Hiking to Heaven, Pt. 1

When we first arrived in La Spezia, admittedly, we struggled a bit more than usual as we spent a solid twenty minutes searching for the hostel, walking around in circles. We ended up bothering a sweet, elderly Italian woman for directions while unsuccessfully trying to locate ourselves via Google Maps. She didn’t speak English butContinue reading “Hiking to Heaven, Pt. 1”

A Train Travels Through Italy

Harman and I would be leaving for La Spezia in just about an hour, continuing our journey on our way to Cinque Terre. I had always dreamed of seeing the five villages, and when we began planning our trip the previous winter it was one of the destinations that he and I both agreed wasContinue reading “A Train Travels Through Italy”

Monte Carlo, Waterfalls, and Wine on Top of the World

We decided to wake up early so we could make the most of our last full-day in Nice. The rest of our room woke up at the same time, too, so we were inspired (and a little bit guilted) into getting out into the city. Breakfast was 7€ at the hostel which, if you’re travelingContinue reading “Monte Carlo, Waterfalls, and Wine on Top of the World”

Baguettes, Beignets, and the French Police

The next morning we both woke up in much better moods than the ones we went to bed in. We actually got some rest and were eager to get back out on the road and continue our journey, that day making our way to Nice. We helped ourselves to the Vertigo’s breakfast, careful to prepareContinue reading “Baguettes, Beignets, and the French Police”

The Night I Snuck Into the Notre Dame de la Garde, Part 3

The streets of Marseille are as quiet as any after midnight. The air was thin and cool. The streets that led to the cathedral were lined with Renault cars and Vespa scooters and a surprising amount of Harley Davidson motorcycles, all crammed onto the sidewalks or wherever their owners could park them. Anouk led the wayContinue reading “The Night I Snuck Into the Notre Dame de la Garde, Part 3”

The Night I Snuck Into the Notre Dame de la Garde, Part 2

The Vertigo was surprisingly empty that early at night. Save for the front desk attendant we seemed to be the only ones there. The WiFi wasn’t reliable in our room and Harman needed to get some paperwork filled out online, so we relegated ourselves to the common area next to the kitchen. Nobody was cookingContinue reading “The Night I Snuck Into the Notre Dame de la Garde, Part 2”

The Night I Snuck Into the Notre Dame de la Garde, Part 1.

Getting off the bus outside the station in Marseille left us a bit dazed and confused. It was hot – much hotter than we had expected after sitting in the conditioned air of the bus for the previous eight hours, and even more so with 20-40 pounds of clothing hanging from our backs. Harman andContinue reading “The Night I Snuck Into the Notre Dame de la Garde, Part 1.”