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Place Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech
Place Jemaa el-Fna is the large market square in the Marrakech medina (old city). This square features street performers, snake charmers, and vendors all surrounded by a myriad of alleys full of souks. You simply cannot visit Marrakech without experiencing this bustling area. I’d recommend visiting both at night and during the day, because it is a completely different experience! Jemaa el-Fna has been a meeting space since the founding of Marrakech in the 11th century. The square inspired UNESCO’s “Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” in 2001. Place Jemaa el-Fnaa features a lot of aspects of Morocco’s heritage, including storytelling and entertainment. – “The…
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Essaouira: Morocco’s Windy City
Essaouira, formerly Mogador, is called “The Windy City” due to the strong winds coming off the Atlantic. It’s a very popular beach for windsurfing! This vibrant coastal city is a must-visit when in Morocco. Essaouira was Morocco’s main port until the end of the 19th century. It was a prominent hippie city, attracting artists including Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens! You still see lots of backpackers, surfers, and artists throughout the city. Archaeological evidence shows that the city has been inhabited since prehistoric times! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfHfG3ldA3Q Essaouira Medina One of the highlights of this port city is its fortified medina, or old town. Inside the ramparts and medina walls, the streets…
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When in Rome: Can’t Miss Sites
Rome is a quintessential tourist destination. The capital of Italy, this city is home to so many iconic places! From the Colosseum to the Spanish Steps, there are so many things to do and see! Rome wasn’t built in a day. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it certainly cannot be toured in only one day either!! Below are some of the can’t miss sites in this stunning city: Piazza del Popolo Piazza del Popolo, or the People’s Square, sits just beside Villa Borghese. This square is super lively with performers and tourists. The piazza was a place for public executions until 1826! You can climb the hill at…
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Lille at Christmas: Visiting the Marché de Noël de Lille
Every year, Lille hosts a Christmas Market complete with a giant ferris wheel! From the end of November until New Year’s you can enjoy Christmas lights and decorations throughout the city. Marché de Noël de Lille is the largest Christmas market in Northern France! Apparently this tradition is centuries old. Grand Place A 164ft Ferris Wheel stands in Grand Place during the holiday season, in addition to a Christmas Tree and other decorations. Riding the Ferris Wheel is absolute must – the views from the top are unreal! Definitely wrap up if you’re going to ride the Ferris Wheel because it can be quite windy up there! I rode the…
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Holiday Magic in Paris: Experiencing the City of Lights at Christmas
I recently posted about Paris in the fall. However, Paris is especially magical at Christmas-time. By mid-November, Paris is completely decked out for the holidays. The city is covered in lights and decorations, everywhere you go! There is a ton to do in the City of Light near the holidays. Here are some of my favorites: Galeries Lafayette As if Galeries Lafayettes wasn’t already stunning enough, every year it has a new Christmas Tree design. The year I spent Christmas in Paris, the tree was made out of recycled paper! The interactive window displays were all made with the recycled materials theme. The tree was very intricate, with polar bears…
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Strasbourg, Alsace: The Capital of Christmas
Strasbourg is on the eastern border of France in the Alsace Region. This city has gone back and forth between being part of France and part of Germany, which has created an interesting blend of both the culture and the architecture. Strasbourg is well-known for its annual Christmas market, or Christkindelsmärik. Strasbourg isn’t a large city, and the Christmas market is spread across town. The best way to explore the markets is definitely by foot. There is plenty of vin chaud / gluhwein (mulled wine) to help warm up! There are also fires to stand by scattered around the markets. One of my favorite parts is the decorated Rue Mercière…
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Indoor Attractions in Ottawa
I just went on my first international business trip! I had a training in Gatineau, which is just across the river from Ottawa. Gatineau is part of the Quebec province, while Ottawa is part of Ontario. Despite one side being francophone and the other side being anglophone, you will find both French and English speakers on either side! November is not the most ideal time to visit this area, because all the summer/fall attractions have closed but the winter attractions like skating in the canal don’t begin until December. Already in the first week of November, the weather was FRIGID! It’s nice to walk around and explore Ottawa, however, I…
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Fall Foliage on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park
One of my favorite fall activities is to visit Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park! Skyline Drive is a scenic route atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, stretching 105 miles long. This is the only public road through the park. Not only does Skyline Drive boast stunning views from Front Royal to Waynesboro, it also offers access to hiking trails, camp sites, picnic areas, and cabins. There are four entrances to Skyline Drive: Front Royal Entrance (off of 66 in Front Royal, VA) Thornton Gap Entrance (off of 211 near Sperryville, VA) Swift Run Gap Entrance (off of 33 near Harrisonburg, VA) Rockfish Gap Entrance (off of 64/250 near…
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Virginia Horseback Trail Ride
For my fiance’s birthday, I surprised him with a horseback trail ride in Front Royal, Virginia! There are a lot of stables in the DC area, but I decided to book with a stable in Front Royal so we could enjoy the mountain views without driving all the way to the Shenandoah area. I looked at several different places before deciding on Double H Stables. There are a lot of great options and each have pretty affordable prices for hour or 90 minute rides. I mainly chose Double H for the convenient location off the highway and I thought the trails would offer great views. I was nervous that the…
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The Bone Church: Sedlec Ossuary
“The Bone Church” or the Sedlec Ossuary is at the site of a former Abbey in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, a 50-minute train ride from Prague. Train tickets from Prague are cheap and there is a local bus that travels from the train station to the church and through the rest of the city. The abbey cemetery was a popular burial place because an Abbot was said to have sprinkled holy dirt from Jerusalem over the site in 1278. Between the plague and the Crusades, the cemetery became overfilled. The Baroque Gothic Style church was built in the 15th century and the remains of between 40,000-70,000 people were stacked in…
