Welcome Back to the 6

Last Day of Summer,Wassaga Beach, Ontario

"Welcome back!", words I have dreaded to hear since I left everything behind 10 months ago. I apologize in advance for disappearing from the blog the past weeks, but I've been trying to recover from some deep travel withdrawals,with a slight case of depression. How does one just jump back into a casual routine after spending the last few months exploring western Europe?.

As I sit here in front of my laptop and relive the best year of my life, I start to think to myself " but did that actually happen?.It seems like one big blur, you ever get that? When you go on vacation or go on the best date of your life and get home and lay on your bed like," Damn, was that even real?" yeah, that feeling. I know what you are all thinking, you live in Toronto it can't be all that bad? Right?, well Let me answer that for you. Nope it's not bad ,but to be honest waking up to an ocean view in Barcelone, and spending my weekends sipping sangria, and 3 euro mojitos  in El Born, sounds a

whole lot more romantic, than having to look forward to the next five thousand word essay due next week ( UOFT why you do this to me, give me that paper)

All jokes aside being back has made me realized how much I have changed and grown as a women.  Do you Remember months back when I wrote about my outlook on relationships and everything love? (relationships post). Well, for the first time in my life I feel like I'm ready to find my Prince Charming (where you at? Where is you hiding?, hit me up papi). I know people think it's cliché, but traveling has helped me figure out who I am. I now know where my head is at, where I see my life going and what I truly deserve, something I didn't prior to leaving. So, with that being said I encourage everyone reading this to let go of their fears and pack your bags and go out and explore the world. Chase that true feeling of happiness, you deserve it and owe it to yourself. Meanwhile, I will be here finishing up my degree ( it's okay go on without me)

Oh,p.s Prince Charming where ever you are at don't be shy slide

in my DMs (that's where you find true love, right?)

But, until my next adventure xo I want to thank you for reading,

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Italy, Much More than Just Rome

My aggressive uploads on social media this past month are all thanks to my recent travels to one of the most beautiful places in western Europe, Italy or Italia for all my Spanish speaking readers (I see you mami).Being this my second time in Italy I wanted to avoid revisiting  the main tourist attractions (failed) still ended up at the Coliseum, but can you really blame me?. Central Rome is spectacular, something straight out of a Disney movie ( s/o to Lizze Miguire) .When you think of Rome don’t you imagine yourself on the back of a Vespa holding onto an Italian boy name Marcangelo, who happens to know all the  best places to eat in the city and smells like the newest Paco Rabanne cologne? Okay maybe that’s just me.Its not that deep i'm sorry, Let’s get back on track, as I had previously mentioned I wanted to have a more authentic Italian experience and really explore other places outside from Rome. Thankfully, my aunt and her husband have an apartment in Sengi, a small ancient city two hours outside of Rome happened to be in the country at the same time as me, which made exploring much easier. Here are some of the places I encourage you to visit for yourself !

Castel Gandolfo

Fun Fact: Within the walls of this scenic town lies the Apostolic Palace Of Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Roman Catholic Pope

Terracina

Fun Fact: This breathtaking costal town has a sort of Greek aura, it serves the best gelato in the whole wide world!

Temple De Jove

Fun Fact: The temple resides on top of the city overlooking the coast and its surrounding towns. A perfect location for a glass of wine and some prosciutto.

Rome

Fun Fact: One word to describe this place magical

Other places you must see:

-Sengi & Cori

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The Top Five Place to Eat In Barcelona

What do I  love more than shopping and traveling ? If you guessed food, you are correct. Aside from the historic landmarks and the soccer team, Barcelona has become Catalonia’s capital of gastronomy; a symbol of Mediterranean cooking. When you visit Barcelona I want to make sure you get the full experience, and what better way to than by checking out my top five favorite eats within the city.

Brunch and Cakes by the Sea

Passeig de Joan de Borbó, 5

www.cupcakesbarcelona.com

This list would not be complete without a vegetarian and gluten free restaurant option. Brunch and Cake by the Sea is a tropical paradise, a burst of flavors and textures. It’s a unique restaurant located near the popular beach neighbour of Barceloneta. The food is served in wooden platers, decorated so beautifully that it makes you wonder if the food is going to taste as good as it look, and it does. Brunch and Cake has gained social media popularity, attracting tourist from all over the global. It’s not just the appealing food, or the decor that makes Brunch and Cake a prime location for tourist and locals, it’s the wide variety of healthy and affordable options this restaurant offers.

El Nacional

Passeig de Gràcia, 24 Bis, 08007 Barcelona

www.elnacionalbcn.com

 El Nacional is an upscale Iberian Peninsula food market with four specialized restaurants and four unique bars. The interior and architectural design of the restaurant is unlike anything you have seen before. From the gated entrance to the edgy bathroom lights, the detail at Nacional is sure to leave you in awh. The extremely beautiful building is complemented perfectly by the mouth-watering food served within. It’s a gastronomic experience you will surely only find in Barcelona.

Artte

all images retrieved from instagram

Carrer de Muntaner, 83C, 08011 Barcelona

www.artte.es

The restaurant name says it all-Artte meaning art in English, is a masterpiece of its own. The unique fusion between cuisine inspired from all areas of the global and live art makes this restaurant a must see in Barcelona.  The restaurant is composed of two separate rooms. The dining room is the main stage for live music and art, where one can appreciate local talent while enjoying a fantastic meal. The other room is dedicated to all things tea, with over 80 varieties of teas from China, Vietnam, Sir Lanka, India, Japan, Nepal and Africa. This restaurant is unlike any other within the city. Whether you simply want to relax and enjoy an exotic cup of tea or you are looking  for an authentic place to dine, arrte is the place to go.

 La Xampanyeria

Carrer de la Reina Cristina, 7, 08003 Barcelona

www.laxampanyeria.com

If culture is what you seek, La Xampanyeria is the ideal place for you. It has gained popularity throughout the years for both locals and tourist alike. The restaurant offers a wide range of famous champagnes and sparkling wines, as well as delicious tapes.

Martínez Barcelona

Ctra. de Miramar, 38, 08038 Barcelona

www.martinezbarcelona.com

More than just an amazing view, Martinez is a rooftop restaurant specialized in rice and paella. It’s an ideal place to dine with your significant other or with a group of friends on a lovely Saturday afternoon.

As published on www.drivemebarcelona.com

Travelling on a Budget | Marrakech, Morocco

Travelling on a budget, yes please!
Finding  travel deals has become one of my strongest qualities (highly, considering putting it on my resume). It's almost as addicting as extreme couponing , expect I am not saving on laundry  detergent or getting a two for one deal on toothpaste ( although, that may be exhilarating to some) to me finding a flight to Morocco for 120 euros gets my heart racing . This time around I wanted to travel outside of Europe and  experience a culture  completely different from anything I have ever been exposed to. I knew before I began  to plan my trip to Morocco  that it wouldn't be as cheap  as my France trip ( although, I wish I could pull some  next Houdini movements and find an extremely crazy deal, especially during easter weekend) but at the end of the day Marrakech was worth the $350.00

My urge to travel to Morocco began one night when I stumble upon a picture on Pinterest of Marrakech's  most luxuries resort La Mmounia ( Christiano Ronaldo has stayed  there before but I mean our annual income is  "slightly" different). The five start resort was definitely outside of my price range, but luxury was not what I was in search for.  I choice to travel to Morocco for its captivating culture and unique landscapes. I wanted to immerse myself into the culture, and experience it  the traditional Moroccan way, and let me tell you the people and the city exceeded my expectations.

Morocco Vblog on the Channel

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How did we get there

As, I previously mention on my traveling on a budget France addition my go to  ticket site is fareandcompare.com. This time around I found a flight for 120 euros with Ibiera airlines, but there was a catch we had a 10 hour lay over in Madrid.We choice to fly on easter weekend and due to the high demand of flights the prices were more expensive than usual. Typically ,you can fly from Barcelone to Marrakech for as low as 75-85 euros. Our lovely host arranged for our transportation from the airport to our location for  15euros (I think we got overcharged ). In Marrakech you can honestly bargain your life so if you choose to take a taxi make sure you negotiate a fair rate , locals tend to jack up the prices for tourist, 50-60 dirham  is typically what they should be charging you (about 4-6 euros). Locals speak french and Arabic but most people are able to communicate in English as well.

Where did we Stay?

As my friend Derek and I made the exciting decision to travel to Marrakech together  we started looking online for accommodations and came across an article that suggested staying at a Riad - a traditional Moroccan home. If you truly want to get the full Moroccan experience I highly suggest avoiding traditional hotels. We booked through air bnb  for  three days, two nights and stayed at the beautiful Raid 22 for $120cCAD which included breakfast as well. The host are exceptional  ( s/o to Ahmed and Valeria) the entire Raid was extremely beautiful and clean, I would 100% stay there again if I find myself in Marrakech in the future.Riad 22.

Where did we Eat?

I highly encourage spending a little bit more and treating yourself to a dinner at the  Jad Mahal Resturant. The dinner  including a starter, drinks, main and a dessert for $200CAD (our most expensive expense during our trip). The food was exquisite but what made it worth the money  was the atmosphere. The restaurant looked like a Moroccan castle with beautiful chandeliers and candles everywhere. There was live music and belly dancer throughout the night, and fire breathers as well. It was definitely one of my favorite parts of our trip. We got to see a whole other side of Marrakech a more westernized type of lifestyle, where habibi's were popping bottles and dancing all night long.There was definitely a  contrast  between the new city and the  conservative and religious life  within  the Medina ( the old city).  We also checked out various local restaurants within the Medina which were extremely affordable and super yummy (fyi, you need to try freshly baked Moroccan bread and couscous when you visit Marrakech)

What did we Do?

We definitely did not experience everything Marrakech had to offer. Unfortunately   we were only staying for three short days ( I had an exam back in Barcelona so it cut our trip short), but we were able to see everything within the Medina from the famous Souks (Moroccan Market, which by the way you have to be aware the locals are known for harassing tourist into buying their goods) the central Medina Plaza ( if a local comes up to you holding a snake or a monkey don't be surprised they expect money in exchange for a picture) But all of it was part of the experience I was in search for. We also visited some beautiful Mosques and religious landmarks within the old city and spent an hour walking around the new city ( which was unreal, the architecture was so unique ), but  my favorite part of the whole trip was visiting the  Yves Saint Laurent Jardin Majorelle. The gardens were honestly straight out of a fairytale with rich colors and exotic funa ( the perfect location for an instagram picture)  even then the pictures do not do it justice, Jardin Majorelle is something you need to experience for yourself.

Travelling on a Budget | France

Wanderlust, the strong desire to travel and explore the world. We have all contemplated packing our bags and buying a one-way ticket to our dream destination, but then reality hits and you realize you can't really afford it right now. Well, I am about to brighten your day by letting you know you can afford it. Traveling for cheap in this day and age is as easy as becoming a "model"  (s/o to all my Instagram models out there, keep doing you booboo you promote those waist trainers). All jokes aside the way my bank account is set up, money is a scarce resource, but I needed to feed my travel urge. I wasn't about to let money stop me from making the most out of my time here in Europe.  Luckily, Google was there to help me plan my trip and I was able to put together a travel plan to France that was both affordable and safe. My alarm rang at exactly 5:00 am on Friday morning and I got up immediately (note: this does not happen often I usually hit the snooze button 4 times before actually getting up); I mean who wouldn't wake up excited knowing that in a few hours they would be traveling through France. My first stop was Toulouse. For those who may be unfamiliar with the French city of Toulouse, it's located on the bank of the Garonne River in the south-west of France. Apparently it's the fourth largest city in France, I must confess, trying to pack for this trip was the hardest thing I had to do. 

How does one decide what #ootd to slay in when you simply have "nothing" to wear (Kim Kardashian, I feel you girl). I managed to shove half of my closet in a travel size bag but of course as soon as I got to the Estacion de Norte in Barcelona to catch my bus, I realized I had forgotten to pack my new suede Zara heels which I got for only 20€. Guys, I'm tall don't worry I don't need heels, 5"2 is tall right?Anyway, continuing on with my journey, I had the luxury to sit next to a gentleman who smelled like 500 packs of cigarettes mixed with 10-day old underwear. Being the discrete person I am not, I legit looked at him like that little girl in the purple shirt sitting on the car seat meme. But, then again I did pay 6€ for my Megabus trip from Barcelona to Toulouse so I couldn't really complain.After a 5-hour bus ride through breathtaking scenery of mountains, I arrived at Matabiau Gare Routiere bus terminal. I was overwhelmed with excitement and could not wait to explore the city. During my day and a half stay I managed to stick to my budget of 25€ including food and a small purchase from KIKO by Milano.  When traveling on a budget finding cheap eats and cheap accommodations is a major key. The path to a successful travel experience is being open-minded and resourceful. Three weeks prior to my trip I had met a group of students from Toulouse in Barcelona who offered to exchange homes for a few days. Hence, why my trip was so cheap I was able to connect with locals and save about 80€ on accommodations alone.  My train to Paris was departing Toulouse at 4:00 pm and off course I made it 5 minutes prior to my departure; arriving early would be completely out of character for me. The 6 hours train ride was by far the most comfortable traveling experience I've had in Europe. The seats were big enough to sleep and get school work done, they even had an onboard French coffee shop which had the best marshmallow hot chocolate I have ever tasted in my entire life and it only cost 2.50€.  

I arrived in Paris at exactly 10:00 pm. The friends I had met from Toulouse had family who lived in central Paris and offered to let me crash at their place. Paris is not cheap, especially accommodations. If you are a student or a backpacker couch surfing  or youth hostels is your most affordable option. I spent about 10€  on trains in total during my two-day stay in Paris I visited Champs-Elysees, La Tour Eiffel, Place Charles de Gaulle, and Musee Du Louvre among many other places. It only took two days to fall in love with the beautiful city of Paris, my trip was short and sweet but best of all it was cheap!

Travel Plan Details 

Barcelona- Toulouse Megabus 6€.

On road lunch  4€.

Food and Leisure in Toulouse 25€

Toulouse- Paris iDTGV train 32€
Accommodations in Paris 

Stay with locals for FREE, check out couchsurfing.com
Metro within Pairs 10€

Food and Leisure 30€

Transportation from Paris to Orly Aiport 7€

Paris- Barcelona Flight Vueling Airlines 40€

 I use fareandcompare.com to book all my flights 
To fly within Europe Vueling, Iberia and Ryanair airlines are the cheapest 

Total Cost for a 4 day 3 night Trip through France:

 154€

I apologize for the lack of pictures, my cell phone cracked and of course I forgot to backup my pictures. Thank you so much for readings! 

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My First Week in Barcelona

Simply saying I love this city would be an understatement. I still can't believe it's only been one week since I first arrived. The first thing I did as soon as I left the airport was search for food (we all know how good airplane food is). Thanks to a close friend of mine who lives in Barcelona I discovered National, a gothic inspired Tapas restaurant. For those like me who don’t know what Tapas is, they are small dishes of various types of finger foods that are served throughout the course of your meal. I absolutely loved the experience and was very impressed with the customer service at the restaurant. If you find yourself in Barcelona I would recommend stopping by and judging for yourself.It only took me a couple hours to fall in love with the architecture in the city. Coming from a metropolitan city like Toronto I’m used to high-rises and modern condominiums; but Barcelona has this enchanting aura embedded in every building. Years of history and culture are hidden behind its walls from El Barrio Gotico to the ocean neighborhood of Barceloneta. All across the city there is an abundance of beautifully constructed monuments commemorating important Spanish artists and political figures.Like many other exchange students finding a place to live was the hardest and most stressful part of coming to Barcelona. It took me almost two months to find a "piso" but it was worth the struggle.

As I walked through the narrow streets of El Raval, a 3-minute walk from Plaza de Catalunya, I found myself in a bohemian community of skateboarders, graffiti artists, foreign food sellers and independent clothing shops. El Raval is known for being the most multicultural area in the city of Barcelona, to some it's a bit dangerous, but to me the multicultural atmosphere adds a unique twist to the European experience.For the past week I’ve been lucky enough to wake up to the Barcelona sun shining through the white rustic window in my room that overlooks the museum of modern art; but that’s not the only thing I am waking up to every morning. How can I write this post without mentioning my hipster neighbor who is an up and coming rapper/ singer/ DJ/ MC/ Drummer among other things. He has managed to keep me up along with the entire building this whole week as he records his next mixtape, if you can really call it a mixtape. But surprisingly, his odd character sort of makes me happy.Before I arrived in Barcelona I was advised to enjoy every single second of my experience because when I least expect it all of it will be over. It's only been a 

week and I'm already feeling nostalgic about leaving in July. Here's to the many adventures yet to come!