Amy and the Great World

Archives for January 2016

Hungary

And Tomorrow…Hungary!

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The next time we meet (which will be…whenever I have internet longer than twenty minutes!) I will have officially made the move to Budapest.

(I will, as always, be doing mini-updates on Instagram if you’d like to follow along: amygreatworld!)

These past few weeks have been a blur of holidays, family time, attempting to reconcile the fact that we are moving to Europe, again, and mostly just running around in a harried, surreal haze. I still can’t believe we are leaving tomorrow.

It’s giving me a bit of deja vu–it wasn’t SO long ago that I was contemplating giant piles of stuff and a giant move abroad, that time to Prague. This time is also a bit different–THIS time, we have jobs, a long-term apartment to stay in right away, and a few people we already know in the city. We also have a return date–at least a visit date!–for my sister’s wedding in May. It’s still hard not to compare, and hope that Budapest will treat us as well as Prague did.

Thanks so much for following along on my journey so far. This blog and this community always enriches my travels, and I’m so grateful for that. I can’t wait to share all about Budapest with you! If you’ve been or have any tips, I’d love to hear ’em. Or…if you live there, let’s be friends!!! 😉

See you on the other side!

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Writing

Best of 2015

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I feel like I just can’t truly usher in 2016 without one last farewell, through my traditional Best of List! (See Best of 2014 and Best of 2013).

Although I say it every year, 2015 was a big one. 13 countries (see my Best of 2015 in travel!). One engagement. One wedding. Six-week honeymoon. Countless cities and towns. And oh so much more! Here is the best of 2015–in pictures.

2016 1

1-9: Kicking off the New Year in Paris & Versailles

2016 2

10-11: Snowy Prague // 12-13: Teaching // 14: Valentine’s Day // 15: Graduation Prom, a Czech tradition // 16-17: Exploring Telč // 18: Beer with friends

2016 3

19-22: Venice! // 23: Burano // 24: Murano // 25-27: Getting engaged in Venice!

2016 4

28-29: More teaching // 30: Café Louvre // 31: Care packages // 32-33: Karlovy Vary for Easter // 34-36: Prague in the springtime

2016 5

37: A more interesting item confiscated, the joys of teaching // 38: Czech food! // 39: “Choose to be happy” // 40-41: Meeting G & C in Budapest! // 42: Showing off Prague // 43: Dublin, Ireland (and a certain library)  // 44-45: The Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland

2016 6

46: Sunny days in Praha // 47: Fun with fellow teachers // 48: Free “Night of the Churches” in Prague // Wedding “research” // 49: K, my cousin, visits! And we drink beer in a cool cellar // 50: Train bar! Where the drinks arrive on trains // 51: St. Wenceslas Vineyard // 52-53: Plzen & the Pilsner Urquell factory tour

2016 7

54: Last days of teaching! // 55: My parents come to Europe! // 56: Sound of Music tour in Salzburg // 57: Mittenwald, quick stop on the road trip around Austria, Germany, & Czech Republic // 58: Neuschwanstein // 59: Munich // 60: The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets // 61: Loket // 62: One last Prague selfie

2016 8

63-65: Hot Prague in the summer // 66: E’s family visits! // 67: Segway tour of Prague // 68: A day trip to Rathen, Germany // 69: Dresden // 70: Karlštejn Castle // 71: A return to the adorable Česky Krumlov

2016 9

72: Croatian sunsets // 73: Cats on the Med // 74: Perast, Montenegro // 75: Kotor, Montenegro // 76: Kayaking in Dubrovnik // 77: Croatian wine makes for a happy girl // 78: Korčula of the clearest water ever // 79: Hvar Island // 80: Scooting around an island in Croatia

2016 10

81: The best fish ever in Hvar at the best Airbnb ever // 82: The alleys of Dubrovnik // 83: English week in the Czech mountains // 84: Last days in Prague // 85: Café Savoy // 86: My birthday in London! // 87: Afternoon tea in England // 88-89: A dream come true, Harry Potter studios

2016 11

90: Meeting Jessi in London // 91-92: Return to America // 93: Seattle // 94: Sailing on Lake Washington // 95: Beautiful Seattle // 96-97: Wedding prep! // 98: Engagement pics // 99: Bachelorette!

2016 12

100-108: Our wedding day, my new favorite day!

2016 13

109-117: Our honeymoon–six weeks in Costa Rica and Panama

2016 14

118: Greg’s birthday in Denver, Star Wars day! // 119: Thanksgiving in Olympia // 120-123: Christmas in Montana // 124-125: NYE at a cabin in the woods // 126: Starting off the New Year with a family ski day!

Hope your 2016 is off to a great start! Do you like to review your previous year, or are you full-steam ahead? 

Travel

2016 Travel Wishlist

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Happy New Year!!!

I hope your 2016 is off to a lovely start. I rang in 2016 with a huge group of friends in a tiny forest service cabin in the Montana wilderness. It was fun, relaxing, blissful and all-around amazing to get back into the wilderness for a bit–even a wilderness where we had champagne, a keg, and fresh Ciabatta bread ;).

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A new year is a great time for taking stock and making goals for the new year, as we all know. I’ve moved away from specific resolutions as I hardly ever keep them and end up feeling guilty, and that’s no fun! However, I always like to make a list of some general goals to work towards in the new year. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to all of you, but I always include some TRAVEL goals and let’s face it, those are some of the most fun ones to make!

2015 was my biggest travel year yet. Although I will be moving to Hungary in just a few weeks, I don’t expect 2016 to be quite as travel-filled, as I will be coming back to the States in May for my sister’s wedding, so a lot of money will be reserved for that. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be taking advantage of my European location!

Hungary

I suppose this one is obvious since I am moving there in just a few weeks!!!! Still, I am looking forward to exploring more of Budapest and the rest of Hungary. Eger and Pecs are at the top of my list! I can’t wait to find more off-the-beaten-track places just like we did in the Czech Republic. Although my first contract is only for six months, I hope to extend so we can really get to know the Hungarians and their culture. I guess this means I should make yet another Bucket List!

Romania

As I will be neighbors with this country, it’s high time to visit the region, Transylvania, that I’ve wanted to visit since reading Dracula a decade ago. Every time I see a picture of this gorgeous area, I immediately want to jump on a plane! It looks so naturally gorgeous, and I love me a cute little village in a spectacular setting.

Slovenia

We were this close to visiting Slovenia last year, but our need to leave the Schengen zone quickly had us going straight to Croatia, rather than going to both Slovenia and Croatia. It’s also a neighbor of Hungary, so it’s time. There is so much to see in this tiny, undiscovered little country–from Lake Bled to Piran on the Mediterranean coast!

Italy

Somehow, I’ve only been to two cities in Italy! I would love to visit Rome and the Amalfi Coast, and Florence and Tuscany. I’m not sure both will be able to happen this year, but I hope to visit one of these regions! E really wants to visit Rome near Easter–it sounds awesome and yet crazy!

Western Canada

I will be coming back to America in both May and July, once for my sister’s wedding and once for the wedding of a dear friend. Along with visiting family, I’d like to visit the western part of Canada. I’ve been to Seattle countless times, but never to Vancouver, which seems like a crime! Also, considering I lived in a state right below some of the most beautiful areas of Canada for a large chunk of my life, it’s a shame I have yet to visit any of this part of the world.

Switzerland/Germany

I’ve been obsessed with the German Christmas markets ever since last year, and if we spend another Christmas in Europe, you bet I will be back! I would also love to re-visit the gorgeous Switzerland–I haven’t been in over a decade, and E has never visited!

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Greece 

If we hadn’t needed to leave Europe for visa reasons, I think we would have been all over Greece as a honeymoon spot (although I can’t say I was disappointed in our choice of Costa Rica and Panama!). I’ve wanted to visit both mainland Greece and the islands for as long as I can remember, I hope this is the year we can make it happen!

What’s on your 2016 travel wish list?

Linking up with Emma, Jessi and Angie! 

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