Greece

I’ve always found myself enchanted by the mesmerizing beauty that is Greece. The hillside villages, divine waters and rich enchanting history captivates me. Getting the opportunity to travel to this country is at the top of my bucket list.

During my schooling, I was always learning about the Greek gods and goddesses and the amazing stories that partner with them. I was entranced by these stories and wanted to know more. Getting to see where these stories originated and took place would be right up my alley. The shrines throughout the country that are dedicated to these heroes and heroines would be amazing to see; Along with all the ancient artifacts and landmarks. Plus Greece is the birth place of the Olympics which I think adds to cool factor of this country.

People are constantly posting pictures of Greece on Instagram, Facebook and other social networks, sharing the beauty of the country. I know these pictures are great, but getting to see and experience the country first hand would be utterly amazing.

The City of Love and Lights

Ahhh Paris. The city of love, the city of lights. I can certainly understand why this city is always paired with romance and love. The sights and sounds are all so enchanting, so it’s easy to be mesmerized and entranced when coming here; especially with someone you love.

Being in 5^th grade when I was in Paris, I obviously wasn’t in love, but I fully appreciated what this lovely city represented and had to offer. Every morning, my parents and I would start our day sitting in little cafés drinking tea and eating delicious French bread. It was a wonderful way to begin each day with all the people passing us and the beautiful sights and scenery in the background.   

Of course, my favorite site was the Eiffel Tower. We began walking up the never ending stairs to the top and quickly opted for the elevator to finish to our trip up into the sky. When stepping out of the elevator doors, we were immediately hit with wind and cold. Totally worth it though. Being able to see the city of Paris from every angle and all directions was beautiful and thrilling.

Another site I fell in love with was the Louvre. The Louvre is a grand museum and the home of many great works of art (i.e. The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and many ancient artifacts). I’ve always been a fan of art, so the Louvre was right up my alley.

Right around the time we were traveling to Paris, the movie Moulin Rouge came out. I was infatuated with the love story between the main characters and the music within the movie. Naturally, I begged my parents to go see the location of the Moulin Rouge and the inspiration of the movie. I didn’t go into the Moulin Rouge, obviously, but I did get to see it.

Paris is a city rich in history, culture and love. It is chalk full of museums, churches, and historical sites that will keep you busy for days upon days. 

London’s Calling

In 2002, at the young age of eleven, I had the privilege of traveling to Europe for the first time. My dad was on business in London and had my mom and I fly over to see him. The flight over to London, was the longest I had ever been on in my life. The flight was roughly twelve hours and I was battling a cold, so it wasn’t all that pleasant. The thought of seeing my dad and the beautiful city of London got me through it though.

After fighting all the traffic out of the airport we were on our way to our hotel to meet up with my dad. After our reunion we began to map out our week. My parents had already traveled to London numerous times, so they knew exactly where to take me. I think it makes a trip even better when you have someone with you that has already been to that place. They know the area and points of interest and can guide you where to go, which is very helpful.

Our first stop was to see Big Ben and Parliament which is by Westminster Abbey. We decided to go up on the London Eye, which is essentially a gigantic ferris wheel that is enclosed. It was very cool to get see Big Ben from so high in the sky. That was probably the coolest part of our London trip. From there, we visited London Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The history of this place had me in awe. To learn about so many historical figures/stories in class and then to go to the places where these people inhabited and where events took place was so special to me and it still is today. I’ve always been a fan of history, so I was very into this trip. I also was able to go to Windsor Castle where the current Queen spends her summers. Of course we stopped by Buckingham Palace and got some pictures there. We even were able to go to London’s “Broadway,” to see the Phantom of the Opera, which was incredible.

The sites, the food and people were wonderful in London. So if you’re looking to go on a trip and experience a lot of history, London would be a great place to see.