One Year.

June 17, 2017

One Year.

On May 28th, it was one year with my husband. It has truly been a great one. Of course, nothing is one hundred percent perfect all the time, but for the most part: year one was {amazing}.

When we got married a year ago, we took our honeymoon to Tennessee to relax from all the wedding planning. We went to bed late, slept in late, went fly fishing, hiking, and backpacking. Long story short :: it was quiet, low-key, and sweet.

For our one-year, we really wanted to go somewhere we normally wouldn't be able to go on a "normal" basis. I had suggested London. We talked about it for a little while, and then it was not mentioned again for a few weeks. After those few weeks had passed, Justin came back and asked if I wanted to go to more than one place, not just London. Little did I know, he had been planning for us to go to Italy, Switzerland, France, and England. I was so very excited!

We used the company Trafalgar. They were suggested to us by Justin's parents. Why? Because we (and they) felt that since this was our FIRST trip to Europe, we wanted it to be planned and mapped out for us. We picked what we wanted to do, and they planned it! We just had to show up. It was a smart move on our part because we typically never had to wait in lines, we got to places at the best times, we still got a LOT of "free time" or time where we didn't have to go with the tour, and we had knowledgeable guides and specialists who knew a lot and obviously loved their jobs. Going with Trafalgar allowed us to "hit the highlights" and give us an idea of what we would love to go back to!

I wanted to share a few pictures from every place we went. Each place had such character, and I loved each country and city for totally different reasons.

Rome was so beautiful, and there was so much to see and do! We got to eat wonderful food, shop, see the main highlights: the Colosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, the Roman Forum, Altare della Patria (aka: the "Wedding Cake"), the Sistine Chapel (you're not allowed to take pictures inside), etc. It was a wonderful "first stop" on our trip. We loved it, even though it was so busy because of the MANY things to see.

Farewell to Rome dinner:

On our way to Florence, we made a small stop in Siena. So nice and relaxing. We didn't have a lot planned for this "stop," so Justin and I just ended up exploring, learning some history, relaxing, shopping, and finding a good pizza place to eat! We got to see (and eat RIGHT along) where they have the famous horse races in Siena ... the Palio de Siena! So cool. Justin also bought his first pair of Italian leather shoes in Siena. Of course, I also had to get some black cherry gelato. (Our guide in Rome said that if we weren't getting gelato three times a day, we are doing it wrong. Just taking her advice!!!)

What can I say about Florence? It was our favorite place we went in Italy! We loved it all. The feel, the art, the architecture, the leather, the ... gelato! Of course, we got to see so much: Ponte Vecchio, Michelangelo's David, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Croce, Florence Baptistery, Piazza del Duomo, etc. etc. We got a lot of time to ourselves here, and maybe that's why we liked it so much! We each got a pair of Italian leather boots (mine pictured below ... in love). My favorite afternoon was some light shopping, a visit to a cafe to get a hot sandwich and an iced coffee to watch an Italian motorcycle race, to Accademia di Belle Arti to see the David, and back to the room to get ready for a DELICIOUS Italian dinner out. We also got to have a Tuscan dinner at I Tre Pini just outside of town on our last evening there.

Pisa was another very quick stop along the way to Venice! Of course, the point was to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then Justin and I walked around the grounds and got a quick lunch.

Venice was gorgeous! Of course, everything is so expensive there. We got a room outside of Venice and then took a boat in the next day or two. So. Crazy. I never knew that the entire base of Venice was thousands upon thousands of trees! Obviously, Venice was very picture-worthy. The beautiful canals, the gondola rides, the lunches along the canals, the parks, the brightly colored houses ... all of it! However, Justin and I said that although we may go back for a day visit in the future, we wouldn't stay long because everything is so expensive there! We still had fun while it lasted! This was the only city in Italy that we really spent the entire time there alone ... until the seafood dinner (to die for) in Burano (known for their brightly colored houses and lace work). I still kick myself for not getting at least a small piece of their lace ... even if I framed it or something. A few of the highlights in Venice: the gondola ride, Saint Mark's Basilica, the beautiful Giardini Papadopoli park, coffee gelato, the high-end shops (Hey, we still liked looking! There was one shop completely filled with intricate and beautiful masks.), the Murano glass shop, the Bridge of Sighs, and I took the suggestion of many people there and got a peach bellini! (Since it was invented in Venice.)

A sweet, older couple we were travelling with took this picture of us when we were eating along the canal. So precious of them!

Oh, Lucerne (also Luzern), Switzerland. By far my favorite SCENERY of the trip for different reasons. Yes, there was beautiful architecture and painted buildings and bridges ... but it was the gorgeous lakes and mountains that took my breath away! We ate at Stadkeller the first night we got there ... such a great meal: cheese fondue that we dipped our bread in ... veal and grated potatoes with a mushroom sauce ... (see the menu below). Wine. Yep, it was one of my favorite meals. The first day was spent going to a mountain farming community in Engelberg. We got there early to taste different foods that the farms brought forth, took a horse-drawn carriage ride, and saw Angel Mountain. We then went back to town for our free time away from the group and Justin and I saw the Lion of Lucerne (it hurt my heart), shopped, walked through and around Chapel Bridge, and ate at Mr. Pickwick's Pub that was along that bridge. The second day, we rode the cable car up to Mt. Pilatus and the dragon caves!!! So breathtakingly beautiful. The view from our hotel room was the best as well. We really loved it there.

Hotel balcony views.

Mt. Pilatus + the Dragon Caves:

What can I say? Romantic. Most people already know the major sights in Paris, but I want to still include them for MY memory's sake. The first evening we got there, Justin and I decided to walk to the Eiffel Tower and eat at the Cafe de Paris (I got THE best croque madame there). On the way, we passed the Arc de Triomphe. Of course, for dessert we had to get 100% *true* French macarons. Justin got raspberry, and I got pistachio. So. Good. The next day, we got our "official" tour of the Eiffel Tower: meaning we got to go up in the tower and take in the views! Then we went to Les Invalides, the Louvre, Notre-Dame de Paris (the grounds and gardens there were beautiful as well), Pont Alexandre III, etc. On our last night together as a group (we would then separate in London), we ate at L'Alsace, and I had my first experience with crème brûlée.

The narrowest street in Paris:

When we made it to London, most of our group went to the airport. Justin and I had signed up to stay by ourselves for a few more days in England. I am SO glad we did. I think I loved London the most. One of the reasons is petty: I could understand everyone! Haha* However, I really did love the scenery and the hustle and bustle of London a lot as well. We did so much in our few days alone together! So. Much. Walking. I think we memorized a LOT of London just by walking soooo many miles around there every day. Of course, one of the places I HAD to eat (and had pinned on my Pinterest board for the longest time) was the Sherlock Holmes Pub. First, we just ate there because, well ... Sherlock Holmes!!! However, Justin and I ate there three more times during our stay because the food was so good. For dinner, we ate upstairs in the pub, and they had a wonderful glassed-in "Sherlock's study." So neat. Of course, we saw Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus (we saw Wonder Woman in the theater there!), etc. We caught quite a bit of action right at Buckingham Palace: the parade of soldiers and horses entering the palace when they went off duty while the band played. We also toured the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Oxford (Oxford had a Harry Potter store), and Stonehenge. Of course, our last day there - we HAD to visit the Sherlock Holmes museum (NOT from BBC's Sherlock ... just the way they interpreted from the books). I was not leaving London until we did this! I got a lovely tea cup there as well as a Sherlock silhouette for my bookshelf. We ate at Burgista Bros. on Baker Street afterwards!