Cooking in Florence

One of the best things about traveling is meeting new people. Last Fall I was at the Italian consulate in Toronto waiting for my visa. While waiting I met a girl the same age as me who would soon be moving to Rome. We kept in touch and this past weekend met up in Florence for a weekend of touristy adventures, shopping and an exciting cooking class!
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I am all for traveling on a budget. Finding the cheapest flight or train and sacrificing luxury for saving money is A-OK with me. Making sacrifices in certain areas of travel allows me to travel more frequently and spend my money on memorable and unique experiences. Because of this I usually opt for staying in hostels when traveling throughout Europe. They aren't always the cleanest or quietest, but as long as I feel safe and am in good location for a good price, they are what works best for me. In fact, this summer I will be spending a whole month traveling and staying in hostels! Check back to read my reviews on the good, and hopefully not too much of the bad and the ugly.

While in Florence we stayed at Plus Hostel. This is a hostel that offers a bit of something for all ages. Rooms with balconies, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, Turkish baths, a rooftop bar and tanning area, a disco/bar, a great buffet breakfast and many organized tours. This is definitely a hostel I would recommend to any travelers on a budget and I will certainly be staying with them again at their other locations throughout Europe.

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We spent most of Saturday walking around Florence and soaking in the 25 degree temperature! Florence is a city with so much beauty. This was my second trip to Florence so instead of trying to jam in all of the sights I had seen on my previous trip five years ago, we instead took our time strolling the streets. We enjoyed lunch outside where I got my first little sunburn of the season and then spent the afternoon walking and shopping.

We had hoped to do a wine tour in the Tuscan countryside, but were too late trying to sign up, so instead, we participated in a cooking class with the Food and Wine Academy of Florence through Florencetown. This was roughly a three hour course which included making pizza from scratch, making chocolate gelato and drinking some local wine! Our chef, Giovanni taught us the importance of each step in making pizza dough. Boy, is it a lot of work! It requires a lot of muscle, time and love to make it just right. We were given tomato sauce, dry mozzarella, spicy salami, garlic olive oil, regular olive oil, and basil to choose from for our toppings. Giovanni encouraged us to make our pizzas original and unique. I decided to shape my dough into a heart and using little pieces of basil wrote 'Italy' (apparently this doesn't make for a very traditional looking Italian pizza). After putting it in the wooden oven I decided to name my pizza "Amore" and told Giovanni he should sell it in Florence as surely it would be a top seller! With Italian music playing, wine flowing and great company, another unique experience and memory has been gained.

After receiving our certificates for passing the course, we headed to the bar district. We grabbed some mojitos and sat outside meeting locals and tourists and talked about all the places we hope to travel to!

The next morning we took an hour long train ride to Pisa. This was my first time in Pisa and although it was a short stay, it was lovely. Despite the place crawling in tourists and despite only really seeing the main tourist sights, it was an enjoyable day and somewhere I imagine I will return to again while I am still living in Italy.

A sunny weekend in Tuscany came to an end, but it was hard to feel sad as so many more exciting adventures are ahead.

Next stop: Portugal!

Spring has arrived!

The seasons have changed once again. From dark grey skies and rainy days to warm sunny Italian mornings and breezy evenings with the smell of summer on its way. Finally, the long rainy days of a Northern Italian winter are behind us (at least for now). The past two weeks have brought sunshine, longer days and incredible temperatures around 20+ degrees (Sorry to everyone back in Canada! I am sending WARM wishes your way!!). This week I packed up all of my winter coats and boots and put them into hiding. With every window open in the apartment, I broke out my summer footwear, planned some trips and happily did some Spring cleaning!

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The last time I posted was shortly after returning from my trip to Iceland in early January. So, what have I been up to the last couple of months? February brought a ski trip in the Italian Alps, a birthday celebration in Budapest and a mountain meal in Lake Como. I ended February with a quick, last minute trip home to Canada during my school's 'ski week' (similar to March break). Since returning from Canada last week I have been busy with parent teacher conferences and trying to manage time to enjoy this incredible weather! March is panning out to be a day trip type of month as I'm budgeting for bigger trips in April through July! Next month I will be attending a work conference for three days in beautiful Portugal! Following that, my parents and their friends will be visiting during my Easter holidays. We are going to be renting a car and visiting Switzerland, Germany, France, Andorra, Spain and Monaco! I have friends visiting in May and June and then will be kicking off my summer holidays with some backpacking around Europe. My blog has been hibernating during the rainy, winter months, but now with beautiful weather and exciting trips ahead, it will be back in full force!
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See what I've been up to:

Bormio - A group of friends and myself rented an apartment for a weekend in beautiful Borimo. Bormio is a ski town nestled in the Alps near the Swiss border. From Milan we had to take a train and bus to reach this area. We arrived in a very snowy village and immediately felt like we were in a beautiful snow globe. I'm not much of a winter person at all (except at Christmas!!), but I have to say, this place was gorgeous. The town is fairly small and full of character. During our first night we stumbled upon a cross country ski race with competitors from five local villages. Each competitor was wearing a traditional outfit from their region. I've said it before - Italians know how to live! They are so full of life and know how to enjoy every moment. They live in such a healthy and happy way that we North Americans can't seem to master quite like they do. 

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Budapest - For my 28th Birthday, I visited my 28th country - Hungary! A group of friends from work as well as my good friend and her boyfriend who are both living in Poland, joined me for a fun filled Hungarian weekend! We stayed in Budapest for two nights and I can easily say I would return in a heartbeat. This is a city full of dark history and beautiful sights. Surviving war and communism, each corner of the city has a story to tell. There is a certain feel to this city that I haven't quite experienced before - almost an eerie, haunted feel as you walk the streets and soak in the historical sights. 

Hungary is not on the Euro and is incredibly cheap to visit. We indulged in great food without spending much at all. The food was delicious! The best meal was breakfast at a local fish market. A traditional Hungarian bread stuffed with garlic sour cream, chicken, ham, friend onions and cheese. Definitely a hearty breakfast and served with a cup of mulled wine! Another delicious meal was a bowl of hot Hungarian goulash full of rich spices. The food was seriously good on this trip!

A full belly and we were fueled to begin a walk around the city. Interestingly, although Budapest is now one single city, it was once considered two, separated by the river with Buda on the west-bank and Pest on the east-bank. There are eight famous bridges crossing the Danube. After walking around the city and crossing two bridges by foot, it was time to relax. We headed to the famous Turkish thermal baths. Hungary apparently has the largest thermal cave system in Europe. There are several places to choose from in Budapest. We opted for the most popular - the Széchenyi Thermal Baths. A beautiful yellow palace dating back to 1913 with fifteen indoor baths/pools and three outdoor. Maggie, Miha and I spent the majority of our time outside enjoying the warm water. The air was about 8 degrees, but with the sun shining down we felt like we were on an Island holiday!

After a very relaxing day at the baths, we took a river cruise down the Danube. What we thought was supposed to be a booze cruise/party boat, turned out just to be a cruise. It wasn't quite as lively as we hoped, but regardless, we saw some pretty spectacular views from the river. The Parliament building particularly stood out with its Gothic style and large size.  The following night we visited some ruin bars. This was one of my favourite parts of this trip! Budapest has many underground bars that are old ruins or abandoned buildings. They were designed to be cheap places to drink and filled with a random collection of objects. A great atmosphere made for a fun night, a great way to celebrate my Birthday and a wonderful end to a fun filled weekend.

                                                                         
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A Meal in the Mountains

Good friends Melanie and Angelo invited me to join them for a very authentic Italian meal in the mountains by Lake Como. I can say hands down this was the best meal I've had since moving to Italy. From Milan we drove about 45 minutes or so and parked in a village on the mountainside. From here we walked to the end of the village and were met with a dark path. About a 5-10 minute walk up a dark, steep path and we arrived at a family run, cabin style restaurant. Thankfully Angelo and Melanie knew where to go. This place is definitely off the beaten path and would not be somewhere I would ever find on my own. We were met with such a treat! A cozy woodstove, friendly owners and incredible food. Wine and food fit for a King! I'm pretty sure I went into a bit of a food coma because I cannot even remember everything we ate. I know there was a lot of cheese, meat, risotta...wine...more meat...more cheese...more wine...probably some more cheese...dessert...and definitely more wine. A night like this was a big reminder that... I LIVE IN ITALY!!!

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Canada - Home

A very last minute decision brought me home for my March holiday. Due to insurance issues and the ever so fun bureaucra(p)tic paperwork that comes with living abroad, I decided that going home was needed. So, a sudden flight booked and home three days later! This is my fifth year abroad and it is rare for me to experience home sickness. In fact, there have only been two times in my experience abroad that I felt true painful loneliness for home. That isn't to say I don't miss home. Of course I miss my family and friends and comforts of home often, but that awful, heartbreaking longing for home thankfully is rare for me. However, a trip home and a giant hug from Mom can really make you remember how GOOD it is to be home. It was a quick trip, but time spent with my parents, my brother and sister-in-law and my favourite little person in the world made a quick trip totally worth it. Thankfully, I was even able to squeeze in some 'tourist' time in my own country.
I tagged along with my brother, Nichole and Paige to the new Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto. Despite freezing temperatures in the city, it was a very enjoyable day (once inside, of course). I also spent an afternoon at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in my hometown with my parents, exploring the ice volcanoes. Lining the shore of Lake Ontario is a stretch of formations that spray water from their cone-shaped tops. It is a pretty unusual thing to see at home!
My time at home was short. I sadly didn't get to see many friends as it was so last minute and quick. Thankfully, one of my best friends was able to meet up. For the past five years we have gone months and months at a time without seeing each other, but we always say how it instantly feels like no time has passed. Being away has definitely made me really understand how fortunate I am to have what I have at home. I'm one lucky girl to live my dream of traveling the world, while at the same time knowing I always have a home with people I cherish so much!


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Genova
Ah, Genova. Beautiful, beautiful Genova. I am not a city person at all. At this point in my life I have chosen to live in the city purely because of career opportunities and the location of the cities I have chosen to be part of. However, the hustle and bustle and fast pace is not for me. The calmness and serenity of the seaside always captures my heart and will certainly be where I make myself a long term home. For these reasons, I immediately fell in love with Genova.

A friend who teaches at the American School of Milan joined me for a day of sightseeing and exploring. We discovered that we have a mutual love and passion for marine life, so we decided to visit the aquarium. The aquarium in Genova is the biggest in Italy and amongst the biggest in Europe. It certainly has some interesting exhibits, but sadly also houses dolphins, sharks and other creatures that I have a difficult time seeing in small enclosures.
After a stroll along the boardwalk and admiring the turquoise water (and mentally calculating how many work days are left before summer vacay so I can enjoy more of the seaside!!!), we headed to the city centre in search for a local restaurant that Carrie had read about on a blog. Thanks to her research and knowledge of Italian, we enjoyed a very authentic Genovese meal at Sa Pesta. Bonus - we were the only two non-Italians in the restaurant (we knew the food had to be good). We shared a plate of traditional Genovese food (a seaweed and cheese casserole style dish, some sort of chickpea tortilla and other deliciousness that I can't spell). We followed this with a traditional Genovese pesto dish and a local wine. All delicious!
 After some tasty gelato, a walk around the city and accidentally taking a short cut through the 'rough' part of Genova (prostitutes lining the streets in the middle of the... day!?) we hopped back on the train and headed North to Milan! A great day and so thankful for a little taste of sunshine and sea.

Stay tuned for April Adventures!

Ice Ice Baby

Another plane, another new place, another adventure. What a way to kick off 2014! After ringing in the New Year in Canada, I boarded a plane on the evening of January 1st and headed to the land of... Bjork? ...because, really, what else do we know Iceland for?

Well, I can tell you now after spending four days in this amazing and isolated country that they have way more to offer than this electric artist.

This is a trip I've had in the works for a few years. A few times when crossing the Atlantic I had tried to make extended layovers on this Nordic Island, but it just never seemed to work out. So, this past summer I started planning. I knew I would be flying home to Canada for Christmas and figured this was my chance to make the trip finally happen. I got my roommate on board and we booked four days at an old biscuit factory turned hostel in Reykjavik.

My love for travel and adventure means I obsessively research destinations and have an endless list of places to see. However, I'm also a 'go with the flow' type traveler. I research the place, take note of what I think looks the most interesting, ensure I see what's on my list and then.. let the rest just kind of play out. This trip may not have been as well planned. Blame it on a busy December month, or a foggy Christmas filled head.. but silly me, didn't consider that visiting this area of the world in the dead of winter would mean very limited sunlight! 

Kex Hostel

An overnight flight, a new time zone, and some jet lag combined with complete darkness during a good part of the day made for a very confused sleep pattern. We arrived in Reykjavik in the very early hours of the morning and found a bus that would take us to our hostel. We were met with a ridiculously cozy hostel with such a relaxed and chilled out atmosphere. Many travelers were sitting near the lobby in the hostel's bar/restaurant eating breakfast. It was still pitch black outside (and boy, is Iceland pitch black!!!). The lobby and restaurant had lantern style lights which gave it a sleepy, cozy feel and made me extremely eager to hop in bed. Unfortunately, it was only around 7am and our beds weren't available until 2pm. We found some couches where we had planned to relax and have a snooze. An hour or two in and I was still wide awake, despite the fact it was still incredibly dark out. I decided to go on a hunt for a snack and brave the cold, crisp Icelandic morning air.

As I left the hostel I heard water and realized we were right on a bay! (A bonus of doing little research - you are greeted with fun surprises). Exhausted, yet curious, I walked along the ocean and had the cold North wind slap me in the face, I couldn't help but think a trip South would have been way more appealing! Thankfully my mind was soon changed as the sun came up around 11:30 and I realized how beautiful and vibrant everything was. Snowy covered mountains lined the bay, colourful houses and buildings reminded me of Newfoundland, pubs and restaurants made me eager for the meals ahead!

I continued walking, completely bundled head to toe with basically just my eyes left uncovered. The wind soon became so strong that I broke out my sunglasses and now had every inch of my body shielded. I was absolutely froze to the bone and couldn't wait to find a cafe or restaurant where I could warm up. I soon found the Reykjavik Concert Hall. Not knowing or caring what it was at the time, I grabbed the opportunity to be inside. As I entered I saw a huge thermometer displaying the outside temperature. The outside temperature was -2. Minus two?!! Here I am a Canadian born in Winnipeg, spent 22 years living out Canadian winters and I actually thought -2 might just be the death of me that day. In summary... I am moving South the next chance I get.

Hallgrimskirkja Churh - designed to look like Icelandic lava flows

After a quick warm up I was off again to explore the city. I walked along the Old Harbour, admired the ships, found warmth in a few shops and refueled on a quick bite of pizza (not the most authentic local food - but it was fast and easy). Upon returning to the hostel my bed still wasn't ready so I curled up on a couch with an Icelandic beer and watched a movie on my laptop. After a few hours, Sarah and I met up and booked a tour to see the Northern lights. This was a bus tour that drove us out into the remote dark lands of Iceland. Before going we filled up on some grub at our hostel's pub. As I mentioned this hostel was extremely mellow and had a lot to offer. The pub was cozy and the food left me craving for my next meal. Some of the meals I had here were fried cheese and honey with blueberry jam and redfish with capers and mustard potatoes. Delicious! The hostel used to be a biscuit factory and has many salvaged materials as decor throughout the place - including a little old-fashion barber shop where the factory workers used to go.

Bundled up with several layers and going on very little sleep, we boarded our bus and set out to hunt for the Northern Lights. Curled up on a comfy, warm bus listening to the tour guide tell stories about Iceland's famous elves and legends about the Northern Lights, I became extremely comfortable and extremely sleepy. It wasn't long before my jet lag and lack of sleep took over and I was out like a light. I woke a few times and saw nothing but pitch black and a starry sky. Iceland is truly the darkest place I have been. We finally made it to the designated stop in hopes of seeing some action in the sky. Our guide told us it is very hit or miss. Being near the water and having cold winds blasting outside, I decided to stay curled up on the bus and figured someone would holler if the sky lit up. Sadly, there were no Northern Lights to be seen that night..but I did have a pretty sweet four hour nap on the bus.

The next day I awoke to dark skies again. I had managed to sleep in much later than planned, but after realizing it was still pitch black outside, I suddenly felt less guilty for sleeping in on a vacation. (Take note if you're ever planning a trip to Iceland - go in the summer! Although beautiful in the winter, there isn't nearly as much to do with such short hours of daylight.) Late that afternoon we ventured to the famous 'Blue Lagoon'. This was definitely the highlight of my trip. I arrived just as the sun was setting and the colours in the sky and water were beautiful (sadly, my pictures do not do this place justice). After buying my pass and changing into my swim suit I nervously began the journey outside. This was the part I dreaded! I hate the cold.. I mean really, really HATE the cold. The thought of walking outside in my bathing suit in below 0 temps seemed like torture. The short walk from the main building to the springs wasn't actually as bad I expected. I quickly hung up my towel and booted it to the water (possibly knocking a child over on my way). The water was the perfect temperature. Certain areas were boiling, but the majority of the pool was exactly right. The sun quickly set and the dark skies took over. The pool was lit up by torches and thousands of twinkling stars in the sky. As I swam around I continued looking at the sky, hoping the Northern Lights might make an appearance. Sadly, they did not, but nonetheless the evening was so relaxing and enjoyable. This is definitely a must do if you find yourself in Iceland!!

After journeying back into the city, we prepared to head out for the night and check out the nightlife scene. The city centre is full of cozy pubs - exactly my style. No loud, crazy clubs..just great places with live bands, friendly people and great drinks. We ended up at an English pub of all places and met some other expats and enjoyed local brewed beer with some Icelanders! It was a fun group of people and by the end of the night we were all cheering together to countdown a fake New Year!

The next adventure was whale watching. A definite recommendation if you're in Iceland! (Staying at the local pub until 4am and waking up in the early hours to board a boat on the cold, choppy seas is not, however, recommended.) Sarah decided to hike a glacier, which looked amazing, and I decided to take to the seas. I have a strong love for the ocean and always feel so content when I am on a boat or at the sea. My Grandpa was a fisherman in Newfoundland and my Dad always said I've got the fisherman's blood in me. Truly, nothing makes me happier than a day on the ocean. When I arrived to the Old Harbour and found my boat I was met by the assistant Captain who was handing out sea sickness pills. She said that the tour had been cancelled the past few days and they were about to cancel it today as well because the seas were too rough and the winds too strong. For whatever reason they decided to go ahead with it but were strongly recommending every passenger take a pill. I politely declined thinking "I'm made for the sea, I don't get sick!!" I was again strongly pushed to take the pill. I decided to take it and put it in my pocket (just in case). An empty stomach, a late night out and some truly rough waters and it wasn't long before that pill came in very handy!

As we sailed out of the harbour we could see the sun slowly setting over Reykjavik. Off to the side we could see a tall tower of light. This was the John Lennon peace tower! The guide explained that normally it is turned on on the 9th of October (Lennon's Birthday) and turned off on the 8th of December (the day Lennon was shot). However, it was early January and still very much lighting up the sky. The guide said this may be because of the extreme darkness in Iceland and every extra light is appreciated. Iceland was chosen for this memorial due to it's ecofriendly nature. The light is powered by Iceland's geothermal energy. In fact, 85% of the population uses geothermal power to heat their homes. This energy is produced from Iceland's volcanoes and vents!

As we continued to sail around the bay, passengers began to fall over due to extreme winds. At one point we were ordered off the deck and back into the cabin while the boat turned itself around. Once back on deck everyone was using every ounce of energy to walk without falling. Every object quickly became a safety rail to hold tightly. Several people were literally blown to the ground of the boat as they let go of the railing and tried to walk around. Yep, this was definitely the time to take my seasickness pill. As we got closer to the shoreline of some mountains the wind became much more bearable. The temperature continued to drop, but at least now we could walk around without having a death grip on the railings. In the distance we saw two whales breach the surface and also a baby seal swimming along side our boat. After almost 4 hours I was beat. The cold, the wind and my growling stomach were taking over. I headed back to the cabin and curled up in my coveralls (note: this horrendous looking snowsuit is not mine. They are supplied by the boat!) and took a short nap before heading back to shore.

The next morning we checked out of the hostel and headed back to the airport ready for a seven hour layover in Germany and ready for a new year in Italy!

I will leave you with some fun facts about Iceland:
- Everyone including the Prime Minister is listed in the phone book

- Everyone goes by their first name. This is due to a Norse tradition in which everyone in a family may have a different surname (the name of their father with the suffix of son or daughter). 

- In the winter months Iceland sees approximately 4 hours of sunlight per day.
- In the summer months Iceland sees approximately 23 hours of sunlight per day.
- There is an Icelandic legend that states if a woman sees the Northern Lights while pregnant, her baby will be born cross-eyed.

- The first settlers were Irish monks.

- Iceland is not as cold as most people believe it to be with an average   winter temperature of around -1 degrees celcius.

- There are roughly 4x as many sheep as people in the country
- Iceland is expensive for tourists and prices are comparable to Scandinavian countries

- The Icelandic language is one of the oldest languages in Europe! 

- Icelanders are big into folktales and believe that elves live throughout their country. (I recenently read an article in CBC news about a highway project being put on hold due to upset from the people because they feel the elves' territory will be damaged.

Christmas Adventures in Europe

Christmas has always been my favourite time of the year. In fact a big reason I wanted to brave away from the tropical climates is so I could experience once again a European Christmas season. When I lived in London I absolutely loved the cheer that filled the air. London is a city that knows how to do Christmas! While living in London I got my first taste of European Christmas markets and immediately fell in love with the whole concept. During this time I traveled to Nuremberg, Germany for their festive markets and also visited several throughout London.

This Christmas season I did my best to soak in every Christmas experience possible. The only thing lacking in Europe was snow and of course my family. Lucky for me, I had both when I came home to Canada this past week!

My Christmas season always begins in October. I try to fight the urge so not to annoy people with my obsessive Christmas cheer, but as always the festive music usually starts mysteriously playing on my computer about a week before Halloween. Parties start to get planned, Elf plays on repeat and my warm Christmas pajamas somehow pop out from hiding. Come November I'm in full blown Christmas mode and am feeling like I can start pushing the Christmas spirit on others since Halloween is now over (some Scrooges still think this is too early!).

The first Christmasy adventure this season was with three of my girlfriends to some villages in Northern Italy near Switzerland. We visited Stresa and Verbania. We had read that the Christmas markets were starting this particular weekend so we took an early morning train to these beautiful villages on Lago Maggiore. Sadly, when we arrived we found out the markets were not beginning until the following weekend. We did however find ourselves some mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and enjoyed a wonderful meal as we walked around villages outlined by snow covered Alps. Despite the lack of markets, it was a great kickoff to the Christmas season!

The following weekend I flew to Warsaw, Poland and visited a friend from home who is living there. I had my fingers crossed for some snow but instead was greeted with a whole lot of rain and cold temps. Nonetheless, Warsaw is a beautiful city with a lot of dark and interesting history. The Old Town was destroyed during World War II but has been restored and is a beautiful area to tour. After a quick trip to the markets, some mulled wine, mulled beer and delicious perogies it was pretty much time to hop back on a plane to Milan and prepare for the next Christmas adventure.

My next Christmas adventure took place with four wonderful colleagues in Belgium. We took a late night Friday flight to Brussels and stayed at a lovely hotel that had incredible Christmas markets at its doorstep (Thanks Katy, Erika and Meredith for sharing your hotel!!). Saturday morning we had breakfast at a delicious pastry shop and then took a train to Bruges. If you have never been or seen a picture, just imagine a fairytale village with houses and shops that look like they are made of gingerbread. It was truly a magical village with so much Christmas cheer on each and every corner. We spent most of our time here walking and soaking in the beauty. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of mussels and beer (a Belgium favourite). We also spent perhaps too much time shopping in chocolate shops (another Belgium favourite). Belgium has as many chocolate shops as Ireland has pubs. It was pretty wonderful!! After a long and Christmasfied day in Bruges, we returned by train to Brussels. The next day before heading back to the airport we once again enjoyed the incredible Christmas markets, took a walk around the exterior of the Grand Palace (breathtaking) and enjoyed some more chocolate!

 My last weekend of Christmas season in Europe was a solo one. After a bit of a crazy month I decided to take some time to relax. I took the train to a small city about 40km from Milan called Bergamo. It is a quaint little city with a ton of character and of course... more Christmas markets! I enjoyed a relaxing night at a nice hotel near the mountains and treated myself to a spa day. Bergamo consists of two parts - Citta Alta (upper city) and Citta Bassa (lower city). I stayed in the lower city and on Sunday took a finiculare to the upper city. The city has a very medevil vibe with narrow, windy streets. The views are incredible here. The city was so alive with familes, couples, shop owners and tourists all out and about enjoying a stroll on this sunny day, shopping at the Sunday markets and enjoying a coffee break at one of the many quaint little sidewalk cafes. After a relaxing and restful weekend I went to take the train back to Milan only to find out that the trains were on strike. A few bus rides later and I was back in Milan. 

My Christmas season certainly lived up to everything I hoped it would be. My weekends were busy with flights, trains, hotels and early mornings.. but I also enjoyed all that the season had to offer in my own city. Milan is truly a beautiful city and becomes even more magical when it is full of Christmas lights, giant snowflakes outlining the streets, a massive tree outside of Duomo and Christmas markets lining the roads. Milan also hosts L'Artigiano in Fiera which is a massive Christmas fair. There are crafts and goods from all regions of Italy and also from many countries around the world. It was a great place to stock up on Christmas goodies.
Another festive night out was with the parents of my students. My school has a tradition that the parents of your class take you out for a Christmas meal or cocktail night. My teaching partner and I were treated to a nice evening out with all of the parents where we enjoyed some wonderful food and drinks, got to know the parents a little bit better and were presented with a lovely Christmas gift. The next big event was a Christmas staff social at Dolce and Gabbana's Gold bar (with flat screen tvs in each bathroom stall, it is as fancy as it sounds). My European Christmas season came to an end with one final Christmas party hosted by myself and my roommate. The next morning I boarded a plane and 12 hours later I was back in Canada ready to start my Canadian Christmas! 

Christmas season has now come to an end and I eagerly await the adventures of 2014. My first big adventure begins in just a few hours as I am about to board a flight to travel to Iceland to spend four days in Reykjavik. I have a feeling 2014 is going to be another great travel year with so many new places to explore!

Happy New Year to you all and best wishes for a safe, happy, healthy and hopefully adventurous year ahead!