España!

I still can't believe I'm finally in Spain. The town of Ferrol is a small town where everyone knows each other and where everyone values good, simple living. I think I will be very happy here. Below are a few pictures of Maria's house, the great food her husband Julio makes, downtown Ferrol, the beach and our apartment:) Enjoy!

The port of Ferrol where the Navy ships are made

There are tons of old fashioned buildings like the one below all over el centro

 Maria's idyllic home 15 minutes outside of el centro

Santa Comba beach near Maria's house

Laura, Maria and I

Yummy Spanish food!! Torta de papa, empanada de atun, y ensalada de tomate

More yummy food...Maria's husband is a great cook!

Deep fried pulpo (octopus)

Our apartment building! Don't mind the Dental sign there are tons of shops and offices at the bottom of each building in Ferrol

My roomie Laura in our living room (the apartment comes fully furnished)

The master bedroom

Laura and I eating pinchos, which are a Spanish snack that are given free at any cafe or bistro before lunch time :)

Our third roomie Miss Callie from Birmingham, Alabama

Well that's all for now. I will update with more pics and info soon once I get settled!

Last day in London

My last day in London was jam packed. In the morning I went to the British Museum. I heard it was huge and would probably take a day to see but I wanted to at least see and hours worth. Unfortunately, I got lost and that hour shrunk to 15 minutes...hahaha! Fortunately, I did get to see the Rosetta Stone:) The British Museum will definitely be something I want to revisit on my next London trip (oh yes, there will be a next). 

Directly after the British Museum I booked it to Buckingham Palace and saw the changing of the guards. There were easily a thousand people there to witness it. Although the changing of the guards is a daily occurrence, there's something about this awe inspiring, age old tradition. 

Later on I enjoyed a Sunday roast with my friend Ethan and saw the opera, The Makropulos Case at the London Coliseum. 

Overall, it was a wonderful trip and I can't wait to come back!

British Museum

Rosetta Stone

Buckingham Palace

London Coliseum

London Day 4

Day 4 in London was mostly a chill day. I visited Tower of London, Tower Bridge and hung out with my friend, Steph.

Tower of London is a famous fortress on the north bank side of the River Thames. It was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and is the site where Anne Bolyn was beheaded. Tower Bridge is located near the Tower of London and is the image most people think of when they hear of London Bridge. 

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

Steph and I eating Fish N' Chips

Chinatown

London Eye and Big Ben at night

Big Ben

Leicester Square

Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge - Day 3

The Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge tour was probably the highlight of my London trip. I was especially excited to see Stonehenge, one of the former Seven Wonders of the World.

The tour departed from the Victoria Coach Station and our first stop was Windsor Castle. Along the way our tour guide, Pat, explained that Windsor Castle is one of the five major properties the Queen resides in. Two are privately owned and the others are famously known as Buckingham Palace and  the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Let me tell you,Windor Castle is huge! It's one of the oldest and largest occupied castles in the world. Inside the gates of the castle was also St. George's Chapel (many royal couples were married and are buried here).

Standing next to a Beefeater (don´t ask me why they call them that)

After Windsor Castle, we moved on to Bath. This city was absolutely beautiful. I would have loved to have stayed a couple days here. 

This historic town is situated 97 miles from London. Bath was first established as a spa resort in Roman times after the discovery of hot, natural, mineral water springs. The city was originally given the name Aquae Sulis by the Romans in AD 43. After the fall of Rome, Bath was abandoned and later rediscovered and reconstructed.

Bath Abbey

Last, but certainly not least, Stonehenge. This site has been a mystery over the past several centuries. It is estimated that it was created around 2500 BC. Although know one knows for certain the stones original purpose it's impossible to deny the sites enchanting and ancient lure. 

This day was a long day (11 hour tour) but completely worth it. I recommend this experience to anyone!