• Muiderslot Castle: A Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

    July 7, 2019

    Spending a week of my summer in the Netherlands was one of my greater decisions. The weather was great, it wasn’t too crowded, and we were able to visit tons of cute places around the country! One such place was Muiderslot, a medieval castle dating to 1280 AD. Muiderslot stands in Muiden at the mouth…

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  • One Step at a Time: My Journey on the Camino Frances | Her Life in Ruins

    One Step at a Time: My Journey on the Camino Frances

    June 30, 2019

    Recently, I completed one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done: walking the Camino Frances. I walked from Saint-Jean Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Google says it’s about 500 miles, but I didn’t focus on the length; instead, I focused on getting to the next albergue, the next village, the…

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  • Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Porto | Her Life in Ruins

    Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Porto

    June 23, 2019

    Visiting Porto, or even Portugal, this year wasn’t originally part of my plan. I was walking the Camino de Santiago and had thought to head to Madrid for a few days before flying to Amsterdam to meet my mom. And then Champions League happened. Hotel rooms in Madrid skyrocketed and I suddenly had just over…

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  • Barcelona Essentials: 7 Days the Catalan Capital

    January 27, 2019

    Barcelona is much more than just the inspiration for an Ed Sheeran song. The food, culture, and general vibe of the city was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. The week that I spent in Barcelona, Spain was actually life-changing for me. Now, I’m sharing that experience (and my tips for visiting) with you!…

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  • The Sagrada Familia: An Icon 137 Years in the Making

    January 20, 2019

    The Sagrada Familia is one of the most recognized structures in Spain, and it hasn’t even been finished yet. Seriously! They laid the first stone in 1882 and there’s still about 7 years of construction left. Antoni Gaudí designed a ton of gorgeous, groundbreaking buildings, but the Sagrada Familia is something extra special. History Antoni…

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