Hi guys! I hope that you’re doing well and enjoying summer. I love the feeling of having free days where you don’t really have anything planned, and you can spend it doing whatever you feel like in the moment. It’s nice having some time to travel too!

My family went on an incredible trip to Spain and France in mid-June. We did sooo much, which was great because we got to see a lot, and it also meant that we had to take a couple naps throughout the day. My dad told me that we walked an average of about 8 miles every day...probably explains why standing was hard by the end of the trip :/

The two weeks were filled with so many memorable moments. Thinking about it makes me want to go back!

One of my favorite things was exploring the different cities. I loved the architecture and historic feel of Madrid with the cobblestone streets. We walked through the streets of Paris when it was all lit up at night, and passed the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and an amusement park. Sometimes we ran into unexpected things while wandering through the streets, which made it an even more memorable experience. In Madrid, we came across a small cookie business inside of a convent. In Barcelona, we were walking through the old quarters and ran into into this really nice store called Home on Earth, which was filled with little knick knacks and home decorations. I got a nice cloth garland for my college dorm!

Another highlight of the trip was being a tourist and seeing so many incredible sites. In Barcelona, we walked up to this point where we could see a nice panorama of the whole city. We also visited La Sagrada Familia, which was absolutely breathtaking. I felt like I entered some majestic palace from The Lord of the Rings. It was truly beautiful with all of the light streaming through the brightly colored stained glass windows and the larger than life columns. In Madrid, we went to this park called Ratidos Park and watched the sun set while sitting by a lake. It was the perfect spot to just sit and think in peace.

Before heading to Paris, we did a short stop in Sevilla and Granada, and visited the gorgeous Alhambra.

Our last stop was Paris! I’ve wanted to visit Paris since I was very young (like single digits young). Pretty much everything I knew about Paris was from the Disney movie Ratatouille, so when I thought Paris, I thought amazing food, spotless streets which lit up at night, and a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower wherever you went. I was completely in love with the idea of sitting at a cafe by the Eiffel Tower while eating a pastry. Although Paris was pretty, and there was lots of good food, I can’t say that it completely lived up to my Ratatouille dream. A lot of the city actually felt more modern than historic. Granted, we were only there for a few days and didn’t get to see a lot of parts of the city.

We saw the must sees like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc, and the Champs-Élysées. We also spent a whole day in Versailles, which was definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. The whole day felt unreal. In the morning, we visited a market and stuffed our bags with fresh baguette, cheese, strawberries, apricots, and meat (for the carnivores in the family). Then we biked around the grounds for a bit and stopped beside a lake for a picnic. Something about just sitting on the grass, eating fresh baguette and cheese, and being surrounded by a beautifully manicured garden made me think I could get used to this lifestyle 😉 My dad rocked his cherry earrings too (see picture above).

Later in the day, we went into the actual palace. Even though you had to fight your way through a swarm of people, walking down the Hall of Mirrors was like being transported to the 17th century. You really get lost in the intricate paintings and the glistening chandeliers. We ended the day in the garden of Versailles. My family was completely winded and wanted to head back to the hotel, but I couldn’t pass by the opportunity to see such an incredible garden! Looking down the column of manicured trees onto the lake was so beautiful. I could’ve spent a long time just standing there, but my exhausted family was waiting for me. Glad that I got to see a bit of the garden though!

Of course, all the great food we ate made this trip ten times better. I loved the tapas style food in Spain. It was easy to share, and I got to try lots of different dishes. One meal that stood out was a dinner that we had at a restaurant in Barcelona called Catalana. If you ever find yourself in Barcelona, be sure to eat here! We tried this delicious dish of cod blanketed in rich aioli and drizzled with honey. The desserts were to die for as well. We gobbled down the churros with dipping chocolate, cookie with ice cream, carrot cake, and bread pudding filled with cream (my family doesn’t go light on the dessert). In Madrid, we went to this market called El Mercado de San Miguel. The market was filled with stands that sold small dishes like smoked salmon toast, empanadas, and desserts. I highly recommend this spot! Just another note on Spanish food: patatas bravas are my love. They’re potatoes drizzled with a tomatoey, garlicky aioli…mmm. I could’ve had patatas bravas for dinner every night! I’ll have to learn how to make them back home.

Paris has the title of being the food capital of the world, so I expected great things. One of the best meals was from a crepe restaurant called Breizh Cafe. We got seats at the counter, so we got a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of the crepe making. When you see how it’s done, it looks like they’re making pieces of artwork. The delicately placed fruits, thin drizzles of chocolate, and sprinkle of powdered sugar made the crepes (almost) too pretty to eat!

These two weeks were amazing. I made so many memories with my family, and I’m so thankful that I got to see two beautiful countries! I hope to go back someday!