The Real Reason

Hey there!

Today, like the last time I wrote, I'm sitting in an airport. :) Last time I was sitting in one of the two airports in Kiev, getting ready for two weeks of exploring Europe with some of the best girls in the world - Paige, little Paige, and Genesis. I could probably make a whole new blog just  to talk about travel and how much fun we had and advice, etc. But I don't really have the time, so here are some of my favorite things/recommendations for each place.

LONDON

London was one of my favorite places, second only to Rome. Thanks to my time there, I'm seriously considering applying to medical schools there. Here are my top five recommendations:

1. Buy an Oyster card for the Underground, not a day pass. It'll be cheaper. We never actually figured out how the Oyster cards work, but it seems like everyone but us had one, and saved money that way.
2. Take a free walking tour- there are lots to choose from - from traditional sight seeing tours to Harry Potter tours to Jack the Ripper tours.
3. If you're a Harry Potter nerd, like me, visit the Harry Potter store at King's Cross Station. :)
4. See Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
5. Walk along the Thames.

DUBLIN

1. In Dublin it would probably be wise to invest in a bus pass- otherwise you'll do lots of walking. Or find a place that has a bike your size (I unfortunately didn't have luck in that area.)
2. Check the weather and go to Phoenix Park when it's not raining. The park is beautiful, and I'm really sad that I wasn't able to see more of it. :/
3. Check out Trinity College. We only saw the entrance to campus on our walking tour, but it looks awesome! And the library there is also the Hogwarts library. :P
4. Go to St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ's Church cathedral.
5. Check out the museums! Dublin has some amazing museums and I'm sad we didn't get to see more. :/

BERLIN

1. Try curry wurst. It's cheap snd super delicious!
2. Go to museum Island! Even if you just want to look at the museums from the outside, you won't regret it!
3. Check out the TV tower. We only saw it from a distance, but Paige's friend says that you can go to the top and see a great view of the city
4. Visit the East Side Gallery. It's the longest remaining piece of the Berlin Wall
5. Check out the world clock in... One of the squares. It shows the time in every time zone. :)

Rome

I don't know if I can pick just five things to suggest, but here goes:

1. Buy a water bottle and take it with you everywhere. The water in Rome is the best I've ever tasted and there are free fountains everywhere with surprisingly cold water. You can even fill it up at the Trevi fountain or at the base of the Spanish steps.
2. GO TO THE VATICAN MUSEUMS!!! Yes the lines are long, but it's totally worth it!!! Take your time going through though. I went through fairly quickly because I wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, but I wish I'd gone through a bit slower.
3. Try some authentic Italian pizza or pasta. I opted for pizza, but I know Genesis enjoyed her pasta. And don't forget gelato for dessert!
5. Visit as many of the Piazza's as you can! Piazza Navona was probably my favorite. Also, near Piazza del Popolo, there's a place called Villa Medici - it's a bit of a climb to get there, but the views are worth it!

Speaking of views- one more: go to all the typical sightseeing spots- Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum- they're all worth it. :)

GREECE

We didn't spend too much time in Greece, so I'm combining my tips for Athens and Santorini into one.

1. Rent ATV's in Santorini! They're so fun, and an easy/cheap way to get around.
2. Go to the red beaches in Santorini- but make sure you only take a small bag, since it's a bit of a hike, first up, then down to the beach. And put on lots of sunscreen!!!!!!
3. Check out the white houses in Oia. You know- the one's Lena rides a donkey through in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. They're pretty, and are right next to a beautiful ocean view.
4. Try an authentic Greek gyro
5. In Athens, go to the Acropolis!!

There's a whole lot more to see/do in each place, but these are a must. :)

Now, on to the title of the post, and why I'm once again in an airport. I'm on my way to Spain!!! Right now I'm sitting in the Warsaw airport, waiting to catch my flight to Madrid. :) I can't wait to have a chance to shadow doctors in Madrid. Expect lots of blog posts, since that's the real reason I started this blog. Talking about Ukraine and teaching and traveling has been fun, but I started this blog as a way to catalog my adventures as a female pre-med student. Speaking of, I've finally started my MCAT studies too, so expect a post where I talk study strategies. :)

Until next time!