Thursday 22 October 2015

Interrail adventure #6 | ROME PART 1

Well, who knew I'd be writing this while listening to Grease Lightning. Haha nothing better than a good old throwback. Anyways I'm excited to continue my Interrail adventure series with one of the last cities - beautiful Rome, capital of Italy and tourist centre ;) When we got there we had thunderstorms and overly humid days, which made exploring difficult and sadly some of my photos unusable. Fogged up pictures where I look barely alive just aren't that attractive. I still have tons tho hence I split this post into two parts so you guys don't have an essay to read. So this is part 1:

We reached Rome by train from Florence in the afternoon and checked into our cute little B&B. Vatican was on the radar for the evening and it was absolutely stunning! We were warned several times that it would take ages to get into St Peters Basilica but we were sorted within half an hour which was a pleasant surprise. Definitely go inside, but remember to cover your legs and shoulders otherwise you'll queue up for hours and end up not getting in. We also bought tickets to go up into the Dome and on top of the roof which was amazing. You could literally see Rome from above, and even though the stairs to the top were a nightmare it was totally worth it.

Hello Vatican City!


I recommend buying a scarf there, its really inexpensive and great to cover up!

Inside St Peter's Basilica...

...and on top of it



Probably my favourite picture

The evening was stunning!


We ended the day with a delicious seafood risotto and a beautiful sunset. Perfection!

The next day started with a visit to one of the stunning basilicas (no photos allowed) and then a walk around Rome's streets. It had stormed earlier that day so the sky was looking pretty cool and we found the building where the Pope holds his meetings when not in the Vatican. Pretty impressive plaza if you ask me (which he probably won't)..

basilica di santa maria maggiore

You can literally see where it's raining!



A fact is that I was really looking froward to seeing the famous Trevi fountain... However Rome decided that exactly when we were there the fountain had to be touched up and basically all you could see was absolutely nothing. No I'm not sulking, what you on about?

Well, I guess its still beautiful

Let's move on swiftly as we went to discover the Spanish Steps. They're basically a lot of steps that look really cool and attract a hell of a lot of people. Oh AND it was raining so everyone was fighting for their umbrella space.

tbh I think the umbrellas make this picture just that much better :)

dem steps
To tell you the truth we weren't quite so sure why the Spanish steps were famous from the bottom but the view from the top explains it. Though someone still needs to explain the Spanish part to me!


After that we WALKED all the way towards the Piazza del Popolo which was quite a journey but Rome is worth the pain. Like I found this super cute mini-apple tree which made my day - sad but true, ask my sister.


And so much greenery! Like it honestly felt like we were in some kind of jungle. Oh and not to mention the views! We were on a road that ran along a hill so we kept having the most amazing views of Rome.


Jungle hotel?

Aaaand finally the best views of Rome from the beautiful Piazza del Popolo which has a massive park right next to it and all on top of a hill. Kinda felt like a movie with little tricycles and someone playing the violin and SO MANY TREES!


*mandatory next to happy couple shot*
Ready for the piazza?


Why build one when you can build two identical ones? Duh! 😂

Walking back towards the centre along the river while the sun was setting was a very zen moment. Although I think it was kind of ruined by our feet feeling like a car had rolled over them. Oh well, it will only make us stronger won't it?

Ugh nature's beauty is just too much!

Last stop was the Piazza Navona, main piazza in Rome and centre of the (family-friendly) nightlife. Street artists absolutely everywhere, many of them making me feel very bad about myself. I mean, why can they ALL draw so amazing? Not fair :D

Piazza Navona

He was my favourite artist, his pictures were insane

Well this is the end of the first part of my Rome story, next up is the day we did the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Trust me, it's worth a blog post of its own. I also wanted to address the fact that tons of people warned us before going to Rome that it would be very dangerous and we should always watch our stuff and not let us get separated. We followed everyone's advice and NOTHING happened. No one even tried anything and people were really lovely. Now, we could just have been lucky, as when we were around there was lots of police everywhere as well. However my point is don't let other people's horror stories put you off travelling somewhere. Take them serious and act on them but don't let that stop you from having the best time ever. Because you will have a blast!

Also I am going to NY in two days (which I will write a post about) so my next post might be a while off, I'm really sorry. Here are links to all of my previous interrail adventures tho, so you don't get too bored ;)
#1 Paris
#3 Berlin
#4 Venice

Monday 12 October 2015

5 FUN WAYS TO STAY FIT

For me exercise is not about losing weight but maintaining a healthy lifestyle and staying fit. Moreover it helps me feel more balanced and reduce my stress levels. However I don't always feel like going on a run or to the gym (okay I never feel like doing that), especially now as it is getting chilly outside. So here are my ways to stay fit and actually enjoy doing so.



1) DANCE
I love dancing. It works out your entire body without you realising as you're just jamming to music. Whether you do this in your bedroom for half an hour or join an actual dance group doesn't matter. Let the music guide you and I promise you won't even feel like you're working out.

2) CYCLE EVERYWHERE
This is the easiest way to fit in your daily exercise. Instead of taking the bus to school or work, try cycling. It gets you outside and going without taking extra time out of your daily routine as you go places you actually need to go. You could also try just doing it for fun in e.g. a park and listen to music while enjoying the view around you.

3) SIGN UP FOR CLASSES/ A CLUB
Everyone has a sport or way of exercising they really enjoy. If you don't, you just haven't found it yet. Don't give up and try out a lot of new things that you think you might enjoy. I tried archery, fencing, tennis and aerobics and actually enjoyed all of them. I also want to join a cheerleading team when I have more time. Joining a class or club will ensure you don't chicken out of doing the exercise while at the same time it is becoming something you look forward to. Make sure you go to group classes as that way you will also get to know new people which will give you even more motivation not to give up ;)

4) ROLLER SKATING
Omg, I can't even tell you how much fun roller skating is. Grab your bestie, put on those skates and get moving. You can have a chat while enjoying the nature and working out your body. What more could you want?

5) CHANGE IT UP
Don't get stuck with just one workout routine. Changing up your exercises will make sure you work all kinds of muscles and don't get sick of working out. Also make sure you do it for the right reasons. Never exercise just to loose weight as it will certainly stop you from actually enjoying it. Work out because it makes you feel awesome and empowered - you will quickly see your body transforming and have a more positive outlook on life. After all, exercise can seriously reduce your risk of major illnesses, so what do you have to lose?


So now turn off your computer/phone and get yourself up and moving :D Oh but first tell me YOUR favourite way to exercise! I am always looking for new inspiration on how to stay active. Have fun!

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Wednesday 7 October 2015

Interrail adventure #5 | FLORENCE

This post has been long in the making and I am really sorry. I've been ridiculously busy and stressed hence couldn't find time and sadly passion to write a blog post. To be honest I just couldn't find the will power to do anything.. #fallblues
Anyways I'm so excited to be writing another interrail post and even more so because it is about the city with the most incredible views I have ever experienced. Trust me.

We stayed two nights in beautiful Florence. On the first afternoon we decided to stay in the city centre and explore the big cathedral 'Il Duomo' as well as the markets. The architecture was breathtaking and the markets had everything imaginable made out of leather. Oh and there was a massive food market with the most amazing dishes!

Il Duomo

Il Duomo's ticket office door

The freedom gate

Santa Maria Novella

Santa Croce

The next day was reserved for all the beautiful views Florence has to offer. We got up extra early because our first stop was the Piazza Michelangelo which is on top of a hill just outside Florence. We were still soaked by the time we made it to the top because at that point Europe was right in the middle of a heatwave. However it was SO worth it! You have to see this yourself one day.

Before the horror that is thousands of stairs


Aaaand after

Il Duomo in his whole glory

The famous house bridge 'Ponte Vecchio'

Chinese wall?

After that we made our way to see the Ponte Vecchio close up and it is SO CUTE. I mean, you can live on this bridge.

Ponte Vechhio
Venice?!


Definitely Venice... confusing

Aaaand then my sister really wanted to see the Pitti Palace that used to house the grand-dukes of Tuscany and later of the King of Italy. We bought a ticket to see the famous Boboli Gardens, which stretched over an immense area and took us hours to explore. Again the views were an absolute highlight.


Dream garden right there

When you don't have a hat but a large map... #budgetproblems

We have no idea what these statues are supposed to represent.

Literally no idea.

Chilling with my friend.


this is a GARDEN...

After that we had dinner which was a disappointment as we were given a massive cover charge. Make sure you ALWAYS ask BEFORE you eat about additional charges. On the bright sight we had an incredible sunset and found the cheapest ice cream in Florence. Believe me when I say this: I have never ever had an ice cream this delicious before. It tasted 200% like chocolate mousse + had the creamiest consistency ever. Go there when in Florence! (Gelateria la carraia)


Cotton candy skies

These are the beauties I was talking about.


That concludes our time in Florence. It was an overwhelming two days with stunning views and tons of new experiences. Have any of you been to Florence before?
Also stay tuned for the next part of my Interrail adventures in the probably most famous city in Italy. Any guesses? ;)


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