Best of 2016

Happy 2017!

I know everyone says this, but how weird it is to see that combination of numbers together and know that it’s now?

For many (and for the world in general), 2016 was a tough, emotional year full of upheaval. On a personal front, 2016 was less volatile, perhaps, but still full of challenges. I moved to Budapest–and switched jobs after a miserable six months at my first one. I traveled to eleven countries and over 43 cities (see my 2016 Best of Travel). E and I hit our one-year wedding anniversary, and I’m rapidly approaching my one-year anniversary with Budapest.

Despite it being a year of…well, emotions, many of them negative…it had so many good moments. The last half of the year, especially, brought me so much joy, happiness, and peace.  I can only hope that trend continues–for me, and for the world to get some of that, too.

I just can’t start the new year without my traditional Best of List! (See my Best of 2015, Best of 2014, and Best of 2013!)

So, without further ado, here is the Best of 2016–in photos.

1: Starting off the New Year in the Montana mountains // 2: Skiing with my family in the first days of January // 3-9: Moving to Budapest and exploring our new home

10-12: Teaching is always a highlight (although the tour of a pen factory was not the best field trip) // 13: Winter sunsets // 14: Donuts, always // 15: Discovering Hungarian wine // 16: Sometimes Budapest is a literal movie set // 17: New restaurants around town // 18: Ruin pubs in Budapest

19: Obuda, a cute area of Budapest // 20: Budapest has some cutie coffeehouses // 21: Hungary national day in Parliament! // 22: Flowers from a student // 23-26: Spring arrives in Budapest! // 27: Discovered dippy eggs this year

28-31: Athens // 32-36: Santorini + Greek food, like moussaka and Greek yogurt

37: Easter time in Budapest // 38-39: Six-month wedding anniversary // 40-42: Exploring Vienna // 43-45: Exploring Bratislava

46: Bros on a field trip // 47-49: Exploring little Eger, including the famous wine cellars (!!) // 50: Love this building // 51: Layover in Paris // 52: Another crazy field trip, where the kids climb on old buildings // 53-54: E comes to teach a science lesson to my first-graders!

55-56: My sister’s bachelorette! // 57-59: Afternoon tea bridal shower // 60: Could my grandmother be any cuter, stylish, or more on theme?! // 61-62: Mr. and Mrs. Whiton! // 63: My baby on my last day in Montana

64-65: Euro Cup 2016! // 66: Ruin pubs in the summer are the best // 67: Summer break, and the end of one job // 68: Ria, ria, Hungaria // 69: Danube bridge party! // 70-71: Outside brunch with pals // 72: Summer camp in the countryside

73-74: Starting the Romania road trip in Sibiu // 75-77: E’s birthday in the mountains of Romania // 78-79: The amazing castles of Transylvania // 80-81: Colorful Sighisoara

82-84: A long layover in Copenhagen had us falling for the city // 85-87: One day in Bergen // 88-90: Fjord tour of Norway

91-99: Back in America! Family, friends, weddings, dogs, scenery, all the makings of a fabulous summer break.

100: The Irish road trip begins in Dingle // 101: Fungie the Dingle dolphin // 102: Dunquin Pier // 103: The stormy Irish coast // 104: Colorful Irish villages // 105: Ballinskelligs Castle // 106: Best porridge ever // 107: Hook Lighthouse // 108: Kilkenny

109: Loving our new flat! // 110: Random Roman ruins in Buda // 111: Participating in the Bake-Off Bake Along (and getting back into making bread) // 112-113: Oktoberfest in Munich // 114: Fall in our park // 115-116: One-year anniversary! // 117: Field trip with new students

118-121: A weekend in Slovakia with pals // 122: Halloween Festival // 123-124: Autumn in Budapest // 125-126: Cooking and baking, fall-style

127-135: Fall break in the breathtaking Slovenia! Starting in Lake Bled, seeing Piran, our homestay, Predjama Castle, Bohinj Lake and Ljubljana.

136: Friendsgiving // 137: Eger at Christmastime // 138-140: Meeting friends for Christmas markets in Germany // 141-144: The holidays in Budapest!

Hope your 2017 is off to a wonderful start! How do you like to start the new year?