Stockholm, Sweden

This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Stockholm, Sweden. One of the greatest aspects about this trip was the fact that Ryan Air offered roundtrip flights for only thirty euro!

Cold, breezy, and beautiful: 

These are the three words that come to mind when I think about my experience in Sweden. If you are a little lost geographically, Sweden is situated in Northern Europe between Norway and Finland. Being from the Southern part of the United States, I am not a person who handles cold weather well. Part of me felt like I was in Lubbock, Texas during the weekend because of the constant breeze. The actual temperature in Stockholm was not unbearable, but the breeze chilled me to my core! The drive from the airport to Stockholm took about an hour by bus. That amount of time sounds like a lot, but believe me when I say this, the countryside is amazing. The trees were many different shades of green, yellow, and red. - The perfect scene for a Fall movie. Additionally, the city of Stockholm is a perfect mix between old and new. Walking down the streets, you will see buildings that are hundreds of years old sitting next to buildings that look as though they belong in some futuristic city. 

A picture from the bus as we drove towards Stockholm.

Absolut Ice Bar:

Visiting the ice bar was at the top of my list of things to do while in Stockholm. I have a few friends that had gone to ice bars in other places and said they were really cool. Having the opportunity to do so myself, I can now attest to the fact that the Absolut Ice Bar is awesome! Upon entering, you are given a parka along with some gloves. The actual temperature in the bar is around -5 degrees fahrenheit. The entire room is comprised of ice, including the glass your drink is placed in! The group I was with spent about an hour in the bar before we headed out to explore other pubs in the area. If you ever have the chance to go to an ice bar, I would definitely recommend it. 

"Guns Up" at the Absolut Ice Bar.

We have all heard that the Scandinavian countries have the prettiest people. This statement was confirmed this weekend! I felt like I was walking next to somebody from Vogue almost constantly. The people in Stockholm were very well dressed, to say the least. The men and women both seemed to be very interested in fashion. Every other store in the city was a clothing store of some sort. All I can say is marry a Scandinavian if you want to have some ridiculously good-looking children!

Besides being very attractive, the people of Sweden were extremely friendly. After the Absolut Ice Bar, our group found a local pub and decided to have a few drinks. While enjoying the music and conversation, we ended up meeting a young couple from Stockholm. A few exchanges of "hello" led to an hour-long conversation with this couple. We were both interested in the culture of one another and had much to talk about-- ranging from politics and education to Americans and Swedes in general. I was surprised by the fact that the Swedes had such a positive view on Americans. In contrast to other countries such as Italy, the Swedes viewed Americans as friendly, helpful, and for the most part, well-educated. It was nice to know that we were understood, liked, and respected by another country. 

School is in full swing this week. I have a lot going on and am ready for the weekend! This weekend I will finally visit the island of Venice. In addition to Venice, Sunday I will be traveling to Milan to watch a futbol game between Inter Milan and Chievo Verona. After this weekend, I have a pretty intense week of school but then I am off to Budapest, Prague, and Vienna for my second travel week!!

Travel Week #1

This past week I traveled to London, Paris, and the French Riviera. - Just one of the many benefits of studying abroad!

London: 

Absolutely astounding! I had heard from multiple people that London was great, I have to agree. For being such a massive city, the streets of London are quite clean. Londoners have a personality and friendliness that reminds me of Lubbock (Southern hospitality with a British twist). When I needed a cab from the airport at one in the morning, my driver was beyond friendly and advised me on the sights to see while in the city. This may or may not have been because of the 150 pounds he was making off the cab ride, but hey, I am gonna assume it was just him being friendly. During my stay, I was able to see some of the most famous sights known to man. The Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, etc. I was amazed at how history was integrated within the new, more vibrant side of London. - The city is in the process of updating the subway systems and roads, among other things, in anticipation of the 2012 Olympic games.

When traveling to London, I recommend being accompanied by a parent. This city is expensive! I was grateful that my mom was there to cover the cost of wining and dining.

Tower Bridge

The world famous, Harrods.

Paris:


Just hearing the word "Paris" ignites romantic thoughts of walks along the Seine River, dining atop the Eiffel Tower, or perhaps, the age-old tale of Quasimodo. These are just a few aspects of the city boasting a population of 2.2 million people.

Having traveled to Paris both my Freshman and Sophomore years of high school, I had an idea of what this city was like. That being said, fours years apart has changed the way I see Paris. I seem to recall the majority of Parisians being unfriendly or just outright rude when I was in high school. After revisiting the city, I have a much different opinion of the people. While Parisians may not be the most warming towards foreigners, notably Americans, they are mostly willing to lend a helping hand with translations or directions when approached. It was my experience this past week that Parisians are much more willing to converse with you if you at least attempt to speak in French. Simply saying bonjour when entering a restaurant or store can go a long way. - Do not be the ignorant American everybody expects us to be!

As far as the city goes, the sights and sounds of Paris were just as amazing as I remembered. There was not a single time that I passed by the Eiffel Tower without being amazed. Not only is the tower a great piece of architecture, but its warm glow at night leaves you in a daze. I enjoyed visiting the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame again as well!

Paris has yet to leave me disappointed. It is unquestionably one of the great cities of our world.

A side view of Notre Dame. 

The Eiffel Tower glowing at night. 

The French Riviera:


The last part of my week-long trek was spent along the French Riviera! If you know anything about me it is that I love board shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. It should come as no surprise that I considered myself in paradise the last few days. I visited the cities of Avignon, Cannes, Juan les Pins, Nice, and Monaco. My two favorites of the cities were Avignon and Monaco. Avignon is not quite part of the "French Riviera" but I still considered it part of the riviera because of its beauty. The area of Southern France where Avignon is located is famous for the vast fields of lavender that paint the horizon. The town had a wonderful square where multiple restaurants and shops were located.

My favorite place, if only second to London, is Monaco. Ever since I was little, I had always wanted to visit the world's second smallest province (just slightly bigger than the Vatican).

Monaco: Just like Beverly Hills only about 1000 times better and right alongside the ocean.

The abundance of wealth in this province is somewhat shocking. I have never seen a place with more extravagant homes, cars, or yachts! Additionally, Monaco as a rich history just like most other parts of Europe. The province of Monaco has been ruled by the Grimaldi since 1297. The area became famous later on as the premier destination for multi-million dollar (and billion-dollar) gamblers. Casinos provided the majority of wealth for the Grimaldi family until real estate became a big money-maker beginning in the 19th century. Now, in addition to being known for its extravagance, Monaco is famous for the world-renowned Monte Carlo race, which takes place annually.

I had a blast in Monaco and it was a great way to finish of my week-long journey.

One of the smaller yachts in Monaco Harbor.  

The main center of Monaco. 

Just enjoying the view. 

For now, I am back at CIMBA and ready to knock out this four-day week of classes. On Friday, we get to take a trip to Trieste, Italy and then it is off to Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday for me and a group of eight others! I'm excited to see another new country!!