Vaughan_Ventures

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Travel Journal- When in Rome

Rome, Italy | September 6-8, 2019

Rome, Rome, Rome… our absolute favorite big city! We walked 13.5 miles around this wonderful place without hesitation. It was THAT cool. Everywhere you look there is something to see and you can just feel the history. Here are the best parts of our tour!

Day 1:

Today we actually began our journey at Vatican City. We walked the plaza and searched for the best way to tour this little country within a city.

As we stepped into the long line to enter the city, we were approached by sooooo many people telling us to buy this ticket or buy that ticket or “don’t miss out on this great deal!” that we just got super tired. We were so annoyed by all the scammers that we just decided to leave. Plus, the tickets were very expensive and the line probably would have taken at least two hours (which we had anticipated, but we were not prepared for all the harassment). So although we were disappointed that we had to miss the Sistine Chapel, we were relieved to be away from the madness.

In hopes of better luck, we walked all the way from the Vatican to the original entrance of old Rome. Once we entered through the large doors, we were greeted by a big obelisk in the center of the Piazza del Popolo and the three original roads leading through the old city. Apparently there are more obelisks in Rome than there are in Egypt! Very interesting to see the Egyptian markings and learn a little about how these were built in Rome as well as shipped from Egypt as gifts and displayed as a symbol of power.

After admiring the plaza, we followed one of the three streets to the famous Spanish Steps. It was filled with people! We squeezed past this huge crowd just to run into another one in front of the Trevi Fountain. Even though there were so many people, it was still super cool! Gorgeous statues and beautiful water. We read that approximately 1.4 million euros a year are thrown into this fountain! That’s about 1.5 million US dollars all in coins! It was definitely believable after eyeing the large crowd in front of it.

We walked from the Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon, stopping at a few gift shops along the way. The Pantheon remains today as the largest unsupported dome in the world! There were sooooo many people, we had to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as we shuffled in. But it was worth it. It really is massive! And supposedly the architecture of it is still a mystery to architects today.

The biggest “WOW” of this tour came when we rounded the corner into the Piazza Venezia and laid eyes on the Altar of the Fatherland (or more accurately: The Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II). Even though this building was built much later than the other historical buildings surrounding it, it was absolutely impossible to ignore its beauty and size. As we ascended the many stairs up to the terrace, we watched the eternal flame burn while two soldiers marched away after being relieved of their duty by two new soldiers. This flame, and the soldiers, guard the “tomb of the unknown soldier” at all times.

Once on the terrace, you get an amazing view of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. It’s almost unreal. This massive structure also contains the Museum of the Risorgimento. We went through the museum quickly so that we could walk through the ruins and get an up close view of the Colosseum.

There are so many ruins, it was unlike anything we’d ever seen. We did a lap around the Colosseum, but unfortunately tours had closed for the day. We didn’t care much because just seeing it from the outside was a crazy experience.

Next, the Scala Sancta gave us aches in our knees! This Roman Catholic relic is a set of beautiful marble steps leading to the Sancta Sanctorum, or Holiest of Holies (a chapel). It’s said that Christ ascended this sacred staircase to be sentenced to crucifixion in Jerusalem. The staircase was brought to Rome by St. Helena in 326 AD. It is tradition to climb the steps on your knees (which they covered in wood to protect the marble). Ben and I made the climb along with many other praying believers. It was a very wonderful, spiritual experience. We will never forget it.

Finally, we ended the day with authentic Italian pasta at a place called Viecchia Roma. This restaurant was recommended to us by our good friend, Matt. It’s supposedly the local secret. But we could tell it must be good because there was a line out the door before it even opened! Thankfully we got in and got a real taste of Italy. This was a nice treat after having walked all those miles! Thanks Matt!

Day 2:

Our Rome adventure wasn’t over yet! Today we spent the day with two familiar, friendly faces. Our friends from Great Falls, Vita and John accompanied us at the Rome Temple! This LDS temple is the most beautiful one we have ever seen (we still have many to see, but this one tops all the others so far)! We spent some time here exploring the grounds and talking with the missionaries. The visitors center had a model of an original Italian apartment as well as beautiful statues and stained glass. It was so beautiful.

After that, we checked in to the free hostel on the temple grounds. It was so nice knowing we had a shower and bed waiting for us! John and Vita took us to lunch and we did some shopping too! Vita is from Italy, so they were there visiting her mother. She gave us some good tips and they both recommended new places to visit. We are so thankful we got to spend time with them!

That night we enjoyed our warm showers and comfortable beds within the peaceful walls of the temple. Since it was a hostel, we had to sleep in the separate male and female quarters. It was great because we got to meet some new people. I had a roommate from Italy who said she wants to attend college at BYU Idaho. We chatted for awhile before heading to bed.

The next morning we attended church on the temple grounds. We couldn’t understand any of it as the message was in Italian, but it was still a great experience going to church on the grounds.

We loved Rome so much, we were actually super sad to leave. But the adventure must continue…

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Travel Journal- Oh, Italy

Sirmione, Milan, Verona, & Florence, Italy

September 2nd-5th, 2019

It truly warms my heart to write about Italy. We had so many wonderful experiences here and every time I think back on it, I can’t help but smile. Although we traveled through at a very busy time of year, the warm weather and liveliness really added to our adventure.

Sirmione captured our hearts instantly. This town sits at the tip of a peninsula, nestled on the banks of Lake Garda. The lake view made for a great camping spot and the castle placed on the very edge of the peninsula was one of the coolest castles we have seen so far. We walked along the shore in the evening and had ice cream at one of the many Gelaterias. Sooooo good!

We traded the quiet, small town for the big city when we reached Milan. We didn’t have much time to spend, but we were still able to tour the Duomo di Milano which is a grand cathedral in the center of the city. This cathedral is one of the largest in the world!

In front of the massive structure is a wide open plaza with a large statue in the middle. However, it is almost impossible to see what the statue is because it is covered in pigeons! Not only did these birds take over the statue, but they completely covered the plaza; so much so, you could hardly see the ground and you had to watch your step! People were holding out bread crumbs so the birds would land on their arms and kids would run through them sending them scattering. It was madness!

After marching through the pigeons and getting a “free” bracelet from a street vender, we then walked through Via Montenapoleone which is part of the Quadrilatero della Moda (Fashion Square). This fancy street is famous in Milan for housing some of the most expensive stores such as Louis Vitton, Prada, Versace, Gucci, etc. We were too scared to go in any of the shops haha but the street was stunning.

We veered off our originally planned route in order to hop over to Verona. We debated whether to go or not because it is kind of out of the way. But looking back on it, we are so glad we did! It is a really interesting city and there were old landmarks at every turn. Everything was so busy and exciting, that we eventually got a bit lost! We were looking for Juliet’s house when an Italian man approached us speaking German. He was quite old and it was hard to understand him, but he gave us directions and said he loves speaking in German because he doesn’t want to lose it! We thanked him and headed to the famous spot where so many people come in hopes of finding love.

As you enter the garden where Juliet’s balcony sits, you pass through the wall of love where people from all over the world mark the walls. People usually write their names together with a heart, or place a piece of gum on the wall; some even write their love stories or search for lost love. So romantic to think about!

Ben and I made our mark on the wall and then visited Juliet. Legend has it that of you touch Juliet’s right breast (her statue haha), you will be lucky in love. Although I have already found love (And have been very lucky!) I still did it haha. It was a super cool atmosphere and we could definitely see why Verona is called “The City of Love”. We also visited Romeo’s house and walked along the river for a bit. Our time here was well worth the small detour.

It was quite a long drive from Verona to Florence, so we stopped to sleep in small towns along the way. We have been finding beautiful places to park where we can do laundry, exercise, and work on journals and pictures.

Sometimes it’s nice to take things slow! One of our parking spots was right outside of Florence, so we decided to take the train into the city center. It was my first time navigating the railway and it was a little difficult in Italian! But we made it with no problems and got to see the Santa Maria del Fiora.

This is another huge cathedral with a super unique look. The plaza was full of vendors, so we shopped and listened to the street performers. It was super cool and a great way to spend the day! Next up, Rome!

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Travel Journal- The Swiss Alps

Tasche, Randa, Lauterbrunnen, Bern, & Lucerne, Switzerland | August 28-September 1, 2019

We were sad to see the family leave, but the journey must go on! Instead of continuing down further south into Italy, we decided to take an excursion up to Switzerland to see what it looks like in the summertime before visiting it with the Vaughan family in October.

Our first destination was Zermatt which is a town you can’t reach by car. This town has the best view of Matterhorn Mountain. Instead of riding the tram up to the town, we chose to camp in a small village called Täsch Village just outside of the town of Tasche. This village is the sight of many trailheads leading all through the area.

So we decided to hike one of the trails toward Zermatt until finding the best view of the Matterhorn. We didn’t have to go far before the massive Mountain presented itself. There were some clouds lingering at the summit, but that didn’t change its impressiveness. We sat for a bit watching the clouds roll over the top, and then started our trek back to Kuzco.

Once back to the car, we decided to drive to a town called Randa instead of hiking the trail from the village (would have taken hours). This put us closer to our next destination; the longest suspended pedestrian walking bridge in the world! The hike from Randa was pretty tough! It was all uphill, and it was really steep. We were both super tired by the time we got to the bridge, but it was totally worth it!

The Charles Kuonen suspension bridge is 494 meters long and 85 meters high. We both got jello legs walking across and it was a bit scary to look down! But it was well worth the experience and the beautiful views.

We took a different trail down the mountain; it was much easier than the way up! There were plenty of things to see along the way and we encouraged those that were struggling to go up just as we had earlier in the day haha.

At our camp spot that night, we met a nice couple from Czech who were on holiday. We chatted for a long while before they went to bed. They said they had to be up early to go climbing!
Unlike our new friends, we did not feel like climbing or doing anything physical after our big day of hiking. We were surprisingly and embarrassingly sore haha. So we spent most of the day driving through some beautiful Swiss towns like Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, and Interlaken. The rivers and lakes were such strange colors and there were so many waterfalls!

We stretched our legs in Lauterbrunnen where we followed a trail that led underneath a large waterfall right in the center of town. This short walk made us even more tired and, still feeling our legs from the previous hike, we decided it was best to keep driving.

Bern was our next stop. Here, we visited the LDS temple and performed baptisms for the dead. Ben was happy to speak German and the temple workers were impressed with him! We decided to save sight-seeing for October when the family gets here. So we continued our journey into Lucerne.

We stayed the night by Lake Lucerne. It was very peaceful and the view was breathtaking. We sat on a bench overlooking the lake, fed the ducks, and watched the sunset as we ate our store bought bread and other goodies.

Side note: The fresh bread in Europe has been absolutely heavenly. There are bakeries on every corner, so we can’t help ourselves everywhere we go. However, Switzerland is quite expensive! So we had to cool it while traveling here in fear we would spend all of our money in one place!

Lake Lucerne greeted us in the morning, but we only stayed a short while before heading to church. This time, Ben was able to understand the message, but I had no idea what was going on ha. It was still nice to be there and take the sacrament. We spent the rest of the day driving down toward Milan.

After crossing the border into Italy, we drove around Lake Como for quite a while. We were looking for a place to park for the night, but it was so busy and the roads were so narrow, we ended up getting frustrated and just moving on. Apparently this is the lake where a scene from Star Wars was filmed (which would explain the crazy amount of tourists). Ben geeked out for a moment, but then we were happy to drive away from the crowds. Next, Milan!

Travel Journal- The Fam in Italy

Camogli, Rapallo, Santa Margherita, & Portofino, Italy | August 25-29, 2019

It was Saturday when we arrived in Camogli to check into our Airbnb… so naturally we had to go to the disco! Both in Spain and Italy, we found that the clubs and “discos” don’t open until midnight (usually) and close around 6am. We were a little worried we wouldn’t be able to stay awake haha. But we got all dressed up and headed for Santa Margherita to go to a cozy outdoor nightclub right off the coast. It was super interesting watching how the Italians dance and have fun. We enjoyed the people, but the music did not impress us as it was all the same beat and electronic sounding. Sav was sad there was no “gettin’ down”. The older ladies and the Italian men with their shirts unbuttoned, however, did make an impression ha.

Our Airbnb was located high on a hill in the small town of Camogli and had so many nice amenities like a pool and tennis court! We took full advantage, while spending the nights sitting on the deck overlooking the beautiful view of the town and ocean.

One afternoon, we walked down to the city center and saw a small castle right next to the water and then ate dinner at a restaurant with traditional Italian cuisine. We ordered a mixture of seafoods and pasta as well as pizza. It was delicious and the town was adorable.

Our most exciting day was spent on the water when we took a boat tour off the coast of Rapallo, Portofino, and Santa Margherita. The Diving Group gave us a great deal since we had so many people (very nice)! We set sail early in the morning with all our snorkeling gear in tow. The water was so blue and clear. The morning was so calm that the ocean was almost completely still. It was stunning.

We arrived at the Marine Area where boats are not allowed and began our adventure. The guide pointed out lots of cool fish and explained them all to us. After this, the skipper took us to see Christ of the Abyss. This is a life size statue of Christ located underwater. It was built as a dedication to all the soldiers who lost their lives at sea during war. You can see Him from the surface, but our guide told us that anyone who touches his hand will have good luck.

We of course took this as a challenge; even though most of us aren’t used to the water and are slightly terrified of the unknown depths (us being mountain babies and all) haha. Each of us stared at one another with questioning looks after realizing how deep it actually was. We were about to give up when dad just went for it (he is the most comfortable swimmer because he lived in Hawaii when he was younger). All our heads ducked under to see him do what seemed impossible. But he did it and we all cheered when he reached the surface!

After that it seemed easier, so both the Bens and I gave it a try. As I started to swim down, I instantly thought “I can’t do it, it’s too far down”. But once I got about halfway, I knew I had to achieve it or else I would regret it. The last few meters, my head started to scream… like literally the high pitched squeal was real. I touched the hand as fast as I could without taking the time to enjoy any other part of Christ haha.

I tried to come up slow so my head wouldn’t explode, all while trying not to panic over my lungs tightening! It is a crazy illusion; right when you think you’re at the surface, another few meters sneak up on you. So when I finally emerged from the salty water I gasped for breath. But the feeling of accomplishment was awesome. The others said they had a similar experience. We all had bad headaches and ringing ears for the rest of the day; but it was worth it! We found out later that the statue is 15-18m deep depending on the tide so we most likely dove down about 50ft! (Christ of the Abyss photo credit: The Diving Group)

We made a pit stop in Portofino on the ride back and said goodbye to some Spanish friends we met on the boat. All of us were starving after swimming all morning, so we ate at a local restaurant where I had the best ravioli of my life and Ben and Dad ate authentic calzones.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing by the pool and then dinner at the small town bar just outside of Camogli. The next day we drove Ben M. to the airport in Genoa and said our goodbyes. The family enjoyed their last day on the rocky beaches of Santa Margherita and did some last minute souvenir shopping. We all soaked in the last sunset from our beautiful Italian abode. Ben and I were so glad they got to join in on this experience. Thank you family for spoiling us and for helping us through this tough, yet rewarding adventure! We love you!

Ben & Syd

Travel Journal- Southern France

Carcassonne, Arles, Saint Paul de Vence, Nice, & Éze, France | August 22-25, 2019

Southern France brought us a fairytale dream, an artist’s passion, a show of lights, and a taste of home. Southern France treated us much better than northern France as the views were incredible and the people were lovely. We got in some awesome family bonding and saw a lot of neat things along the way!

Our first stop, the city of Carcassonne, France was like stepping into a fairytale! This medieval city has tons of history mixed in with a mystical charm. There were shops with dragons, knights, and fairies and then structures with gargoyles! The family got to sleep inside the protection of the city walls, while Ben and I slept near the quiet canal just outside the city.

We toured the old castle for a small price and got to walk atop the surrounding walls. The tour actually consisted of mostly the structure’s war history. They educated us on how they defended the castle by dropping rocks onto the heads of their enemies and setting them on fire. But we don’t have to get into all that. Their chapel was beautiful, their crepes got an A+, and the shops were really cool!

Our next stop was another medieval city, actually one of the oldest in the French Riviera. This was one of my personal favorites because it has so mush charm and is well kept. The streets are narrow but polished and the local shops have more artwork than you could ever dream. The buildings were covered in vines and plants, giving the old stone pops of color. Cassie was in heaven and Benjamin even bought a little painting for himself. We had lunch at a small cafe right outside the city and then topped the experience off with some delicious gelato.

After this we booked it to Arles to try and catch the Van Gogh Museum before it closed. Cassie is studying art in school, so this was something she really wanted to do. We got to see where Van Gogh’s “Yellow House” stood and Cass made it just in the nick of time to get into the museum. Benjamin described it as “quite moving” and Cassie was so happy she got to see the work of such a famous artist. After this, we opted to drive through the night and sleep in the car near Cannes.

We found a nice spot on top of a hill where everyone snuggled together in the car and made the best of the situation haha. Everyone was slightly grumpy the next morning from the hot, uncomfortable night so we thought there would be no better way to start the day than with a swim! We lounged on the beach and swam to a nearby rock where we were able to jump off. We worked on our diving skills and the beautiful day lightened our mood.

After this, we drove to Nice and checked into a hotel right away so we could all take naps before touring the big city. Nice was lively with concerts and other happenings. We walked along the beach and saw the main plaza. We also got a little taste of home by eating at the Hard Rock Cafe; we had some good old fashion burgers and steak! Ben and I did not want to sleep in the car in the city, so we decided to drive ahead and check out the city of Éze while the rest of the family spent some more time in Nice.

It was already dark by the time we got to Éze. But that didn’t stop us from hiking the steep hill to see the old town. As we walked around, we heard loud music coming from a church nearby. We couldn’t find our way and had to stop to try and get our bearings. At this moment, a woman approached us asking for help. She said that her brother was in a wheelchair and needed some help getting to the light show. We concluded that his must be where the music was coming from and explained that would love to help and see the show too.

As she directed us to her house, she walked briskly and rounded a very dark corner. This caused us to hesitate because of all the stories we’d heard of people getting tricked with schemes like this. Not wanting to get mugged, we proceeded with caution and slowly rounded the corner. We felt silly after we saw her brother was waiting patiently to be escorted down the hill. Ben did most of the hard labor while we chatted about our backgrounds. Their names were Dominique and Jean Marie. Jean Marie kept asking about Montana and said, “I have never been there, but I love to learn!” With a cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth.

When we got to the church, they thanked us right as the light show began. We watched with delight as it wasn’t just lights flashing to music, but that it also consisted of projected patterns on the church, bringing the old structure to life. We were so happy to have stumbled upon this on a whim. After the show, we helped the two back up to their home and said our goodbyes. They insisted on buying us food or drinks, but we politely declined saying we had to hit the road again. We drove through the French Alps to find a quiet parking spot near an old fortress.

Our drive through the Alps was beautiful that next morning, but definitely made me a little car sick! Ben described the area as, “Glacier National Park on steroids”. It was beautiful! We had taken the long way through the Alps, but easily met up with the rest of the family in Italy where we ended our road trip and settled into a wonderful Airbnb! Stay tuned!

Travel Journal- Barcelona

Montserrat & Barcelona, Spain | August 20th-22nd, 2019

The journey to Barcelona began with a stop at the Monestir de Montserrat just outside of the big city. This Monastery is located high above the valley floor, allowing breathtaking views. Although the many switchbacks easily make you car sick, the structure built into the mountainside is really worth the trek.

The whole Riley/Vaughan fam parked just outside of the entrance gate and chose to hike the trail leading to the spiritual spot. It was a neat trail with lots of altars along the way; I would recommend taking this route if you’re up for a peaceful walk!

There’s lots of history related to this structure and it’s religious purpose. Many monks still live within these walls and it is home to the Escolania Boy’s Choir, which is one of the oldest in Europe. Although it is still a sacred place, it has been opened to tourists who are happy to shop from some of the local vendors selling cheese, honey, and many other goodies. There are also a few restaurants to enjoy as well as a train ride to the tippy top of the summit.

After our mountainous visit, it was then time to head to the big city of Barcelona! The family had a chance to sleep in a hotel located in one of the old buildings right next to Port Vell. Like us, mom and dad were overwhelmed with the driving situation in the big, European city! We found that the hotels here are pricey and come with unexpected costs such as parking (because it’s impossible to find parking in the city unless it’s in a garage) and meals at the hotel. We never once came across “continental breakfast”. Even though it was stressful and expensive, we were still able to enjoy the beautiful port and the walk down a famous street called La Rambla. Dad was in awe of some of the “mega yachts” parked here! It was really neat to see and we all fantasized about what our dream yacht would look like.

Our cousin, Benjamin, was able to join us at this point in our trip too! He met us at the shopping mall near the port and happily went along with all of our shenanigans. That night, we rode the lions under the Columbus Monument and enjoyed the nightlife on La Rambla. There were street performers, restaurants, vendors, and much more.

We also visited the Montjuïc Castle while there. This fortress has an amazing view of the ocean on one side and the city on the other. The entrance captivates you with its greenery and drawbridge opening. We saw old canons, learned some facts, and walked the gardens in the back.

Some other attractions we saw but couldn’t spend much time at include the Casa Milá, Hemp Museum, and Sagrada Familia. Casa Milá and Sagrada Familia are awesome structures that are a cool representation of some of the neat architecture Barcelona has to offer. You should definitely check them out if you get a chance! But make sure you book tickets well in advance! Mom, Cass, and Sav visited the hemp museum and said it was a great learning experience. If you are interested in learning about the many uses of hemp, you should definitely give this a visit.

We wish we could have stayed longer in this magical place to see some of the other big attractions, but we had to keep moving in order to get to our booked Airbnb in Italy. But first, France!

Travel Journal- Family Vacation

Madrid & Miami Platja, Spain | August 15th-20th, 2019

Ben and I have talked a lot about how great of an opportunity this is for us to be traveling around and learning so much about different places and different cultures. In fact, we were so grateful and excited for this trip that we just couldn’t help but share it with our families! Therefore, we will be spending the next two weeks with the Riley family! Both of my parents, Todd and Kris, as well as my sisters, Cassie and Savannah will be joining us. They have been anticipating the trip with excitement and we have been eagerly awaiting familiar faces! But before we went to meet up with them, there was one more city we visited along our route. You can’t go to Spain without seeing Madrid, right?

I wish we could have spent more time here, but the part we got to see was well worth our time. We actually got lost in the city at first, which was hectic but fascinating at the same time. It is crazy how from one city to the next there can be so many differences in architecture and style. Madrid has a very unique look to it and we had plenty to view as we squeezed through the small, busy streets. After some time, we found the Palacio Rael de Madrid and the Catedral de la Almudena. The size and beauty of this cathedral makes it impossible to miss and then when you see the royal palace across from it, you are struck with enchantment.

The inside of these two structures is even more spectacular! Like I said before, it is so interesting seeing the different cultural designs in each city; and also each cathedral! This one appeared to be a mixture of styles and had bright colored ceilings. It looked like a castle to me when I first saw it!

The Royal Palace is the largest in Europe and it still contains much of its original design, furniture, and artifacts. It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We weren’t allowed to take pictures through most of the inside, so that is why I don’t have many. We learned a little bit about the Spanish royal family and about the designers of the palace. Much to my surprise, the royal family chose not to live in this grand palace, but instead chose a smaller, more modest palace on the outskirts of Madrid. Pretty interesting.

To end our visit, we went to the only LDS Temple in Spain. It was a quaint temple, but served its purpose all the same. We were able to do baptisms for the dead and spend some time in the peaceful beauty of the building. Our batteries were recharged and we were excited to head toward Miami Platja to meet up with the Riley clan!

Ben and I checked into the Airbnb early so we could get everything set for them since their flight didn’t get in until 10:30PM. The place was super cute with a wonderful view, right across the street from the beach! We bought groceries and took full advantage of the hot shower and washing machine haha. The place was still an hour drive from the airport, so they didn’t end up getting in until midnight. Everyone was grumpy and hungry, but once we fed them, we chatted happily until about 4AM!

That whole weekend was full of relaxation as the town was small and family friendly; so everyone was able to unwind and enjoy the beautiful ocean views. We got a taste of the culture at a local restaurant and spent lots of time drinking, swimming, and lounging on the beach.

Some excitement came our way when we ventured down the coast a bit more and found an ocean amusement park! It was pretty much a floating obstacle course with monkey bars, climbing walls, and trampolines. It was a blast! We now know how the contestants on the show Wipeout! feel, for we had our fair share of falls haha. Sav had an epic bellyflop, Cass got a bloody nose, and Ben and I hit the floaty and water hard trying to race each other through the course! It was hilarious and hurtful all at the same time.

Although Miami Platja left us with some bruises, we thought it was a great place to begin the journey and we were all very excited for our next destination…. Barcelona!

Travel Journal- Birthday Surprise

Granada, Spain | August 12th-14th, 2019

The party city (Malaga) had worn us out, so we chose a secluded campsite outside of Granada to relax and get organized. We did some laundry and read our books while enjoying the cool breeze.

We slept in late and then drove the rest of the way to the top of the mountain where we had stayed and were greeted by a spectacular view. We found a lookout tower and a panoramic shot of the surrounding towns. It was really neat! We drove around a bit and ended up at the Nevada Shopping Mall where we ate lunch and used their electricity and WiFi.

To begin our touristy day, we parked on the outskirts of the city and walked three miles to find the Alhambra. Sadly, we did not book our tickets far enough in advance, so we knew we probably wouldn’t get inside. But we went anyway hoping that by some miracle we could get tickets at the door. No such luck! We kicked ourselves for not planning far enough ahead, but then made peace with the beautiful palace as it was still a wonderful sight from the outside.

Side note:This is one of the disadvantages of traveling on a whim and only having a rough outline of when you will be where. It was nearly impossible for us to book the tickets one to two weeks in advance (which is what the Alhambra requires) because we weren’t even sure what days we would be there. This is the way we wanted our trip to go, we didn’t want to be tied down by schedules or deadlines, so sometimes this is just what has to happen!

But trust me, we got what we came for by just walking around the city and spending time in the city center. We walked for miles just admiring the architecture and the designs of the buildings. We watched the street performers and shopped at the small kiosks and cute stores. Lunch was delicious at a small cafe by a fountain and the people were kind.

Plus, that night Ben surprised me with my birthday present! To give some background; Ben and I decided early in the year that we would not buy birthday presents for each other. Instead, we made a deal to plan a surprise “date night” to celebrate while in Europe. So, Ben’s birthday surprise to me included a night of relaxation at a luxurious spa called Hammam Al Ándalus. IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING! The spa is rich in history as it is located at the foot of the Alhambra and mirrors its unique Moorish (Arabic) design. We were transported from the busy streets of Granada to the elegant tranquility of the Turkish baths. We soaked in three different baths each increasing in temperature from cool to hot. We also lounged in a sauna with mist so thick you could scarcely breathe, yet it was so amazing and calming. Then we were whisked away for a traditional Kessa massage. This place promises to “revive your body and make you float”. That is exactly what it did for us and i would strongly recommend for you to look this up and experience it for yourself. I can’t even explain this experience and it’s impossible to show you the beauty of the building as well as the feeling of true peace. We will never forget our “water journey” at the Hammam spa.

So there you have it. Ben crushed the birthday gift and made it impossible for me to beat this date. Granada, we thank you and we will miss you dearly.

Travel Journal- The Party City

Málaga, Spain | August 10th-12th, 2019

For our first night in Málaga, we scored a nice beachside parking spot! There were tons of people around, but it was a large beach, so it didn’t feel overcrowded. We walked along the shore, loving the feeling of the cool salty water on our feet. We walked past lots of topless ladies and even got to experience a nudist beach for the first time… what a sight! 😂The night life on the beach was great! People were out and about eating, drinking, and playing cards. We also ran into a group of women obviously conducting a bachelorette party. They were speaking through megaphones and asking people to “guess the movie” as they played the titanic theme song over and over. When I guessed the movie correctly, she responded, “Yea, one point for England!” We just laughed and continued to our van. It was our first hint that Malaga is a wonderful party city!

The sunrise woke us up the next morning and the beach called our names. We were able to get in a small workout along the coast before heading into the city. It was Sunday, so we started our adventures for the day at church. It was neat seeing the service conducted in Spanish. I was able to understand some of the message, but poor Ben was lost the entire time haha. However, it was still wonderful getting to feel the spirit and take the sacrament. We spoke with the missionaries for a bit as they were from California and Utah. It was nice to chat with other people in English for a change. After church we went to see the Parque de Málaga and La Playa Malagueta.

The heat was taking its toll on us through the park, so we decided to go eat at a shaded beach restaurant. It was our first experience at a dine-in place, so we were a bit nervous. The culture of it was quite different! What we had read before coming to Spain, was that it is not necessary for you to tip your servers because they are paid fairly and are expected to perform their duties. We found that this meant they don’t wait on you hand and foot haha. We had to flag down the waiter each time we needed something, but at the same time we were approached by three different waiters asking for our drink order. I couldn’t find the right words in Spanish to tell him the other man had already taken our order, and he began shouting out of frustration until he finally understood! It was frightening ha. Anyway, we ordered a traditional Spanish dish called Paella, which is rice mixed with (in this case) seafood. It was really good and the seafood was fresh. There was a man going around playing his guitar for entertainment and asking for tips along the way, after awhile the atmosphere grew on us.

With our bellies full, we knew that we had to get in the water right away for fear of melting in the heat. We picked a spot on the busy beach and ran to the water because the sand was so hot we could barely stand to tiptoe through it! The water was chilly but so refreshing. The party city did not disappoint as there were topless women, couples making out, and groups of guys drinking and chanting. It was a great place for people watching! (Not to be creepy or anything 😂).

Finally we took a picture by the “Malagueta” sign and got ice cream for our walk back. The party city wore us out and we were in much need of some relaxation which we found in the beautiful city of Granada….

Travel Journal- Back to Spain

Seville, Tarifa, & Ronda Spain

August 9th- August 11th, 2019

Hola de España!

Yes, we are back in Spain! First stop: Seville.

Seville is a lively city with a charming city center. Exploring the city took up most of our day and then we did some shopping at a nearby mall as we still don’t have many clothes. We packed light bringing only one carry on bag from the U.S.! Not only is the shopping good, but there is much to see in the city center such as the Plaza de España and the Catedral de Sevilla.

Side note: When we first spent time in Spain, I was nervous to speak Spanish (the little I can remember from college). The Spaniards speak very quickly and with an accent I am not used to, as I learned Spanish commonly spoken in the Americas. However, after being in Portugal and not knowing much of the language at all, I figured I should just go for it and try to converse as much as I can! It has worked out great and this would be my advice to anyone wanting to travel; at least try and learn some words, it seems the locals appreciate it!

Therefore, as we walked the streets of Seville, I practiced my Spanish while ordering “gofres con Nutella” and “helado” (waffles with Nutella and ice cream). The ice cream and gelato has been a 10 out of 10 everywhere by the way. We watched a street performer as we ate and tried to sit in the shade as much as possible because it was hot! Since we’ve come south, it has been at least 30 degrees celsius everyday! 🥵

Unfortunately, Ben caught a bug somewhere along the way, so when we woke the next day, I drove to the next destination while he slept. We drove down to Tarifa, which is located at the southern most tip of Spain. This was awesome because we got to see Africa from across the sea! Ben immediately responded to this by singing, “I bless the rains down in Africaaaa!”

It was pretty cool. We looked into going across, but it would have been pretty expensive, so we decided to take that trip another time! Tarifa is a wonderful surfer town with lots of beach shops and scuba diving excursions. As we walked the beach, we were able to go into a few fortresses and a few chapels. In one chapel specifically, we found something amazing; we found (drum roll…) Black Jesus! We were so happy we nearly yelled in the middle of the church haha. Since the area has citizens coming in from Africa and Europe they have both depictions in the same chapel. It was really neat to see that this specific church cared less about what color skin He had and more that people could worship in the way that they wanted.

That afternoon, we headed for a small swimming hole that we had researched called the “Cuave de Gato” (The Cat’s Cave) which is a nature preserve near Ronda. Lots of people were there enjoying the cold (and I mean COLD), crystal clear water to escape the crazy heat.

You could see where the water fell down from the nearby cave, but unfortunately we weren’t able to go into the cave without doing a spelunking tour which was available just up the road. It was beautiful, and funny to watch everyone’s faces as they got into the cold water!