Let’s Go Somewhere, Anywhere…Everywhere

(print available at The Dreamy Giraffe)

Hi friends! So every now and then I share a bit about places around the world in my Smile Files but really I’m always dying to share way way more. Travel is something that makes me really happy and so I’ve decided to start sharing that bit of joy with you. I haven’t decided what to call this little new travel section, but I knew how I wanted to start it…by sharing some of my favorite places with you. So let’s get started!

(image via Wiki Commons, text added by me)

This is the Mosque-Cathedral in Córdoba, Spain. I traveled all over Spain–Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla and Córdoba and while all of it was lovely this place in Córdoba is magical. The Mosque Cathedral is not only a beautiful place, but it’s also a very history laced place turned from a medieval Islamic mosque to a Christian Catholic cathedral then divided into a mosque / cathedral during the Islamic Conquest and then back to a Catholic cathedral.

I have some pretty disappointing and sad feelings about the ongoing lobbying regarding this place of worship, which I honestly just learned about while writing this post. It puts a thorn in the memory, but I just couldn’t leave the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba off my list. It’s the most beautiful man made place I’ve ever seen and when I was standing there I honestly began to get teary eyed. I truly hope this place becomes a place of dual worship again, it is too beautiful to have such a stain.

London, England has a super special place in my heart. I spent some time there for work and have made some very very close friends in this wonderfully diverse city. There are A LOT of things I just adore about this place…The Tate Modern,  The London Tower Bridge, Kate Middleton(!), but one of the best parts of this city for me is the FASHION. The street style in London is just incredible! It is bold and amazing and I couldn’t help but stare. London is also a city that I feel like I could totally belong in, it has the hustle, nuance, and grit of New York, but with a much more charming accent :).

If you want to unplug Tulum, Mexico is definitely the place. The hotel we stayed in consisted of little rooms that had no outlet. The only place where there were outlets to plug in even a hair dryer was the main common room that was decorated with a picnic table and some mats on the floor. But who needs your phone when there is an ocean, ruins and cenotes to explore.

Side note: Maybe there are more hi-tech places in this area to stay but I really do encourage you to try one of the tiny hotels on the beach. They are privately owned and often the owners are living on the grounds. The adorable couple who owned our hotel cooked dinner for us and the husband used to strum his guitar while his wife cooked…I HATE that I can not find it any longer. I hope it’s not gone :(. But another charming place to stay was Tita Tulum, which was just a short walk down the beach. PS- there were times when we were literally the only people walking on this gorgeous stretch of powder sand. Amazing.

(image from Budapest Travel Guide)

Budapest, Hungary is a very very unique place. For me the city feels very dense and exotic, but what I really found exceptional was the thermal bath culture there. There is an abundance of thermal baths and natural saunas that date back to the Celts and Romans and they are AMAZING! Locals and tourist alike come to the spas to relax and unwind and doctors will often prescribe certain spas for particular ailments…p.s. I witnessed this! Several people came to the admittance window with a prescription note in hand!

But honestly I NEVER in my whole life have felt so clean and clear. The natural sauna combined with the different temperatures of thermal baths are just extraordinary. But don’t expect to be pampered! All the spas I visited had a come as you are and tend to yourself kind of atmosphere. Here is a great resource for thermal baths in Budapest.

(image from Wiki Commons)

Saint Gilgen is still the most peaceful place I’ve ever been, I’ve never seen so many stars in my whole life and the lake in the summer was warm and clear. The only food you’ll find around St. Gilgen is sourced locally and so everything just tastes wonderful. We stayed at the Hotel Schernthaner, which is a lovely piece of Austrian welcome…super homey and comfortable.

I’ll be off to Austria soon to visit my dad and get a much needed dose of relaxation. I hope we’ll get to take a trip St. Gilgen while I’m out there.

So friends these are just a handful of my fave memories…expect to see more ( 🙂 ) with a dose of places I’m just dying to visit! Any favorite travel memories from you?! I’d love to hear/see/experience them!