Quick Thoughts: Our British Isles Cruise

Hey, friends! We're back from our trip, and I am so excited to share it with y'all. I have all of these posts in my head I want to share, so hopefully I will get to at least some of them before our next baby is born (just being realistic here. Haha). This pregnancy has been rougher than my first (and my pregnancy with Anthony wasn't easy), so I usually take things one day at a time. Anyways, today I just wanted to share a few random things about our trip before I get more into the specifics.
I have been asked often if I think a cruise is a good way to see these spots, and in this case, I do. We were in each port for about 12 hours, so there was plenty of time to explore. Plus, we sailed to new destinations while we were sleeping, so it worked out better than having to drive from one place to another. The time at each port is what really sold me on this cruise, though. Honestly, we were both so exhausted from our adventures by the end of each day that we were thankful to get on the boat, relax, and watch a show. Plus, we really enjoyed the beautiful views when we sailed away from the different locations!
Speaking of exhaustion, I was a little worried about keeping up with our excursions, but thankfully, I did well! I did have to rest more than usual after climbing a bunch of stairs, but overall, I was able to do everything we wanted. The most difficult part of the cruise was when the boat rocked. It had more to do with the placement of our cabin than anything (we didn't have a choice with cabins since we had to book late due to not knowing Christopher's schedule), but I was really thankful I had just gotten over the severe nausea/vomiting I had for the first 22 weeks because I would have wanted to get off the boat. We did have one super rough night due to a storm where we barely slept, but overall, it was manageable. 
It was so fun to get to celebrate our big milestones in some stunning places! Chris got to celebrate his 30th birthday in Edinburgh, a city he has always wanted to visit, I celebrated my 30th birthday at Mont Saint-Michel in France, and we celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary in Guernsey! 
Chris and I both admitted that this trip was just about the right length for us, and we wouldn't have wanted it to be longer. We saw so much and truly enjoyed it, but we were both exhausted by the end of it and ready to see Anthony. The jet lag was much worse than normal too, but thankfully, we're finally feeling adjusted back to Texas time!

Eight Favorite Experiences in Eight Years of Marriage

Chris and I celebrated eight years of marriage while we were in Maine, and I love using our anniversary to reminisce on all the special moments we’ve had throughout the years. Today, I thought it would be fun to share eight of our favorite experiences in our years of marriage. These are off the top of my head and in no particular order.

Celebrating Our 21st Birthdays and One Year Anniversary in Las Vegas
We had so much fun on our first trip to Vegas together! We saw Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE and KA and ate at so many amazing places. Vegas is still one of our favorite places if we only have time to get away for a few days.

Related Posts: 
Best Shows in Las Vegas, Best Buffets in Las Vegas, Hiking Through Valley of Fire State Park, Best Things to Do in Las Vegas if You Don't Gamble or Drink

Studying Abroad in Europe
There’s something special about being married and getting to study abroad in Europe together. We went with a group of about 40 other students from Baylor and were definitely the “mom and dad” of the group, but we had the best time! Our study abroad program was heavily focused on travel (Fridays off and lots of holidays), and we took advantage of it by seeing 16 different countries. I’m so glad we were able to do something like this before the craziness of medical school.

Related Posts: 
European Train Travel Tips, Three European Travel Stories I Will Never Forget, Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, Via dell' Amore, Cinque Terre, My Top Five European Travel Moments, Three Cities to Visit in France (Besides Paris), Three Great Day Trips from Paris, 24 Hours in Strasbourg, Eight Ideas for the Best Romantic Getaway in Paris, 24 Hours in Stresa, Italy, Three Relaxing Destinations in Italy, 24 Hours in Bath, England, Five Things You Must Do in Marseille, France, Five Places in Europe I Would Love to Visit Again

Discovering a Love for Cruising
I hadn’t been on a cruise in the United States (we did a month long cruise from Russia throughout Europe when we lived there) until we got married, but we’ve done six together since then! (two to Alaska, one Southern Caribbean cruise from Puerto Rico, one Eastern Caribbean cruise, one Western Caribbean cruise, and one fall color cruise). We haven’t been on one in almost three years mostly due to Zika, but I am definitely planning on going again when the baby is old enough!

Related Posts: My Three Favorite Caribbean Cruise Ports, Cozumel, Belize River Cruise, Belize Lamanai Mayan Ruins, Maya Key in Honduras, Emerald Princess Review, Saint John and Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, Bar Harbor and Acadia, Maine, Portland and Kennebunkport, Maine, Brilliance of the Seas Review, Seven Reasons I Choose to Cruise, A Crab Feast Excursion in Ketchikan, Alaska

Graduating Baylor
Baylor will always be a special part of our story: we met on our first day on campus, spent that first semester falling in love, and got married the summer after our sophomore year at a gorgeous spot on campus. All of that made graduating together from the university we love even more wonderful. We were in different colleges, so we got to watch each other’s ceremonies. It was such a great day!

Related Posts:
Seven Years: A Short Version of Our Love Story, A Waco Weekend

Watching Chris Become a Doctor
I’ve never been one to sugarcoat medical school. It’s not easy (though it’s a cake walk compared to residency). Still, there was nothing better than watching my love fulfill his dream during those four years. I was so proud as he crossed that stage and officially became a doctor in 2015. Now we’re making our way through residency, and it’s hard to believe that day was over two years ago!

Related Posts:
Match Day Process, Match Day Results

Celebrating the End of Medical School with a California Road Trip
We’ve been blessed to visit many amazing places in our eight years of marriage, both in the United States and abroad, but our California road trip ranks as one of our favorite trips. We were celebrating such a big occasion in a place full of incredible views and so many fun things to do. I loved visiting La Jolla and the San Diego Zoo for the first time, and our drive up Highway 1 was absolutely incredible. Someday I’ll get around to finishing up my recaps of that trip, but it’s definitely a trip I will always treasure.

Related Posts:
Seven-Day Itinerary from San Diego to San Francisco, Old Town San Diego, La Jolla, San Diego Zoo Tips, San Diego Zoo Private Tour, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Hearst Castle Views, Hearst Castle Grand Rooms Tour, Hearst Castle Upstairs Suites Tour, Pacific Coast Highway Tips, The Most Beautiful Place in Big Sur, Five Things You Must Do in San Diego

Our Year in Chicago
Y’all know the story by now: I moved to Chicago kicking and screaming…and then I fell in love on basically the first day. Intern year was hard, but living in Chicago made it so much better. That year ended up being one of my favorites of our marriage so far. I loved exploring a new area of the United States with my love, and you better believe I left Chicago with tears in my eyes when the year was over.

Related Posts:
Best Weekend Trips from Chicago, Three Great Day Trips from Chicago, Best Places for Brunch in Chicago, Best Deep Dish Pizza in Chicago, Wendella Lake Michigan Fireworks Cruise,  Seven Things You Must Do in Chicago During the Holiday Season, Shoreline Sightseeing Classic Lake Tour, Best View in Chicago, Lake Michigan Circle Tour Itinerary, The Field Museum, Sunset Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan

Our Journey to Parenthood
Of course, I had to include the last few months in my favorite marriage experiences. We have been so excited since finding out we’re going to be parents, and it’s hard to believe we’ll be mommy and daddy in just three short months! As much as I have loved all of our adventures, I know this one will be the best one yet!

Related Posts:
Our Announcement, All About Baby, Pregnancy Confessions, Gender Predictions, Gender Reveal, How I Told Chris About Baby

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Five Things You Must Do in Marseille, France

I’m back today with another post in my five things series! With the weather warming up, I’ve been dreaming lately about the gorgeous days we spent in Marseille. Marseille was a city that completely surprised me. One of my college French professors put it on my radar, and when we did our big tour of France, I put it on our itinerary, not really knowing what to expect. Marseille completely blew me away, and I dream of going back someday! I am excited to share five things I think you must do in this gorgeous city.

Vieux Port
The old port of Marseille has been around for 26 centuries. It’s a beautiful area to walk and is lined with bars and cafes, so you can sit outside and enjoy the view!

Chateau d’If
The Chateau d’If was made famous by Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. Unlike Edmond Dantès, no one ever escaped the prison, but we loved taking a boat ride to see just how isolated it was. Not only is Chateau d’If an interesting historical landmark, but the views from it are stunning!

Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde
Getting to the top of the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde is a bit of a climb, but the view you get is absolutely worth it. The basilica is the highest point of the city (at 162 meters) and offers panoramic views that took my breath away. The inside of the basilica is gorgeous, too!

Les Calanques
Speaking of things that took my breath away, Marseille’s calanques weren’t even part of our itinerary when we first arrived in the city. Thankfully, I saw an advertisement for them and realized we had to change our plans to include them. Let’s just say they made my top five favorite European memories ever. The hike up to them wasn’t bad at all, and the view was simply incredible. I loved seeing them from the top, but I would love to go back and see them from the sea someday!

Take a Boat Ride
As a gorgeous city on the Mediterranean, I think it’s important to see Marseille from the water! We opted to take a longer boat ride to Chateau d’If, so we could enjoy the beauty of seeing Marseille from a boat.

Have you ever been to France? What's your favorite city?

Other Five Things Posts:

Five Things You Must Do in San Diego

Five Reasons You Should Visit the Smoky Mountains

Five Reasons You Should Visit Breckenridge, Colorado

Other France Posts:

Eight Ideas for the Best Romantic Getaway to Paris

Quick Trip: 24 Hours in Strasbourg, France

Three Great Day Trips from Paris

Three Cities to Visit in France (Besides Paris) 

SaveSave
SaveSave

Eight Ideas for the Best Romantic Getaway to Paris

Chris always jokes he can never impress me on Valentine’s Day anymore because of the year he took me to Paris, and he might be right. We spent the most amazing three-day weekend in Paris over Valentine’s Day on their first warm and sunny days of that year. The Parisians kept telling us how surprised they were it was warm that weekend! Today I wanted to share my favorite parts of that trip (and a few things from a later trip to Paris), so you can plan your own romantic getaway to Paris.

Cruise on the Siene River
I had to start off with my favorite part of our trip. Chris surprised me with a night cruise on the Seine River, and the only way to describe it is magical. It was amazing to cruise down the river, learning about all the stunning architecture and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle.

Picnic by the Eiffel Tower
It’s so fun to buy a baguette and some meat and cheese at the grocery store and have a picnic by the Eiffel Tower. Of course, you could always grab a crepe from one of the many crepe stands around and have a fun picnic that way!

Take a walking tour to see as much as possible
There is so much to see in Paris, and I think the best way to get a feel for the city is through a walking tour. We absolutely loved the Sandeman’s free walking tour of Paris. Honestly, the next time we go to Paris, I would want to do it again!

Pick a restaurant with a prix fixe menu and have an amazing meal
Paris is full of incredible restaurants, and what is Valentine’s Day without a delicious meal? We had an amazing meal at Le Grand Bistro de Breteuil, which was worth every penny.

Spend a day holding hands while wandering around the Louvre or the Musee d’Orsay
Everyone knows about the Louvre, but my favorite museum in Paris is the Musee d’Orsay. All the impressionist art is gorgeous, and the museum is housed in a stunning old train station.

Go shopping
What’s a trip to Paris without shopping? Plus, if you are going there for Valentine’s Day, you can tell your significant other it’s part of your present. The Champs-Élysées is expensive, but it’s definitely worth seeing. You can also stop by the Arc de Triomphe since it’s close by!

Enjoy the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower and the Sacre Coeur
I don’t think there is anything more romantic than a stunning view, and Paris is full of them. If you are pressed for time, the two views you have to check out are from the top of the Eiffel Tower and from the Sacre Coeur.

Take a day trip to Versailles or Loire Valley
When I first started blogging, I wrote a post about three great day trips from Paris, and my two favorites on that list are Versailles and the Loire Valley. They are both make easy day trips from Paris. I loved going back in time and seeing the extravagant lifestyles of the French royalty.

Have you been to Paris? What did you think was the most romantic thing to do there?

European Train Travel Tips

There is nothing better than being on a train in Europe, looking out at the beautiful countryside (or reading a book!) while getting to your destination as quickly as possible. When we traveled in Europe for the first time, we had quite a few mishaps. Here is what we learned:

Book early. 
Book train tickets at least three weeks in advance, especially if you are using a Eurail pass. If you are going to a popular destination like Prague or Paris, book as soon as you can. We had friends who tried to book a night train from Cologne to Prague five days in advance, and they found out every night train was booked for the next two weeks. We always tried to book as soon as we decided on our destination.

Check platforms often. 
I will never forget the name Herzogenrath-August-Schmidt-Platz. Never heard of it? Neither had I. Trains can change platforms at the last minute. When we were traveling to Berlin with a big group, the regional train in Aachen arrived before our train to Berlin. We thought it was our train because it was at the correct platform and time, so we took the train and ended up in Herzogenrath-August-Schmidt-Platz. We didn’t make it to Berlin until 2 a.m. (Want the whole story of our Herzogenrath mishap? Read three European travel stories I will never forget.)

Also, be aware that some trains will split off in the middle of the trip and head in different directions. Make sure to listen to announcements that tell you if you are in the right compartment, especially if you are in the food compartment at the time of the change.

Write down the number of the train leaving after yours. 
Trains are sometimes late, so you should look up and record the number of the next train to take in the case of a late train. For example, when our train from Frankfurt to Brussels ran 20 minutes late we missed our train from Brussels to Liege. However, we had written down the next train we could take, so we were able to get to the platform in time to hop on the next train to Liege.

Have you ever traveled in Europe by train? What was your favorite destination?

SaveSave

Five Places in Europe I Would Love to Visit Again

I started writing out lists of places I wanted to travel on the blog earlier this year when I was sick and needed some wanderlust to keep me going. Now that I’m feeling much better, my wanderlust is even stronger. I’ve talked about five places I want to visit in Europe and my top five European travel memories (I even shared some of our crazy European travel stories), but I have never made a list of places in Europe I would love to visit again.

Capri, Italy
Capri stole my heart the second I got off the ferry. There’s nothing better than gorgeous water, amazing lemon drinks, and breathtaking views at every corner. My only regret is we only spent a day there. The friends we were traveling with wanted to see more of Naples (which turned out to be one of my least favorite cities in Europe).

Switzerland
I feel like Switzerland and I need a do-over. I liked the scenery we saw from the train more than the actual places we visited (Zurich, Interlaken, Grindelwald, and Bern). I think the cost of everything made it difficult to enjoy, too. I think I would love Zermatt and Lucerne, so those are high on my list.

Annecy, France
Annecy is another place where I felt like we didn’t get to spend enough time there. This gorgeous city is nestled in the French Alps. I loved the stunning views of the Lake Annecy set across the backdrop of the mountains. There was so much left for us to explore in that area, so I would love to go back.

Bavaria, Germany
Our days in Munich and at Neuschwanstein Castle were some of my favorite. Still, I feel like we barely scratched the surface of everything Bavaria has to offer. I would love to visit Nuremberg, Bamberg, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Driving the Romantic Road and seeing adorable villages sounds like a dream.

Austria
Austria also fell victim to lack of time and bad weather for us. Most of my memories of Salzburg are literally foggy (as in, there was a horrible fog most of the time we were there), and I feel like one and half days wasn’t nearly enough to explore Vienna. I would also love to visit Graz, Innsbruck, Hallstatt, and Linz.

As much as we love Europe, we aren’t sure when we will be able to travel there again. Chris gets three weeks off a year, but there are so many rules about when he can take vacation that it basically means he can only take off five days at a time (he will start working weekends soon so they will count as days he would need to take). Our rule has always been that we need two weeks there to make Europe worth it due to the cost and length of the flight. So, we’ll see! I’m crossing my fingers we can make it work at some point, but for now I can keep dreaming! (I promise I'm not complaining-just explaining why long trips are hard these days!)

Check out some of my other travel lists: 

Five places I want to visit in the United States

Six places in the United States I would like to visit again

Five places I want to visit in Europe

Five places I want to visit in Canada 

Have you been to Europe? What are some places you would love to visit again?

Linking up with Amanda, Karli, and the High Five for Friday girls.

Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend! 

SaveSave

Friday Favorites: Five Places I Want to Visit in Europe

Happy Friday, friends! It’s been a rough week here (on top of everything else, my phone decided to break, so it’s been fun), so today I wanted to continue with my wanderlust posts. I have been blessed to visit a lot of cities in Europe, but I still have plenty of places on my list. Here are the top five places currently on my Europe list:

Dubrovnik, Croatia
I’m a sucker for pretty rooftops and views of the sea, so I know I would love Dubrovnik. I’ve also really wanted to see the Plitvice Lakes National Park, so a trip to Croatia in general sounds amazing.

Santorini, Greece
We had planned on going to Santorini last time we were in Europe, but there were crazy riots in Greece, so we decided to do two weeks in Italy instead (no complaints there!). It’s still my dream to get to Santorini though and see one of those famous Santorini sunsets.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
I really want to see most of Ireland, but the Cliffs of Moher are at the very top of the list. It looks like such a gorgeous place.

Lake Bled, Slovenia
One of the first things you will learn about me when you visit me blog is I absolutely love being on or around water. Lake Bled in Slovenia looks enchanting, and I love the mountains almost as much as I love water, so it looks like the perfect place to relax.

Colmar, France
After visiting Strasbourg, I really want to see more of the Alsace region of France. Colmar looks like such a cute town!

What’s one place you want to visit in Europe?

Linking up with Amanda, Karli, and the High Five for Friday girls.

Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend! 

Quick Trip: 24 Hours in Strasbourg, France

I was so surprised by how much I loved Strasbourg and left it wishing we had spent more than 24 hours there. Located close to the French and German border (and fought over by the two countries many times), it is the cutest combination of two cultures. I haven’t added to my Quick Trip series since last summer, so today I wanted to share why Strasbourg makes my list of places to visit in France besides Paris.

How to get there: 
Strasbourg has an international airport with a number of flights a day to and from Paris. However, it might be cheaper to fly into a major European airport and then take a train to Strasbourg. Strasbourg is 2.5 hours from Paris, two hours from Frankfurt, Germany, and two hours from Zurich by train.

What to do: 
One of my favorite things to do in Strasbourg was to walk around the city center and see all the adorable shops and buildings. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg is impossible to miss, as it towers over the city center. It was the tallest building in the world from 1647 to 1874 at 466 feet and showcases stunning Gothic architecture. Go inside to see the astronomical clock and climb up 320 steps to the cathedral platform for a nice view of the city and the Black Forest.

My must-see area in Strasbourg was La Petite France. With its cobblestone streets and beautiful medieval buildings, it was such an adorable area to shop, eat, and stroll along the riverside. Plus, it makes for many gorgeous photo opportunities!

If you have more time: 
If we had more time, I would have liked to wander around the Parc de l’Orangerie and visit the Musée Alsacien. Someday, I would love to make it to Strasbourg around Christmas to see all the Christmas markets! I would also love to explore more of the Alsace region, especially Colmar and Riquewihr.

Where to eat: 
Because of the blend of two cultures, Strasbourg has both delicious French food and German food. We had an amazing meal at Winstub S'kaechele, which offers several Alsace specialties at great prices. I really enjoyed the smoked ham shoulder.

Where to stay: 
I really liked the Hotel Cathedrale. The price was great, it’s right across from the cathedral, and the rooms were nice.

Have you been to Strasbourg? What are some of your favorite places in the city?
Other cities in the Quick Trip series: 24 Hours in Boston 24 Hours in Bath, England 24 Hours in Stresa, Italy 24 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico