Rome has everything from quiet gardens around the Villa Borghese…

…and ancient ruins from the Roman Empire…

…to modern iconic Italian vespas, political flags, accordions, music….

There are so many facets of Rome, an ancient place where so much history and so many influences have left their mark. I can’t wait to share more photos of some different aspects of the city. : )

And I lo-o-ove this vintage envelope purse – it belonged to my great-grandmother. : )

Dress: H&M
Sweater: Target
Shoes: Nicole Miller

Do you have any favorite vintage items? : )

In the pedestrian streets around Florence’s famous art galleries, every square foot is filled with musicians and souvenir reproductions of famous paintings for sale….

Walking through the city, there are pops of color and ornate architectural details all around you. You’re embraced by the legacy of inspiration that once surrounded da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and so many other artists….

There’s something surreal to the changes of colors in the city throughout the day. In the early, misty morning, Florence’s famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchi, was cool and indistinct….

…but by the warmer afternoon, the shops and walls along the bridge had changed into their famous palette of warm yellows, greens, and oranges….

Florence had a very Italian feel, and it was awe-inspiring to be in the birthplace of so many famous works of art. : )

So, I’ve been absent from the blog the past week or so due to a health crisis in my family.

My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer exactly 2 weeks ago, and she’s already begun the fight.

The doctor has a lot of confidence in his treatment plan, and my mom has made it well through 2 rounds of chemotherapy so far. Luckily, my dad’s workplace is helping out by giving him the chance to go with my mom for the treatment every week and by providing meals every day.

So far, it seems to be going well.

This has been a big health scare for all of us – my mom had little to no symptoms, no risk factors, and no family history.

It came out of nowhere and caught us all by surprise. Ovarian cancer is hard to catch in the early stages, and we never expected anything so serious to be wrong.

Please be diligent with your health care.

For information on ovarian cancer + how to reduce your risk, check out the info on Dr. Oz’s site: “Ovarian Cancer: Stopping a Secret Killer.”

We started out early in the day by grabbing some fruit at one of the small streetside markets….

Our hike wound along the coast of the Mediterranean through 5 towns, some vineyards, and natural cliffs. In the middle of one orchard, we came across an Italian man selling fresh lemonade to hikers….

For lunch, we stopped in the harbor of one of the towns with some grab-and-go pizza….

Throughout the hike, we overheard people talking in all different languages – Italian, English, German, French, and more. It was an interesting mélange of people from all different places – all come to enjoy the Italian coast….

Everyone we passed would say “excuse me” in a different language. Scusi, permesso, entschuldigung, pardon…

Cinque Terre is famous for its beautiful scenery and seaside hikes, but its mixture of different visitors makes for a really unique atmosphere, too. : )

We spent most of our time in Rome, but made this day trip out to Cinque Terre for some beautiful hiking along the Italian coast.

This hiking area is full of sweeping views, crisp and salty Mediterranean air, seaside life…

The main hiking trail also takes you through 5 small coastal Italian towns, where you find your way through small, winding, complex Italian alleys….

Interesting architecture and inspiring personal touches accent the walls and streets throughout each of the towns…

Tomorrow, I’ll be posting about some of the food we came across as well as the atmosphere of our hike! See you then. : )

2011 has been a blur of amazing experiences, exciting adventures, and exploration. From the past 7 months, I have so many blog drafts, ideas hastily jotted down, photos unposted. And now that I’m getting back into my old routine, I’m looking forward to fleshing things out.

I’ll be working on my summer travel journal….

(used Prague metro tickets!)

(Harry Potter premiere – the Czech movie theatre has assigned seats)

Along with working with that, I’ll also be sharing my stories from abroad on the blog!

I can’t wait to share some of my favorite places – Sweden, London, Estonia, Italy, Belgium (and more!) – with you guys.

And I’ve been getting some emails asking questions about how I got to do all this traveling as a student and about my internship. Now that everything is wrapped up, I can share all the behind-the-scenes details as to how everything happened!

Things are shaking up a little, and I’m excited. You excited? : )

The views around Karlštrejn are so scenic and calm….

Along one of the main streets of town, everyone has a driveway like this:

That main street connects to a moderate hiking path up a hill that leads to Karlštejn’s famous 14th century Gothic castle….

I really enjoyed the walk up to the top of the hill with its picturesque views!

At the castle, I took a 2 hour English tour explaining the history of the place and the old royal families, but no photos were allowed inside. The whole place is full of historic relics, royal portraits, twisting paths and staircases.

Back down in the village after the tour, people were out enjoying the breezy weather. The whole town has a relaxed and unhurried feeling, perfect for a short day trip.

I loved getting a chance to see some of the Czech countryside and the old castle. : )

In good weather, people always come out for paddle-boat sightseeing….

And the light slanting in at this time of day is beautiful, giving all the riverside architecture a timeless look…

…as well as adding extra sparkle to Prague’s gilded accents…

And the sparkle of the water as the sun sets is the finishing touch to the great atmosphere.

 
What’s your favorite time of day? : )

Today, I started my walk near the Vltava River….

The restaurants along this part of the riverside have a great view of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle.

Later, I tried this traditional Czech/Slovak bread. It’s a good, quick snack – perfect for my walk. I loooved the taste of cinnamon.

Then I walked up and down these streets, near the castle…

…where I came across this bakeshop selling goodies through the window!

Where did you walk today? : )