Destination: Rome, Italy- Trevi Fountain

Before I went to Europe one of my friends told me that I had to go to the Trevi Fountain when I was in Rome. So, of course, I did! It took us awhile to find it, but it was worth the effort! I was amazed by it- I couldn't believe the detail of the creatures and waves. Here is a picture of it:The other thing I loved about the Trevi Fountain was that it was located by the best gelato store in the world! I am sorry but I forget the name of the store, but it is located to the left of the fountain. It was a "mom and pop" run store. They had so many different flavours of gelato, it was amazing! I am pretty sure I had chocolate and coconut gelato. They told us the secret to their gelato- they make it fresh every day! If I ever go back to Rome I will make sure to go back there and get some gelato!

Happy Travels!

Shopping in Paris!

In Paris I loved shopping at Galeries Lafayette, a great French department store. The one thing I love about European shopping is that even their department store have beautiful architecture! In the jewelry and accessories area, the ceiling was a very tall skylight dome, beautifully decorated (first picture below). Also, the escalator area was even very fancy. In Galeries Lafayette they have a huge selection of products, and a range of pricing so that they are an affordable store. Make sure you check out Galeries Lafayette when you are in Paris!

Shopping in London: A Walk Around Harrods!

(Oops, I forgot) Shopping in London!

In London you must go to Harrods, even if you do not plan on spending money- it is the most amazing department store in the world! You can buy everything from a pair of socks to designer clothing to caviar to real estate in exotic lands! Seriously, you could spend a whole day shopping at Harrods- it is the biggest and best department store I have been in. The architecture of the building is amazing- I loved the Egyptian decorated area! When I was at Harrods I bought my first pair of jeggings! Also I bought a Harrods bag! The most fun area to shop in at Harrods is the souvenir area, which is where you can find Harrods bags. Since Harrods is a very high end department store, if you cannot afford most of the items (like me) you can afford the items in the souvenir area! I bought the first bag below, a pet shop themed bucket bag, and my Mom bought the Harrods signature tote bag, the following bag (without the teddy bear). The rest are other Harrods bags- they have so many designs there is a bag that will match everyone's personality! You must buy a Harrods bag when you go to London!

Check out their website! http://www.harrods.com/HarrodsStore/ If you do go to Harrods make sure to look over all that they sell so that you do not miss out! It is easy to get lost in time and spend a huge amount of time in certain areas, such as the food halls! They are amazing! I loved the desserts they offered, especially the cupcakes! Yum :)

I also shopped in the city, but Harrods was the best shopping experience I have ever had. I hope one day I can go back there again! I love Harrods!

Happy Travels!

Destination: Paris- Versailles!

After watching the movie Marie Antoinette, seeing the beautiful landscapes and architecture of the palace, I told my Mom that we had to visit Versailles when we were in Paris. Although the day we went we didn't have great weather, my expectations of Versailles were not let down. Versailles is amazing- a must-see when traveling to Paris! The most amazing part of the tour at Versailles was seeing the famous Hall of Mirrors. It is funny how everyone's jaw dropped open when we entered into the hall! Here are some pictures of the Hall of Mirrors:





I also really enjoyed seeing the Queen's chamber. It sure is fit for a Queen!


The grounds are spectacular! The gardens are so well taken care of; they are beautiful! Since we went in the summer there were still flowers, and they certainly added to the beauty of Versailles. Here is a picture of a part of the gardens:


I was quite amazed to see the Golden Gate at Versailles. I have never seen so much gold! Despite it being made centuries ago, it looked brand new!

The artwork in the palace rooms on the ceilings and walls is amazing. Just to think of how much work went into all the rooms, and it still looks great down to today! I loved visiting Versailles. I hope one day I can go back and explore more of the property, such as Marie Antoinette's cottage and some of the other areas I was not able to see due to time. You must visit Versailles when you go to Paris! Happy Travels!

Destination: Paris- The Eiffel Tower!

Of course one of the highlights of visiting Paris was the Eiffel Tower. Standing under the Eiffel Tower is an amazing experience, because you realize how massive it is since you feel like an ant standing under it! Our hotel, Hotel Le Marquis, was only a five minute walk away from the Eiffel Tower, so as soon as we dropped our suitcases off at the hotel rooms we walked over to the Eiffel Tower. Hotel Le Marquis was the most luxurious hotel I have been in- I loved it there! It is a very cute and beautiful boutique hotel. The rooms were fit for a queen, plus the beds were so comfortable- I slept like a baby!


Hotel Le Marquis

After shopping at Galeries Lafayette, a popular French department store, and other shops nearby from the afternoon into the evening we headed back to the Eiffel Tower. We heard that going up the Eiffel Tower at night is best, and it certainly was! While we were heading up, via elevators (I was too chicken to climb up), the light show started! Below is a YouTube video of the light show. Yes, I did go all the way up to the very top of the Eiffel Tower! It was a bit frightening, but once I got used to the height I was fine and had a great time! When you go up the Eiffel Tower, make sure that you go up when it is dark; the views are amazing since all of Paris is lit up. As well, when it is dark it is harder to tell how far off the ground you are, so it is better for those like me who are scared of heights!



Happy Travels! :)

Destination: Paris, France- Le Louvre

At first I wasn't keen on going to Le Louvre since I am not a museum person. But, once I got inside and started wandering around I actually really enjoyed the experience. The artifact I liked the most was the Venus de Milo. She was created sometime between 130 and 100 BC, and is believed to depict the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. She is very unique since her features are not common in the art found in her era. Her body is twisted to the left, and her hair is parted and tied back into a low, loose bun. She is very beautiful too.

Venus de Milo

I also enjoyed seeing the Mona Lisa! They had to put up a glass shield around her, due to some crazy man storming in and attempting to destroy her not too long ago, so it was hard to take a picture of her. Le Louvre itself is a very beautiful building; the architecture is amazing! The grounds are very neat, like where you enter. You enter via a futuristic glass pyramid outside that takes you underground. It is very cool. I highly recommend going to Le Louvre even if you are not big on museums like me, because you will be pleasantly surprised.

Le Louvre

Destination: London, England- Buckingham Palace and the London Bridge

When I was in London I got to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The crowds were crazy! There was many security persons on duty, keeping the crowds in order, since everyone wanted to find the perfect spot. It was so hard to find a good spot to see the actual event, but I was able to squeeze in between the crowds to see most of the changing of the guard. I really enjoyed watching it! Here's a picture of the changing of the guard!



Although I only saw the palace exterior, I was very impressed by the palace, especially by the palace grounds. The gardens were beautiful and the grounds were nicely decorated with statues and extravagant architecture. If you ever visit London you must see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace!

Another must-see is, of course, the London Bridge! As a child I loved singing the "London Bridge" song, so I really enjoyed seeing it with my own eyes. I had no idea of what it looked like, and was quite surprised how nice it looks. One thing for sure was that the London Bridge was definitely not about to fall down!

Destination: London, England- The Tower of London

In London I loved the Tower of London. The Tower of London is one of the most famous palaces in England. It was a home to many well-known kings and queens. When I visited there was an exhibition on King Henry VIII. He is famous for having six wives. He divorced the first, beheaded the second, the third died, divorced the fourth, beheaded the fifth, and the sixth survived. Also, he helped restore the Tower to what it is today. As you can imagine, learning about his life was very interesting. I also saw the Crown Jewels. They sure were sparkly! Seeing the Tower Green sure was something, since that is where King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, was executed. I really enjoyed just walking around the grounds inside the Tower of London. Exploring the castles and towers was an experience I will never forget! Seeing the Queen's Guards was enjoyable too! Going to the Tower of London was a very educational experience for me because I was able to experience English history firsthand, and I loved it! Here's what the palace grounds looks like from birds eye view:




Me in one of the Guards booths at the Tower of London

Destination: London, Paris, and Rome

Pretty much on every one's travel list Europe is a must, and in the summer of 2009 I got to travel to Europe. I visited London, Paris, and Rome. It was a trip of a lifetime! I am going to highlight sites that I loved and also some tips along the way. First up- London, England.