BK and I love to travel, learning about new places and cultures through language, food, traditions, and anything else you might allow yourself to experience through travel. We mark the new places we've been to with red pins on our map, and have quite a few marked with blue and white from when we've been pre-BK & LK.
Here's our list of destinations!
BK and I loved Amsterdam and hope to return there again at some point. This city is way more than prostitutes and pot, which tends to be immediately what people go to when you mention you've been there. The city is very walkable, has great architecture, a rich history and some great shopping.
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Austria is a beautiful country, not too far from Switzerland. We've been to Salzburg and Vienna. In addition to landmarks in the cities there are castles and other landmarks that provide an in-depth look at Salzberg, Vienna and Austria's long history of domination, and eventual fall, throughout Europe.
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We went to Barcelona for our 10-year anniversary, and really enjoyed it. The architecture is beautiful, the people are welcoming, and the weather is typically great. We loved all of the sites, the food and the wine, and would probably go back if we get the chance.
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Basel was home for these two horned frogs abroad for our first year and a half. It's a great city that sits on the borders of Switzerland, France and Germany. It is one of the lowest places in Switzerland, so you won't see any snow-capped mountains from our apartment. We live on the Rhine River, which is bustling with people during the warm months.
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In Belgium we visited Brussels, Oostend, Bruge and Gent. You can get from Brussels to any of these cities very easily by train. We did a number of tours in Belgium, including a beer and chocolate tour. Beer was for BK and chocolate was for me. Brussels is a very walkable city, easy to get around and very pleasant even in the rain!
Berlin is an amazing city that really wowed me with how far it's come since all the destruction during WWII. Like most cities in Europe, it is full of history, but this one stands out because of all the significant WWII and Cold War impacts.
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BK and I visited Cancun about five years ago with his family. We've both been to various places in Mexico- him primarily resorts, me for study abroad. We did lots of laying on the beach and at the pool, did some shopping in town, but no clubbing (not really our thing). Honestly, if you want an easy tropical vacation, Mexico is probably a good option, but not our first choice on destinations.
We visited Costa Rica for my 30th birthday, traveling to two parts of the country: Arenal Volcano region and Manuel Antonio. Costa Rica is somewhat developed, but has also plenty of areas that make you feel that you are in uncharted territory. I love that it's not super developed and has preserved a lot of the natural beauty of the country. You should go if you have the chance!
We travelled to Denver for BK's 30th birthday (a little different than Costa Rica, but his was a few years prior to mine). It was just a long weekend; the weather was quite chilly, but it was nice and sunny. We enjoyed downtown Denver, ventured to the Coors brewery and BK partook in some of the smaller local brews as well. It was a great little getaway at the time to celebrate a pretty significant milestone in BK's life.
If your team ever gets selected to go the Fiesta Bowl, you should go and support them. The Frogs travelled here in 2010, and Scottsdale was a wonderful host. The city has great shopping areas and offers many delicious restaurants. It's also typically a sunny climate, which can be nice in the middle of winter.
France
France is so close, but a country that we haven't seen much of outside of Paris. BK and I had our first weekend away in Bourgogne (Burgundy), but other than that have been a bit limited in France. It is a huge country, with lots to see, so hopefully I'll be adding more soon!
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Germany
France is so close, but a country that we haven't seen much of outside of Paris. BK and I had our first weekend away in Bourgogne (Burgundy), but other than that have been a bit limited in France. It is a huge country, with lots to see, so hopefully I'll be adding more soon!
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Germany
Greece is an amazing place (as I'm sure I've said about many of our destinations). BK and I spent about 10 days in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. Each place you visit in Greece has its own personality and you must decide what you're looking for before going- Athens is history, Mykonos is partying, Santorini is relaxation and I'm honestly not sure about Crete (not enough time there).
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Long Island is a really nice place to visit- there's a North and South Fork, which to me were very different places. The North Fork is really calm and is dotted with wineries and not too much high tone property like the South Fork. We visited in the fall, so the weather was cool, nothing was crowded and all of the accommodations are affordable. This makes a great little weekend getaway from NYC.
India
BK's the only one who has been to India, and not only has he been, he worked there for five weeks. From what he says, it is a very different experience, and once you step outside of your hotel compound you are thrust into a truly developing country. He did get to visit the Taj Mahal, which he says is one of the most magnificent things he has ever seen, and one of the only reasons he would go back. Maybe one day the two of us will travel there together.
Ireland
Istanbul
Ireland
Istanbul
BK and I have pretty much done all of Italy- Florence, Pisa, Tuscany, Venice and Rome. Not that there aren't other places to see in Italy, but we feel like we've hit many of the big ones and now want to explore some other countries as well. We went in 2010 with some friends and have continued to go since moving to Europe. Each place is so different. Many people have asked which one is the best…it's hard to say, as they all have so much beauty and so many different things to offer.
I think Japan is where we really caught the travel bug bad. We went with my dad, stepmom and sister in 2010 (a big travel year for us). My dad was born there and he wanted to go back to visit. We worked our way South from Toyko, hitting Kyoto, Myajima Island (near Hiroshima) and Fukuoka. It was a completely different experience and one that really opened our eyes to a very different culture and history.
Luzern is a place in Switzerland I would go back to over and over again. I wouldn't necessarily go back for the city itself, but more for the other places along the lake- Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi. Both places are beautiful and offer breathtaking views of Switzerland and the Alps.
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Montreux
BK and I LOVE Napa Valley. It's one of our favorite places to visit and vacation. I think we like going back so much because there are so many different wineries and restaurants to try each time we go. BK is really the one who loves learning about and discovering different wines. 2013 is one of the first years we haven't been, but I'm sure we'll return soon.
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BK and I have been to NYC a number of times. It holds a special place in our hearts, as it's where BK proposed. He proposed at Cherry Hill in Central Park and we've been back a couple of times since. It's a fun place to visit, but not sure that we'd be up for living there full time. When we talk to people in Europe it's the place they want to go in the US, right along with California. We haven't ever been in the winter, so hopefully that will be our next trip there!
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Paris was an amazing trip, but I think BK and I need a do-over with the city. It was so freaking cold when we were there, but the sites are amazing. Unfortunately because of the weather we didn't get to enjoy just walking along the river and enjoying the city. I would give yourself at least three to four full days there to really see everything you would want to see. Even though I think we should see it again, I have a feeling we'll explore other parts of France first.
Portugal
Prague
Ah, Rio. This is totally what you picture when you think about Brazil. Outside of the traffic, the vibe is laid back and very beachy. The Corcovado and Sugar Loaf provide amazing views of the city and surrounding area. They have lots of work to do before the World Cup and Olympics come to their city, and I'll be really interested to see how that goes!
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Romania…the land of Dracula, right? Romania has lots more to offer than just Dracula's castle. Brasov is a pretty cool place, a small mountain town with scenic views and lots of untouched nature. In addition to Brasov, we also visited Bucharest, which is a city working through the push and pull of the present and past. It's a great place if you get the chance to go.
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Rome was our last pre-baby destination that we wanted to make sure and see. We had three full days there, which was a good amount of time to see all of the big sites. Hire a tour guide if you can, as it will help you navigate around the city. There are so many amazing things to see and so much history to soak up. I would absolutely go back to visit again and you should get there as soon as you can!
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Not only was the Rose Bowl awesome because TCU beat Wisconsin, when no one thought they would, but it was just a great, iconic thing to experience. The Rose Bowl Parade is a must see if you ever get the chance, and there is so much more to do around the area, especially around the New Year.
There is one word to describe Sao Paulo: traffic. It goes as far as the eye can see, as does the urban sprawl of the city. I'm not sure I would recommend it if you're on vacation, but we were there for part business, part vacation. Parts of Sao Paulo are safe, but be cautious of where you're headed and what time of the day you're going.
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Spain
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Venice is one of the most unique places we've ever been, and for some reason at the time it didn't dawn on me that there are really no cars there. You get around the city on the canals and by foot, which is a really cool experience. There are tons of historical places to see, along with amazing architecture throughout the city.
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Zermatt
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