Tag: Castle

• Burg Eltz

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on July 2, 2020

  Many moons ago, I saw a photo online of a beautiful castle in Germany. I knew nothing about this castle, but I knew I had to see it in real life. I tucked the thought into the back of my mind for as long as I can remember, but on my recent weekend getaway with Galiya and Austin we drove 6 hours round trip in one day just to see this castle.

  It was worth every minute of the drive. 

  

  We left our Freiburg Air B & B around 0900, and arrived at Burg Eltz around noon. I anticipated this would be a busy time to visit, and it was. Because of this I didn’t manage to go inside the castle, but we walked around the grounds for a better view.

  

  I wish I had more information about the castle from a formal tour, but what I do know is that this castle was untouched by the war, and is owned by the same family from when it was built. The castle is tucked into the woods, and required a 20 minute walk from a small parking area through forests of trees and valleys.

  

  We stayed in the area for a little over an hour, walking around the exterior and soaking in the views. Austin took a handful of photos of Galiya and I in front of the castle, and these are some of the first photos of myself I have seen in a long time that I didn’t hate.

  It’s taken me a long time to feel “comfortable” in my bigger body, but moments like this are huge victories for the disordered eating voice in my head. 

  

  I have an average build these days, but I sometimes catch myself looking at photos of myself when I was quite small. The days of dedicated running (to the point of anxiety and physical fatigue), the days of a plant based diet (unknowingly eating WAYYY too few calories for my activity levels), the days of stress and an emotionally abusive relationship (causing me to go extended periods, and at times full days without eating.)

  Yeah, the unsustainable and unrealistic lifestyle that brought forth a tiny frame. 

  At the time, I didn’t realize what I was going through/doing was problematic. The bucket full of water finally tipped over, and it has taken me a long, LONG time to get to the point I am today. It wasn’t until this past September that I started consistently eating more calories. I’ve gained weight, and with the extra pounds I also gained back my period.

  Anytime I look at myself in photos or a mirror and start to feel unhappy with my body I remind myself how far I’ve come. 

  

  I am far from perfect, food allergies will always be a fickle thing to navigate with a disordered eating history, but I am getting better each day. Accepting my body where it is in this current moment has allowed me to fully enjoy my experiences and to be present. It makes a world of difference when I travel with people who understand I have to eat certain foods to ensure I feel well, which automatically lowers my overall anxiety.

  I am thankful I can look back on this castle visit with nothing but positive memories. All of my travels have had some positives associated with them, but a lot of them have also had moments of struggle, where food choices took over my mind in an omnipotent way. At the end of the day all that matters is that I feel well, and while this is never a guarantee with Sjogrens Syndrome, I do my best to make positive choices everyday.

  

  My adventures require planning, sometimes days prior to the day of activity. Adequate rest, hydration, stress management, and most importantly food. I pack bags of Brittany friendly foods to ensure I have enough to eat on these longer days out and about. This not only keeps my brain happy, but it makes life easier for everyone involved.

  I’ve only recently found a balance with this way of life mentally. I would travel solo because it made life easier, but automatically shutting others out because I assume they will be burdened by my needs is a disservice to all involved. My company is just as worthy as anyone else’s, even if I don’t have the same flexibility as others.

  

  Life is not perfect, just like this “real life” view of how the castle looked on this day. Lots, and lots of humans.

  These last two posts about my weekend getaway have both had a deeper story mixed within the photos of castles and new cities. I may divagate from the original subject, but the two topics still conflate in a way. As I continue to heal from the inside out emotionally, I find the moments I feel the most progress being made, are the moments I share with specific people.

  For so long I have tried to “heal” myself with my lifestyle choices, but that’s not how this works. We can eat the most perfect Eden like foods, rest often, meditate daily, but without healing the loneliness deep within a human soul the other actions are moot. I believe this now more than ever.

  

  It is so easy for me to fall into the black holes of “I am too much of a burden” with my limitations in life, but this has brought me NOTHING but emptiness. Those who want the best for me will always move towards me, and those who don’t…wont. At the end of the day who wants to be around those who don’t want the best for them? Certainly not me.

  Q: Do you have any limitations that make you feel like a handful at times? If I don’t bring my own food when I go out and about I feel extremely anxious with other people. I like being prepared so that I don’t keep everyone waiting while I try to find a Brittany friendly restaurant. This is a limitation I am happy to work with.

  

  | 25 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Burg Eltz, Castle, Germany

• Stirling, Scotland

  Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on March 3, 2020

  The U.K. continues to hold a piece of my soul that no other country has quite grasped yet. Maybe it’s the friendly people, maybe it’s the beautiful countrysides, maybe it’s the amazing accents, or maybe it’s the lack of a language barrier that captivates me. Whatever it may be, I continue to feel more alive in the U.K. than anywhere in Europe.

  

  For my birthday this year I took a trip to Scotland (my second time to this amazing country) and met up with my near and dear friend Pam from back home. We struggled for a bit when trying to decide on a meeting place, but after she suggested spending a few days in Scotland I knew it would be a good time.

  I had reservations about visiting Scotland in February, but the weather turned out to be mostly ok. Aside from a four hour flight delay when trying to leave Munich due to a storm rolling through the U.K. I arrived at our hotel around midnight and was ready for a good nights sleep. Another prime example that travel is not always luxurious.

  

  We were to spend four nights in Edinburgh, and use this city as our home base. From here we took day trips outside of the city – starting with a trip to Stirling. I had been to Edinburgh before, but only for seven hours. I knew I’d like to return, and this was a great time to do so. I had not been to Stirling before, so I was excited to see something new.

  But first, breakfast. 

  

  Side note: I tried haggis for the first time and I am not a fan. Give me black pudding all day long, but keep the haggis away. BLECH.

  Sterling is a short 45 min train ride from Edinburgh, and with a belly full of goodness (except for the haggis) we set off on our first adventure. The weather was moderate, with a rolling rotation of rain, sun, wind, and snow. This seemed to be the theme of the entire week. I didn’t hate it though.

  Our goal for the morning was a visit to Stirling Castle, but first we weaved and bobbed through the streets and cemetery of the town.

  

  Stirling Castle up on the hill.

  

  

  

  

  We were able to tag along with a free guided tour of the castle (included in our entry ticket) and the most adorable little Scottish girl walked us around and chatted about the history. I could have listened to her speak all day.

  

  

  

  

  After a proper castle tour it was time for one of the most important activities in the U.K…tea/coffee and scones!

  

  

  I am a SUCKER for a good scone with butter and jam, and it’s worth the repercussions every.single.time. We sat inside the castle cafe waiting for a batch of rain to pass, and soon enough the sun came out. Rain, sun, wind, snow.

  

  

  We staying in Sterling for about five hours before heading back to Edinburgh for the remainder of the day. By the time we got back, the snow started to fall. Rain, sun, wind, snow. This first adventure set the tone for the remainder of the week…slow moving. A reminder of how I used to travel before moving to Europe.

  

  Snow fall back in Edinburgh.

  Upon arrival back in Edinburgh, Pam took me on a walking tour around the city (she used to visit Edinburgh often as a flight attendant) to areas I hadn’t seen on my previous trip. We ended the day with dinner at Byron, a restaurant I had been to. This place is a good option for those with allergies/who need customization.

  I try to balance eating whatever I want with “ok but you also have allergies so chill out” when I travel. It doesn’t always work out. LOL.

  

  Next up: a day trip to the Highlands.

  Q: Where is a place in the world that makes your soul come to life?

  

  | 23 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Castle, Scotland, United Kingdom

• Schloss Neuschwanstein

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on September 23, 2019

  A couple of years ago, I was browsing articles online and stumbled onto an article about a castle in Germany called Neuschwanstein. I was immediately struck by this castle, or “Schloss” in German, because this was one of the inspirations for Walt Disney when designing the iconic Cinderella castle.

  Germany was never on my radar back then, but I added it to my list of “must see places” because I love me anything Disney.

  

  Fast forward to my current life in Germany, and not only do I live close to Neuschwanstein, but the hotel I work for has organized tours multiple times a week. The tour is an all day adventure, and for guests the tour costs $50. For employees, if we’re lucky enough to snag a spot on the bus (when the tour isn’t full) we can go on the tour for $17.

  

  It took me over six months to finally snag a spot on the bus, but the day I went was absolutely perfect. The weather was ideal, and I was happy I waited. The tour starts at 8:30 sharp, and the morning of the tour I made my way down to the hotel lobby to see if there were any spots. Sure enough, I was able to jump on board and I spent the next nine hours exploring parts of Germany I hadn’t seen yet.

  

  Before we made it to the castle we stopped at the above church, called Weiskirche. Here we were able to look around the church, and stop for an espresso and locally made donuts at Gasthof Schweiger. I didn’t partake in the donuts, though they looked amazing. Instead I fed my soul with the nearby rolling hills and beautiful houses.

  

  

  

  Another place we stopped before the castle, was a local woodcarving shop. Woodcarving is a big thing in Germany, and the small mom and pop like shop we stopped at was adorable. Even better than the woodcarvings however, was the view. I will never get over the green rolling hills of Bavaria.

  

  Pit stops complete, we made it to the parking area of Neuschwanstein around 11. We had a formal tour at noon, and were given three options for getting to the castle: walk up the hill/trail area, take a bus, or take a horse and carriage. I’ll let you guess what I chose. 

  

  I chose to walk, and first made my way to Marienbrücke, the bridge providing the above view of the castle. After admiring the view for a bit, it was time for the tour. The tour was mediocre, lasting all of 15 minutes, but it was worth it just to see the inside of this castle.

  The castle was only 1/3 finished, as its creator King Ludwig II mysteriously died before it was complete. 

  King Ludwig was busy building two other castles as well, only one of which was completed. He was spending funds he didn’t have, using money from the city to build his lavish homes. He was deemed clinically insane after refusing to react rationally when foreign banks threatened to seize his property. Rumor has it he and his psychiatrist drowned in Lake Starnberg after Ludwig checked into a mental hospital.

  

  Whatever actually happened, there is no denying the extravagant vision Ludwig had with Neuschwanstein, I’ve never seen an interior of a castle quite like it. I suppose when one plans to spend most of their time alone and inside (Ludwig was a severe introvert), an extravagant home is necessary.

  The above view from the castle wasn’t too shabby either. 

  After the castle tour, we made our way to a nearby brewery for dinner. I sat with a few women that were staying at the hotel while their significant others were attending a conference. They were lovely women, and we had a fun time chatting about all things Germany.

  

  I would love to return in either the fall or the winter to see what the surrounding areas look like. I can only imagine what the trees look like when the leaves change color. I didn’t manage to get any photos from the front of the castle, but I found the below photo online. You can see the beautiful similarities to the classic Disney castle.

  

  (Source)

  I was stoked to be able to check Neuschwanstein off my list, and for $17 I’d say it was a steal of a deal.

  Q: Did you know Neuschwanstein was an inspiration for Cinderella’s castle?

  

  | 20 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Castle, Disneyland, Germany, Neuschwanstein, Wanderlust

• Luxembourg City

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 9, 2019

  Most of my travels while living in Germany have been solo because I enjoy traveling alone, and because it can be hard to plan a trip with another person here. It isn’t a guarantee that all parties interested will get the time off approved, so it’s best to take advantage of time off when it happens. Often that means traveling solo.

  

  Solo travelers meet other solo travelers.

  Despite my solo preference, I requested some time off for a trip to Norway with one of the girls I arrived in Germany with. When we received our approvals, we realized our days were staggered and the overlap only gave us four days off together. We then realized four days in Norway is not enough time, so it was back to the drawing board.

  

  After throwing around a few other possible places to visit, we decided to play travel roulette and book a Lufthansa Surprise. The way this works is you first choose from a handful of categories consisting of: Go East, Arts & Sights, The Great Outdoors, Follow the Sun, Go With the Bro, Urban Adventures, Party On, For the Lovers, and Shoes and Shops.

  I’ll give you one guess which category I chose.

  

  Each category then has subcategories consisting of 7-9 countries that you could possibly go to, as well as a price attached to it. The price starts at a flat rate ranging from 69-99 euro for a round trip plane ticket, and the price goes up by 5 euro for each subcategory country that you deselect. The idea is that the more flexible you are for where they might send you, the cheaper your flight will be.

  The Lufthansa Surprise only works for travel to and from two airports – Munich and Frankfurt. 

  

  Once you’ve chosen your category, and deselected any subcategories that you reallllyy don’t want to visit – you book your ticket. The kicker is you don’t find out where you are being sent until after you pay – hence the surprise. We chose the category The Great Outdoors which consisted of: Copenhagen, Gdansk, Gothenburg, Larnaca, Luxembourg, Oslo, and Stockholm.

  We deselected Gdansk and Larnaka because she didn’t want to go to Poland, and I didn’t want to go to the beach.

  

  We would have been content with any of the other locations, but our last choice was Luxembourg. Luxembourg is a small country that is sandwiched between Germany, France, and Belgium. It’s not a big tourist destination, and I honestly knew nothing about it. After a snap, crackle, and pop the computer screen showed us we were being sent to……Luxembourg! HA.

  Initially I was indifferent about this destination, but after spending a couple days in Luxembourg City I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it is. It’s small, and you don’t need much more than two days there (we also spent some time in France, which will be my next post) but I am so glad that I was able to visit this city. I would have never gone to Luxembourg had it not been for the Lufthansa surprise.

  Most activities in the city are free, the bus system is fantastic (4 euro gets you a pass for all public transportation for the entire day), and the city was SO GREEN.

  

  

  

  

  The city is very walkable, and while there aren’t any huge tourist attractions I loved the parks that are smack dab in the middle of the city. The above four photos are from the central park area where they had layers of areas to walk, a playground area, and an outdoor exercise area. I didn’t realize how much I missed the idea of a simple park until visiting Luxembourg.

  We arrived our first day in the city around 3pm, and spent a good four hours just walking around and seeing all the beauty. The only “museum” thing we did in the city was walking the Casemates du Bock, which is basically a series of tunnel forts in a cliff wall dating back to 1443.

  

  View from the Bock, peeking towards another area of the Bock – window holes.

  

  We stayed at the Luxembourg City Hostel, which was great, and one of the guys at the front desk told us to ride up the Pfaffenthal Lift, which is a glass bottom elevator giving a lift from the bottom of the city to the upper part and provides a great view. The lift is free and worth every penny.

  I also spent some time inside the Norte Dame Cathedral, listening to a mass take place in French. The language in Luxembourg is predominately French which was surprising to me. I assumed because it was close to Germany that German would be their language, alas I was wrong.

  

  The rest of day one in the city was spent wandering and seeing the beautiful architecture. We were blessed with great weather, which wasn’t the case for the majority of our trip. Day two and half of day three were spent in France, but the second half of day three and day four were spent back in Luxembourg.

  

  

  Day four was dedicated to a trip just outside of the city, north in Luxembourg to a town called Vianden. Here I had my heart set on visiting the Vianden Castle aka Chateau de Vianden. This castle is considered one of the largest and most majestic feudal manors dating from Romanesque and Gothic periods in Europe.

  

  To get to the castle we took a train to Ettelbruck, and from Ettelbruck took a bus to Vianden – all for four euro (round trip!) thanks to Luxembourg’s cheap transportation system. We spent a few hours in Vianden, admiring the 10th century castle, walking along the river, and riding on a ski lift. The ski lift took us up to a wooded area where we then walked towards the castle.

  We ended our Vianden adventure at a fancy schmancy restaurant where I had a delicious salad, and an older gentleman next to me looked at my meal and said “bon appétit” and it was legit cause he spoke French.

  

  

  Luxembourg was indeed an outdoor lover’s destination and I felt I spent the perfect amount of time there. Overall I had about two days to explore the city center and Vianden. Don’t mark this tiny country off the list just yet, it has some hidden beauty not many tourists get to see! Up next is the other half of this trip, a day and a half spent in Metz, France.

  Q: Would you ever book a Lufthansa Surprise?

  

  | 23 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Castle, Europe, Luxembourg, Vianden Castle

• Innsbruck, Austria

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 4, 2019

  The town in Germany that I live is in the southern tip of the country just a hop, skip, and a jump away from both Austria and Switzerland. I’ve been in Germany for two weeks as of today, and I didn’t hesitate to start my travels. My first day off was last Wednesday, and I made plans with a few of the other newbies here to take the FlixBus to Innsbruck. The bus ticket was $14 round trip, and took about an hour each way.

  

  

  

  We arrived in Innsbruck around 930 am, and the only “plans” we had were to see the river with the colorful houses, and I really wanted to visit Ambras Castle. The rest of the day was free to roam and soak up as much of the city as we could. We started at the first cafe we could find for some espresso and a treat.

  This was the first of many encounters with locals that didn’t speak English, but we made it work eventually. 

  After our pick me up we wandered into the Old Town area. These medieval buildings are paired with contemporary architecture, all surrounded by the Alps. There was a City Tower we stumbled upon that provided a panoramic view of the city, and was well worth the 3 euro to climb the stairs. The Old Town is also home to the Golden Roof, which is the cities most famous symbol. The roof is made of copper tiles and was for Emperor Maximillian I to mark his wedding.

  I love history. 

  

  View of Golden Roof from the tower.

  

  City Tower, circa 1442-1450.

  

  

  

  After being awed by the view from City Tower, we wandered around Old Town a bit, and I ended up buying a souvenir. I never buy souvenirs because I don’t like to accumulate “things,” but this one spoke to me. My room in Germany is very empty, to the point where the housing manager thought I had moved out when he came to do a room inspection.

  What can I say, I’m tidy and I’m a minimalist. 

  

  You had me at the hiking boot.

  From the Old Town area, we migrated towards the river. When Googling Innsbruck the river houses were one of the first images that caught my eye. These colorful buildings are a must see, and a perfect spot for a tourist to take a photo. We walked the river for a while, wandered down random roads, stopped into open cathedrals, and then made our way outside of the city center towards Ambras Castle.

  

  

  Ambras Castle is about a 2 mile walk from the city center, and Google Maps was the real MVP on this trip. I just learned that I can download maps of any city to use offline, which will be such a life changer while I explore without data for my cell phone. We stopped in to use the toilet at a gas station along the way, which was stop number two where no one spoke English. We were beginning to stick out like sore thumbs, but everyone was kind.

  I’m a sucker for a good castle tour, so when I saw Ambras Castle pop up as one of the must see places in Innsbruck I knew it needed to be one of the main stops for the day. Archduke Ferdinand II rebuilt the castle using part of it to display his collections of armor, weapons, oddities, rarities, and precious items, making this the oldest museum in the world dating back to 1570.

  

  

  

  

  The exterior of the castle alone is enough to summon a visit, but my favorite room on the inside was The Spanish Hall. This room was used for balls and special occasions, and upon entry you can immediately see why. Some of the portraits that line the walls are comical, and I can’t help but wonder if the men actually posed the way they were portrayed.

  

  

  My favorite pose. What’s going on with that hand, and that hip pop is on point.

  The castle has a cafe where we ate lunch, and this was the third and most difficult encounter with a woman that didn’t speak English. She was sweet as candy, but my goodness did I wish I knew Google Translate allows language downloads to use offline before I visited this cafe. I learned this life hack as well as the Google Maps offline hack AFTER this trip. I tried to order a chicken salad, and I don’t know what she was saying, but I ended up guessing she was telling me they didn’t have anymore. Instead I ordered a tuna salad, which was delicious.

  We were all given coupons to get a free espresso, so I also ordered an espresso. When it came time to pay I presented my coupon, and she became confused. I had no idea what she was saying, but I kept presenting the coupon hoping something would happen. I’m still unsure, but I think perhaps she thought I was trying to use the coupon for my entire meal. Eventually she said “OHH Espresso” and it was taken care of.

  We all laughed, and did the best we could. 

  

  

  The castle grounds had three peacocks roaming around, which was random as hell, but also fun.  After we finished with the castle we took a bus back into the city, and my copilots stopped for a warm drink and some cake to kill time before our bus disembarked back to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We also stopped at a place called Mamma Mia where I ate the biggest slice of pizza I’ve ever seen.

  I payed for it later, but when in Austria.

  Our bus left Innsbruck at 735p, giving us ten hours in the city. I couldn’t have asked for a better day, my company was perfect (we all got along great and were happy to go with the flow) the sights were beautiful, and the food was delicious. We walked a total of 12 miles – a perfect first trip while living abroad.

  Q: What are your favorite things to do while traveling? For me I like to try new food, coffee, museums, and anything outdoors.

  

  | 31 Comments Tagged Ambras Castle, Austria, Castle, Europe, Innsbruck, Living Abroad

• Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on December 3, 2018

  After a few days on the Isle of Skye, it was time to make our way back down south to Glasgow. From here we would take the train to Edinburgh and see as much as we could in the limited time we had. We took the train from Fort William to Glasgow, but before we left we stopped at the most amazing cafe. The Wildcat is an all vegan cafe right in the heart of the Fort William city center. An unexpected stop, but worthy of mentioning.

  

  A wee long black.

  The train from Fort William was simple enough, and we arrived in Glasgow with a few hours of daylight left. I wanted to take a quick stroll around the city center, so I chose Buchanan Street and got a brief taste of Glasgow. We didn’t plan much time in Glasgow, other than using it as a launch pad, but I feel I saw enough for this trip.

  

  The real star of the Glasgow show was the hotel, I mean castle we stayed at our first night back in the city. Throughout our trip I chose a handful of hostels because I am cheap as hell, but my friend Sam chose this one. I don’t like spending a lot of money on a place I plan to sleep, but I admit it was worth the price tag.

  We arrived here early enough to be in our mini suite as long as we could. 

  The Sherbrooke Castle Hotel was built in 1896 as a villa for a man, and still has the historical feel of that time frame. The castle is in a neighborhood we called the Beverly Hills of Glasgow, pinky’s up. The staff was wonderful, and the food was exceptional. Our server for the evening was the kindest, most down to earth girl we’d met all trip. She really made our experience wonderful. 10/10 recommend if you want to splurge a little.

  

  

  

  Cathedral across the street.

  After a leisure morning in the castle and delicious breakfast the following day, we took a taxi to our B&B for the night to drop off our backpacks. We stayed at the Clifton Hotel our final night in Scotland, where we stayed our first night as well. Bags were dropped and we walked the catch a train to Edinburgh for the day. Until this point of the trip, I never quite felt like I was in another country.

  Sure, the castles were amazing and the waterfalls were endless, but the climate in Scotland is a lot like my home state of Washington.

  I’d have moments where I knew I was somewhere else, but ultimately it wasn’t a true feel of another country. Until I arrived in Edinburgh. My only regret for this trip was not making more time to spend in Edinburgh, this city is AH-MAY-ZING. We had a loose schedule for this day, but we knew we needed to go to Edinburgh Castle, and walk the Royal Mile. Upon arrival, we were spit right in front of a beautiful cafe, where I tasted the most amazing coconut milk latte of my life. 

  

  Immediately as we walked around the corner towards the castle and onto the Royal Mile I felt it. The buildings were amazing, and the streets were wobbly. The culture was rich (though touristy of course) and the street performers were traditional. The cathedrals were large, and the cafes were quaint. I was in love, and I was excited to wander.

  Admittedly, the Edinburgh Castle was my least favorite spot. While it’s definitely a must see, I found it to be far too touristy, too crowded, and overall the experience felt very commercialized. It was also FAR too big (must be niceee) and I was overwhelmed by all there was to see. I did however find the dungeon area very fascinating, and they have original doors from the 1700’s with prisoners carvings.

  Regardless of my opinion, this is such a place of history in Scotland that it’s a must see, even if just from the outside. 

  

  

  

  

  

  After the castle it was time for a snack. I quickly remembered reading about a cafe in Edinburgh where J.K. Rowling spent many hours writing the beginnings of Harry Potter, and ten minutes later we found ourselves in line at The Elephant House. This cafe is busy, for obvious reasons, and there is no wifi. They have a sign as you walk in that says: “we do not have wifi. Talk to each other. Pretend it’s 1995.” I loved that.

  I also loved the chocolate cake and espresso I consumed, as I daydreamed about what it must have been like to write a book with Edinburgh Castle out the window. The bathrooms in The Elephant House are completely graffitied, with endless praise for J.K. Rowling. It was quite the sight, and reading the words as I relieved myself was entertaining to say the least. This is a definite must see if you’re a HP fan, or if you like a good espresso and cake.

  

  

  After my Isle of Skye splurge, it was game on for “eat whatever I want.” I payed for it when I got home, but YOLO.

  

  

  

  View of the castle up on the hill from where we sat.

  The Harry Potter tour doesn’t stop here, Edinburgh has plenty of other HP themed shops and locations. One street in particular is well known for its different colored buildings, and is said to have been the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Even if you’re not a HP fan, Victoria Street is another must see. The buildings alone are a blast. On this street you’ll find shops like The Boy Wizard, and Museum Context, a Harry Potter themed museum.

  

  

  

  

  

  There is so much yes about this photo.

  

  After channeling my inner witch, it was time to wander the streets and soak up the culture. We visited St Giles Cathedral, watched street performers, and went into tourist shops. We ended our adventure at Byron for a chicken burger and chips. It was delicious, and our Barcelona bred server was equal parts accommodating as he was charming. I told him I’d be back (for both a meal and his face.)

  

  

  

  

  

  After our meal it was time to head back to the train, which proved to be an adventure in itself. Our platform to get back to Glasgow was changed not once, but twice. We quickly discovered the majority of train riders around us were also tourists and we all had to scramble to find the new platform. It was comical, and we eventually departed the city. Perhaps this was a sign we should have stayed longer.

  There is so much more to see in Edinburgh, the seven hours we were there wasn’t nearly enough time. Until we meet again.

  

  

  The final highlight of my trip to Scotland, was upon arrival back in Glasgow. I had seen a gelato/churro shop as we walked to the train station earlier that day, and despite the fact that it was nearing 10pm I knew I had to have some. So there I was, sitting in the Loop and Scoop (among many other late night sweet tooth’s) consuming the most ingenious flavor combination of my life. Homemade churros, and gelato, what more could you ask for?

  Life was good. Life was really, really good. 

  

  

  Q: Are you a Harry Potter fan? 

  

  | 23 Comments Tagged Castle, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Glasgow, Harry Potter, Scotland, Victoria Street

• Ashford Castle

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on June 16, 2017

  Have you ever wondered if the castles from Disney movies were real? I’m here to tell you they are, and I know where you can find one. BUT FIRST – the drive from Northern Ireland to Galway. We departed our farm house B&B and headed south east.

  

  

  The final destination would be Galway, but before checking in for the night we were to have tea at Ashford Castle. Oh yeah, put your pinky’s out. The drive was around 220 miles total, and would be the first of a few “longer treks.”

  It was on this drive I was introduced to Bewley’s and when I decided Ireland was going to steal a large part of my soul.

  If the gas station coffee is better than most “real” coffee shops, you’re home. 

  

  The drive was long because of distance, and long because we stopped a few times along the way, but in the grand scheme the distance between most anything in Ireland is similar to a day trip to the mountains for me.

  You know, minus the whole random castle on the way there thing.

  

  

  Ashford was not at the top of my list to visit, when looking at the website it was much too bougie looking for my “I rarely wash my hair and don’t wear deodorant” lifestyle. Plus the castle is rented out as a hotel for up to $4000 a night – HARD PASS.

  Alas, I was open to visiting because compatible travel partners compromise for each other, like when I wanted to walk to the end of the Cliffs of Moher. More on that later. With all that said, this was one of the highlights of the entire trip for me.

  Just goes to show you can NEVER judge a book by its cover. Or by its size. 

  

  The outer grounds of the castle are never ending. Miles and miles of exploration. I still can’t justify that nightly price tag, but I can spend 40 euro for some kick ass tea and tiny sandwiches on fine china. Are your pinky’s up yet?

  

  

  

  

  Our waiter was French, and so unbelievably sweet. He even tried to be modest with his shock when he saw how quickly we consumed our food. I think he thought we were joking when we initially asked if there was another tray of food coming.

  #Americans. 

  

  

  

  

  

  The top two and bottom left photo were split between the two of us, the scones were all mine. The plates came out on a three tiered display, and the scones came a short while later. Initially the amount of food didn’t look like much, but I left Ashford in euphoric pain.

  It’s a good thing they have so many acres, because I needed a walk before driving the rest of the way to Galway. 

  

  

  The castle was once home to the famous Guinness family, and according to one of the castles many employees, it was later used as a “party house” for the royal families. Must be nice to have a castle of this size as your getaway home.

  

  If you want to experience royalty, but would rather spend your euros on gas station coffee and deep fried Irish grown potatoes, skip sleeping here and just go for the afternoon tea. It was worth every euro cent.

  

  Americans – we might eat a lot, but we also tip well.

  Travel Tip: Budget extra time in your schedule for unplanned stops. Some of the best sights are unplanned.

  

  | 36 Comments Tagged Ashford Castle, Castle, Ireland, Tea

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