I’ve done a fair amount of traveling in my life, but for my final blog post, I would like to talk about the next destinations I want to travel to. The first one is…

#1: Yosemite National Park

Although I’ve been to some pretty amazing places across oceans, I think that the United States has a LOT to offer in terms of beautiful sites and attractions. As someone who has lived on the East cost her entire life, I’ve had very few opportunities to explore the Western side of the United States, which has some of the most beautiful landscapes and nature scenes on Earth.

I’ve always loved the outdoors, and I think it’d be ridiculously fun to go backpacking through Yosemite with friends, or even by myself. I feel like it must be a cathartic experience to just be in nature for a while, with extremely limited connection to the outside world. Especially after wrapping up this semester (minus finals – yikes), it’d be refreshing to just be lost in the wilderness and recover some of my lost sanity for a few days (or years).

Because, seriously, what beats that view?

Next on my list of destinations is:

#2: Death Valley National Park

I don’t know what my current fixation with national parks in California is all about, but regardless, Death Valley is definitely on my list of places to go next. Despite being a geological marvel, Death Valley also has some of the clearest skies in the United States. As a current Astrophysics major, I love space more than is probably healthy, and could easily spend hours – if not days – staring up at such a clear view of the Milky Way. Also, there’s boulders that just move on their own and nobody knows why??? Crazy stuff, man.

#3: Reykjavik, Iceland

It may be freezing cold, but seeing the Northern lights has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Apparently it’s only a several-minute-long experience, but everyone I know who has seen the Northern light says it is absolutely worth it. Outside of the Northern lights, Reykjavik has blue lagoons, volcanoes, and beautiful natural landscapes to explore. Also, I’ve heard that people from Iceland are super nice, so that’s always a plus.

This list can be infinitely long, since in all honestly, there really isn’t anywhere that I don’t want to go to. I think you can learn something from every single place you visit, and the world is full of amazing and interesting things to learn about. Every single place that I have gone to, I’ve learned something new about the world, about life in general, and about myself. Traveling has been one of my passions for as long as I can remember, and I don’t see that fact changing any time soon. If I had it my way, I would just travel every day for the rest of my life, but responsibilities and limited financial resources are unfortunately blocking that goal. Despite that letdown of having to be an adult, I still hope to venture out into the world whenever given the opportunity. Hopefully, by the time I remember this blog exists ten years down the line and decide to check it out, I’ll have been to a bunch more cool places.

Until next time!

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

And now for the final stop of my three-part European adventure…

Budapest, Hungary! (The picture above is of Fisherman’s Bastian, which is basically as magical as it looks)

Budapest. above everything else, was just really, really cool. There were trendy bars and clubs (including ruin bars – which are old Communist factories transformed into night clubs??), there were random drunk guys on Segways that would pass you on the street, there were donut libraries (yep, it’s a thing) and hummus bars, amongst a plethora of other strange, interesting things that I can guarantee you will only find in a place like Budapest. The architecture is lovely, as one would expect in Europe, but there is something purely joyful in simply walking down the streets. I’d walk with a smile on my face, humming George Ezra’s “Budapest” as I went (because I’m basic and honestly, how could you not?? It’s so catchy.), as the song’s upbeat tune fits this place perfectly.

My mother, sister, and I had to make the most of the four days we had to cover the large amount of territory that is Budapest – in fact, Budapest is really split into two cities: the Buda side of the Danube river, and the Pest side of the Danube. Here’s a map to make all that a bit clearer:

With so much to do in such little time, we basically hit the ground running. We started walking around and exploring basically the moment we arrived – there was just one catch. We had absolutely no idea where we were going. Let’s take a look at this map again:

One way takes you to all the nice, pretty attractions. One way takes you to a sketchy part of town where there’s a sex shop on every corner. Guess which way we went?

(Answer: Not the right way)

We eventually made it back to the hotel (after several hours of being completely lost, but I digress). After that endeavor, we made sure to always check directions before going anywhere. But by the end of the trip, I was navigating Budapest like a pro. I saw some incredible sights, such as:

The Hungarian Parliament

The Charles Bridge

And, the underground labyrinth whee Vlad the Impaler (a.k.a Vlad Dracula) was imprisoned.

I KNOW RIGHT.

A much more well-lit version of Buda Labyrinth

I won’t lie – the labyrinth was definitely creepy, but I’ve always liked haunted houses and the sort, so I enjoyed it. My sister Casey, on the other hand, did not. There was a part of the labyrinth that was completely dark – you couldn’t even see your hand if you held it in front of your face! My mom took a look at it and instantly bailed. Casey took about two steps before freaking out and turning back to take another path. I sighed, and thought, “All right. Guess I’m doing this alone.”

I had intended to not use my phone for light, but I’ll be honest – I was a little creeped out myself. I was entirely alone. Not another soul had decided to brave the darkness, and even with the light, I could still hardly see and kept running into walls. There was dark, scary music playing off in the distance (I couldn’t see where) and droplets of water splashing onto the cold ground. I was stepping into puddles, searching for paths out, while hardly being able to see. At one point, I saw a door and headed towards it, only to find it locked, meaning I was seemingly trapped. I eventually found the hidden exit, but there was definitely some panic for a brief moment. Being alone in utter darkness, not knowing if anything – or anyone – is around you can unnerve the bravest of us all. I eventually made my way out, and later in the labyrinths, in the midst of a fog that made it nearly impossible to see, we found the exact chamber where Dracula was imprisoned. Casey was panicking, but I thought it was pretty cool. I guess do believe in ghosts and spirits, but I don’t fear them. They are in another word, and there is enough to fear in our own.

On our way back out, I took the darkened path back – feeling braver than before –and waited outside the exit for my mom and Casey. They didn’t come. I felt a little unnerved at the beginning, which gradually turned to panic. I began pacing back and forth, went up the steep stairs into the outdoors to see if they’d gone there, and when I saw that they hadn’t, I sent a text message when I wasn’t permitted to use data (though it didn’t make much difference: No cell service in labyrinths). Ten minutes turned to twenty. They still hadn’t come out. Heart racing now, I decided to go back into the labyrinth, and for the first time, I was actually afraid. What can ghosts do to terrify me when faced with the idea that I’d never find my family?

Fortunately, after about half an hour, I found them. They’d been searching everywhere for me – they even went through the dark tunnels to look for me, fearing that maybe someone had kidnapped me or murdered me in the tunnels in order to live in some sadistic infamy. Again, there are enough real life terrors to make ghosts and demons seem trivial.

The rest of my trip, fortunately, was much less scary. Much of my time was just spent exploring random places I came across, and eating more gelato than I care to admit. On my last night in Budapest, I had dinner at a restaurant on the Danube, listened to the sounds of music floating in from the streets, had delicious chicken paprikash and strawberry lemonade, and reflected on all I’d seen and experienced throughout my trip. I’d been to three different cities, seen countless attractions and wonders, had laughed and and smiled nearly endlessly, had walked more miles than I could count, and had fallen deeper in love with the world and with life, and all the joys and marvels and experiences it brings.

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

The second stop in my summer European adventure was the seat of the Hapsburg Empire – Vienna, Austria. Pictured behind me is Schönbrunn Palace, the summer home of the Hapsburg family.

Vienna was probably the city I was the least excited for in my three-stop trip across Europe. Besides being the title of a wonderful Billy Joel song, there truly wasn’t much I knew about its history or culture. Having been the creator of the trip’s itinerary, I had designated the least amount of time to Vienna, as I truly didn’t expect that there would be too much to see.

Boy, was I wrong.

Vienna is a city overflowing with art, culture, and history. On the very first day I was there, I explored all around the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which is one of the largest art museums in the world.

It’s also just beautiful to look at (much like everything else in Vienna, but you’ll figure that out in a bit).

Inside a e tallery in the museum

I have no idea what the context of this painting is, but I love it and I aspire to be her.

The next day, we decided to explore the more royal side of Vienna and went to Schönbrunn Palace, which is pictured above. It was the summer home of the royal family, which I think needs to be emphasized because if THIS

is the summer home, then what on Earth does their actual home look like? (Don’t worry, we’ll get there).

After taking an exorbitantly expensive horse carriage ride around the garden and getting my dress eaten by a horse:

Me realizing my dress was being eaten by a horse, captured in real time.

We went inside the palace to view the Imperial Apartments, which are just as overly fancy and ridiculous as they sound. Also, you weren’t allowed to take pictures, but based on how many pictures I include in an average post, how do you think that went over?

When you’re trying to make it look like you’re just sending a text message #sneaky

A ballroom in Schönbrunn Palace

Besides seeing some outrageously extravagant bedrooms, I actually learned quite a lot on my tour through the Imperial Apartments. The main historical focus of the tour was on the last emperor and empress of the Austrian Empire, pre-World War I: Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Elisabeth – but more commonly known as Sisi. The audio guide explained that while Franz Joseph was an incredibly hard-working man, a loving father and husband, and an all-around 10/10 guy, Sisi was another story entirely. She was unfriendly, antisocial, and unloving to her family. She spent hours every day on her beauty regime, and hardly ate in order to maintain her figure. She even complained about how awful Austria was, while she was the empress of Austria. My mom, sister, and I walked out of the tour and into the souvenir shop ranting about how unfortunate it was that Franz Joseph got stuck with someone like her.

What we were surprised to find, however, is that the souvenir shop was entirely covered with her. There were Sisi magnets. Sisi T-shirts. Sisi pens. Sisi shot glasses. It was as if Austrians actually worshipped this woman who had despised them so much. What we couldn’t figure out was why. 

We found out the next day at the Sisi Museum (yeah, this chick has an entire museum dedicated to her), which is located inside the Imperial Palace (a.k.a the actual home of the Hapsburgs).

The Sisi Museum is set up as a physical journey throughout her life. It begins at her childhood, where she was raised in the German countryside, far away from court etiquette and rules. She was never raised to know how to live at court, and yet was thrust into such a life at only fifteen years old when Franz Joseph saw her and instantly fell in love with her. She was incredibly nervous and shy, and was mocked by almost everyone at court for not knowing how to behave. When she had children, they were instantly taken away from her since she was not trusted to raise them properly. Oh also, remember Franz Joseph? The absolute stand-up guy we all loved? He cheated on her all the time.

Sisi loved to travel and write poetry. She was incredibly intelligent, and felt that her opinion was never considered because she was a woman and considered to be stupid, since she didn’t know the ways of court. Even her obsession with her looks is understandable – it was the only thing in her life that she could control. And honestly, who wouldn’t lash out when feeling as if they were stuck in a life they had no power over?

I wish I had spent more time in Vienna, as in the few days I was there, I truly grew to love it. In that short amount of time, I learned not to judge so quickly. We all have our hidden demons, even the princesses and the empresses I wanted to be as I gallivanted around palaces. We all have our own ways of coping. She used writing and travel as an escape, as a safe haven from all the pressure she faced in her everyday life. Based on this blog, I think it’s easy to tell that I do the same.

And perhaps that’s the beauty of seeing new places and learning new things – you begin to see similarities between people – even a 19th century empress –  whom you once believed were so different from yourself.

A painting of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi. 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Fun Fact: Did you know where Walt Disney got his inspiration for the iconic Cinderella’s Castle in Walt Disney World?

Inspiration came from the Tyn Cathedral in Prague, pictured in the background of this photo (the girl in the picture is me, if you couldn’t tell). With the cathedral’s fairytale spires, it isn’t difficult to see why. When I traveled to Prague this summer, one of the first things I realized was that not only the cathedral, but the entire city, looks like it came straight out of a storybook.

Prague was the first stop in a three-part high school graduation trip I took from late June to early July of 2017 (you’ll learn about the next two parts later). I’d been sick the entire 11-hour flight (thanks motion sickness), and yet, the moment I got off the plane and into Stare Mesto (Old Town – the historical heart of the city), I felt nothing but pure awe and excitement. With bright buildings, centuries-old castles and cathedrals, I truly felt as if I’d been transported into another time.

Prague Castle in the distance at sunset

St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle

Stare Mesto (Old Town), with Tyn Cathedral in the background

Of course, the facade faded ever so slightly the next day, when it was pouring rain.

And also freezing cold.

I may be smiling, but I was actually shaking from being so cold. Also, see my pants? They’re a light grey color (that is, when they aren’t completely 100% soaking wet).

Despite being freezing cold and soaked to the bone, I explored the city for hours on end that day. In a way, the rain just made the storybook city seem more mysterious and ominous. Thinking back on it, Prague was actually kind of creepy. My sister and I made a game called “Find the Skull”, because no matter where we were in Prague, chances are we’d find a skull somewhere – whether in a building, in a church, in a house, or even on a skeleton hanging outside a medieval prison (seriously, full skeleton, just hanging, obviously post-torture, since all his fingers and toes pointed in different directions).

This was in a church, BTW.

Despite its beauty and mystique, Prague absolutely had its dark moments in history. One of the most impactful parts of my entire trip was at Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral – a little hole-in-the-wall church that you will not find on any TripAdvisor website or travel guide. I noticed it the first day while walking around town – because of the tiny little holes alongside one of the walls.

What I later discovered is that those little holes were from bullets, and this church was where the Czech resistance to the Nazi occupation made their last stand. I saw the crypt of the church, where they chose suicide over surrender. There was a little museum inside the cathedral where I learned about the paratroopers. Something that struck me was they were no storybook heroes of legends – they were store clerks and candy stripers. They were everyday, ordinary people.

The crypt where the paratroopers drank poison rather than be caught by the Nazis, who had infiltrated the cathedral.

That day, I realized that you can find the most extraordinary people in the most ordinary of places, hidden in plain sight. The bravery of these men, who sacrificed everything, who died where I stood, made me realize that we all can choose to be extraordinary people even in our ordinary lives.

The next day, I left Prague to continue on my journey. I will always remember its beauty and light, but I will never forget about the darkness in its history. But perhaps that’s the difference between fairytales and real life. Fairytales always seem to be black and white, good vs. evil. In real life, there’s both. There’s cathedrals with skulls in them. There’s castles and rain. There are Nazis, but there are the brave men and women who stood up to fight them. The greatest thing I learned in Prague is this: There is a streak of beauty that outshines all the darkness.

A very low-quality picture of my siblings and I freezing in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

When I was eleven years old, I was lucky enough to travel to Europe for the very first time – namely, to Paris. I have traveled to many other wonderful places since then, and yet no place can and ever will compare to Paris.

Perhaps it was just the excitement of being in a foreign place for the first time, but the memories that I made there were more vibrant and colorful than any others I can recall. I can still smell the fresh bread and wine pouring out from the shops into the streets, I can taste the croissant I had for breakfast every morning (best croissant of my life, BTW), and I can see the city lights shining at night. Most significantly, every time I see a picture or even think of Paris, I can still feel all the excitement and happiness that I felt when I was a child, while exploring and getting lost in the streets of Paris.

Speaking of getting lost, that happened to me. Quite a lot, actually. When we visited the Louvre, I got so enthralled by the Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities Section that I decided to explore further into the massive section at the same time that the rest of my family decided to move onward. I eventually got so lost that I had to ask a worker to help me find my family.

Another low-quality picture from the Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities Section that I loved (and got lost in)

My sister and I left my father’s iPad in a museum in a large, black duffle bag. When we finally realized it was gone and ran back to get it, there was already a security team slowly moving in on it – probably suspecting that someone was trying to bomb the Musee d’Orsay. Needless to say, my father was not very happy.

Later, my sister Casey then left a hat that my grandmother had knit for her at a restaurant after dinner, and we knew my mother would Casey if she found out (especially after the iPad incident). Therefore, we both snuck out of the room at night in order to get back to the restaurant without our parents noticing. On the way back, we turned left when we should’ve turned right, and ended up on the opposite side of the district we were in. In retrospect, sneaking out at night in a foreign city probably was not the safest move. But we (eventually) managed to make it back safely, thanks to some very nice, drunk locals. And our parents never found out (sorry Mom, if you’re reading this).

Another low-quality picture of The Hat, featuring my sister, who somehow manages to lose everything.

My favorite place that I got lost in, however, was Sainte Chapelle. I’d never heard of it before I got to Paris, but my mother insisted that we go. From the outside, it didn’t look like much. The first floor was your basic European gothic church – certainly pretty, but nothing incredibly breathtaking.

First floor of Sainte Chapelle (my camera sucked I’m sorry)

After walking around for a bit, I turned to my mother and said, “Okay, so should we go now?”

“No, we have to go upstairs!” My mother looked almost shocked that I’d even propose such a thing. I didn’t stop to ask why going upstairs was such a big deal, and just followed my mother up the steep, centuries-old steps, expecting to see more of the same thing.

There has only been one time, in my entire life, that my breath literally was taken away. And that was on the second floor of Sainte Chapelle.

It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful place I’ve ever been in. I’ve never felt such a strong connection to places before – to churches or houses or buildings. But as I stood there, looking at the light from the sun shining through the stained-glass windows, I got lost in my own thoughts, wondering how so beautiful a place could even exist. I might’ve stood there for hours, just thinking – I can’t even remember how long I was there. I just remember all the happiness I felt.

At eleven years old, I was trying to find myself – I was trying to find self-acceptance, love, peace, happiness, as I suppose everyone is. I hadn’t been happy in a long time. And in Sainte Chapelle, as I was lost in my thoughts, I felt at peace. And so, as I was lost, I managed to find myself.

Sainte Chapelle, and Paris as a whole, will always occupy a place in my heart. I haven’t returned there since I was eleven, and yet I still think about it all the time. Just thinking about it makes me happy in a way that little else does. The greatest part of that trip was not the bread, or the wine, or the city lights. The greatest part was everything combined – it was simply discovering what it was to feel happy.