On our last day in Edinburgh, we walk to Holyrood Park to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse. On our way, we pass through a cemetery in a park, and of course, we see the castle again. We walk the Royal Mile and continue on Canongate, an iconic street where we […]
Edinburgh , Europe , Scotland , travel
Edinburgh – Dean Village
After having surrounded the castle on foot on our first day, I am eager to visit it but quickly find out that there is a steep entrance fee that does not even include a guided tour and that it is quite overrun and crowded with tourists every day. My friend […]
Edinburgh , Europe , Scotland , travel
Edinburgh – First Impressions
After leaving the Isle of Islay the same way we got there (ferry and bus), we are quickly disenchanted with our airbnb in Glasgow, the apartment itself and the location in the city—in fact, with the city itself. We make a snap decision to abandon it (our host graciously reimbursed […]
Isle of Islay , Scotland , travel , whisky
Isle of Islay – Portnahaven
From Glasgow, we take a bus to Kennacraig where we catch the ferry to the Isle of Islay. It’s a whole-day trip all in all, but we get to see the Scottish countryside and several Loch’s from the bus, and the ferry ride is also very nice. In Port Askaig […]
Scotland , travel
Glasgow – People’s Palace, Modern Art Museum, Cathedral, Kelvingrove Museum
The People’s Palace in Glasgow is set into a park (I love parks) and has a tall and imposing fountain in front with Queen Victoria on top. From the outside, the palace doesn’t really look like much, but inside it offers an engaging experience. The museum is free, like most […]
culture , Romania , travel
Snagov Monastery, Mogoșoaia Palace
My father wanted to go outside of Bucharest, just to see what the countryside looks like in Romania. Of course, the landscape varies from region to region, but to get just a glimpse of it, I booked a half-day tour to Snagov. We are picked up at a nearby hotel […]
Bucharest , culture , Romania , travel
Bucharest – Village Museum
I take my dad to Muzeul Satului because several Romanian friends have encouraged me to go since I arrived here. It’s in the Herăstrău Park in the north of Bucharest, and I still didn’t see it yet. It’s a hot May day, lovely for a park outing. The lady at […]
Bucharest , Romania , travel
Bucharest – Restaurants, mostly Fish
My dad is a self-proclaimed foodie, and I have to say he really does enjoy good food and wine, and importantly is able to distinguish good quality from the mediocre. Of course, I had to take him to good restaurants, but also wanted to show him a few typical Romanian […]
Bucharest , culture , Romania , travel
Bucharest – Parliament Palace
My father visited me in Bucharest for a week—what a lovely surprise when he threw his concerns over board and decided to come to see me. It was even lovelier to watch him completely revise his opinion about Romania, which used to be steeped in prejudice about the Romanian people. […]
Bucharest , culture , Romania , travel
Bucharest – History Walking Tour
After getting back to Bucharest and saying goodbye to my friend, I go on another walking tour—this one is called “From Monarchy to Communism” and goes through the history of Romania’s four kings, Romania’s involvement in the two world wars, the communist regime, the Romanian revolution, and what came after. […]