bonn, germany.

day 86 // sat april 7

It's always fun to be a tourist in your own city. Saturday was the day we had to say goodbye to Ris & Jarrod, so sad. We walked them to the train station and decided we would hunker down to get some work done. Well, that was short lived because about an hour later Jens texted and asked if we wanted to go to the Poppelsdorfer neighborhood and explore. The day was too pretty not to say yes—75 degrees and sunny.

We first walked across town to Poppelsdorf Palace. This is currently part of the University of Bonn. It hosts a botanical garden and lots of great lawn space for people to lounge. Jens had been telling us about this great Tibetan place. I personally had never had Tibetan food, but he said they made the noodles right in front of you and it was delicious. The place was really tiny, but with tons of character—my favorite type of restaurant.

After grubbing (for real) we continued our walk through Poppelsdorf. This is a cool area of Bonn I didn't even know existed as a student. There are lots of cool restaurants, cafes and beer gardens. Jens is a volunteer firefighter so he took us to his station, which is part of an old fortress (pretty cool). We wanted to stop by a well known coffee shop called Brews Lee, but it's apparently closed on Saturdays. Sad day. Instead we stopped at Fiddler's, an Irish pub. He took us through parts of the new University of Bonn campus. I didn't realize how big and how many students attended the university. Lastly we stopped by a bicycle coffee stand that Jens frequents often. Super nice guy that owns it.

It was a fun day!

day 87 // sun april 8

We went to a local basketball game with a few other faculty members from A&M that are also currently working at AIB. We all live in the same building so we meet up for pizza first. It was a fun experience to see how other culture experience sports. Especially coming from such a strong background like A&M, I wasn't sure what to expect.

strasbourg, france.

day 79 // sat mar 31

Strasbourg was a breath of fresh air for us! Paris was amazing, but we had literally zero plans for our stay in Strasbourg. Just some facts for you—the city has been known as a cultural bridge between France and Germany for centuries. Strasbourg is also the capital and largest city of the Grand Est region of France. It is the official seat of the European Parliament. Just so ya know!

We arrived in Strasbourg early afternoon. We easily found our Airbnb and were SO happy. It was beautiful. It was also located on the Gutenberg Square which was very cool. The first picture below is the view from our window, amazing.

day 80 // sun april 1

day 81 // mon april 2

venice, italy.

day 65 // sat march 17

Last up on our Italian spring break tour was Venice! For some reason Venice had a bit of a bad rep for us. Many people had told us, “it’s so touristy and expensive.” With all that being said, we made a choice to only spend a small amount of time here. (also because we only had 9 days and a realllll long list of things to see). I do wish we had more time in Venice, but very glad we spent a day there. Visually it was the most stunning for me—SO much texture and color. It is definitely a tourist city though, I heard more English speaking people than I have in awhile! The streets were jammed packed... I would hate to see it in the summer with nicer weather.

We spent most of our time in Venice getting lost in the narrow streets. It’s very easy to get lost, but so fun to see what you find. Always a new canal with new boats and buildings with new colors.

We had lunch at the place called CapaToast that had been haunting me all week! We saw one in Florence then in Rome, but never had the time to try it out. If you know me, you know I love a good sandwich. It was obviously a franchise since I had seen them in other Italian cities, but nonetheless the branding was nice... and sandwiches. Wade and I split a club sandwich with some fries. It had egg on it which is something I miss! Love me some scrambled eggs.

Then we took off to explore. First thing I found was a bakery in the Jewish quarter called Panificio Volpe Giovanni. I'm not sure what exactly we ordered but it was yummy! My pastry almost looked like a bread, but it was crunchy on the outside and cake-like in the middle. Delicious, but pricier than most pastries in Europe. We continued on and found our way to the main "path." This is hard to miss in Venice because literally everyone is filing through the streets. It started raining, but we toughed it out. Even through the rain the city and colors were stunning.

That evening for dinner we had some pizza at a more modern restaurant. We didn't want to sit for a fancy meal at this point in the day. After dinner we got one last serving on gelato before saying goodbye to Italy! I had a tiramisu with chunks of cookies and chocolate pieces. Wade and I decided we are going to bring a gelato shop to College Station, so be on the lookout–ha!

day 66 // sun march 18

We took another early train from Venice to Milan to Bergamo then a flight back to Bonn! I got a random croissant filled with cream in the Venice train station and it was the best croissant I’ve ever had. I immediately regretted not getting two... or three. It literally melted in my mouth. I wish I had another one right now, maybe multiple if we’re being honest.

The next few weeks are going to be jammed and I can’t wait. Next up is Barcelona to see Nathan Wheatley and family. Shoutout to Ms. Tina for letting us stay with you! <3

rome, italy.

day 60 // mon march 12

We got to Rome about 11AM on Monday. We had the most time scheduled in Rome because it’s so big and there is so much to see, plus the Vatican is a city in itself. Wade was most excited about visiting Rome. It is always a cool experience to see something you've grown up seeing in movies, on tv and in textbooks.

We found and checked into our Airbnb. This was my favorite Airbnb so far. It was owned by a couple that were designers of some sort. It was simple and clean but the extra touches made it feel cozy. We had an espresso machine in the room, plus every morning around 9am they would put a basket of breakfast goodies outside your door—nothing too extravagant but muffins, toast and orange juice. It was a very nice gesture.

After getting settled in we decided to explore because the weather was so perfect! Our Airbnb ended up being a 10 minutes walk to the colosseum, a cool surprise! We walked around the perimeter, but didn’t want to go in just yet, that was for the next day. We eventually found the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and this pastry shop called Regoli Pasticceria that was recommended by our Airbnb host. You know it’s going to be good when no one really speaks English. Regoli is an artisan bakery founded in 1916 and is still run by the Regoli Family. We decided on a traditional Roman pastry, a strawberry tart, and another puff pastry of sorts. The strawberry tart was SO good. Would recommend the little bakery hands down.

After scarfing down our pastries we took a nap and relaxed in our apartment. For dinner we went to a place nearby that had pretty good reviews for some pizza. I had a Diavlo with spicy salami. I enjoyed it. Then I ordered 2 desserts... whatever, when in Rome. I had tiramisu and catlana (which was essentially a cream brûlée).

day 61 // tue march 13

Our first full day in Rome began with a relaxed morning. We had read that it’s best to buy your tickets to the Roman Forum and Colosseum at Palatine Hill. Much less of a wait, plus an easier entrance. I would agree 100%. We walked passed the crowded and waited less than 15 minutes. We started at Palatine Hill, then strolled along, soaking up the sun and the sites. We walked through the Roman Forum (so much to see!). I couldn’t get over how great the weather was—sun shining, blue skies, and great temps! We took a lunch break and found a by-the-slice pizza joint. We each got a slice and took it back to the steps of a nice building we spotted along the way. We enjoyed our late lunch then decided it was time for the main show. We headed to the colosseum and there was no line at all. Since we had already bought a combine ticket that morning at Palatine Hill we just walked right in.

Later that night a group of students who were also in Rome had reached out about having dinner. This entire experience was a hoot. The place we originally wanted to go wouldn’t take a group as large as ours until 10pm. Our backup plan was a place across the street. We all sat down then ordered, and I don’t even know how to explain it... it was like the manager and the waiter were arguing? They also were almost convincing you on what to order. All that to say, my food was actually tasty, but the entire experience just felt awkward and anxiety laden for me.

After our full day of perfect weather we were pooped. We laid in bed and watched netflix (it was the first time we had a TV since being in Europe).

day 62 // wed march 14

The next day was dedicated to the Vatican. We took the subway to a stop nearby. Apparently we arrived there right after the Pope had been speaking (we didn’t even know that was happening, oh well). We had to wait a few minutes for the gates to open back up, but once they did the crowds flooded in. We waited probably 30 minutes to get into the church. Afterwards we bought our Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel ticket at a booth inside the Vatican. It was 4 euro more a person, but that allowed us to skip the line at the actual museum—definitely recommend. We spent a few hours in the museum and made it to the Sistine Chapel which is at the end of the journey. Wade and I were both blown away by the ceiling, although it wasn't what either of us were expecting.

Wade then met a friend from school at a video game museum. I walked around the neighborhood and eventually took a break at a cafe. I ordered a small sandwich and did some people watching. After reuniting we took a walk down the river to the neighborhood where we had dinner reservations. I had found this place via another blogger online. She had 1 picture of the place and I was sold. Not to mention it was pretty far off the beaten path. We got there a little early, but they were able to seat us immediately. The restaurant was called Meridionale. It was such a cute place! We started with an appetizer of squash pie with fontina cheese. I ordered carbonara and it was SO good! We then ordered tiramisu and it was served in a cute little coffee cup. Probably one of my top favorite meals so far this journey.

After dinner we wanted to see the Trevi fountain at night, so we walked through the streets to the last destination of the evening. We through a coin in and called it a night.

day 63 // thur march 15

The last thing to cross off our list while in Rome were the Spanish steps. We headed that direction, found them, got handed roses like a million times, then decided to move on. We found this neat park close by that we explored for awhile. It had the coolest busts scattered throughout the park. After 3.5 jammed packed days we left and headed south towards Naples. This was my pick because I wanted to see coastal Italy and Cinque Terre was too far out of our travel path. Not to mention I LOVE me some Neapolitan–style pizza. Let’s get real. (the pizza did not disappoint, the city itself, well)

florence, italy.

day 57 // fri march 9

Spring Break, woo! Our first Italian stop was Florence! We flew (Ryan Air again, sadly) but this time we had a little better luck. I even sat front row on the plane with lots of legroom. Wade however was not as lucky. We took off around 4:30, landed in Bergamo (a smaller town outside of Milan), took a train to Milan then switched trains to Florence. We arrived in Florence that evening around 10:00pm. At this point we had travelled by plane, bus and train which meant we were hungry! We found a place called Mr. Pizza and each had a pie. Don’t judge. That’s one of my favorite parts about Italy. You are encouraged, even expected, to eat an entire pizza by yourself. In fact I feel like it is looked down on if you don't—my kind of country.

Being Spring Break and all we decided to take it easy. We really had no “plans” for Florence besides the main attractions, a few sandwich places recommended by friends, and then 1 or 2 other internet finds.

day 58 // sat march 10

Day 1 was our 'exploring day'. We walked a total of 11 something miles. We saw the Ponte Vecchio first, then explored some of the markets. We found one of the main markets. I had a pizza flatbread with eggplant and brie. It was amazing. I ate the whole dang thing. While browsing the markets, I really wanted to buy an Italian leather jacket, but being me I wanted to research to be sure I was buying the real thing. I read so many horror stories of spending 200+ euro on an “Italian” leather jacket that was just a reproduction. Needless to say I couldn’t find one I was ready to commit to. I had a vision of what I wanted, but just couldn’t pull the trigger. Oh well, gives me a reason to go back, right?

My favorite part about Florence was the hidden beauty at every turn. You would just be walking and then boom the Duomo. There were statues galore, literally all over the city. We hiked up to one of the tallest points of the city to see a garden and view overlooking the main city but it was closed—we got a workout in, though. We had coffee (or I did) and gelato twice that day. For dinner we went to a place near our Airbnb. Speaking of, our Airbnb was the ideal location literally steps from all of the main areas and sights. It was a bit noisy a night, but totally worth it for the location. Any way, for dinner we ate at a place called Osteria Il Gatto E la Volpe or "The cat & The Fox. I had carbonara and Wade had truffle pasta. He won that one. I could bathe in truffle oil, but maybe that’s tmi. Of course after dinner we went out for gelato. After the 11 miles and all that pasta we were definitely ready for sleep.

day 59 // sun march 11

Our plan for the second day in Florence was to get up early and get in line at the Uffizi. We got there a little after 8am which was definitely a good choice. It opened at 8:30am and we were inside by 9AM. We planned well because the weather outside was less than ideal. Super rainy, but perfect for museum visiting. The Uffizi is one of the most well known art museums and it didn’t disappoint. This thing was a huge. When visiting Florence with Marissa we didn’t go into the museum, so it was new to me! Actually Marissa and I didn’t see too many museums. Just not our thing. We sat and wrote a lot. Wadde and I spent the entire morning at the museum then went to a little sandwich shop Virginia had recommended. I unfortunately ordered the wrong thing and wasn’t a huge fan. (Also since being so sick last week I’ve had semi-meat aversion) We did have these truffle fried dough balls that were killer. The weather was still unfortunate so we went back to the Airbnb for an afternoon siesta. We eventually headed back out for another round of pizza and gelato. It was still very rainy, but we found a place we could set-up shop and people watch. We found the Bronze Boar statue and Wade rubbed his nose for a return to trip to Florence. He also dropped a coin out of his mouth, but it didn't bode as well, no good luck for us!

day 60 // mon march 12

We had a 9am train to head to Rome. The sun was bright and shiny, made me sad to leave! I love Florence and would gladly go back. I feel like it is a city you can visit so many times and never get bored.

prague, czech republic.

day 29 // fri feb 9th

Prague, oh Prague. You have stolen our hearts. Our first impression of Prague was much, much different than the vibe we got in Brussels. I came to Prague during my 2011 adventures and legitimately fractured my foot stepping off the train into Prague. Needless to say, I liked the city then, but it was slightly tarnished by the fact I had to hobble everywhere.

Wade and I flew to Prague via Eurowings for under €120 each. We were tempted with train tickets but they were more expensive and took way longer. We left the Bonn-Cologne airport at 1:55 and arrive in Prague at 2:55. So worth it.

Okay so preface: I had watched several YouTube videos about Prague and I kept seeing that you could get a traditional Czech meal for a good price at the cafeteria in the airport. It is where most of the employees eat, but is also open to the public. When we landed we were both starving so we thought we might as well try! It actually didn’t disappoint. I had a traditional Czech meal, which I couldn't pronounce. The total was around €10 for 2 meals, a piece of cake, and a soda. We left the airport via a short bus ride to the nearest metro line. Travel day passes were only around €5 a person, definitely a smart investment for this city! We got off the metro at our stop and it opened up to a beautiful square with a cathedral and the cutest line of buildings. We met our Airbnb host and he was very kind to show us the space. Nothing fancy, but the neighborhood made up for it tenfold.

We settled in for a little and then ventured out. Prague has amazing public transportation as mentioned above (like most all of Europe) but here specifically they have an above-ground tram, bus and metro system. All 3 of which are included in that €5 day pass. They also have the longest escalators I have ever seen! We hopped on the metro and took it a few stops down to Wenceslas Square. We wondered around a bit, bought some new socks for me-ha, and stumbled upon this big face sculpture that was pretty cool.

After a bit we decided we would head back to our neighborhood for dinner, but we took a tram back this time to see a little more of the city. We found a few good options, but we weren’t aware that almost all places here need a reservation. Boo! We finally picked a different place (it wasn’t our first choice) but it ended up being decent. Then we then found another little cafe to end the night with some dessert.

day 30 // sat feb 10th

You guys. I had a huge latte the next morning and it brought me so much joy. My morning coffee and quiet time are seriously the fave part of my day. We went to Costa which is a bigger chain of cafes (similar to Starbucks I’m guessing). I ordered a tiramisu latte and it was massive—it even had two handles! We enjoyed the slow morning and trekked to see some sights.

Wade and I’s travel style is to walk around and see what we find, hit the main points, then venture off the beaten path. We are also currently eating our way through Europe and I’m totally okay with that. We both lost quite a bit a weight last year, and don’t want to go nuts, but the food is SO good. Not to mention we average 10 miles a day on the weekend so I don’t feel too terrible. All of that to say, our weekend “to-do” lists include a few main sites per city, then really good food places! On that list today was Mr. HotDog. I found it via Instagram and knew I had to try it out. First all, I love hot dogs. Secondly, I love a good neon sign and look how cute! We then headed to the Lennon Wall, the Dancing House, Old Prague Square, Charles Bridge—all the main attractions. We had a pretty early night, just the way we like it.

day 31 // sun feb 11th

We woke up Sunday with 2 things on our agenda; the Prague Castle and eating at Eska. We took the metro to the castle stop then hiked, a for real hike through tiny streets, up to the top. The views were beautiful!

After the castle we headed off to find the restaurant I'd found online with pretty good reviews and a beautiful aesthetic. &&& Holy Moly! Eska was my favorite meal I’ve had in Europe so far. Here is a list of what we ordered:

Homemade sourdough bread with egg spread and radish
Sausages from Naše maso, mustard and a sweet horseradish
Crepes with homemade strawberry jam and soft curd cheese
Rosehip cappuccino—with homemade rosehip syrup that it was DELICIOUS.

day 28 // thurs feb 8th – day 32 // mon feb 12th

Karneval in Bonn!

On Thursday we met at the AIB to get everyone in the spirit of Karneval and to put the finishing touches on our costumes. They had music, face paint and Berliners (traditional Karneval goodies—aka jelly filled donuts).

We went to watch a parade in a neighbor of Bonn called Beuel. The parade was fun but so cold! We brought a bag to catch the massive amounts of candy that was thrown from the parade floats. I mean lots and lots of candy.

We got back from Prague on Sunday and Monday we went to the big Karneval Parade in Bonn. We met up with a few people from AIB and got a lot more goodies and more Hairbo than we could ever want or need-ha!

koblenz, germany.

day 8 // fri jan 19th

School day today and a historic city tour of Bonn in the afternoon. We had lunch at an Asian/Thai joint that our friend Lin found one day. They had a curry special for 4,90 euro and it was tasty. Wade loves curry and I've now jumped on the curry bandwagon since our time together.

Our tour guide was a sweet lady originally from London but had been in Bonn for 30+ years. She had a great sense of humor and her english was obviously very good. We learned a lot of some of the neat details about this interesting city.

That evening Wade and I had been dreaming about this burger place called Burger Manufaktur that our AIB directors had for lunch one day this week. It smelled and looked delicious so we knew we had to try it. It was about a half a mile walk from our apartment, so not too bad. It was a tiny little place with such a cute ambiance. We ordered and waited for a seat. The fries y'all—they were to die for!

day 9 // sat jan 20th

Wade and I took a day trip to Koblenz, Germany. It was about an hour train ride south of Bonn. We got to the train station to purchase tickets, which we thought we did correctly, but immediately doubted ourselves and had to ask someone to verify.

We got on the correct train and made it a few stops. Then we realized we were almost the only ones still on the train. We politely asked a woman if this train was going to the Koblenz HBF and she said yes that's where she was going, too. We proceed to sit back down then frantically she comes up to us and said she had misspoken and only part of the train was proceeding ahead! We darted off the train and ran to a different car that WAS going to Koblenz. All very funny looking back at it now.

Once arriving in Koblenz we got to the main train station and I paid 1 euro to go to the restroom. I then took a selfie in their full-length mirror because well, I paid 1 euro for it. After that we got a chocolate covered pastry with a little clown on it (I'm guessing for Karneval, not totally sure) and started to explore. It was slightly raining, but then it started to come down more and more. We found a cute little pizza place and took a lunch break inside for a bit hoping the rain would lighten. We shared a salami pizza.

We eventually found the Deutsches Eck (or 'German Corner') where the Mosel river joins the Rhine. This corner is known for a HUGE monumental equestrian statue of William I, the first German Emperor, erected in 1897 in appreciation of his merits in the unification of Germany. This thing was massive and so cool. We were both in awe of its size.

We explored some more and decided it was time to head back to Bonn. It was a nice day even if the rain was trying to dampen our spirits (pun intended).

PS - today was the 5 year anniversary of Wade and I's first date. the cutest <3

day 10 // sun jan 21st

I took a spin class today... totally in German. I've taken spin classes at the student rec for awhile now, but nothing like this. The instructor taught me how to set up the bike with purely hand motions and a handful of words neither fully understood. The nice thing about spin is that it's all about rhythm and personal drive. At the end he gave me a high-five and complimented me... I think.