I was fortunate enough to visit three new countries during two weekend trips, one through my study abroad group and one on my own. With so many amazing sights and memories, I attempted to recap the highlights of my excursions.
Munich, Germany
My friends and I headed to the Englischer Garten, a park bigger than Central Park. While walking around the park, I forgot I was in a metropolitan city since it was so peaceful and relaxing. Waterfalls, fountains and lakes accentuated the beauty of the nature all around.
After we decided to check out the Nymphenburg Palace, but we had to figure out how to get there. Every person we asked kept giving us different directions, so no one knew what to do. Eventually, we figured out how to get there and an hour later, we made it to the palace just in time to see the sunset. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen.
The palace outstretched everywhere and the water in front of it glistened with hues of pink and orange from the sun. Swans and other birds glided in the water to complete the beautiful scene.
My friends and I thought it would be the perfect place to get proposed to with the palace and sunset making the air so romantic. I still want to get proposed there at sunset.
An aspect that impressed me most about Munich was the city’s versatility. It has so many traits that mix together and give the city a wonderful personality of its own.
You can be in the middle of all the action near the city center of Marienplatz, retreat to the comfort of the suburbs or relax in the nature of the Englischer Garten. I could tell Munich has so much to offer and I only got a small glimpse into its personality. Danke sehr to München, I will never forget the big city that convinced me that maybe city life would not be such a terrible thing.
Salzburg, Austria
Once we arrived in Salzburg, we took the public transportation into the city center and walked around the Old Town, or the Altstadt. The area was perfectly located in the middle of multiple sites and it was easy to get around.
The Altstadt was so pretty, with the Alps, colorful buildings, water and bridges making Salzburg come to life. I couldn’t believe the beauty.
We got up and took a bus from the our hostel to the city center then to the Untersberg mountain. I bought a 24-hour city pass that let me see the mountain. There was a cable car that took visitors from the bottom to top of the mountain.
We got to see exquisite views of Salzburg and the Alps on the way up. I may have thought the ride up was special, but I didn’t know what I was in for when I got out of the cable car.
At the top, we got out of the cable car and walked into an observatory room. Outside of the room, we could walk along the very steep paths (without ledges) of the mountain and see the majestic views up close and personal.
I was truly speechless when I saw what was around me. The mighty Alps and the city’s landscape took my breath away. I had never seen anything so spectacular in my life. I felt so in awe that I was able to experience this moment. How many people get to go to the top of the Austrian Alps and witness such unbelievable wonder?
It had to be one of my favorite experiences from my trip because it was life-changing.
Lisbon, Portugal
In Portugal we visited dozens of street vendors. There were leather goods, books, music, clothes and jewelry as far as the eye could see. It was Lisbon’s flea market.
Dogs happily strolled in the streets, musicians played and I eagerly looked through the goods and watched the scene unfold. Getting a taste of the local culture was mesmerizing and intoxicating. We got to the point where we had to practice some self-control and leave the market before emptying our entire wallets in one place.
Lisboa’s stacked buildings, vibrant colors and essence of a seaside getaway provided a much-needed escape from the mounting stress of midterms and other schoolwork. I gained insight into so much more than the history, culture and stories of Portugal and Lisbon.
One of my highlights of the day was finding the flea market. I keep reminding myself to enjoy every minute I have this semester. Part of that requires me to truly let go of what I can’t control and focusing on what I can to make the most of my time.