Travel Tuesday || Travel lessons

Many, many years ago, when I was just a young law school graduate, I spent a month walking around Europe. Well, Madrid, Barcelona, Ibiza, Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, London, Amsterdam, and Paris, to be exact. Nope, I didn't backpack my way through and I didn't stay in hostels, but I did walk. Everywhere that my two feet can take me in those cities. And since I was such an amateur traveler at that time (as well as a poor, unemployed student), I didn't have proper walking shoes, just a pair of really good wedge flip flops. I didn't even get the wedge for comfort but to add some height to me since I'm really short and I had this fear of being mistaken as a child and kidnapped. But, I digress.

There are so many stories about that trip I've been wanting to write about. I learned a lot in that month. Not only about the different cities and countries we visited, but about myself and my travel partner. I got lucky that my friend, Claudia, and I got along well. Although there were moments when we got on each other's nerves, we managed to have a great time through the ups and downs, i.e. missing luggage, torn luggage, getting lost (many, many times), high fevers, non air conditioned room, heatwave, thunderstorms, windstorms, etc. In reminiscing about that trip, I thought I'd list some of the things I learned:

1. If you're traveling on a budget, and do not want to stay in hostels, stay at a hotel that has free breakfast. No matter how little sleep Claudia and I got the night before, we got up early in the morning for the free breakfast and loaded up on muffins, fruit, cereal and coffee. It saved us from spending money on breakfast and lunch, so we were able to afford a good dinner. Although we didn't splurge on expensive dinners either, we did go to at least one nice restaurant in every city. 

2. Choose your travel partner carefully and wisely, especially if there's only the two of you traveling together. In our case, Claudia and I shared a room and spent every day together for a month. That was 30 days of togetherness. So, it was important that we got along. It was important that we communicated. We didn't have all the same interests in terms of what we wanted to see and experience at every destination, but we had a give and take policy. We took turns choosing what we would do for the day and evening, and there were no complaints. Okay, sometimes there were, but we agreed to agree. And we agreed to stay together always. Except for one party that Claudia went to in Ibiza with our tour group while I stayed at the hotel to sleep (I was much too tired), we stuck together. I believe it's important to stay together especially if you're two young women traveling in a foreign country. (And although Ibiza was wild, I was reassured that Claudia would be okay since by that time, we had been traveling with the tour group for over a week and she promised not to wander away from them. I still didn't get much sleep, but the extreme humidity and heat with no air condition may have been a factor. Nonetheless, we stuck together for the rest of the trip - no matter how tired either one of us were.)

3. A tour group is not a bad way to go. Since it was our first trip to Europe, Claudia and I opted to go with a tour group around Spain and to London, Amsterdam and Paris. We did Italy on our own, which turned out fine since we were already accustomed to the euro and had become a pro at reading maps.

4. Pack lightly, especially if you will be traveling every three days to a different city. Carrying or rolling around a large suitcase on cobblestone streets can be a health hazard resulting in excruciating pain on your arms, legs and back. If that happens, you will most likely not enjoy your trip. Remember that there are laundromats in most places (at least most big cities), and if there isn't one, well, undergarments, T-shirts, and tank tops are not too difficult to hand wash. 

5. If you're traveling to a foreign country, exchange money before you reach your place of destination or at least at the airport when you arrive. I hardly carry cash with me, but when traveling (especially to a foreign country), it's important to at least have enough cash to pay for a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Madrid was the city Claudia and I landed in to start our European vacation. We arrived during siesta time, which meant that all the banks were closed. Again, since we were newbie travelers, we only had traveler's checks (remember this was a long time ago), which the cab drivers were not accepting nor were they accepting American dollars. Of course, we learned all of this only after the cab driver was already stopped in front of our hotel. It was a stressful way to start our vacation with an angry cab driver who we could barely understand. But finally, past the language barrier and frustration, he took us to an ATM to withdraw cash. We weren't yet accustomed to the euro at that time, so I think we got jipped. Our cab fare ended up costing us about fifty dollars each. I think it was supposed to be fifty dollars total. But, I guess we deserved it for being ignorant. Now, I always check the average cost of the cab fare beforehand. The Internet is wonderful that way.

Here's a few pictures from that European adventure:

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

Rome, Italy

Florence, Italy

Big Ben, London, England

Paris, France

This was our last stop before we headed home. As you can see, I look tired. But I also look very happy. I wanted to stay in Paris. If I didn't have my brother's wedding, I might have stayed. Got a job at a cafe and wrote. After walking its streets, I understood why many writers were (are) drawn to Paris. I want to return to Paris to write. One day.

      

A useful advice + a short confessional

Day 3 of Blogtember: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered. 

Hi, my name is Mae, and I'm a Felicity fanatic.

Please don't judge me by this, but the thing that came to mind when I thought about writing this post was Felicity.  The TV show.  I think I've said it here before (or at least alluded to it) that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that show.  In the present tense.  It doesn't matter that it ended eleven years ago.  I own the DVDs for all four seasons (and have watched it more times than I want to admit).  And now with Netflix, I don't even need to be at home to watch it.  

Okay, I know it seems like I'm digressing but bear with me.  There is a point to this that addresses today's topic.  I promise.  But first, I have the need to give a little background story.

The four years the show aired was the four years I lived with my college/post-college/beginning of law school boyfriend.  Ex, now.  We moved in together a couple of weeks after Felicity first aired, and I moved out five months after the show ended.  And it wasn't an easy relationship - my ex and I.  Living together made it even tougher.  But, Felicity got me through those four years.  (Don't worry, I didn't stay in a bad relationship because of the show.  The timing was just impeccable.)  I never missed an episode - even when I was in law school and hardly watched any television - I watched Felicity.  I lived vicariously through her (yes, I know, she's a fictional character - let's forget that part).  But, I thought she was living my dream, and when times were bad with the ex, I escaped to Felicity's world.  It was my therapy, and a very affordable one.

Okay, now that I'm done with the background story, here's the advice that I got from the show - that stuck with me: "Don’t throw away an opportunity to become a more interesting person out of fear."

That advice was given to Felicity by her counselor, Dr. Pavone (my favorite chain-smoking character).  If you're not familiar with the show, let me offer some context (don't worry, if you want to watch the show, I won't give away what happened after).  So, here it goes: Felicity just got back together with Ben (her soul mate, love of her life, the guy she followed to New York), and was excited about spending the summer with him in Palo Alto (where they are both from).  But, her art history professor offered her an internship to work at a museum in New York (it was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime-kind-of-opportunity), which meant, she wouldn't be with Ben, who had a summer job waiting for him in Palo Alto.  And that's when Dr. Pavone said, "Don't throw away an opportunity to become a more interesting person out of fear."  "Fear?" Felicity asked.  "Of losing Ben," Dr. Pavone answered.

So, that's the advice that stuck with me.  

Because, you see, I had an opportunity to study in Spain for a semester during my senior year of college.  I didn't go.  I'm ashamed to admit, I was afraid to lose my boyfriend.  The same boyfriend I had a "not-so-easy" relationship with.  I won't dwell too much on that, but let's just say, I regretted not going.  I regretted it for a long, long time.  And when times were especially hard with him, I resented him for it.  Yes, that wasn't fair, but I really wanted to go to Spain.  So, when Dr. Pavone gave Felicity that advice, it struck a chord with me.  

Felicity's response was: "That’s not why I turned down the internship. I just, I’m choosing to be with Ben. That’s just what I want to do this summer."

And that's when Dr. Pavone told her: "An opportunity like this internship does not come around very often and if you and Ben are gonna work this out, and I hope you do ‘cause I love that kid, then you’ll be there for each other long after this opportunity has come and gone. That’s what love is about."

I wish someone had told me that.  (Dr. Pavone's advice came a couple years too late for me.)

But that's why after my ex and I broke up, and well, after I took the Bar exam (because I had to do that first), I went to Spain.  I spent a month in Europe, and went to all the places I had always wanted to go to.  At the time I was seeing someone, and again, it was new, we were at this pivotal point in our relationship, and I was scared that if I went away for a month, he'd forget me.  I know, he thought that was silly, too, but I couldn't help it, I was afraid of that.  But, I was also afraid that if I didn't go, and I didn't go on my own (meaning without him - the new guy), I'd regret it.  So, I went.

And, so did he.  But apart.  

And it was the best decision I made.  I don't think, in fact, I know, it had nothing to do with why we're not together right now.  That's a whole other story.

So, don't throw away an opportunity to become a more interesting person out of fear.  It speaks volumes, right?  Take risks.  Live life.  What is meant to be will be.  

Here's a picture of my friend and I in Spain that summer.

Excuse my outfit and tired eyes.

But, we looked, and were, very happy.

And that's what matters, right?

What advice has stuck with you?

Felicity photo via

NYC, here I come!

Day 2 of Blogtember: If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do?

I seriously had too much fun with this topic!  I've been thinking about it ever since the Blogtember topics list came out.  There's just so much I would love to do if I could take time off from my current life: run around the green hillsides of Ireland, stroll the cobblestone streets of Oxford, read a book at a cafe in Paris, ride a gondola in Venice, go bike riding in Amsterdam, wine tasting in Tuscany and eat lots of gelato in Rome.  But, as those dreams bounce around in my head, there's one place that my mind (and heart) just keeps going back to - New York City.

I've always wanted to live in Manhattan.  There is something about the energy of the city that speaks to me.  Then, last year, I stayed in Brooklyn for a week and immediately fell in love.  So, if I could take three months off to do anything in the world, I would go to NYC.  Alternate between living in a Manhattan penthouse apartment and a Brooklyn brownstone.  Where I'll write, write, and write.  Both places stimulate my psyche and imagination in different ways, and when I'm there, I just want to soak up everything, and then, describe it to the world.

Then, when I'm not writing, I want to have dinner parties in the rooftop garden of the fabulous apartment I'll be staying at, listen to live music at a cafe, sit quietly at the Met, and read a book in the center of Washington Square Park.

I want to wake up early in the morning and run across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Or around Battery Park.

Or get lost in the crowd in Central Park.

I want to spend afternoons sitting next to a friend and looking at this view.

Or this.

Or under this massive tree.

And some days, I may just want to escape it all, and take the ferry to Staten Island:

So, that's what I would do (and so much more) if I had three months to do anything in the world - I would live in NYC and fall in love every single day.

What would you do?
 

nostalgic spell

Ten years ago today, I was strolling around Spain, perhaps Barcelona, and well, in that case, I was probably not walking around the city but partying with some really hot Dutch men in some hole-in-the-wall bar.  It seems like a lifetime ago.  I don't even remember that person anymore - the ten-years-ago-me.  I remember the Dutch guy very well, except his name.  I don't know if I ever got his name.  Okay, I've digressed ...

I've been reminiscing.  Maybe because of my Friday-night-that-turned-into-Saturday-morning outing.  I had not done that in a very long time.  Stayed out until 4:00 a.m.  I was very tired on Saturday.  I actually slept in.  All morning.  But, I had to go out again all afternoon.  And then, worked until midnight.  I wasn't very kind to myself.

Anyhow, I just wanted to post this sunset picture I took in Ibiza during my European adventure ten years ago.  It's not very clear because I had to scan it, but I think you get the idea - of just how beautiful that sunset was.  That was taken on our last night in Ibiza, when we stayed out all night (again) - watched the sun set and rise.  Then, had to rush to the airport for our flight to Rome.  We passed out in the plane.  Those were great younger years.  I think if I tried to do a 30-day European adventure now, where I hardly slept and was on the go to a different city every three days, it would take me two months to recover.  I guess, that's what our youths are for.  To have those wonderful, crazy adventures.  (Not to say we can't do it when we're older ... I just think it becomes a tad more tamed.)        

Okay, I better go to bed early ... I need to be productive tomorrow!

the travel bug

I know I just came back from a vacation, but I already feel like I need another one.  Since I can't really go on another one for awhile, I decided to just write about them and live in memories of travels past.

Five years ago, I went on a two-week trip to Europe.  One of the cities I visited was Avignon, France.  I had never heard of the place before, but I had always wanted to go to the south of France, and since I liked the sound of Avignon, I chose it as one of our destination spots.

I instantly fell in love with the place.  The people were really friendly and there was this relaxing and peaceful small town feel to it.  I also met a nice (and very cute) French waiter who offered to show me around the town.  After some thought, I took him up on his offer.  We met up at a cafe near my hotel after he got off work, and we spent the afternoon walking, walking, and more walking.  It's not a very big place, so we pretty much walked around in circles.  When we finally sat down to take in the view of the whole town, we talked about poetry, traveling, our dreams and goals.  Although he only spoke some English and I spoke even less French (with all the wrong pronunciations), we were able to communicate pretty well.  It was one of those dreamy, made-for-movie type of afternoon.

(Of course, after my friend watched the movie Taken, she scolded me about wandering off with a stranger.  And, just to let you know, I wouldn't normally walk around a foreign place with a complete stranger, but he seemed harmless.  He was the waiter at this fancy restaurant we went to, so at least I knew where he worked!  I know, excuses, excuses.  So, in case you find yourself traveling in some foreign place and a cute stranger offers to show you around town, do use your discretion and be cautious!  In my case, we had a lovely afternoon.  And I never saw him again.)

But, one day, I hope to see Avignon again.

Avignon, France

May 2008

Carroll Gardens

I've been sitting in front of the computer all morning, trying my very best to write this memorandum that's due on Monday.  But, my mind keeps wandering to some other place I'd rather be.

I've been feeling this longing, a missing of some sort.  A homesick kind of feeling.  For a place far away from the one I call home, but for some reason, felt more like home to me.

I never really believed in love at first sight.  Others who know me may find that hard to believe since I've been branded as hopelessly romantic, but I've always thought that love took time.  Perhaps, it's the cautious person inside of me who doesn't allow myself to be swept away by emotions.  Because I thought emotions were fleeting. I've always been one who was suspicious of men who fell too hard too fast because as experience had taught me, they were also the ones who were gone as soon as newness seamed into familiar.

But, the moment I stepped onto the sidewalk on Smith Street, I thought this is what love at first sight must feel like.  It took only an instant, a millisecond.  And I fell in love with that corner of Brooklyn.  But, it was more than a feeling or an emotion.  I knew.  I love this place.  And I want to be here.

I want to be there.

Carroll Gardens | October 2012

Brooklyn.

After much anticipation, I'm finally here.  And it's everything and nothing I imagined it would be.

At first, as I walked to the apartment I'd be calling home for a little, I had this longing for familiar things.  Parking my car in the garage.  Being greeted by my red couch.  My neighbor's screaming kids.  I started to doubt what I was doing.  What I had intended to do.  And I started wishing that my stopover in DC wasn't so brief.  I started to miss my godfather's Italian history lessons (which I have to share one day), and my godmother's cooking.  It's amazing how we could be attached to something (someones) in such a brief time.

But, after spending an entire day in Manhattan, I came back to the apartment, sat on the couch, with a mug of hot chocolate in hand, and I felt it.  That feeling of certainty.  That I did the right thing.  By coming here.  To write.  Although honestly, I haven't done that much writing.  But, I've memorized the stops on the F train to downtown Brooklyn, and have gotten lost several dozen times in the city.  I've strolled through Central Park, Bryant Park, Washington Square Park, Prospect Park.  I've walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, and sat and pondered across City Hall.  

And last night I met up with a new friend for dinner.  Shared with her my adventures since arriving here, my plans and ideas, and she said, you're no longer a tourist.  New York suits you.   

As we walked around Greenwich Village, I stopped missing L.A.  And afterwards, on the subway back to Brooklyn, I thought, why didn't I do this before?  Then, I remembered why.  And I realized, as much as I beat myself up for it, I wasn't ready before.  And so, I couldn't do it.

But now I am.            

Come check out the neighborhood with me:

St. Agnes Church up the street from the apartment.

View from Union Street Bridge.

DC part II

DC part 1

new york state of mind

I think the only thing getting me through this insanity called too-much-work is new york. 

knowing that i'll be there soon. ...

Happy Friday, everyone!  Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

(Wow!  It's already October!!!  I know I'm a few days too late saying that ... but, it's been a crazy (although wonderful) week.)

photo via