My ABC's of Travel

I have no clue where I saw this prompt originally (because I definitely wasn't smart enough to think it up--thanks whoever you are!), but it's been in the back of my drafts for some time now. I kept thinking I'd make it some kind of fun link-up, but honestly, it's Friday and I've hit a blogger wall called the weekend and I can't think any further than a large pepperoni pizza, glass of wine, and a trip to the movies to see Gone Girl. Ya feel me? This week druuggg on, y'all. Big confession: I've been feeling a little down about the lack of travel plans in our near future lately. My calendar is basically empty until after the new year and it feels super weird. Life's so different now that we're back stateside, but the 3 years we spent jaunting from country to country remain in the forefront of my mind most days. I miss Europe. I miss hopping in the car and knowing I'd be in a different country within mere hours. I miss being in awe of things. So, I thought this kind of piece might be a nice prelude to the weekend...and to us taking yet another trip to Epcot for the Food & Wine Festival because, honestly, I need some fake countries (and real wine) in my life right now. I've mentioned wine twice already. The struggle is real. 

Feel free to play along, sweet readers. I'd love to hear your travel ABCs!

A) Age you went on your first international trip:
I was 14 and went on a mission trip with my Youth Group from church to Melo, Uruguay. It was one of the most eye opening, life changing experiences of my life and I'd love to get back to South America someday.

B) Best foreign beer you've had and where:
De Struis Pannepot Vintage Grande Reserva 2008--hands down best beer I've ever tasted. I tried it for the first time at Café Rose Red in Bruges, Belgium and have been in love with it ever since! Belgian beers are the best in the world! This coming from a former beer hater...says a lot!

C) Cuisine (favorite):
Hmmm this is a hard one. I really love both German and Italian cuisine, but I could never eat either of them day in and day out. Too many carbs and rich sauces...ironically enough also the reasons why I love them. I'm also reallllly fond of Swiss fondue and Spanish tapas. Basically cover anything in cheese and pair it with sangria and I'm sold.

D) Destinations--favorite, least favorite, and why?:
Most favorite: London. It's somewhere I've always wanted to visit and seeing it with my own two eyes for the first time was absolutely magical. I cried....and I cry every time I leave. There's something about that city that just calls to me! Least favorite: Amsterdam. It was the first city I've ever really been lost in. The whole place is like a labyrinth of canals and small alleyways. We had limited time to explore, so getting lost/not being able to find certain attractions really put a damper on our time there. Plus, there really isn't any one thing I can remember being totally awesome about it. I feel like I need an Amsterdam re-do.

E) Event you've experienced abroad that made you say "wow":
Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle against the moonlight. Watching fireworks explode by the hundreds over the skyline of Wiesbaden, Germany on New Year's Eve. Walking out from the tube station on Westminster Bridge in London and seeing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament for the first time. Spending a week in a Tuscan villa with my entire family. Skiing down the Swiss Alps with the Matterhorn just feet away. Walking through the hills of Positano, Italy a few summers ago. Riding donkeys in Santorini, Greece. Watching snake charmers in the souks of Marrakech, Morocco. Walking the walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia. Almost too many "PINCH ME!" moments to count!

F) Favorite mode of transportation:
Can none be my answer? I hate the actual process of traveling...taking planes, trains, and cars to get to your final destination. I so wish teleportation devices really existed. I'd buy one in a heartbeat. BUT, if I had to pick just one mode of transport...I guess train travel would be the lesser of the evils. 

G) Greatest feeling while traveling:
When you finally arrive to your hotel, freshen up, and step out into whatever city your visiting to start exploring for the first time. The world seems so vibrant and "mine for the taking" in those first few exciting moments. It's an electric feeling!

H) Hottest place you've ever traveled to:
Probably Tulum, Mexico. We went at the end of July when it was super hot and humid. Wandering around Chichen Itza was almost unbearable.

I) Incredible service you've experienced and where?:
Aboard the Celebrity Reflection on our very first cruise around the Mediterranean. Impeccable EVERYTHING. We felt like spoiled rotten travelers after 12 days on that ship.

J) Journey that took the longest:
Definitely my trip to Uruguay. Our flight from Miami, FL to Sao Paulo, Brazil (one of 3 different legs of our journey) was just about 13 hours long. I remember coming home from that trip and having to cut off my ankle bracelet because my legs were so swollen from sitting on an airplane (and consuming so much salt in the form of sodas/mineral water since the tap water wasn't safe to drink in Uruguay) for so long.

K) Keepsake from your travels:
I typically bring back some little tchotchke from everywhere we travel (usually whatever handicraft that city is famous for) and put them on a bookcase in our living room. They're fun little conversation pieces when friends come to visit. We also love bringing home ornaments or local alcohol from places we travel.

L) Let-down sight, where and why?:
We were really disappointed with the inside of Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. It's GORGEOUS and so fairytale-like from the outside, but inside is just blahhhh. Probably because King Ludwig was only able to finish one level of the castle's interior before he died, but those are things they don't tell you until you've got the ticket in hand and are walking through the turnstiles. Such is life.

M) Moment where you fell in love with traveling:
Gosh, this is hard to pinpoint for me. I've always felt a need to travel, but I guess since we moved to Germany and lived in the heart of Europe for 3 years, you could say that's where I really ignited my love for seeing the world. Another rule of thumb: if I cry when arriving to or leaving a destination...you know it really, really meant a lot to me. Only a handful of places carry that bragging right.

N) Nicest hotel you've stayed in:
Sandals Ocho Rios in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Best food & service. Best room (can you say oceanfront honeymoon penthouse?!). Best beach. I still have dreams about that place...and our beautiful honeymoon! All-inclusive resorts are definitely the way to go. We're hoping to give another Sandals Resort a try now that we're back in the states. I'm thinking either St. Lucia or Grenada. :)

O) Obsession--what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?:
This might sound weird, but I have photos of manhole covers from every city I've ever visited. Most have the name and city seal on them, so they're like a photographic reminder of the city we visited. I know, I know. I'm strange. And I'm ok with that. :)

P) Passport stamps-how many and from where?:
I'd love to tell you I have 32 different passport stamps, but the truth is, even though we've traveled all over Europe, we only acquired a handful of stamps while living abroad. Interestingly enough, our Amsterdam stamps happened only because we were flying from the UK and had a layover there. In the EU, if you visit multiple Schengen countries (the 26 countries that have abolished immigration and passport checks at their common borders) then, of course, you miss out on stamps. It sucks, but travel isn't all about getting that stamp in your passport. It's about the memories you make while visiting that country! Shut up...I lie, it's fun getting stamped, isn't it? But for the sake of this question...we do have stamps from Mexico, Jamaica, the USA, St. Petersburg, Russia, Slovenia, San Marino, London, & Amsterdam...and I also have stamps from Uruguay and Brazil.

Q) Quirkiest attraction you've visited and where?:
I'd have to say the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour in London. It's not something I would have ever in a million years thought I go do, but the hubby loved every second of it. And I may or may not have turned into a Harry Potter fan because of it. We nerded out hard core that afternoon. ;)

R) Really Frightening: where's one place you've visited where you felt unsafe or uneasy?
I felt uneasy wandering the streets of Marrakech, Morocco. Some areas of the city are beautiful, but much of it is dirty, overcrowded, and a bit sketch. Having a military husband traveling with you everywhere you go definitely makes you see certain cities through cautious eyes. I also felt pretty on edge going through customs in St. Petersburg, Russia. Talk about a stare down for the ages. {{shivers}}

S) Splurge-something you have no problem spending money on while traveling:
Wine. Or cheese. Or a flight on a non-budget airline so I can bring all the luggage I want.

T) Touristy thing you've done:
More like what touristy thing HAVEN'T we done. The answer would be...we've done them all! My favorite might have to be our bus tour around Paris. And attending Oktoberfest in Munich. We love a good mix of touristy things and 'off the beaten path' type adventures.

U) Unforgettable travel memory:
It's impossible to pick just one!! I really loved this dinner from our first overnight trip in Germany. And cruising through the fjords in Montenegro. And watching the sunset sink into the ocean at midnight while our cruise ship was docked in St. Petersburg, Russia. Totally bananas. 

V) Visas-how many and for where?:
We haven't had to get a visa just yet...although we've traveled to Turkey & Russia where visas are needed for Americans. Without them being ports on our various cruises, we would have had to get visas for each country ourselves. That's one awesome thing about cruising...they take care of the travel grunt work for you!

W) Wine--best glass while traveling:
German Riesling Spatelese will ALWAYS rein supreme in my book! Living in German wine country proved to be quite rewarding and educational for this wine-loving gal. Getting to pick grapes along the Rhein River and then have it turned into bottles of wine I serve to our friends during gatherings at our house is just about the coolest thing we've ever done.

X) eXcellent view and from where?:
The views from the top of the Eiffel Tower were amazing, but I'm also partial to the stunning views we saw from the tiny country of San Marino and on the drive around Mt. Lovcern in Montenegro. And nothing beats standing atop the German, Swiss, or Austrian Alps. Getting up high is one of our favorite things to do while traveling! ;)

Y) Years spent traveling: Umm...I'm not sure I understand this question completely, but I've been traveling with my family since I was an infant. Most trips growing up were to the beach, Disney World, or somewhere around the US, but I was still traveling somewhere at least once a year. As of 3 years ago, D and I have been almost non-stop traveling. I like to think of us a tumbleweeds most days. Now that we're back stateside, we hope to explore more of the good 'ol USA, the Caribbean, and Central America.

Z) Zealous sports fans and where?:
Germany has some seriously whackadoodle sports fans. When the World Cup was going on a few months ago (before we left Germany for good), the streets were exploding with loud cheering, screaming, and car horns late into the night after Germany games. Germans were out wandering the streets (coming from bars and restaurants) covered in face paint and team jerseys. Traffic was HORRID coming in and out of downtown and around the football arenas (where they were having massive viewing parties). Wasn't hard to guess where all the cars were coming from as most were decked out with German flags. They take their fussball pride VERY seriously over there! We had a lot of fun joining in and cheering our host country on!

Take the challenge! Write up your own ABC's of travel and leave me the link to your post in the comments section!

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