austria, so I grabbed a quick breakfast on the way and set off on the four hour drive. I arrived around 2pm, so I stopped first at a local cafe to get a quick lunch, and then set out to explore the city. Vienna’s city center is very modernized, with lots of shopping areas and restaurants. I walked through here a bit, and also stopped to see St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Mozart’s House, both of which are in the city center. I then took a long walk toward the outskirts of the city and spent some time in Augarten, a large park in Vienna. After a long couple of days of traveling and walking, it was nice to sit on a bench and relax for a bit (especially now that the weather was warmer too).

On my way back toward the city center, I walked through Karmelitermarkt, a small street market, and then I passed the Soviet War Memorial, which was so remarkable. I checked into my hostel early that evening and rested up since I’d have lots of walking the next day! Saturday morning I had a few more hours to explore before heading to Budapest, so I started out at another recommended cafe, Café Sperl. This was a very traditional style, classic looking cafe, and the food was so delicious. I then spent some time walking through Naschmarkt, which is a street market almost a mile long with over 100 vendors. Here they sold food, textiles, souvenirs, and other antique goods. Soon it was time to catch my bus to Budapest, and three hours later I was in Hungary.

Upon arriving to Budapest, I immediately began sight seeing since I only had limited time here. Budapest is split into two sides by the Danube River: Buda and Pest. I arrived on the Buda side, which happens to be the hilly side, so I got the hiking out of the way on Saturday. I started by hiking up Gellert Hill (which was much higher than I expected!) to see the Liberty Statue. Once I finally got to the top, the view was so worth it. I spent some time here as the sun began to set, and then I walked about a mile down the river to Buda Castle – another incredible view! The castle was right next to the Budapest History Museum, so I was able to explore both. The buildings were built so elegantly, and the foliage was so colorful – it gave me a taste of a Boston fall 🙂 At the top of the castle were walkways and bridges that stretched out over the edge, so you could really tell how high up you were. Being able to look over the entire city and see the river stretch for miles in both directions is a view I can’t even begin to put into words, and pictures can only somewhat show. Standing at the top was so peaceful, and I found a wave of appreciation for all of the hidden treasures this world has to offer.

On my way to my hostel, I stopped at a street food market called Karavan to grab a quick dinner, and they had every food truck you could think of here! I then got a long night of sleep, because by this point in the weekend I was so exhausted. Sunday morning I had a few more hours to explore before my flight back to Madrid, so I spent the day on the Pest side of the river. I first walked through a farmer’s market right by my hostel, located in Budapest’s most famous ruin pub, Simple Kert. I passed by the Dohany Synagogue, which is the largest in Europe. I then walked over to St. Stephen’s Basilica, and then the Hungarian Parliament, which are tied for the tallest buildings in Budapest. The Parliament building might be the most beautiful building I’ve ever seen. It was right on the river, and it was so large and so old fashioned, with vines of red and orange leaves all around it.

I then made my way to the Chain Bridge, which, yet again, had more amazing views. By this point I was starving, so I stopped at a small cafe for a cappuccino and a cinnamon bun (they’re so good in Hungary!). I walked along Váci Utca (Váci Street) for a bit, which is the main shopping area of the city. Finally it was time to say goodbye to Budapest and head to the airport.

This weekend was definitely a major learning experience. First, I learned that I hate being alone. I’m glad I was able to experience all of these incredible places, and I’m glad that I learned I don’t like traveling alone, but it would have been nice to have friends with me. I thought a solo trip would be something I’d really enjoy, but I’m definitely looking forward to traveling with my friends again! In the end, I think my favorite leg of the trip was Prague, because I was able to see all parts of the city (which were so beautiful) and stay occupied all day – that being said, I don’t think I would go back because I do feel like I saw everything. Budapest is a close second, and I think if I had friends to share more experiences with, I would have loved it a lot more, so that is definitely a place I want to return! Vienna was amazing as well, but I just didn’t vibe with the city as much as the other two.

I’m so grateful I was able to do so much in one weekend and gain so much more knowledge of Eastern Europe. After a long period of non-stop traveling though, I’m ready for some time back in Spain!

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xx,

Megan

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Experiencing Morocco

October 8, 2019October 16, 20193 Comments

Welcome back! Get ready for a long blog post this week – I have endless things to say about my trip to Morocco.

Where to begin! This weekend’s trip was nothing like the traveling I’ve been doing so far, and it actually reminded me a lot of the trips I’ve taken over the past five years to Central America with School The World, so I immediately fell in love. I visited the North African country of Morocco this past weekend with a large group of other BC students, which our study abroad program coordinated. We spent time in both the city of Marrakech and the mountain village of Amizmiz over a four day weekend.

We flew into Marrakech late Thursday night, so we went straight to our hotel and to bed since we had lots planned for the day ahead. Friday was our first full day in Morocco, and we started with breakfast and a discussion with a group of Moroccan students around our age about the Moroccan culture. There was so much I didn’t know beforehand, and so much that I wasn’t even aware I didn’t know. Being able to openly ask questions and talk about life with these students was so educational and so eye-opening. I went into the weekend thinking I had a pretty good idea of what life was like, but I had only scratched the surface.

These students then walked with us around the Medina and Souks, which are the smaller streets and markets/shops in Marrakech. We saw so many textiles, paintings, spices, jewelry, and other market goods which we could barter for. We then headed to lunch at Cafe Clock where we could try so many traditional foods, like couscous, hummus and pita, falafel, and even camel burgers (glad I tried one once, but I don’t think I would do it again).

After lunch we were given a tour of the Bahia Palace, the Mellah (the Jewish quarter of Marrakech), and the Koutoubia Minaret, which is the largest mosque in the city. I always love learning about the culture and history of the cities we visit, and seeing the different landscapes and architecture that is famous there. That afternoon we had some free time, so we walked back through the markets (this is when I actually did my shopping), and we got dinner at a nicer restaurant in the square where our hotel was. We tried more couscous, as well as chicken tagine, a traditional North African dish. Walking all day was a great way to get around and see different parts of the city, but the 100ºF weather made it very tiring!

Saturday morning we had another conversation with the Moroccan students we had met the day before, this time about religion. I had learned about Islam in classes both in high school and in college, and I had actually done an entire research project on Morocco during my sophomore year at BC, but this was all surface level information. I went in with very basic knowledge about the principles of the religion, and the general practices Muslim people followed. In talking with the students, I learned so much more about what daily life is actually like, and how both culture and religion are changing through the generations. Just like I see in the US, religion is practiced on a spectrum in Morocco. There are those who are entirely devoted and follow all teachings of the Quran and the Hadith, and there are others who follow just the parts they feel compelled by or responsible for. We discussed why some women choose to wear the hijab while others don’t, and how that is seen by their families, their peers, and others on the streets. We talked about how women are treated, how husbands and wives interact with one another, and how older generations interact with younger ones. Over these two conversations, I felt so much closer with the students and the culture, as I learned there are so many parallels with my own culture and religion that I was missing, while still so many interesting and unique differences that I could learn about.

After finishing our discussion, we headed toward the mountain village of Amizmiz, where our trip leader had served while in the Peace Corps. On the way, we stopped shortly to ride camels, which was a cool activity, but also made me sad to see the conditions the animals were living in. After about an hour drive, we arrived in Amizmiz where we split off with different host families to enjoy lunch in their home. Here we were able to continue our conversations about both Moroccan and American culture, and bond further with the students.

That afternoon we visited the Women’s Association, where a group of hardworking women make and sell couscous, and open their doors to other women in need, typically those divorced and widowed. We saw how the couscous was made, and listened to them speak about their mission and experiences. Next, we walked to the local Hammam (public baths), where we spent lots of time getting clean!

Saturday night is by far one of the most memorable and heartwarming nights I’ve had while abroad, and honestly in my life as a whole. We went back to eat dinner with our host families, where we spent time sharing music, talking about our lives at home, and learning more and more about one another. We then all joined up again for a party with all of the families. We dressed in traditional Moroccan clothing, tried henna tattoos, and sang and danced for hours. There was something so special about everyone coming together that night, from opposite sides of the globe, and spending time together like lifetime friends and family, that I will never forget. I met some of these people the day before, and made such deep, genuine connections with them. We were welcomed so kindly into their homes, and everyone forgot about any issues or differences in the world, and just laughed together while we danced to Moroccan and American music alike.

Sunday was our last day in Morocco, so we woke up early and hiked through the Amizmiz mountains, which were so beautiful and so peaceful. At the top, we visited the Quranic school of that region, were we had a rooftop breakfast and listened to the Imam of that school speak about his role and connection with the students there. Being able to meet so many amazing people and be so personally immersed into the Moroccan culture was so special, and it’s something I wouldn’t have been able to do had I just traveled there on my own.

That afternoon we headed back to Marrakech, and we had a very late flight, so we had lots of free time to spend back in the city. We visited the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and the Majorelle Gardens, which were both so beautiful and so inspiring. We then went back through the markets one more time to do some last minute shopping, and got a quick dinner of shawarma and fries at another local restaurant in the square. We landed back in Madrid around 5AM on Monday, so I am still catching up on sleep from the weekend before I fly out again Thursday morning.

Among all of the takeaways I have from this weekend, the one I want to stress the most is that people all over the world are such amazing people, and you can’t truly experience a culture without them. Immersing myself into a more rural area and spending time with local students and families is what made this trip so memorable and worthwhile, and my perspective on the world is forever changed because of it. Getting outside of one’s comfort zone is so crucial in order to stay educated about and and comfortable with the world around them. Some of the greatest experiences I’ve had and the kindest people I’ve met are those countries away from my own, and I wouldn’t trade these connections for anything. I am so lucky to have had these amazing experiences, and I hope more people can enjoy them too, because we are all neighbors in humanity and we all love each other at heart.

See you all next week!

xx,

Megan

Oktoberfest!

October 2, 2019October 13, 2019Leave a comment

El Escorial y El Valle de Los Caídos: Madrid, España

Hi everyone!

I’m back again from another busy weekend of traveling. This trip was much quicker, but the weekend as a whole was still very packed. The last few weeks I’ve been leaving for my trips on Thursday mornings (I only have class Monday-Wednesday), but this weekend I didn’t leave until Friday, so it was really nice to have a day to relax in Madrid before taking off again.

Starting on Friday, I had another day trip for the art class I am taking here. We drove about an hour to El Escorial, a monastery and the former residence of the King of Spain. This was kind of like one big museum, with an old library, different historical rooms, and a chamber where all of Spain’s former kings and queens are buried. It was very interesting to walk through the various rooms that were actually used by former kings, and see all of the artwork and artifacts left there.

We then drove a few minutes to the Valley of the Fallen (Valle de los Caídos), a Francoist regime monument. This monument is already highly controversial, and just two days before our visit the Supreme Court of Spain declared that Franco’s body would be exhumed from the site. This made our visit even more interesting as the environment was changed and the controversy escalated, and as freaky as it was to be inside the monument, I am glad we were able to go before his body is removed and the history is ‘gone’.

Immediately after returning to Madrid we went straight to the airport and took off Friday evening for Munich, Germany. This was the second weekend of Oktoberfest, and by far the busiest. We didn’t land until about 11:00 PM, so we headed straight to our campsite for the weekend. Yes, that’s right – we camped. After a last-minute cancellation on our AirBnb and failure to find a hotel or hostel that wasn’t booked, we resorted to sleeping in tents at the Festanation Campsite. I wasn’t too worried about this to begin with, it actually seemed like a fun idea, but once we got there, the campsite completely exceeded my expectations. I went in thinking we would be sleeping in a tiny tent on the dirt ground in the freezing cold, but the company actually had great accommodations, I was so comfortable the whole weekend, and I would definitely stay there again if I were to return. It was definitely cramped and not the warmest, but for camping in the middle of Munich, Festanation did a great job.

Saturday morning was a very early wake up and a quick change into our dirndls and lederhosens before taking the train to Theresienwiese, the festival site for Oktoberfest. We only had to wait in line for about a half hour before the gates opened, and from there it was a crazy rush to the tents. There was one tent, the Hofbräu Tent, where pretty much all college students studying abroad went to, so of course we went there and met up with other friends from home and from BC. I had been told lots of stories about the festival before going, so it was pretty close to what I expected, just much much bigger.

We hung out in the HB tent for most of the day, which was really fun to be with everyone and experience the event. Early in the afternoon, we walked around outside for a bit, got some food, and went on some rides. My diet the entire day consisted of different types of soft pretzels, but they were so delicious. Coincidentally enough I’m allergic to beer so I wasn’t fully able to enjoy this part of the festival, but I tried all that I needed to get the full experience, and despite the pain that came afterwards, I think it was worth it.

Later in the afternoon we went back to our tents to rest, and then we put on warm, comfy clothes and went back to Oktoberfest at night. We got dinner and walked around some more, and it was way less crowded at night, but definitely a bit more crazy, since everyone that was left had been there partying all day.

Overall, Oktoberfest was SO much fun and I’m so glad that I went (despite how expensive the trip was). That being said, I’m glad we only did the festival for one day, because it was so exhausting and I think another day that busy would have been too much. It was such a cool place and environment, and I do want to go again when I can spend more time and money on the weekend, but for now I’m so glad I got to do it with all of my friends while abroad.

Sunday morning we explored the Munich city center for a bit before our flight home. The city isn’t too big so it was easy to walk around a couple plazas and see all we needed before leaving. Getting home Sunday afternoon rather than Monday morning was definitely a better move, since I could unpack and get organized for the week before going back to school. As quick as the weekend was, it was still very tiring and I’m glad to have a few days in Madrid to catch up before my next flight on Thursday!

I’m finally catching up on my vlogs from each trip, so feel free to check those out on the Videos page. Additionally, if you’d like to receive email updates when I post new blogs, please subscribe below!

xx,

Megan

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Weekend in the French Riviera

September 24, 2019October 13, 2019Leave a comment

I just returned early Monday morning from the South of France, and quickly unpacked and packed again to head to school. This weekend I spent most of my time in Nice, France, with a couple of day trips to other nearby cities.

My friends and I left Thursday morning for Nice, and we spend the day walking around and exploring the city. We got crepes and waffles at an outdoor cafe and they were SO delicious. We checked into our AirBnb in the afternoon, rested up for a bit, then walked a couple blocks down to the beach. The beaches in Nice for the most part are all pebble beaches, but it really wasn’t that uncomfortable. We all took a nap on the shore and then hung out and watched the sunset. For dinner we walked about a mile into the center of town. We ate at Bazar Cafe – I got spaghetti a la carbonara and for once here I felt uncomfortably full after a meal.

More of our friends flew in Thursday night, so once they arrived we headed back past the city center to an American-style pub called Wayne’s Bar. As packed and hot as it was, the music was great and we all ended up having a really good time.

Friday had the best weather of the trip, so we made this our beach day. We found a pebble-less beach in Villefranche-sur-Mer, and the view here was BEAUTIFUL. The water was so clear and so warm, and all around us were mountains with colorful houses. We ate lunch at a beach club called Deli Bo right next to us, and I had the most refreshing quinoa-veggie bowl. We walked around a bit and explored the Hotel de Ville of this area. The old architecture and the views from the top were so amazing. Friday night we went to a nice pizza place back in the center of Nice, and then went back to Wayne’s Bar (it was so much fun the first night!).

Then came Saturday, which might have been the coolest day of my life so far. We started the morning with breakfast in Nice at another small cafe called Marinette, where I got potato pancakes with tzatziki sauce, smoked salmon, avocado, a poached egg, tomato, and greens on top. I never would have imagined this combination, but it was one of my favorite meals so far. We then hiked up Castle Hill to see a waterfall and a beautiful view of the mountains on one side, and the French Riviera coast on the other.

We headed back to our apartment to change, and quickly hopped on a train to Monte Carlo, Monaco. Never in my life would I have expected to visit Monte Carlo, but it’s only 20 minutes on the train from Nice, and it is SUCH a cool place. We walked around the city for a while, which is pretty small so this wasn’t hard to do (except it’s VERY hilly!). We climbed up to the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, which, like most sites we’ve seen so far, also gave us a beautiful view of the city and the coast (and all of the major yachts). We then went to the Casino de Monte Carlo, opened in 1863, and so of course we had to gamble. We only spent a little bit of time here, but the experience was so unbelievable.

The day has already been insane, and to top it off, we then got on another train…to another country. One of our friends got a few recommendations from a local on his train ride to Nice, which really came in handy. One of these was what he named the best pasta in Italy. So we went to Italy for dinner. We took the train from Monaco to Ventimiglia, Italy, and walked to a local restaurant on the water called Pasta & Basta. I had never been to Italy before, but so far this was the best pasta I’ve had in my life. Everyone warned us about the big portions, so we started off by splitting pasta dishes. I shared a pesto fettuccine with potatoes and green beans, and this was definitely my favorite. However, one we all finished, we still wanted more. So we got another round of pasta, and this time I shared a four-cheese fettuccine. Both dishes were so amazing, and so was the tiramisu for dessert. After spending the day across three countries, we finally headed back to France for the night.

Sunday was our last day in Nice, and it was rainy, so we spend the day walking around Old Town. We got crepes again for breakfast, then tried another recommended restaurant that has the most well known gelato in Nice – Fenoccio. The gelato was amazing! We tried macaroons as well, and then shopped for a bit before heading back to the apartment. Once it stopped raining, we ordered a few pizzas and some wine, and had a picnic on the beach. This was the best way to end our vacation – it was so relaxing to sit by the ocean, and it was nice to just spend time with each other before our early Monday morning flight back to Madrid.

This weekend’s trip was definitely on the longer side, so I’m excited to have some time back in Madrid this week to get organized again. On Friday I’ll be heading out of the country again, so I look forward to updating you all then!

xx,

Megan

Weekend in Palma de Mallorca

September 18, 2019October 3, 2019Leave a comment

Welcome back!

This past weekend I spent about four days on the Balearic island of Mallorca, just off the eastern coast of Spain. We flew into Palma Thursday morning and stayed in the city for the weekend, then we headed back to Madrid Sunday night.

This was a trip I probably never would have planned on my own, but I am so glad I was able to see the island – I would definitely love to go back someday! I would also like to see the other Balearic islands, like Ibiza and Minorca, and to explore more of Mallorca itself, as we mainly stayed around Palma.

As soon as we stepped off the plane, I was amazed by the island. I’m not exactly sure what I expected, I think I was assuming it would be like most Caribbean islands – palm trees, beaches, and dry land. There were definitely palm trees and beaches, but there was so much more. The boats and cars that lined the water were unbelievable, and the buildings and architecture was so rich and modern. This was definitely not like any beach I’d been to before.

Our first meal in Mallorca was exactly what I needed, and what I was missing from the US. We went to a cute brunch spot called Santina and got avocado toast with feta and an egg, mimosas, and iced coffee (which is a very rare commodity here)!

We had another amazing meal that night for dinner. We overheard a couple at brunch talking about their favorite tapas bar in Spain, which happened to be right in Palma. The restaurant is called Bar España, and I can confirm that (so far) these are the best tapas I’ve had since I got here. My favorite was burrata with pesto on toast 🙂

Most of the weekend was spent at the beach – the weather was amazing and you can’t go to an island without visiting the beach! We went to Cala Major for three of the four days we were there, since this was closest main beach. The other side of the island is known for its beautiful beaches, but it was definitely difficult to get that far without a car, and honestly any beach would have worked for us.

I’ve always been a huge beach person, and being used to the beaches in New England/Cape Cod, I’ve found that most island beaches, while they’re much prettier, are not actually as fun, because the water is usually so warm and calm. This beach, however, had waves big enough to have fun in, and the water was so refreshing. I really hope to go back some day and see the other beaches, and the other islands as well.

We had one rainy day while in Palma, which ended up working out well so we could explore the city without feeling like we were missing a beach day. We visited the Catedral de Mallorca which was SO beautiful, and right along the water. We also walked around some markets and shops, just to get a feel for the city.

The apartment we stayed in had a beautiful view of the harbor, so we could sit on our terrace and look at the water. There were about 12 of us on the trip (8 in our apartment), so we were able to all hang out, cook meals, and enjoy our time on vacation. As much as I’m so excited to travel and explore so many amazing cities in Europe, I am so glad I was able to relax this weekend and not plan too much.

The next couple of months are packed with weekend trips, so I’ll be busy but I will definitely keep you updated! See you in France next week 🙂

xx,

Megan