Europe in Review: Dragons and Spa Days and Kisses, Oh My!

Well, I’m officially back from Europe and I thought it would be appropriate to sum up and wrap up my first summer on the road with a few of your favorite posts and my favorite moments.

Without further ado, then…

Scotland

We spent a grand total of 31 days in lush, cobbled Edinburgh working on university writing projects, wandering long-distance footpaths, and playing fetch in the park.

Your favorite posts:
5 Ways to Not Look Like a Moron in Edinburgh
How Much Does a Trip to Scotland Cost?
Excuse Me, There’s Something in Your Cleavage

Trip highlights:
That time I walked in on a deeply accented construction guy singing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Oh, and walking the gorgeous Water of Leith Walkway. That was cool too.

Belgium

Ah, Belgium, where we spent most of our summer: the whole month of July, a tiny bit of August, and half of September. I fell in love with Ghent and just had to go back.

Your favorite posts:
Love is Our Lingua Franca
4 Secrets of Belgian Spas
Dog-Friendly Belgium

Trip highlight:
A candlelit birthday dinner in Fred’s garden. A girls’ night in that spanned three cultures. And a simple evening of food, wanderings, and piano music with my Charming friend.

Germany

After my first month in Belgium, I boarded a train for two weeks in Freiburg, Germany, where I hiked the Black Forest and ate ridiculous amounts of sausage, pretzels, and schnitzel.

Your favorite posts:
A Photo Essay: Hiking the Black Forest
The Beginner’s Guide to German Sausage
Here There Be Dragons

Trip highlight:
Hiking the Black Forest and finding stunning mountaintop views and dragon artwork.

Switzerland

After working remotely all summer, I finally took a break and spent about 10 days vacationing in Switzerland.

Your favorite posts:
When You Imagine Me in Switzerland…
Magic & Awkwardness in Switzerland
Photo Essay: Walking the Bernese Oberland

Trip highlight:
Getting kissed while the fog rolled in the and sun sank below the horizon in the Swiss Alps.

Paris

As the summer drew to a close, I headed to Paris for five days with a new friend, mostly avoiding work for another mini-vacation. I was lucky enough to be staying within walking distance of the charming cafes and tree-lined streets of Montmartre.

Your favorite posts:
Ridiculous and Tasty Paris Must-Sees
Dog-Friendly Paris & Catalunya
Photo Essay: A Taste of Paris

Trip highlights:
A girls night featuring my new favorite red wine, fresh gouda, French pastries, and other culinary delights; wandering the charming, not-quite-as-touristy streets of Montmartre; and eating a perfectly prepared dinner of duck in a wine reduction sauce.

Spain

And, finally, Luna and I wrapped up our 2012 European adventures in Spain for four days at a blog conference before flying back to the U.S.

Your favorite posts (and by “favorite” I mean “only”):
Photo Essay: Wandering in Girona

Trip highlights:
Eating chocolate covered ice cream cones and making connections with tons of interesting travel writers, bloggers, and PR folks.

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