Tiny Italian Towns

As I mentioned in my post about Rome, I didn't go to Vatican City in the four days I was there, but instead took Monday of my trip to go to a couple of small towns in the hills outside of Rome. I meant to go to the Vatican on Monday, but when we were unable to buy tickets online the night before, we didn't hesitate to scrap the plan. (The line for the Vatican is meant to take 2-3 hours, and I'm sorry, I'm sure it's worth it, but I am not one to wait in line on a hot day.) So Camilla said we could go check out Frascati in the morning, pick up some pizza for lunch, and then spend the afternoon in Nemi. Perfect sounding plan!

I'd heard about Frascati before we went, mainly because the town is widely-known for their symbol: the three-titted woman. They say she's got two for milk, and one for wine. Now, I'm not the biggest wine drinker, but I enjoy a glass or two with some good food and conversation, and I definitely love any place that's given women another nipple just for this purpose! May I present to you Frascati and their "I've got it all covered" lady...

After picking up some pizza to take home for lunch from a place that apparently has the best pizza in the town, buying Camilla's favorite cake in the world, talking a quick stroll, hitting the grocery store so I could stock up on Italian goodies to bring back with me, and spending a looong time talking to the parking lot attendant, we headed home for lunch. I wish I'd taken pictures of all the meals that her mom prepared/laid out. It was quite the impressive and delicious event. So many different dishes were on the table, even the pickiest of eaters would walk away stuff from various things. Amazing. I love Italy. (Even though her mother is New Zealand born, English raised, and has been living in Italy for 25 years. I asked her if she now feels herself more Italian than anything, and she said she doesn't really feel her self as anything. I wonder what I'll feel like in another 23.5 years when I've spent the majority of my time away from where I was born and raised...)

I feel like I'm cutting everything here a little bit short, but it's because I really freakin' can't wait to tell you guys about Nemi! So I'm just going to get to it, because I am so in love with this teeny, tiny town, and I want you all to know about it. (Now watch, I'll go back to Nemi in 10 years, and it'll be seeming with people like Rome, and I'll be saying, "Blasted tourists! They've ruined my calm haven of delicious flavors and beautiful sights!" Hahaha.)

Nemi is a small town outside of Rome, one in which you MUST visit if you are in the city for a while. Give up a day to go there, it's worth it. I gave up Vatican City for it, and I don't regret anything about the choice. Seriously.

It's in the mountains, looking down on a lake and at another small village all the way across the lake, and is known for a few things: truffles, wild berries (namely strawberries), and wine. I mean, do you need to hear more words? Maybe you do, but maybe what you need to be further convinced are pictures. So, here you are...

Falling in love yet? Well, I've got a bit more to show you before we're through here!

Camilla enjoying some gelato with fragolini (little, wild forest strawberries), and myself freaking out over how delicious this strawberry tiramisu was! And of course, the view of Lake Nemi :)

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!!!!

I don't think I can ever eat a regular-sized strawberry again after the experience of these tiny forest delights!

And let's not forget about the impromptu wine tasting session we enjoyed at this, quite literally, hole in the wall place..

I recommend going to the shop next door to this, too, and trying some of their crazy-good truffle dips and stuff. Buy in bulk, then send me some. ;)

Nemi is completely designed for tourists, and we were both equally shocked to find out that Russian tourists are those that most-visit Nemi. But in spite of the place looking like a catalog offer, it's still so calm, the people so kind, and every gastronomical offering so divine. Tiny but mighty, I say! Go, go, I say! Enjoy it and let me know what gems you found while you were there. I know I'm going back when I get the chance! 

Sending lots and lots of love to you all! As I become more serious and dedicated to writing my first book, I ask that you please send me encouraging, motivating vibes, and pray for me to believe in myself, and get this thing finished, edited, and self-published before New Year's! I believe it can be done, and believe God's got my back, would be great to add your support to the pile! :)

I love you fam_{{ily}}, have a blessed and beautiful week!

Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder

Raining down

From Above

-Allie-Sun <3 

ADD Adventures to: {{ Rome, Italy }}

Kind of like Vienna, Rome is proving difficult for me to write about. I've been neglecting this post, or better, unable to even start it, because inside me I feel resistance and reluctance upon thinking about the eternal city. To be quite honest with you, I think I feel kinda mad at Rome. (O_o)

Rome is just about everything you'd imagine it to be. It's overflowing with monuments, pulsing with history, brimming with good food and life, and an idyllic place to let your imagination run wild and express your creativity. I'll never forget the feeling of possibility and wonder I had whilst standing there, looking at the ruins of The Ancient Rome at Il Foro. It was incredible to release myself to my creativity. I let it take over all my senses, while I came up with feelings to match the pictures and scenes I was making up in my mind of what she must have been like back then. It's the perfect place to play make believe, the perfect place to Imagine.

Il Foro

As my friend so aptly put it, "Just imagine all of this without the [new] buildings around it. It would be even more impressive." 

{{ Tip: all museums are free in Rome the first Sunday of the month, and lines for things like The Colosseum can be anywhere from no time to three or more hours. We somehow accidentally (truly it was an accident) cut the entire line, and ended up not only going in for free, but going in in under 10 minutes. Things my local friend said I should be quite proud of. haha. Also, with your ticket to The Colosseum, you can also enter the place pictured above. It says on your ticket until what time you can enter Il Foro. }}

The Colosseum still stands tall, a place whose history and technology remain exceptionally impressive, and though I didn't enter Vatican City, knowing it's there in its somewhat-impenetrable and untouchable ways made me feel a bit stronger, too. Which was good, because due to my first, only, and last experience eating Roman carbonara pasta and a couple cones of some mind-bogglingly-good gelato, all of which have fairly high doses of raw egg (or depend on it entirely), I destroyed the healthy bacteria lining my stomach and intestines, and left myself in an intestinal state I'm still recovering from more than a week later. But Giolitti gelato, you were so worth it! (I highly recommend the dark chocolate and blackberry, with cream. Always get the whipped cream.)

Giolitti, said to be the oldest gelateria in all of Rome, is definitely the place to go to try some! And my friend said it's the best in Rome, so why would you not? ;)

{{ Tip: you can only sit at the tables if you sit to order/pay, but it's cheaper to just pay at the register, then order at the ice cream bar. Plus, with all the amazing places to walk/sit/see in Rome, why not take the cone to go!? }} 

However, in spite of all the good food and good sights, time with friends and seeing new things, I was somehow very disappointed in Rome. And while I feel like it's a sin simply to say so, I must write with honesty.

I am upset with her for being so crowded with tourists, and allowing them to take over the city as they have. (Because naturally she has a choice in the matter.) I'm upset with them/her for letting them infiltrate her "I'm crazy, but only because I'm Rome, and in the end, we're just here to enjoy ourselves and relish in our cultural magnificence" types-of-ways with their, "I must go-see-do everything and all I can as quickly as possible, while gaining minimal enjoyment from any of it. AKA snap endless photos of monuments. Oh and by the way, I'll probably need a holiday after this one, because we're trying to do way too much" types-of-ways. I could feel it, and while I was in the city center, I got totally swept up in it. I had to consciously tell myself to stop anticipating what was next, and just be amazed and grateful for whatever and wherever I was at that moment. Because, it's Rome, and there are amazing things everywhere. Often all you have to do is look up.

People are flying around all over the place, the sidewalks are a traffic jam of their own, and anytime there's something from a guidebook nearby, you'll know, because of the swarm of fellow human beings gathered around and/or lined up.

In my mind, Rome was going to be a place teeming with Romans. A crazy-but-calm place. A place full of people eating gelato at all hours, sitting outside to enjoy tiny little Italian coffees, and spending even longer than the Spanish to enjoy a delicious lunch or break. A place chalk-full of women wearing tight clothes and lots of make-up, preferably with a little dog in tow, and heels that make your head spin, wondering how they still have surviving, thriving ankles in spite of all the cobblestone obstacles that surround them. A place with men whose clothes are tighter than the women's, their manicured ways almost too much to handle, and people making out everywhere you look. I expected to see more yelling and more hand gestures, more tanned skin and hair gel. I mean, honestly, I expected to hear more Italian on the streets. After all, that's how Elizabeth Gilbert described it in Eat, Pray, Love. (Hehehe. Sorry, but I can't go to Italy without thinking of the book and somehow trying to recreate scenes from it. It's had a major impact on my life and adventures, because I read it for the first time as I was beginning my big one.) But I suppose ten years time makes a huge difference in a place, and while I did see some of what I'd hoped for, I felt I was just another little ant lost in a sea of tourists trying to snap pictures with their newly purchased selfie sticks so we can all go home and say, "I've been to THE Rome!"

Piazza di Spagna, The Spanish Steps -- They were gorgeous, but truly, too hectic for me.

Although, looking at this picture again I do see we've captivated a couple lovers in an intense lip lock! Woo! That's the Rome I was hoping for! ;)

But now I'm starting to feel a little bad, and like I might be highlighting all the wrong sides of Rome. I don't want to give the impression that I didn't like it, and I certainly don't want to offend any Romans whose eyes might read this. Rome really is a great city, and the city I loved very much. I just didn't love being amid so many dang tourists and people shoving selfie sticks in my face every five minutes. (Even if I really do want one, I just couldn't bring myself to buy one under those circumstances. It's the hipster-anarchist-rebel side of me that does these things.) Which I realize is ironic, because I was one of these folks contributing to all this. But I am a traveler, so even whilst doing touristy-type things, we are still somehow unable to be called tourists. I'm not placing myself in a hierarchical travel system of any sort, I'm just stating a fact: travelers are not the same as tourists. And this is probably largely why I didn't enjoy being in Rome as much as I expected I would.

I spent a lot of time outside of Rome, since I was staying at my friend's parents' place in the countryside 30 minutes from the city (blessedly), and two of my four days there were spent in other places. So the time I did spend in Rome, was of course mostly spent in the touristic/historic center so I could see the main sights. City centers in touristic places are notorious for this: being filled with tourists. It makes sense. The center is walk-able, full of things to see, and usually the historic part of town. I mean, these places and parts don't become the fullest because they're anything less than interesting. But for me, someone who prefers to live in a place while visiting (pretend to be a local), getting caught up in the tourist buzz of it all doesn't make me leave a place with the best possible impression. And as far as Rome is concerned, my resulting sentiments are entirely my fault. I can't expect to get the greatest sense of a major city like Rome when I only spend two days in it and zero nights. I did go into the trip not expecting to see and do too much, because it's such a loaded place, and I wasn't going with much time. So I told Camilla from the start I wasn't concerned with doing/seeing so much, because I know it's really just the first of many trips to Rome. And to have the experiences I was blessed with outside the city, it was totally worth it to walk away a little mad at her (taking full blame)!

I flew into Fiumicino Airport and Camilla, whom I met through Couch Surfing when I hosted her in Sevilla last year, picked me up and we went straight to the beach! May 1st is a bank holiday in many places, including Italy, which meant everyone was headed to the beach for a day of partying, relaxing, and enjoying a long weekend. We spent the whole day there, I learned how to slackline, we ate good food, I met a bunch of her amazing friends, and we finished the evening off with some of her friends and a couple massive pitchers of cocktails with the longest straws I've ever seen, at a literally on-the-beach bar, complete with a massive gong they usually ring just as the sun is setting over the sea. And though we didn't get to witness that part because of the clouds, we took it upon ourselves to beat the gong with a wooden bowl nearby. It was the perfect re-initiation to the Italian culture I love so much, and the ideal way to start a mini vacation -- good times, good food, good friends, and lots of laughter and sand! 

The next two days were fairly full of hot sun and time spent around the center. On our first day in Rome, Camilla asked her father for a restaurant recommendation, and he sent us to an unassuming-looking place in the Jewish quarter of Rome. Often you find the best food comes from places that don't look the greatest from the outside. As is the case with Ristorante Al Pompiere, where he sent us. And my goodness gracious, after these photos you too will understand why I'm so glad he did...

 A Roman tradition: zucchini flower filled with mozzarella and a tiny piece of anchovie, breaded, then fried. You must, must, must try this. And I recommend you try it there. ;)

 My lovely date for the long weekend, featured with La Pasta Carbonara, the dish that destroyed me. 

But my goodness was it good!

The Roman dish of Guanciale -- pepper, guanciale (pig's cheek bacon), and pecorino cheese. This was good, but the time a Roman guy made it for me in Copenhagen, Denmark, with all Italian ingredients his mother had just brought him from Rome was actually quite superior to this. But it was still good. I'm not one to dislike a dish that's loaded with grated cheese and guanciale.  

Some people go to Italy for pizza, I go for pasta. Punto. 

On our second day in the city, a good friend I made in Sevilla came from his hometown to meet us and spend the day in Rome. We had our "Accidentally Cut Two Hours of Line" experience at The Colosseum, and then wandered around a bit. Ate breakfast in this darling piazza, whilst watching a man use tweezers to pick up every cigarette butt and bit of trash that was stuck between the cobblestones. Honestly, it was incredible to watch. None of us could believe the task he had, but could all easily appreciate the maintenance and care of the square. Then we walked through this amazing neighborhood that's full of vintage shops and alternative vibes, and went to an indoor artisan market to swoon over beautiful things. A bit of the afternoon was spent relaxing in the shade at a massive park that offers a fantastic view of the city, and then we relaxed a bit more amid some of the ruins.

All-in-all, the time I spent in the city was good, and I do love and appreciate Rome very much. But after a couple of long days spent walking around in the heat (I'd recommend going to Rome before you're facing 30 degrees every day), we were pretty beat, and I gratefully accepted Camilla's suggestion to spend the next day going to a couple different towns. And that is how Frascati and [Lake] Nemi were given the chance to steal my heart.

I know I'll be going back to Rome many times in my life, because well, it's Rome, and I have got to go to Vatican City at some point. In which case, I'd love some recommendations from any of you who've been!

Have a blessed and beautiful Sunday! Look up, give thanks, smile with every organ, and relax into the wonder of Being alive on Earth! I love you fam_{{ily}}!

With all I've got,

Allie-Sun <3 

ADD Adventures to: {{ Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain }}

This past weekend, I was blessed with a chance to go to Lanzarote, one of Spain's beloved Canary Islands, and soak up some sun, embrace some sand, and attempt some surf! I had met a gal in Mallorca a couple summers back, and through some sort of conversation, she ended up extending an invite to me to go spend a weekend on their new island of residency. She said if I liked hiking and surfing, I was welcome anytime, pretty much posing me an offer I couldn't resist! And luckily, when I dropped my Integrated Kinesiology course and went crazy looking up/planning/buying cheap flights, I found a reasonable one from Sevilla, and didn't hesitate to ask first if I was still welcome. (Sometimes, you've just gotta bit the bullet!) And based on the experience I had last weekend, it was definitely a fine choice I made!

Lanzarote is the kind of place that's perfect for people who like outdoor activities and having little choice of much else to do. It's an incredibly calm place, with small towns scattered throughout the volcano-covered island, and is loaded full of aloe plants, hiking trails, and of course, coastline! I didn't get to see the whole island, but I think we made good use of the time I had there, and I certainly left wanting more!

 El Golfo and the Green Lagoon!

 Abdul, from the Sahara, whom following this photo we asked to take of him, allowed us to follow him and watch him for a good 20 minutes or more, as he de-scaled all the fish for the restaurant, then ripped their guts out, and left them on the rocks for the forming flock of seagulls to swoop down upon and consume in less than a minute. It was a perfect opportunity for Danielle, a photographer, to get some great shots! I was able to watch until he started slicing them open and emptying them of their innards, then I took a break from the brutal, and enjoyed some kind meditation on the rocks. 

On Sunday, we went on a hike up El Volcan de la Corona, with less than a 700m incline, but some pretty amazing views! It was an easy hike, until we decided to hike down into its crater, which had quite the vertical drop down. We basically ice skated our way down into it through all the volcanic rock/gravel that was there. And then we had a mini picnic! I never had "Have Lunch in a Volcano's Crater" on my Hit List before, but I guess now I can add it and check it off! 

Whilst we were hanging out on the rim, after our on-all-fours-scrambling back up and out it, we saw some people descending another part of it. We took them to be mistaken adventurers, trying to get into the crater from completely the wrong end, but when we asked if they were trying to get down, a gal informed us there's a fairly good-sized cave in that area, so of course we went to check it out! And fam_{{ily}}, it was so cool!! There were little tea candles strategically placed around it, tucked into little crevasses within the walls and on the ground, and even cooler still, there were two yoga mats chillin'! Some stretches and relaxation later, we were back to our island adventure, with the day concluding with some feet-in-the-sand dinnertime!

On Monday, my last day, Danielle and I took advantage of the morning to go surf! The last time I'd tried to surf was this past summer in Peniche (an incredible little peninsula of Portugal, where literally, there is nothing to do but surf), and it didn't go so well. So this time, I was determined to try again, and actually get up on the board, which I nearly managed! We were only out there for an hour, maybe hour and a half, but it was enough for me to get a taste of it, and realize I'm not as hopeless as my last attempt left me feeling. And truthfully, anytime I'm in the water on a board, even if just sitting or laying there, I'm perfectly content! Then before I knew it, it was time to head back to the airport, and return to the mainland! 

One of the most amazing things to me about Lanzarote had to have been the people. We didn't interact with a single person that wasn't so incredibly kind and lovely. I think it's something to do with all the nature around, and how small and quaint the island/towns on it are. I'm not really sure. I just know that I was blown away by how nice everyone was, and so, so friendly. 

Apparently, because the temperature doesn't vary much throughout the year, there is tourism on the island (on the islands) 12 months of the year. And I know I wasn't there during the high season, but in spite of the number of tourists and rental cars I noticed cruising around, I never felt it was over-crowded. Quite the opposite to be honest...

Lanzarote was a special place because of the people, it's vibe, and the fact you can't do much other than hike, swim, surf, and do sport, but it's not really the kind of place I'd choose to live. It was sooo dry, and because it's got 20+ volcanoes on it, some of the island actually existing due to eruptions, it's not very green, and I like green. I'm a huge fan of lush, green places, and while I love being 100% surrounded by water, I probably will not be moving to Lanzarote anytime in my future. Which isn't to say you shouldn't go, and I'd recommend going for more than three days!

Let me know if you go, and give me some tips for the next time I'm on the island!

Tomorrow I'm off to Rome (!!!!) for my first time ever, and so stoked to spend the weekend eating endless amounts of pasta, wandering around, and exploring the infamous Rome! I'm staying with a couch surfer I hosted in Sevilla last year, who's mum is meant to be an incredible cook, so I am pretty thrilled about the arrangement! Will be posting whilst there, maybe, and certainly after! 

Have an amazing weekend, all, I love you!

Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder,

Allie-Sun <3 

ADD Adventures to: {{ Vienna, Austria }}

"You have to go to Vienna. If you're going to be in Bratislava, you have to go to Vienna. Vienna is beautiful."

These were the words spoken to me by a friend when she found out what my Semana Santa (Holy/Easter week) travel plans were. And she said them with such conviction, I didn't hesitate to say, "Ok, cool! I'll definitely check it out!" After all, "Vienna" is a word that we hear a lot, and an incredibly popular travel destination. So, I decided to go and check out the infamous Vienna, Austria.

Well, my friend was right, Vienna is gorgeous. It's a beautiful city, everywhere you turn your head, there's something to gawk at and fawn over. Its imperial charm and history are quite in-your-face, and I mean, it's not well-known for no reason, that's for sure. It's chalk-full of monuments, it's got the Danube running through it, and everyone I interacted with was so nice. Stumbling upon sights like this...

outside the city center, was completely normal, and I can't remember turning my head at any point without my mouth dropping at least slightly open. And yet, in spite of my jaw dropping just about every 50 seconds, I felt so completely ready to get out of Vienna. In a way, I think I felt a little disgusted by it.

The fact it's taken me three and a half weeks to even write about it is a perfect indication of the struggle I've been facing over the place/writing this. I started the post when I got back to Spain, and have come back to it at least three times to try and finish it, but I just do not want to contribute to the buzz that circles the city. But I shall, because I do want to be a [travel] writer, and this is part of it.

And truthfully, I have no clue why I feel so indifferent to Vienna, because I had really lovely couch surfing hosts, we had a really nice time, and as I said, the city is so beautiful, and the people were so helpful. I think I just, and this is going to sound strange and very "hashtag first world problems", but I think I got tired of seeing really nice things.

It all seemed so clean, perfect, and maintained from the outside, that I couldn't really feel anything there. It was kind of empty feeling. And based on the conversations I had with my hosts, both of whom are from France, the exterior isn't a very good representation of what's going on underneath. Which reigns true with so much in life, but there was just something about Vienna that felt a little pretentious and like it was putting on some major airs.

I'm quite sure I'll go back someday, probably with my family, and I'm sure we'll love it, but for me, a backpacker on a budget who would rather sleep in the sand than just about anywhere else, it wasn't my current cup of tea. However, the cup of tea I had at the Sacher Cafe, was worth the trip! (Ok, not the tea itself, but the experience of sitting in that posh cafe and having the tea.)

Naturally, the recommendation I latched onto the hardest before going, was to go to the Hotel Sacher and try the Original Sacher cake. Apparently, it's world famous (actually called the most famous cake in the world), highly coveted, and the recipe has remained top secret and locked up since its birth in 1832. I think the guys standing outside the opera house were taken aback and incredibly amused, when they were trying to sell me a seat to that night's show, and before they could finish, I was asking them about "some hotel that's behind the opera house and has some really famous cake". And I wish I had video footage of the guy's reaction when I told him, "I'll be honest, I'm way more interested in trying that cake than going to the opera. It's kind of the only reason why I came here." Priorities, kids, I've got em.

For the experience of entering the Sacher Hotel's cafe/restaurant, I'd definitely recommend going and having something. And yes, because the Original Sacher Torte is the most famous cake in the world, I'd say to go ahead and try it. However, I've gotta level with you, it was an incredibly expensive slice of cake (the unsweetened whipped cream on the side alone cost an extra 2.50+!), and I did enjoy it, the moistness of it and the hidden berry flavor that comes through, but I was also thinking, nearly the entire time, "I'm pretty sure I've had better cakes before." Welp. 

In all, the experience of going to Vienna was simply just that for me: the experience of going to, or best if I say, through, Vienna. I'd love to go back some weekend in the future when I'm very well-off, and prance around, pretending to be posh, and feeding into the pretentiousness of it all, but for now, I'm just fine hanging out on islands, smelling like a human in her natural state, and embracing dirtier places. 

I don't write any of this to try and discourage you, and truly, Vienna is worth seeing. Simply put, for me, it's not my place. Which is okay, they can't all be ;)

Thank you to Benoit and Alison for being such gracious hosts, the guy in the protein powder shop who got on his work computer to show me maps and metro routes to tourist attractions, and the church, for being so incredibly gorgeous (another thing I'd recommend visiting whilst there). And, to the city of Vienna itself, for being too perfectly appealing, visually. Also, sorry for bashing you so much. You really were lovely.

(I feel like a bipolar writer on this one. But it's just because I don't like to say things that aren't positive, but my energetic reading on the city was so bland, I just can't justify gushing over it like I will Budapest in my next post, or Lanzarote, which will be up on the blog after this weekend's adventure here.:)

Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder to all!

Alliie-Sun <3 

And I'm Off Again!

Hello, hello and happy Friday to all you amazing, beautiful Beings out there! How are you doing!?! I have missed you!! 

It's been some days since I wrote, this week has been pretty crazy for my schedule, and something else, too... I've got to be honest, it's not that I have been suffering from writer's block, I've been absent, because I know I really "need" to get up on the blog are posts about Vienna and Budapest from a few weeks back, but I am struggling so much to make sense of my feelings towards Vienna, that the nearly-finished post I've got about it is just not something I want to post. I have no idea why I feel so "whatever" about the city, because it really is gorgeous, and I had a great Couch Surfing experience, but I just didn't get any exciting energetic sense from it. Therefore, I am really pushing back energetically in regards to the place, and not in the mood to write about it. But I will, I swear. Well, after this next mini-vacation that I'm leaving for in less than an hour! And for this one, I am SO STOKED!

In a matter of 30 minutes, I will be off in a blablacar to Sevilla, where later tonight, I will catch a flight to the sure-to-be-amazing Canary Island of Lanzarote!! 

 Source: Google

O_o 

Soooo up for this trip! You'll definitely want to find me on Instagram to follow along on this one! 

{{ a_fedorio }} 

It's funny that I'm bursting with excitement for this trip right now, because in my last hour of work at the high school, I really wasn't in the mood. So weird [that I wasn't up for it].

Now I've got a lovely little group of galpals here in Écija, and since I've only got 5 weeks left in Spain, I want as much time with them as possible! They are truly amazing women, and I love so much to mesh with them, so I really didn't feel like going anywhere this weekend. Especially since I'll be in Rome for five days starting next Friday, and I've got a trip back to Amsterdam planned the end of May, my chances to hang with them are literally numbered. In reality, I've got six weekends left in my Spain time, and trips to other places planned for three of them. (Technically four, but I decided to cancel my trip to Santiago so I don't have to rearrange too many days of work. Although, the closer it gets, the more I want to go and check it out. We'll see what happens. hehe) But anyways, my pack is packed, I'm taking next-to-nothing (other than the excessive weight in book/journal/devotional book-stuff I always lug around), and am planning on a full few days of facepalming in the sand, attempted surf, hikes, and checking out some of God's beautiful Earth! 

There's been so much incredible energy and emotion moving around and within me lately, and this year has truly turned out to be an incredible blessing and necessary step in my journey towards the pure, eternal Light of the Lord aka Life. I feel so blessed and happy, and cannot stop beaming out love. I just want to hug everyone of my students all the time and tell them that I love them, and am engaging in such amazing extended embraces with my galpals here, I feel too full to contain all the goodness that's multiplying inside me. (Come find me and let's huuuuugggg!!!! ***Creeps need not apply ;-) It's going to be great to spread this love all over the island!

The first and only time I've ever been to the Canary Islands was in February of 2010, when about 18 people from our USAC study abroad group went together to celebrate carnival. It was such a wild and amazing experience, and will forever be special for me, because it's where Carla and I first tanned on the beach topless (something incredibly common in Spain. So much so, that my 28-year old friend says he still sees his mom without a top on at the beach, and it's not weird at all. Try that one on for size, 'murica!)! I'm not exactly expecting to just gallivant around topless all weekend, but I am fully expecting to embrace the sun, the sand, the surf, and the souuuulll! Let's see where God takes me on this one!

It's a pretty cool story/string of events, actually, how I even ended up deciding to go there.. of course, every island on Earth is on my Hit List, and I always dream of going to island locations, but this whole trip manifested because of someone I met in Mallorca when I lived there for two months working as an au pair a couple summers back. A fellow American, Danielle, was living on the island for a while, and we met at a 4th of July BBQ that was happening. I so graciously invited myself to it, after learning a friend would be there, because let's be real... as an American, to not attend a BBQ on the 4th of July, well, that just doesn't sit well with the soul. So, I worked through my desperation to eat watermelon and smell the coals burning, found a BBQ that was happening, and went. There I ended met a huge group of Americans that had returned to live/work on the island after falling in love with it during their semester/year abroad (obviously that would happen..have you seen Mallorca!?). Not all of them sat well with me, but Danielle definitely did. I remember leaving and wishing that I'd met her sooner, because I could just tell she had good vibes and would probably be someone I'd really get along with. 

Well, I'm not sure how it came to pass, but she wrote me on Facebook some months back, and we started chatting a little bit. Then she said that she and her man moved to Lanzarote, and if I ever wanted to go for a weekend of hiking and surfing, I had a place to stay! Umm...ok! And after I dropped my Integrated Kinesiology course and started stalking down cheap flights, I found a reasonable one to Lanzarote, and decided to take her up on her offer! Now I'm ready to go, and stoked as can be! Weee! Actually, I really have to get out the door now, or I'll be late for my ride!

Life is a pretty awesome and wild thing when we stop trying to control it, live and love in the moment, and trust that God will take care of everything, and then some! I highly recommend giving it a shot. It's nice to just sit back, relax, and not try to run the show. Besides, He's bound to work things out to be waaaay better than we could try to get them anyways! ;-)

I love you Earth Fam, I hope you have a smashing weekend, full of love, smiles, and warmth in your hearts! Don't forget to let that soul soar! xxx

Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder,

Allie-Sun <3 

ADD Adventures to: {{ Bratislava, Slovakia }}

Last week, I was lucky enough to enjoy a 10-day trip to celebrate Easter, explore my roots, and check out some new cities/countries. The adventure took me through four new cities, in three new countries, and introduced me to many new friends and family members. It was such an intense amount of stimulation and information absorption, I didn't dare write about it as I was in the midst of it all. I couldn't really begin to process what I'd seen/felt in one place, before I was already on a train to the next. But now I'm back, I've had nearly a week to process, and it's time to lay it down in writing! So without further a'due, let's begin our trip where I began abroad: Bratislava, Slovakia.

I didn't really sleep the night before I left Spain, but was lucky enough to score an empty row towards the back of the plane, so I inflated my travel pillow, pulled the eye cover down over my eyes like a lil princess, and passed out for the entire three hour flight from Málaga. It was snowing very lightly when I got there, which was quite a shock considering I'd spent the previous day at the beach. So I geared up mentally, and stepped off the plane. After waiting an absurdly long time for my bag to come out onto the belt (I boarded the plane too late for it to make it into overhead storage), I found a bus that would take me to the train station. For just one night in my entire 10 day trip, I was actually going to pay for a place to sleep, and was pretty excited to get to my hotel and see if I'd done myself as right as I thought I had. (My amazing, incredible, wild hotel, which will be written about towards the end of the post, and is worth sticking around to get to.;)

After going completely mental upon seeing it, I left my stuff, grocked out a little more on its craziness, and headed out for a full day of wandering around and exploration. I was surprisingly energized and excited, and left with the same expectation/thought I always have before I walk out the door: I wonder what adventure we'll have today! And I've gotta admit, I spent the greater part of my journey into the city center thinking, "This is probably the ugliest city I've ever intentionally visited." (Sorry to any who live/are from there. I promise this gets better.) I was so relieved I'd only be staying for one night, and was really grateful I'd been told to only spend about a day there, because it became seemingly apparent I wouldn't want or need more time. But then I entered the center, and my opinion started to change quite quickly.

I began to see why people might go to visit Bratislava, and understand why it would be considered the capital. The castle, the churches, other monuments and large squares, long stretches of pedestrian ways full of pubs, restaurants, cafes and shops -- okay, I get it now. But I wasn't really loving it either.

In spite of feeling a little agitated by the wild, cold wind that was blowing, I was a little bored by the place. It was so charming, but so incredibly quite. I'd just spent the previous day in major meditation, therapy, connection and interaction mode with someone incredibly wonderful, and arrived so full of good energy and desire to run around a new place, meet cool people, and explore, so it was hard to hold it back and feel the need to reel it in a bit. (Which you'll soon read I didn't exactly do anyways...)

The people were so kind and helpful when asked, going quite out of their way to help me, but not very smiley otherwise. And it's such a small place, I realized quite quickly there wasn't an excessive amount of stuff to do/see. It's not a bad thing, I guess I just went into it expecting it to be much louder and larger since it is the country's capital city and has been considered very important throughout the past. Which, as it would turn out, would be some things I really missed about it and longed for whilst wandering around the much larger and somewhat pretentious Vienna the next day.

Overall, I did enjoy my time in Bratislava. When I was walking around I had my earphones in and was playing The Polish Ambassador's Diplomatic Dispatch Vol. 2 mix on repeat, dancing around like I was there by myself. (Which I was, so hey, dance on!) (This is what I mean by I didn't exactly hold my energy back.;) I liked the food, prices, and people I interacted with, and it was enjoyable to be in an easy-to-navigate place. And by the time my trip finished, I loved the city and the experience I'd had there!

I spent my first and last nights in Bratislava because I was flying in/out from their airport. The first night, I booked a room at the Hotel Galería Spirit, which was fantastic! I got to sleep on an inverted pyramid, in a hotel that also doubles as an art gallery/tripadelic place (you can pay 22€ for a canvas and use all the paints/supplies they have, then take it with you. Something I would have done, but I wasn't prepared to pay to ship a canvas to California), that has a supplement company underneath it, and sells supplements in the lobby (I got a massive bottle of spirulina pills for 4€ -- 50% off for clients, and ridiculously cheap prices otherwise!!!). I mean, the place couldn't have been more perfect for me, and was the only reason I actually stayed that first night in the city. I did a Google search of Bratislava, looked at the images and saw this colorful, abstract place, to discover it was the hotel, which I knew I would have to stay in. I ended up paying less than 12€, had the entire room to myself, the gals that work there are great, and highly recommend the experience if you're in Bratislava!

 

The last night of my trip I couch surfed there, and scored an incredible host! He's a certified Awesome Being, whose passion is the circus, spreading smiles and love, and making people feel. He taught me a couple of juggling tricks and how to turn a plastic bag into a toy, did some much needed work on my I've-been-traveling-and-walking-with-a-pack-on-too-long sore back, I did some energy work on his broken wrist, and many bright ideas were exchanged. And I have to say, as great as the hotel experience was, sprinting circles of excitement around my pyramid bed by myself, being surrounded by different colored and shaped lights, Guillaume, his friends, and his roommates were the perfect way to finish the trip!

We went out to this amazing, literally-under-the-ground pub, and I got to talk to some locals, and get a feel for the social life in the city. And I've gotta say, I really like it!

I'm a fan of anywhere where there is a solid pub culture, and appreciate a place that doesn't have a lot to do, but can offer you really cool, unique places to go and hang out with friends. I love a good beer, but hate the affects of alcohol (one of the few, if not the only, thing(s) I will actually apply the H-word to), so I'm not big on a place that centers around going out and getting wasted. I much rather spend a little more money on one great, flavorful beer, enjoy it for an hour (or two), have some tea, and just engage in good conversations with people. (My gosh, how I've changed!! Thank You, Lord!!!) Bratislava, in the short time I was there, seemed to be able to offer all that.

So, I finished my time in Bratislava really well, and left it with incredibly positive thoughts and memories. Thank you to all who contributed :-* If you're considering going, I'd recommend it. I wouldn't say you need to spend a long time there, but spend a couple days of your holiday, and it will enable you to really relax, and just hang out in a truly charming city. :)

And if you need proof of how awesome my host, new friend, and future farm partner is, check this out (and support them!!!!)...

Pumping out major blessings, love, light, & wonder to you all!

May you have a beautiful weekend, full of play, smiles, and be surrounded be sweet souls!

Love You Family,

Allie-Sun <3

9 Things I Learned in Napoli

I feel like my eyes were opened to a great many things while in Italy. It was my first time in the country, and to have started my lifelong love affair with the country in the south was, at first, unconventional (most people would visit Rome, Milan, or Venice on their first trip to Italy), but for me, it turned out to be an incredible decision! I was treated well, fed well, and my eyes were bursting with each new sight. But not only were my senses fully stimulated, so was my brain! (Always a great thing!) Yes, the south taught me and showed me a lot of different stuff. Some things such as...

1. Don’t trust maps, not even Google’s. If you want to get anywhere, ask directions. Trust the locals to tell you how to get there.
2. It’s hard to get bad food, and easy to get good, cheap food. (And cheaper if you ask for it “da potare” or, “to go.”)
3. Blasting your music doesn't seem to bother any of your neighbors, and if you’re singing along loudly to it, all the better.
4. There’s actually no bad time to have limoncello, though they might think you strange if you are drinking it casually. (It’s usually had as a shot after a meal to aid digestion.)
5. Nor is there such a thing as too many coffees in one day. (Although, due to my lent I didn't have any. Dang.)
6. And there also isn't really such a thing as talking too loudly.
7. Displaying (hanging) your panties to dry on the dry rack that’s placed on the side walk outside your door for all passerbyers to see is not unusual. And surprisingly, it's not going to get stolen.
8. People appreciate you appreciating life, and will smile right along with you as you embrace life. Also, decrepit doesn't equal lifeless.
9. Doble Mozzarella. (Double mozzarella). Just do it. (Pizza talk)

Italia After All, Part One: Napoli (Naples)

A couple weekends back was a long weekend for us teachers here in Southern Spain, and as such, I decided to take full advantage of it to do a little traveling! It also happened to coincide with my birthday (the 26th), and that of the Beautiful Being I Love's (the 28th), so we decided a couple months back to take a celebratory trip together. Destination: Southern Italy!

Including the nine months I lived in Spain five years ago, I have lived in Europe for a total of nearly three years. But in that time, I hadn't ever taken a trip to Italy. Strange, right? Yeah, it's appeared that way to me as well for the last years of my life.

Italy is one of the better known countries and most-traveled to destinations, so how did it come to pass that I spent so much time without going? Well, because I knew I would fall head over heels in love with the place, and want to stay for a very, very long time. And that's exactly what happened.

From February 27-March 4 I cultivated such a love for Italy, and she surpassed my every expectation. Which is saying a lot, because I had them set quite high. I mean, more than that, they were out of this galaxy! I don't think I could have had higher expectations for the country and/or trip if I'd consciously tried to. (I mean, you would too if you'd been waiting 5 years to go to somewhere!) We started the trip in Napoli (Naples), and my, what a place!

I have always had a thing for decrepit buildings and destroyed things, and it didn't take longer than a few minutes on the bus from the airport for me to see how great a fit for this admiration Napoli would be. The whole place has that run-down appearance, and I say this in the most endearing way, but the city really is quite decrepit. So much so, that seeing any "new" (remodeled or maintained) building was a surprise, and it stood out in a sort of unwelcome way against the backdrop of everything else. The location and natural surroundings of the city also happen to be incredibly beautiful -- it's on the coast, there's plenty of green around, and there are mountains. But the buildings are all peeling, and though they may only be built with five or six stories, because they've all been built with incredibly high ceilings, they loom high over head, blocking out the sun, and adding to the grayness of it all. And then, within the streets that are packed full of life, there are endless splashes of colors. Whether it be from the laundry hanging out everywhere to dry, the people themselves, or certain buildings that stand out in their more-recently painted glory, creating an amazing contrast.

It was such a beautiful sentence to hear, upon arriving at the B&B we'd be staying in (Il Giardino Segreto, which I highly recommend, simply because the massive garden is amazing, and so are Anna and Mario, the proprietors of the place), when I asked where I should go for good food, feeling very Elizabeth Gilbert-like in the "Eat" part of Eat, Pray, Love, that, "It's very hard to find bad food in Napoli." Ohhhh yeeesssss, that's what I like to hear! All in, in an instant! And it was proven to be true, each time I put any item of food into my mouth. From the salmon and ham bow tie pasta with cheese I picked up down the street, to the tagliatelle with pumpkin sauce and baby squid I had the next day, to the tagliatelle with mushrooms and proscuitto I ate that night, to the pizza we dined on, twice. Each eating experience was a pleasure, and each time I saw how they treated the food with respect, love, and admiration, my love for these people and this culture grew deeper.

Our room at Il Giardino Segreto (seriously, stay here)

Part of the massive garden they have

Like I said, I knew I was in the right place within my first hours of arriving. Not only was I surrounded by decrepit buildings and sights, in a place where food is a perfectly justifiable and respected hobby, but when I went to pick up dinner for P and I that first night, what I witnessed at the restaurant confirmed everything for me: Italy and I are a well-suited pair.

One of the women working, who was wearing a white chef's robe, but out and about in the dining areas (so I'm not sure what her role was), caught my attention immediately. It wasn't because of her cool-I'm Neapolitan vibe, but because of the rhinestones that were strategically placed on her work whites to give it a little bit of swag. And then, when I saw the waiters covering the plates of food, to transport them from the restaurant to the people in the covered, outdoor dining area with plastic covers to keep in the steam, it was all I could do to not applaud and hug them. Because, mind you, the distance this food traveled was a grand total of about five steps. Ahh yes, Italy!

Since P had missed his morning flight, and mine was delayed an hour (after we'd already boarded, awesome), we started our trip off a bit later than expected, which in turn set the tone for the rest of the trip. Instead of doing what normal people do -- arrive at your hotel in the morning, check-in, drop your bags, go out and enjoy the day in the new place, stay the night(s), check-out in the morning, and onto the next place -- we would arrive at night, check-in, have some time to lounge about in the room or get a bit drunk on limoncello on the rooftop terrace, private balcony, or wherever we pleased, go out for dinner, wander about a bit, return, sleep, wake up, check-out, but leave our bags at the hotel, then spend the day exploring, return to the hotel hours after having checked-out, hang around for a while, then take our bags, and be onto the next place. And while it was a completely backwards rhythm to that which people normally do, for us, it worked out splendidly. We quite enjoy arriving somewhere at night, having a gorgeous view we can't really, fully see, but then waking up and being mind-blown by the blessing of the scenery around us. It creates endless surprises and delights, and Napoli was the first of them!

We spent our time there walking around for hours, and hours, and hours. We picked a direction, and stuck with it, till we'd hiked our way down, around, this way and that, and way up a mountain for a view, and then gradually tried to make our way back down a bit. I will probably never know exactly where we were or how we went, but we walked a lot, and got a pretty good visual idea of the city. And when finally we'd made it back to our Giardino Segreto, Mario invited us to try some of their homemade limocello as a "Happy Birthday to Us!" (And really, he's a celebratory kind of guy.) It was, by far, the best limoncello we drank on the trip, which is saying a lot, considering how many different ones we tried. The lemons came from the garden, and I daresay it made all the difference. And Mario, someone who fancies having/sharing a drink or two, then decided to bring out the other one they'd made, which featured a variety of things, including cinnamon and rooibos. The whole experience was great. Kind of like being with parents/grandparents of your close friend, who are really cool and fun to spend time with. Actually, everyone we interacted with was great, which is probably why it struck us as incredibly funny how cautionary everyone was being.

We were told so many times that the city is a really dangerous place, and that we should be very careful, not take bags out, I shouldn't really walk around alone at night (because, "I don't trust men in Napoli with nice girls who are alone. You are a nice girl." Meaning, "nice looking"), and when we had spent all day walking and were going to walk the 35 minutes back to the B&B, everyone we asked for directions told us to take the metro instead. This was so strange to us, because not once had either of us had a feeling that we were in a dangerous situation, but when our final attempt at getting some directions told us we really shouldn't walk through the area we'd need to, and that the city could be compared, in terms of danger, to Buenos Aires or Rio de Janeiro, we decided to start taking it a bit more seriously. Though I am very pleased to say we didn't have a single sketchy moment! (Thank you, God!)

Trying to flick the unplaced, ugly building out of the way to clear up the view of Mt. Vesuvius 

Yes, Napoli was great, but our time needed to come to a close; it was time for us to head a little further south to Sorrento, and visit Pompeii. Buuuut not before we'd spent a casual morning killing time, going into the Archaeological Museum in Napoli, seeing a room full of phallic images and penis wind chimes with penises of their own, or more penises on penises, or little creatures and/or people riding them (go see this place),

You see what I mean!?!?!

popping into the supermarket to raid the deli section, then enjoy our picnic plunder in the garden at Il Giardino Segreto,

Omg, yum, please, all of this, find a way to Spain (aka my stomach)

lay around, and then have coffee/tea with Anna, whilst sharing endless conversation about a variety of subjects (but mostly pertaining to their wanting to buy a home in Amsterdam, where P lives). And then, we were off. Next stop: Sorrento!

Words of wisdom in our room at Il Giardino Segreto

Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder to all!

<3

6 Tips & Tricks for Travelling Greece

1. Don't pay for the Air Seats in the ferry from Piraeus to Santorini (or going the other way). Most people will get off the ship at the first stop, and you can switch from the cheap seats, which aren't uncomfortable, but open to all the noise and activity on the ship. And on the way back, there were so many available, we could have had our own rows if we wanted.
2. Unless you want an incredibly quiet experience, don't go to Santorini before mid-May. While it was really nice to not be stuck in traffic on the roads on our quad, or encounter mass amounts of people everywhere we went, we also did kind of want a little nightlife, and, well, the place was a little dead. And we were staying in one of the main party areas of the island. If you want good weather, also don't go before mid-May. We had a couple rainy days, a really beautiful day, and a couple cloudy ones. We were told June and September are good, because the weather is good, but there aren't too many people there with one party-goal in mind.
3. Just because Piraeus is one of the most frequented cities of Greece due to the port, it doesn't mean it's overly priced. I saw some souvenirs in Santorini that were much cheaper in Piraeus, and the food as well cost less. Don't be afraid to buy certain things in Piraeus, with the "I can probably find it cheaper somewhere else" thought in mind. And if you happen to be able to, stroll one of the local farmers markets (ask people to find out where/what day). It will blow your mind. The colors, THE OLIVE STANDS, oh my gosh. I came back to Spain, and I'm having a hard time eating the olives after what I experienced over there. :(
4. Rent a quad in Santorini! It was only 25 euros for the day (plus petrol), and it was the most amazing way to get around! We literally went from one end to the other, and it wasn't stressful or scary at all! Of course, there weren't many people around, but still, there is one main road, and it's an easy place to navigate. And with the little streets, we could easily pass. 
5. Go on the little boat tour in Santorini. It was less than 20 euros, and it was a six hour trip to the other little islands of Santorini, a hike and info on the volcano, swim in the hot springs, and time on the second-largest island, that just has one village. It's a good way to see the rest of Santorini, and learn a bit about it as well.
6. Spend more than a day in Athens. A lot of people told me not to waste too much time there, but really, I loved it. Of course, we'll all have different experiences, but I thought the center was so charming. It's overflowing with flowers, color, and life, and let's face it, there's nothing quite like being in the city, looking up at a hill, and see Acropolis sitting there in all it's ruins and remaining glory.

To read about Athens, click here!

To read about Piraeus, click here!

To read about Santorini, click here!

To read about ANNY Studios in Santorini, click here!

To read about Greece in general, click here!