Spring Break 2019

Hi there! SORRY being MIA these last couple of weeks. I had so much going on with school in the weeks leading up to spring break that I had to set aside all my fun personal stuff. But fear not, I am back and better than ever. This 11 day vacation was needed. I got to spend time with amazing people, see cities I’ve always dreamed of visiting, do fun touristy things, eat delicious food, and relax. I feel like this trip allowed me to really dive deep into my gratitude practice, reflect on what an incredible experience this semester has been, and look forward to the end of a chapter in my life. Thank you to everyone who made this spring break the best one yet. It’s a long post but I promise it’s worth reading!

First stop…TEL AVIV!

I’d been wanting to go to Israel since as long as I can remember. This was definitely the perfect time to go. The flight wasn’t too long (4.5 hours from Madrid), there’s barely a time difference (1 hour ahead of Madrid), the weather was perfect (high 60s), and I got to stay with friends who are studying abroad in Tel Aviv. The blend of religions is pretty remarkable and really enhances the uniqueness of Israeli culture, life, identity, etc.

Food: To say we ate a lot is an understatement. There are so many options for yummy food in Tel Aviv. I would highly recommend Cafe Pua and Golda’s for brunch, the Old Man and the Sea for a group dinner, and Claro for a farm to table meal. The Sarona Market is also worth going to. It’s a center for food vendors/ a food hall…similar to Chelsea Market in NYC.

Neighborhoods: There are so many little areas in Tel Aviv that are worth exploring. My favorites were definitely Jaffa and the beach. Jaffa is one of the oldest areas in Tel Aviv, yet it has some of the best food and bars. The beach also is packed with different areas to chill at. Other areas worth exploring are Sarona, the shops and neighborhood around Allenby St., and the Marina.

Tourism: I got to visit Shuk Ha Carmel and Jerusalem. I would highly recommend going to Jerusalem for an entire day, where you can see the different quarters and monuments of each religion. In Jerusalem, I got to visit the Western Wall and get slight glimpse at the Jewish Quarter. Shuk HaCarmel is located in the heart of Tel Aviv. It’s such a fun experience for shopping, eating, and people watching. This was one of my favorite activities!

Next stop…PARIS!

To be quite frank, I’m not totally sure why I decided to go to Paris for two days. It’s my favorite city that I’ve visited during my semester abroad, so it only seemed logical to go back. I loved Paris even more the second time around because I got to explore the city a lot by myself. I genuinely think walking around is the best way to get to know somewhere. Since I plan on moving here at some point of my life (haha), I’m starting to get acquainted now.

Food: I ate my first acai bowl in months, had a crepe the size of my face, brunched, and finally got to try LouLou. I honestly think LouLou was very overhyped. Location wise it’s absolutely amazing; I don’t know of any other restaurants that are located on a beautiful garden in the heart of Paris. We also had great weather. It’s a good option for a restaurant with a scene. The food was pretty mediocre for its price point.

Neighborhoods: I spent a lot of time around St. Germain and Le Marais (my two favorite areas in Paris). I did a ton of window shopping and strolling.

Beauty: I randomly decide to get a haircut while in Paris, and it’s one of the best one’s I’ve ever gotten. I waltzed into Maison de Coiffure Christophe Nicolas Biot because it had great reviews and was close to me. Even though we were practically unable to communicate due to the language barrier, they were so kind and tried their best to meet my expectations. Picture below is me pre hair cut.

Tourism: I got to see two awesome tourist sights I’d actually never visited while in Paris. I spent some time in the Pantheon with my boyfriend and visited Saint Chapelle alone. The Pantheon is actually massive, so you can spend a decent amount of time in there. It’s also a great indoor activity. Saint Chapelle can be a quick pit stop. I wouldn’t say it’s a must see, but the stained glass is breathtaking. Pro tip: take a picture of your European visa and get into both of these sites for free!

Final stop…AMSTERDAM!

Amsterdam was a TRIP. 3 nights & days was the perfect amount of time to visit. I gave myself a free pass on tourism because I’d seen a lot of the sites on a previous visit. This allowed me to really immerse myself in city life, even if it was just for a bit. The weather was so perfect that all I wanted to do was be outside. It’s actually incredible how much people appreciate nature/the outdoors there. It seemed like everyone was doing the same things: riding bikes, drinking beer, and relaxing.

Food: You must try danish pancakes, bitterballen, and stroop waffles. We had breakfast at Pancakes, where my bf and I shared sweet and savory pancakes. I would describe them as a a large crepe with the taste of a traditional pancake. You can get bitterballen anywhere (I’m serious). They are the dutch version of croquetas…fried cheesy meaty deliciousness. Van Wonderen offered ready made and fresh stroop waffles with all the toppings. Make sure you go on the earlier side!

Neighborhoods: I explored Amsterdam Noord, Pijp, Central Amsterdam, the Vondelpark area, and Amsterdam West. It was honestly pretty tough to get around considering how far our Airbnb was. But we did it nonetheless. Almost every day we found ourselves in the museum park area. It was definitely one of my favorite places to relax outside. Although the center was crowded, it was full of action. The canals also tended to be more scenic in the center.

Tourism: The most and only really touristy things I did were the Heineken Experience and the Moco Museum. Moco is great if you want to see a lighthearted, quick modern art exhibit. It’s fairly small and kinda pricey. The Heineken Experience was also pricey (about the same as the major museums) but honestly really worth it. We had soooo much fun in there. For free tourism, HEAD TO THE PARKS! Vondelpark, Museumplein, and the park in Amsterdam Noord by the museum and camp ground.

Hope you enjoyed this spring break blog! I promise I’ll be posting more soon!