Interrail adventure #7 | MILAN

This is it. We have reached the end of my Interrail adventure series with the beautiful city of Milan. Before going into the blogpost I want to address the terrible events that are happening in France and all over the world at the moment. I hope all of you out there and your loved ones are okay. Too many innocent victims lose their life everyday and Paris just made us all aware of that again. Please be loving, caring and passionate towards other human beings during this difficult time. Pray for those who have pointlessly been killed and those who are mourning. Pray for the world and a better tomorrow and help make it come about. Because together we will stay strong and get through this!
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Milan. A beautiful city that has a special place in my heart. I went there most excited for the shopping and ended up not buying one thing but enjoying a day full of dance, architecture and a stunning sunset. Milan totally surprised me and I loved every minute of the day we spent there.

First of all we made our way to the famous Cathedral, a wonder of architecture that will take your breath away. Or in my case make you scream really loud in excitement :D

Rocking the sunnies

Right next to it we found the shopping mall Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II which is as amazing as its name. However the shops were all incredibly pricey (hello gucci and prada) so we were literally just walking through it without even going into the shops. Just like most other people were!

Next stop was the Castello Sforzesco (dont even try pronouncing it) which was pretty impressive from the outside but I am SO GLAD we went inside. It wasn't planned but I really needed to fill up my water bottle (we hoped there would be a water fountain). Instead we found a tent with lots of people just dancing (incredibly talented) and couples of all ages twirling around. I got asked to dance but, since I sadly have never learnt any ballroom dances, had to decline. The atmosphere was so fun tho and we really enjoyed ourselves. The castle also has a massive garden which we explored. I think we ended up spending most of the day in the castle :)

The castle

And its 'normal sized' garden

The day ended with us having dinner near the Navigli river which was delicious. We strolled down the riverside afterwards and just enjoyed the atmosphere of everyone being happy, enjoying their meal and watching the sunset. It was such a nice day and I'd love to go to Milan anytime again.

We also passed some... interesting... artwork. And a ghost (aka me)

Dolls??

And of course a snail..

Navigli

I truly hope you liked my interrail adventure series. Which city was your favourite? Thanks for all the love and nice words I have received! Lots of love.

All my Interrail adventures:

#1 Paris

#2 Amsterdam

#3 Berlin

#4 Venice

#5 Florence

#6 Rome Part 1

      Rome Part 2 

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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We Heart It

5 things I want to achieve this year

I know we're way into 2015 now, but it is never too late for a motivational post (that's what I think anyways). I don't really believe in the whole new year new me stuff, but I do believe in making the best out of  every year. We get the opportunity to fill another 12 months with experiences, memories and life lessons. Let's not waste it!

1. Spend more time offline

The Internet has become a massive part of my life, even more so now that I have started blogging. However I feel like I often 'waste' my time while on the Internet. Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest keep me online for hours but not in a very productive way. I see all these accounts of people who travel, meet new people and try out new things and always admire them. This year, instead of just looking at other people's amazing lives online, I want to make my own life just as amazing. I want to try out new sporting activities, do a backpack tour (ALREADY PLANNED) and meet new people! With all the support you find online, it is often hard to remember that there is a real world out there which yearns to be explored (haha I'm being cringy now).

2. Take more photographs

Through my blog and my art course I have started to realise just how much I love photography. Capturing beautiful things wherever I go has become my passion. Looking at the photographs and being proud of them is the best feeling in the world. In 2015 I want to take even more pictures and learn more about how to make them look their best!

3. Maintain friendships

In my perfect life I would be living surrounded by all my friends. However this is not the case in real life, and as we all move on with our lives, I sometimes find it hard to keep up friendships. Memories are more easily forgotten than you'd think and the saying 'Out of sight, out of mind' becomes reality. I need to find the time to meet old friends and make an effort to keep in contact. A simple 'How are you?' on whatsapp can go a long way. Don't forget what big part your friends have played in your past - give them a chance to be in your future!

4. Start cooking and baking

Recently I have really gotten into healthy eating. One day each week I eat vegan and overall I just try and eat food that is good for you. Since my family agrees with healthy eating but isn't really into being vegan or overly healthy baking, I have started to cook/bake more. I made the banana bread from Living The Healthy Choice as well as my own Healthy Oatmeal Cookies. In 2015 I want to keep cooking and baking healthy and increasingly often vegan.

5. Stand up for what I believe in

This is one of the reasons I created this blog. I wanted to share my thoughts and connect with people that feel the same way. I still find myself being shy when it comes to standing up for my opinion. I want to start being confident about my believes and passions. This should include telling my friends about this blog, as it is something I really believe in and am passionate about. Right now I am too scared to do so, but this year I want to tell people about my little space on the Internet. I want to find the courage to shout it out loud! (wow.... way to go Bell)

I hope this inspired you to make something of 2015! What do you want to achieve this year? 

Also you might have realised I changed my URL. Long story short I just found the old one wasn't fitting anymore, so I decided to change it to http://bellsantiago.blogspot.co.uk/. Moreover I am contemplating naming the blog 'My little space'. What do you think? Do you want a full blogpost explaining it?

Love you lots!

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