Anyhoo, this'll be a little recap post, a few words of "wisdom" tucked in for good measure. Mostly, I'm going to show the pictures that I love from each city!
A Few Words of Logistical Travel Wisdom
1. Travelling with only one carry-on is the best thing ever in life. Do it, master it, it'll be awesome!
2. Bring an adaptor for each device, it's epically-helpful
3. Bring a new memory card for each city, because would stink to rely on one and have it die
4. Keep your bag in front of you at all times (there are actual signs warning of pickpockets in Europe)
5. AirBNB is awesome
6. Use a first day as a "scouting / recon" day, just relax, walk around, and see what's out there
7. Get lost on purpose
8. For the love of god, get a data plan / "Roam Like Home" and use Google Maps!
9. Stay at places with laundry and a hairdryer (if you need one), soooo much less to pack!
10. Eat as many cultural things as you can. Burgers will always be here when you get back, trust me.
11. Spend some time not running around all the time (this is more for me than you, to do next time)
12. If you don't speak the language, reach back to your charades days and get ready to play
13. Always at least try to speak the language so that people can at least see the effort
14. Ask the server what the best is, and order it even if you don't like it. The locals know some stuff.
15. When travelling alone, embrace the loneliness, it was the point... this is not an easy one
16. Look up, because there's always something cool to see when you look up
17. Don't assume you get to come back, do, see, and experience it as though it's the last time
18. Avoid street meat
19. Use the "toilets" whenever you see one, there is no way you're seeing another anytime soon
20. Be happy with what you experience, even if it's bad, because it teaches you something new
Alright, here's the Lisbon place I stayed, which I forgot to post in all of the Paris rush and anticipation of getting home safely.
The woman that I stayed with was wonderful, and while I'm only showing the floor I stayed on here, there is a whole other floor that had three bedrooms and a beautiful angled ceiling. The place was for soooo many more people than one, but the price was right, so I went with it!
It was really wonderful, and I look forward to visiting Lisbon again, and staying at the same place.
Speaking of places I stayed, here's what the second Paris location looked like (I'd stayed here last year as well, so it was a nice way to close off the trip).
Favourite Pictures from Paris - Oct 2-7 + Nov 3-5
This is / was my first favourite restaurant in Paris, called La Caveau on Île Saint-Louis. I was soon replaced by Sorza as my favourite, on the same island.
Anyhow, this is the lamb from La Caveau, and it's really delicious.
And this is Sorza, the caprese salad (they call it something much more not-dumbed-down than that), and that is followed by the lamb, which... do everything in your power to get there and eat it.
This is the tiramisu from a place I can't remember the name of, so let's just live vicariously through this picture for the remainder of our lives!
Favourite Pictures from Amsterdam - October 7-12
The restaurant with no name. Well, I'm sure there was one, but that's how cool the place was, they didn't even display a name...
That steak was pretty impressive!
I'm pretty sure "impressive" to me is the addition of rock salt, and a bit of crispness from the grill... I'm not hard to please... yes I am... whatever, this steak was delicious.
And this salted caramel custard was... it was like if someone whipped your dreams into a frenzy and then served them to you chilled in a vintage bowl. That's what it tasted like.
Favourite Pictures from Berlin - October 12-18
Currywvusrt. Odd, but the right kind of odd.
I shipped about six tubs (don't judge, they're tiny) of this back home, so if you're nice, all of your dreams will come true with but one teaspoon of this dream sauce!
This is called Sfogliatella Napoletana, and oddly, I had the best one of my trip in Berlin, the day I left for Rome, where these are classically made. I had a few there, but they were oddly less delicious.
If I find them somewhere in Toronto, and a man made them, that man and I will be married faster than you can say, "Hayley, you can't fit five of those in your mouth at once... but I see you don't care about that so... sure, carry on then."
Favourite Pictures from Rome - October 18-24
This was just cheese! Deep fried balls of cheese, though less ball than clumpy mishmash of delicious.
Lasaaaaagna!
Mmmmm, from that cooking class in Rome.
Favourite Pictures from Venice - October 24-28
Lasaaaaaaaaaaagna! Note the amount of "a", and how many more there are than the one from Rome. That one was good, but this one was good and bigger! lol
Gam Gam = Yum Yum! I will be making this at home more often than anyone should.
Favourite Pictures from Lisbon - October 28-Nov 3
Paris airport security confiscated these cans, claiming they're more water than fish. They're not. It didn't matter. They took them right after they dismantled all of the contents in my bag, everything out and all over the counter.
I later discovered (through some stealthy spy-esque work... also known as observing stuff) that it was because the woman behind the screen knew that her coworker was due to go on break, and she thought it would be funny to keep him there for a little longer
Oh yeah, super-funny for all involved...
Yummmmmmmm!!!
Best caprese of the whole trip!
Ooooooh the duck!
And there you have them, my favourite pictures from 35 days out of the country.
Some Thoughts on Airlines
I was on 9 flights and 1 train ride in 35 days, and I have some opinions. I know, it's shocking.
Iceland Air (Paris, Oct 1 + Toronto, Nov 5)
I flew Business Class for the sake of me having legs when I arrive in Europe, and having those same legs when I arrived back home. It was worth it for me, but I know it may not be for most others.
Pros
• The staff is very nice
• I'm told by a very rich guy who sat next to me on the way back that the Iceland Air Business Class ticket is cheap compared to others... sure... you have fun sitting in a bath full of your $1,000,000 bills, sir
Cons
• Iceland airport leaves a whole lot to be desired. They didn't seem to prep for more than 15 people to be waiting for a given flight, so hundreds have to stand around and wait. It makes for a messy situation.
• The weather this time of year is scary to fly in, though that could just be me
Air France - Amsterdam., Oct 7 + Paris, Nov 3
These guys knew their stuff, I really liked this airline.
Pros
• People were lovely
• Legroom very good (emergency exit)
• More hip room than any other economy
Cons
• None
KLM - Berlin, Oct 12
I honestly don't remember this flight at all, so it must have been just fine.
Air Berlin - Rome, Oct 18
I remember this one, a lot.
Pros
• I got to Rome safely
Cons
• No emergency exit seats left, my knees were smooshed, a lot, and I had bruises for days, even a woman 5'6" beside me had her knees almost touching the seat in front of her
• The least hip room of airline I've ever been on (including Porter)
Italia Rail - Venice, Oct 24
This is the only train trip I took on the trip, and it was pretty good! I paid $20 CAD extra for first glass, and it was worth it
Pros
• Tons of leg and hip room
• A man working there saw me shifting around a bit, trying to get comfy, and offered me two empty seats to put my legs up on, it was very nice of him
• On-board bar and food car in the middle of the train (didn't go)
• The come around and offer the newspaper
Cons
• An actual con, I was scammed by a woman offering to help me find my train, she said she was a customer service woman and I fell for it
TAP Portugal - Lisbon, Oct 28
This was an okay airline, but didn't like the flight.
Pros
• I got to Lisbon safely
• Best flight attendant fashion ever!
• I met some lovely women on the plane
Cons
• You can't book emergency exit or first row seats online, they show them as taken, and even if you call the airline directly to check, they don't tell you that information, and you end up with bruised knees again after a 3.5 hour flight... was not impressed
Final Thoughts
So, that's that. The next trip will hopefully be New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania, all of which terrify me because of the bugs! Are they myths? No, no they're not. Surely there is a ton of research to be done, so I'll make sure I can handle all that craziness before I get going on the realistic planning.
And now I guess I'm done writing my Europe blog, because it would be odd for me to keep going when I'm not, you know, in Europe!
I hope whoever has read this has enjoyed it, and here's hoping I'm back soon with another full of new adventures!
This last shot is of the final flight back home from Iceland. There was a plane beside us! It was weird!
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