Blog – Page 8 – Wayfaring With Wagner

In England

The White Cliffs of Dover // Dover

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The White Cliffs of Dover was a bucket list item for me and my sister (my brother had no idea what we were dragging him to do!). After having a wonderful brunch at the Modern Pantry in London (one of my favorite places to eat in London), we boarded the one hour train to Dover. To be honest, Dover is a pretty ugly and boring place. It is a major industrial harbor so the scenery isn’t that pretty. The town is nice but really tiny and not much going on in it. I think most people go to Dover to see the White Cliffs.

In Travel

6 Cheap Holiday Destinations in Europe

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As a European travel blog, I’ve visited close to 40 countries on this continent alone. But man oh man, from the United Kingdom to Scandinavia, this is one expensive place! However, there are so many hidden gems throughout the continent that go unnoticed. I’ve outlined some of my favorite cheap holiday destinations (only ones I’ve visited so I’m sure there are more countries that could make the list!) along with some resources for finding your next trip in Europe!

I’ve been lucky enough to live in 4 different European countries – Germany, the United Kingdom (England and Scotland), Bulgaria, and Croatia. I’ve lived in some of the cheapest European countries as well as some of the most expensive European countries!

In Personal

We are all Parisian

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As I come to terms with the terrorist attacks in Paris, I really don’t know how to adequately express myself. My heart is feeling so many emotions – pain, grief, compassion, sadness, love, hurt, anger. I keep trying to rationalize everything but you just can’t rationalize something that is so irrational.

I pray for the children that lost their mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. The parents that lost their sons and daughters. The wife that lost her husband, the husband that lost his wife. Because while the news talks about all the people who lost their lives as a single entity, we fail to realize that each one of them had a name, a family, a story.

In Expat Life

Observations on Germany: Part 3

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Honesty moment: I really miss Germany. Like a “get me on a plane because I want to move back to Germany ASAP” kind of missing it. I realized that even though I left Germany 6 months ago, there are still so many posts on Germany I haven’t published. After talking last week to a German about their lack of dryers in the country (seriously people, one of the best inventions!), I remembered that I hadn’t published one of my lists on German/American differences. You can read Part 1 and Part 2 here and here. Enjoy, and as always, let me know what you’d add to this list!

In Norway

Autumn in Oslo

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I visited Oslo a few weekends ago, right at the height of autumn. Because of the unusually warm September in Edinburgh, most of the trees are still green here with all their leaves. Come on autumn, arrive in Edinburgh already!

My sister and I met my little brother, who is studying abroad in London, for a quick 48 hour trip to the capital city. I can’t wait to share a more detailed itinerary but until then, enjoy these autumn colors! If you haven’t guessed from my Instagram account, I’m still drooling over the colors in Norway…even a few weeks later!

In Scotland

On Top of the World // Arthur’s Seat – Edinburgh

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Three hikes in the past few months!? Must be a new record for me! My sister and I only had an afternoon class on Friday so she dragged me out of bed that morning to go hike Arthur’s Seat. I’ll be honest, I was just not feeling it…I felt gross, my eyes kept watering, and the wind was out-of-control! But then I saw views like this and couldn’t stay mad at my sister. How gorgeous is this!? The weather’s been absolutely fabulous here!!! Sunny, blue skies and between 65-70 F (18-21 C) every day. Reality will hit soon though when we start getting only 5 hours of sunlight a day!

In Bulgaria

Third Oldest European City // Plovdiv

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If someone asked you to name the third oldest (continuously inhabited) city in Europe, would you have said Plovdiv, Bulgaria? More importantly, would you even have known that Plovdiv was a city in Bulgaria (or a city in general?!)? Plovdiv has the honor of not only being the third oldest city in Europe, but the sixth oldest city in the world. Some scientists actually argue that Plovdiv is the oldest city in Europe based on recent findings – older than Athens and Argos, Greece. It has been inhabited for at least the last 6,000 years, possibly even longer.

In Scotland

No one can harm me unpunished // Edinburgh Castle

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Kind of a harsh phrase, No one can harm me unpunished, right? It’s the Latin translation of the phrase that adorns the front of Edinburgh Castle. A warning to all of those that enter. As you’ve probably guessed by now (due to all my excessive Instagram posts), I made it to Edinburgh, Scotland and am absolutely loving it! Also, I should probably mention that the above photo isn’t of Edinburgh Castle but rather the view from Edinburgh Castle!

In Croatia

Mirogoj Cemetery // Zagreb

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While working in Croatia, I became great friends with another intern who was my exact age. Ironically, she had done a study abroad in Michigan so we had a lot in common! One day after work she mentioned Mirogoj Cemetery and asked if my roommate and I had been there. After responding “no,” she drove us to the cemetery and told us it was a “must-see” in Zagreb!

We arrived a few minutes before it closed but the nice attendant at the front opened the gates for us and let us stay after closing!

In Personal

Never Forget // September 11, 2001

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Mrs. Ruff’s 5th grade math class in downtown Washington, D.C. That’s where I was when I found out we were under attack. It is amazing how profound an impact one moment in history can have on your life. I never want September 11th to just become another day to the American public. Even 14 years later, I always feel this overwhelming sense of sadness. My heart feels heavy and after all these years, I still don’t know how to appropriately remember the anniversary. I feel guilty for being anything but sad on this day. Having been born and raised in downtown D.C., it is hard to connect with most people, especially after moving up to Michigan, because they just don’t share the same memories or experiences as me. While life continues to go on, for me, it stops every September 11th. I feel as though I’m back in Mrs. Ruff’s classroom in downtown D.C.