My first time in Florence was back in 2010, when Anastasia and I first backpacked Europe. So, in early March, when Rob suprised me with a weekend trip to Florence to see Mumford and Sons play, I was absolutely thrilled to return to the historically rich city of Florence. What is really quite funny about this trip for me, was the fact that I intended to try and relive some of what Anastasia and I experienced with Rob. And, of course, that happened a bit, but I was totally taken aback at how big the city actually is and how little we saw before. It could also be the fact that this time around, Rob and I rented bikes, which just make a huge difference. You get to cover so much more by discovering a city by bike than you do by foot! In all, we spent three full days exploring the city, eating incredibly delicious food and drinking cheap but really tasty wine. The city was bustling and filled with life in every corner. Shopping, is of course the activity most tourist endeavor, but being on a budget we depressed my love for fashion and instead sought to see every corner of the city; which in the end, gave us both much more enthusiasm for life and this view from Piazza Michelangelo.
Tag: travel
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Pisa, Italy
I just had to try and make it stand up right, and considering my arms are weaklings, I went for using my legs.
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Jungfrau, where I fell in love with the world
At the end of our incredible journey as Mother and Daughter, I had to head back to work.
But, my Mom still had a few days to do some exploring herself. So- I sent her to no other destination than the Swiss Alps, for a view she just had to see. Jungfrau- The top of Europe. And though it took her from 7am-12am to complete the journey, I know she felt its worth.It’s a powerful rush and an enticing call to take a long stare into the beauty of the Swiss Alps. White crystals dancing on masses that can move even the most dim of all souls. Mother nature at her finest.
Back in 2011, it was these same mountains that moved me to a new explorative level. After seeing this sight, just as my Mom did on this day, a love for nature and the world bloomed inside of me. A spring that never fades into fall.
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Prague, The Czech Republic
Prague is a city for wayfarers; a city with boundless beauty best discovered by wandering up and down hills, through small alleys, amongst trees, and speaking to statues in frozen silence. What is still from the outside, is more than lively in its sentiments. Small dark windows with candles, shadows sitting next to mulled wine. It is captivating in its history and how entwined it once was with the now western world; Hitlers hideaway once he captured what he wanted. Today the veil is off and its beauty is for the world.
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Budapesht, Hungary
rriving in Budapesht was, in hindsight, really funny. First, let me say, that besides booking our hostel and getting tips from my Hungarian friend (Andrea), I really didn’t prepare for Budapesht. Like all of my travels, I expected it to be pretty simple to figure our way around. But, Budapesht was different. Well, our arrival anyways.
Upon arrival, like any other time, we stepped off the train and into the station, bags and directions in hand. So, I lead my Mom and we start following the directions step by step. The station is the oldest in Europe, we know now, so it was decrepit and a little scary. People were screaming at one another and gypsies, in their abundancy, were begging for money. We were told by Andrea not to flag down a taxi and Budapesht, as it is unsafe and we are most likely to get ripped off. So, we found the bus stop and hopped on. It all happened really fast, so I just supposed that it was headed into the city. But, it definitely was not. All of the sudden, we were way far outside the city and I had no clue what to do. I said to my Mom, “hey we are going the wrong way, let’s get off”. So, we did. As follows, we ended up sitting on the side of the road, lost, with no hungarian language skills- not even a self-help language book. My Mom did not like the idea, but I decided to ask a woman if she could help us find our way to our hostel. Not that either of us are judgemental, but it was a creepy part of town. Luckily, the woman was extremely helpful and called us a taxi to our destination. Of course, I didn’t have enough Forints to pay… gratefully the cabby accepted Euros. The whole experience tripped my Mom up a good bit. She hadn’t been to a city so tarnished before. Post-communism and the realities it created are still very real and felt. We did end up making it to our hostel, but it itself was unlike any other that I had ever stayed at before. It was a huge historic building, atramentous and blood curling. But, once we found the “front desk”, we did start to feel a bit better. Then we rushed off to dinner, having the receptionist order us a cab. The cab got us lost and drove for 45 minutes like lighting, for what would have been a ten minute drive. Eventually, we made it to the underground cave restaurant we had booked. Dinner, wine, and the good company all made our long day very worth it.
The picture above is of the Szechenyi Bathhouse. It is one of the largest Turkish bathhouses in Europe and located in the heart of the city; equipped with 15 indoor pools, 3 outdoor pools and 10 saunas. It was built in 1913. Szechenyi made for the perfect day of relaxation with my Mom. We loved it and we loved Hungary.
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Schonnbrunne Palace, Vienna, Austria
Schonnbrun Palace is a former imperial 1,441-room Rococo summer residence in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the most important cultural monuments in the country. Since the 1960s it has been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. The palace and gardens show the tastes and interests of Habsburg monarchs, who controlled territory from Austria to Slovenia, and parts of Germany and Itlay from 1860-1918.
On this day, we had an evening train ride planned to Budapesht, Hungary. So, we only had the morning to see the Palace and the Gardens. Had we planned it better, we would have stayed the entire day. BUT, that is traveling. Regardless, our time at the Schonnbrun was faultless.
We began our tour inside the Palace. And though the days of Sissy are long gone, one can’t help but imagine what life was like and how or if you could ever live in that time yourself. And if you did, what would it be like? I imagined someone brushing my hair, getting me dressed in the morning, serving me only the finest of things, bathing… man, what was bathing like? The clothing, days within the palace walls, strolls in the gardens, rumours of riots and war- only never to reach within. Crazy.
But I think my Mom really loved it. I know she loved the history to it. And I loved spending the day with her in such a beautiful place.
Another seemless day of travels. Growing both our minds and curiosity for the world.
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Wachau Valley, Vienna countryside, Austria
After spending a couple days in the city of Vienna, it was time to see what the outskirts had to offer. And we were definitely not disappointed. I always find that these days capture my soul. Being in nature, amidst the trees and wind; and on this day the Danube River.
We woke up early, around 6:30 am, got dressed and then went searching for the tour spot. After finding the group, we headed on a train to the Wachau valley. Once we had arrived, our group was led to a random building that held our bikes. We all suited up with bikes, helmets, rain gear and big smiles. The day was ours to make. In all, we rode probably about 20 miles on roads like the picture depicts, stopped at 3 small wineries (all family owned), and saw tons of incredible viewpoints of the Danube. Oh, and we hiked to the castle where Richard the LionHeart was held captive. History stories in nature. Such a wonderful day spent with my Mom and good friends.
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Vienna, Austria
After a day of exploring Vienna by foot, we decided to go to the famous Viennese Philahamonic Opera! It was sensational. The Opera House was completed in 1869 and in its opening premier, Mozart played Don Giovanni with Emporer Franz Jospeh and Empress Elisabeth (Sissi) present. You could feel the history present in the walls, the seats and in every note.
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She went to Paris
Mom and Daughter. The most treasured relationship. And this was our day:
4 am wake up. Plane from Geneva to Paris at 6:50. Land in Paris at 8. Train to Inner-City. Stops: Notre Dame, the Louvre, High Tea at LaDuree, Sacre Coeur Basillica, Montmartre Square, the Eiffel Tower, and then back to Geneve! ALL in ONE DAY!
It was unforgettable and we had so much fun!!!!!! I think she, as all do, fell in love with Paris.
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Moutain biking in Gstaad, Switzerland
Distinct Memory: Cher- “Allison I am going to kill you. No, I mean really KILL you.” ahhahhahahaha. Such an awesome day trip! She had not been on a bike in 30 years and then I take her for extreme moutain biking. It was also the first day she ever met Rob! What better way to get to know someone then going through physical pain and fear, right?
No but seriously, it was incredibly beautiful and an experience of a lifetime. I love her. I love him. And oh yes, besides the fear, cow shit flew in our faces:)
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La Tomatina Festival, Bunol, Spain
Slosh slosh slosh. As my feet walk through chunks of red. slosh slosh slosh. Aghhh gross, ok pick it up.. you can do it. Slam. Ya that guy got it good. Bam- I think that went inside my mouth.
Biggest tomatoe fight in the world:)
Only advice: drink heavily and DO NOT ENTER INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE SMALL STREETS, THE TOMATOE TRUCKS CAN AND WILL RUN YOU OVER.
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Toledo, Spain
Toledo- said to have been populated since the Bronze Age, and one of the oldest fortified cities in Spain. The whole city is surrounded by water, with impressive castles and and churches galore. Some of the streets are so small, you need to form a line to get through. The best part about our visit to Toledo, was the fact that my friend Lucas, who is originally from the Toledo area, showed us around the city. We ate, we drank, we walked, we all talked, and by the evening time, we got to settle in a bar near Lucas’ home. Oh yeah, PS- the stories are true. Tapas are free if you buy drinks!
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Returning to Geneva
I thought returning to Europe after living for 4 months in Asia would be hard. As I was leaving my Bangkok life, I had tears in my eyes. I of course knew that one day I would return to Asia, but it felt so final. Like I would be missing out on a whole side of me if I left. But, fate always has a way of knowing what is best for you. My return to Europe meant finding Rob again, it meant enjoying Europe in a whole different way than before, and it meant accomplishing what I set out to do it the first place- getting my Masters. And what better place to be than Geneva. With Lac Leman, the Rhone, Boulangeries, hearing 5 languages at once often, being close to the mountains, fresh air and smiles out of self-pride.
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The Mae Song River, Laos
What was once the considered the soul of the Lao people, the Mae Song, today is considered the soul of the lost. They depise what it has become, because it is now the resting place of unrested souls. Ask me about this.
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Vang Vieng, Laos
When you only have about a week to spare and you are in Bangkok, go to Laos. The travel is pretty simple. Air Asia flys into almost everywhere from Bangkok, and where it does not fly to, you can bus to. I am not going to say it is going to be the most comfortable ride ever, but you will get there. I did it. And I loved every minute of my journey. From Bangkok, I took an Air Asia flight to Udon Thani in Thailand. From the airport, I found a bus that would take me to the Thai-Lao Friendsip Bridge, where I could get my short-stay visa. After exiting immigration, into Laos, it gets funny. Every taxi cab driver asking to take you where you would like to go, because from the immigration terminal, the bus terminal is a bit of a ways. So, chatter chatter chatter, you look safe, sounds great. Though I forget my taxi cab drivers name, our short 20 minute journey is unforgettable. So, I get into the back of his cab, old leather blue seats, ceiling carpet pinned to the roof, no radio, oh and it is a mercades.. an old mercades, the kind where there is no entry point to the front from the back.
So, we drive, we chat, I play bob marley for us, asking him if he knows the artist- he doesn’t. We giggle at the fact that we do not fully understand each other. And then it happens. Screeeeeechhhhhhhhhhhhhh, boom, ouch. Someone just slammed into the back of us and I cannot get out of the car.
How did this happen? Well, this cute little woman on a moped, tried to park her bike on the sidewalk and she didn’t settle it down before walking away. So, as she steps away to purchase her coffee, she sees in the back of her eyes that her bike is falling into the street. She bends down to pick it up, not looking at what is coming (possible decapitation), so we break. HARD. Slam, boom, I am stuck in the back of a wrecked vehicle. My poor taxi driver gets out, yells at the woman, yells at the man who just hit his sole source of income, and then thinks- and helps me out the car, over the front seat and out (for my door is jammed). I get out, thinking, what the heck is going to happen now? I needed to catch the next bus to get to Vang Vieng on time, and now where am I? Then I hear voices behind me inside the coffee shop. So, I go in and I wait. I buy a beer and wait. An hour later, after paying the taxi half his money, he calls a friend of his to come pick me up and drop me off at the bus station. Thankfully. And with no physical damage done to anyone, my new bob marley fan of a friend is left waving to sort out his own problem. Yikes.
But, I think, I want to get to Vang Vieng. I have hostel reservations and am supposed to meet up with my friend Michael. He will worry if not. So, to the bus station I go. I arrive pretty late, Michael is no where in site. So, I find wifi and facebook him. You can find me at “——–“, with a beer and some food. Hours later he shows, whew. And we begin to explore Laos, chat by chat, through mosquitos, new Lao friends, new British friends, watching screwed up tourists with hurt faces from falling, and little by little capturing the fact that Vang Vieng is not the real Laos. It is party tourist Laos. But, being there with no time to travel else where, we took it for what is was and sought to find the trueness of where we were: somewhere between lost and found.
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Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
From Hanoi, we set out via private car to the port of the Gulf of Tonkin for our excursion to Ha Long Bay. The port is a mess of tourists, all being herded by vietmanese cattle drivers. You there, no no, come come, you wait. ATMs are hard to come by, and you need cash, so make sure to pull out your DONG here. Play on words, but seriously, pull out your DONG (Vietmanese Currency). Although some may accept USD.
After about an hour of moving from here to there, we got on our boat. Though I was simply a tourist, I felt like a pirate. Of course, all the boats are made to look like pirate ships and therefore make you feel all ARRRGG, but even though you know its a trick, the boats do the job. As a tourist, in the mist of the bay, I set out for an evening at sea. Darting through islands, looking at the stars and sipping cocktails. Eventually I make my way to your room, and settled in for a pirates nap. As I woke up in the early morning, after a soft night of sleep at “sea”, I was taken aback by the beauty of the bay.
Ha Long Bay is a designated World Heritage Site and feels like a magical land you seek only on epic, pirate’s tale kind of adventure. It is one of earth’s most spectacular beauties. Halong translates as ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’, and as legend claims, the islands of Ha long Bay were created as a great dragon from the deepest part of the mountains, sped towards the coast, creating valleys and crevasses in its midst. And as the mighty dragon dove into the sea, he filled the valleys with water, leaving only the peaks for human eyes to see.
As we carved our way to the end of the bay, I was seriously on the look out for that dragon. Ha Long is that mystical and beautiful.
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Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
The salvages of war can still be seen. The lack of governance and extreme poverty shine, like the new pair of Channel heels a Western woman stomps around in. Pollution so thick, grabbing one molecule of it seems feasible. Labor, especially for women, so back breaking… I could feel the pain as I sat my happy ass on the bus. The concept of development and developing countries, for the first time, is clear. And in all of this, I still came out amazed by the sheer brilliance and drive of the average Vietmanese man and woman. This connection I witnessed between my world and theirs, and the understanding I gained, will forever be with me.
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Blessed
Tonight is one of those nights where I can’t stop thinking about how blessed I am and all of what life has brought me thus far. I am born into the most beautiful, loving kind and crazy-perfect family; brought up in the best way (with my loving family by my side), played college volleyball at a school that I am still proud of, received one of the best educations in the USA. In just the past 2 years (since graduating college), I have traveled outside of the U.S. to Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, moved to Switzerland and have been attending Webster University for my Masters. At Webster, I am blessed to be the pupil of professors whose backgrounds range from BBC spokesman, to authors, to humanitarians, to humanitarian agency workers, former ambassadors and more. Slowly but surely I am becoming intellectually worldly- and this fact leaves me proud and thoughtful. At the moment, I am continuing my quest for knowledge in South East Asia; living in Bangkok, Thailand and traveling all around the region. And, tomorrow or in 4 hours, I leave for Vietnam. I can’t sleep because I love this life (and run on sentences).
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Koh Chang, Thailand
So this weekend, I took my first big girl trip all by myself!!! This is something I have been craving to do for a very long time. Something about being strong enough, independent enough, smart enough to travel alone. It was amazing. I made some good friends, had relaxing beach time, read my book, and got to see a little more of island Thai life. I of course, talked to myself ALOT. Walking myself through the quietness of being alone and the ingrained fear. Making mental notes of the beauty and the courseness. And by the end of the trip, I was floating freely in my independence.
Now back to my suedo real world.
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Moving to Bangkok
So, I have moved to Thailand now. Why you ask? Well, the obvious answer is for the adventure of it, exploration. How did I get to do this, is probably a better question. I managed this by deciding to study abroad from my abroad study in Geneva. For the next four months, January through the end of April, I will be continuing my Masters Program at Webster, University, here in Bangkok. Lucky for me, I convinced my friend Robby to do his last semester here in Bangkok as well. So, just last week, we hopped on an ever long flight from Geneva to here. We had a 12 hour layover in Qatar, which was quite weird I would say. Our little layover, meant my first steps into a Muslim country, with mosques inside airports, certain types of food, and women covered from head to toe. It was an experience. Something that I am glad I have experienced. While we were not incredibly happy about the food, it was pretty gross actually (I will blame that on the airport, not the country), the people were rather friendly. So, some card playing, a bit of sleep, and some chatting. Perfect. Next stop, Bangkok.
Upon arriving to Thailand, Robby and I were just so excited! I was literally bouncing up and down at every sight. So excited for the newness and to be on the complete other side of the world from home. As we arrived, Poon from Webster was waiting at the airport for us. Though it took us a while to find him, with no cell phones, no internet, and no way to find someone besides simply using our eyes, we found him. With rumbling Qatari stomachs, we were hoping that the first thing on the to-do list was Thai Food. Unfortunately, Poon was scared to engage our stomachs in any more battles- so he thought McDonalds would be appropriate. Of course he did- I thought. Two Americans- McDonaIds is the answer. Woof. I didn’t have the guts to tell him that I do not eat McDonalds. I mean, the whole flight to Bangkok, I was reading up on courtesies, Thai phrases, gestures, ways of working, the works. So, I regretfully ordered. Ew. But, okay, our American stomachs were fine. After dinner, Poon drove us to our new apartment building, by the On Nut BTS station. Our landlords warmly welcomed us- Sawatikah (head bow), we did it back. And with Robby on the second floor and I, on the third, we settled in our new rooms and new lives. Of course, sleeping is not really an option. I am way to excited. Tomorrow, my new adventure begins.
Kap kun kah.
Allison A Janssen 