Guest Post: Wandering Through Europe
Guest Post: Wandering Through Europe
This post comes from our NYC social media specialist, Joanna!
I often sit on my fire escape in New York and imagine a life of travel. To constantly be on the move and to live in a state of constant exploration. Could I actually live a life of wandering?
I recently took a trip to Europe – Amsterdam, Italy and France to be exact. And if I’ve learned anything at all during this beautiful trip, it is yes. Yes, I could. The world around us is to be learned, to be experienced, and I’ve been left with urge to keep on moving.
I started my trip in Amsterdam. Oh Amsterdam. I was there for only a few days but the energy of the people around me was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. And this coming from a girl who lives in Manhattan! There was a universal love that we all shared and wanted to extend. We rode bikes through the city and ate our lunches in the parks. Dogs would wander over to our blanket and after a pet or two, they would gleefully gallop back to their owners. The city has a laid back air about it, but also an undeniable spark.
Then on to Italy… will I ever experience another country so beautiful? It was like I was walking around with rose colored glasses on. Venice is a city to get lost in with all of the canals and beautiful brick alleys. To be lost is an experience all should encounter. To discover a way back, in any capacity, is like learning a new skill. One that you will hold on to for your entire life. We would walk for hours in Venice. Down one alley, back up another, and then finally find ourselves at the water’s edge. We would dangle our feet over the edge and share a bottle of red wine. Day would slowly turn to night as we sat there and watched the sky slowly turn all different tones of blues, pinks and orange, our laughter bouncing off the canal water. I will never forget those evenings.
After four days in Italy, we made our way over to France. Oh my word, the fashion. THE FASHION. Being a fashion lover, i couldn’t find a better place to be more inspired. These ladies are cool, effortless, and confident. Grace pours from them as they walk markets with children in tow, or quite simply, ride the local bus. Shapeless, cool dresses ruled the city. During the warm evenings, we would often walk to the port in Marseille to watch the sun set and to see the city change colors before us, the buildings shining gold in the background.
One day in France in particular, stands out for me. After we hit the local farmers market (hello French cheese and baguettes!) we took the bus from Marseilles to Calanque de Sugiton to swim for the day. The hike down to the lagoon took more than two hours: we scaled down the side of the hill for some portions, earth sliding below our feet. The views were like those only my imagination could conjure up. The Mediterranean Sea turns from dark teal to royal blue to sea foam green as it approaches the land. This place has only ever existed in my mind. We traveled all of the way down the mountain to finally cool our hot feet in the water. We climbed rocks to sunbathe and to jump off, back into the warm sparkling sea. We ate cheese sandwiches and drank beer. We took videos and captured photos. We floated in the salty water until the sun went down. We finally made our way back up the mountain and trekked to the bus stop, our skin hot from the sun. No words were spoken on our way back to city, only satisfied and tired smiles were exchanged.
Now, I daydream of a time when I can go back. Until then I have these photos and countless memories to remind me…