backpackinginstilettos

[backpackinginstilettos]

Up next tales from Croatia

[backpackinginstilettos]

Omg you are definitely inspiring for someone like me who dreams to travel. If I weren't so stuck with the things going on in my life right now, I'd definitely follow your footsteps :)

Oh don’t you worry darling, everyday is a new adventure! My philosophy on travel is very simple; If you’re not having a good time where you are now, you’re not gunna have a good time anywhere else. Embrace what you have in the present so when you do have the opportunity to go abroad you will have the tools to experience to the fullest extent! Happy travels love!

[backpackinginstilettos]

I absolutely 10000% love your blog and am so stoked you followed me so I could in-turn find your blog. I recently went on a guided tour through Eastern Europe which was amazing, but I have much respect for you doing it backpacking style. It makes it more appealing knowing that you're fashion/'extras of life' loving girl like myself and you can do this, so hopefully someday I'll get the guts to do it. Anyway, PLEASE keep posting, I'm so stoked about your adventure ahead.

Traveling is about trusting yourself. Trust yourself and you will have no problem backpacking. Go for it, don’t second guess, if its something that you want to do don’t let anyone or more importantly yourself get in the way. I speak to so many people that envy what I do I wish for a experience like mine but deny themselves the opportunity by making excuses. I have been so successful in my traveling because I always trusted that it was going to happen. I didn’t allow lack of money or any self doubt get in my way. Some may call me irresponsible or stupid for not having a concrete plan, but I just think they’re boring and and wish them safe travels on their annual Carnival cruise to some tourist ridden Caribbean island.

I'n other words get your ass to Europe. I'll keep posting. Thanks for the appreciation, it means a lot. 

[backpackinginstilettos]

Well Thats Embarrassing..... How a managed to Butcher The French Language After Three Weeks In Montpellier, France

Oh Montepellier, what an adventure you were. Three weeks of learning a language in a resort town in the south of France with a baller host family surrounded by beautiful beaches.... It sounds like a dream. But when reality sets in and you're forced to communicate in a foreign language 24/7 things get a little difficult. You not only still speak botched french, but you somehow manage to forget how to speak in your own native language as well. Overall, it was terribly confusing. Along the way I made several mistakes, ranging from silly to incredibly inappropriate, I share them with you today in hopes to entertain you all now and for generations to come.  

I tried to ask for some salt for my duck with my host family.

"Puis-je avoir un peu de sel pour mon connard?" I said.

Apparently there is a huge difference between "cONNard" and "cANard" 

Literally translated into english I said "Can I have some salt for my shitass" 

My host dog Garou, which translated into english means werewolf. He hates walks and can't swim. 

I said "Je suis chaud" a lot in passing. In french you often use 'avoir' the verb for 'to have' instead of 'être' the verb for 'I am' when one feels a certain way. For example, instead of saying "Je suis faim" which translates directly in english to 'I am hungry' you say "J'ai faim" or 'i have hunger.' There is also J'ai de la chance(I have luck), J'ai vingt et un (I have 21 years or I am 21 years old), etc. The list goes on and on.

Many times I forget this rule and unintentionally and in casual conversation, with my host family, in class, at the disco, would use the être congeration of "je suis chaud." It was August. It was hot. All the time.

What I failed to realize is that I was essentially saying was still "I am hot," but not in a way that related to the weather, rather in a way that indicated I was sexually excited.....

No one had the heart to tell me. It was only in my final week in Montpellier a nigerian man who was serving me my kebab corrected me.

Yeah. That was awkward. My kebab wasn't all that good either.

The french are very picky....  

Baiser and bassier are very different.....

When trying to get a reduced student ticket for my train I used the the verb 'baisser' or 'to reduce or lower.' I found it is very important to pronounce this correctly. 'Baisser' should be pronounced as 'bezay.' The 'z' pronunciation is very important because if you pronounce it as an 's' you are essentially saying "have sex with me" or even more precisely 'give me the fuck me price. I am a student." 

The cashier quickly corrected me and had me on my way without explaining to me what I had said. It was only after I had gotten home when I realized my mistake. So yeah, that was pretty embarrassing. 

Sushi delivery.... Why hasn't the states caught on. 

But perhaps what is most embarrassing is that I willing went to this institution. 

We probably should of been studying.... But instead we did this for about five hours a day. 

This is toilet paper. I have no further comments. 

[backpackinginstilettos]

I've Seen A Lot Of Castles, A Lot of Roman Ruins, And A Lot Of Churches Bro: A Photo Journal Of Avignon, Nîmes, and Arles

Avignon, France

Avignon is famous as it is the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century. The palace they built, ‘Le Palais des Papes,’ or the palace of popes, is the world’s largest Gothic edifice.

Not gunna lie, Avignon wasn’t my favorite. It’s beautiful, but a little too stuffy for my taste. Not enough young people in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong here, Avignon is beyond beautiful, its just a little to stuck in the past for my taste. The place needs a hipster makeover if you ask me.

Nîmes

Arenes de Nimes

Maison Carrée

Tour Magne

The crumbling shell of the 30m-high Tour Mange was raised around 15 BC. Built as a display of imperial power, it’s the largest of a chain of towers that once punctuated the city’s 7km-long Roman ramparts.

Ruins from a former Roman bath house

Jardins de La Fontaine

Le point du Gard…. I remember seeing pictures of this in my 6th grade textbook.

Arles

Remote, uneventful, but definitely no waste of time, Arles is absolutely steeped in Provençal culture. The museums are small, but have some interested artifacts. Unfortunately there are no Van Goghs to be found in the city, despite the fact that his residence in Arles was his most productive.

Slaves, criminals and wild animals (including giraffes) met their dramatic demise before a jubilant 20,000-strong crowd during Roman gladiatorial displays at Les Arènes, built around the late 1st or early 2nd century AD

I guess it doesn’t look all that much like the picture….

Look familiar?

I met a cat friend

[backpackinginstilettos]

Your blog is so awesome and inspiring, i've always wanted to backpack through Europe and its awesome reading about your personal experiences and seeing what its like!

 Thanks. It really means a lot that you would say that. I started traveling sans parental guidance when I was 18 and instantly was obsessed.  Ever since I’ve worked odd jobs here and there saving up money so I can travel some more.

Backpacking is an experience that can’t be matched. The cities I visit is more than just a place to see, but a new way of seeing things. My hope, by creating this blog, is to do more than share my experience, but to inspire others to create experiences for themselves.

[backpackinginstilettos]

What To Do When A Frenchmen Asks For A French Kiss: A Guide To San Sebastian

Oh San Sebastian, what an experience you were. 

Well, it started off like this....

[backpackinginstilettos]

And then I started hallucinating....

[backpackinginstilettos]

And ended with me in the trunk of a Frenchmens car….. Maybe not one of my best ideas.

Heres the thing about San Sebastián, its a beautiful little beach town on Spain’s northern coast, it has a long interesting history, turquoise water, unrivaled local cuisine- just and overall stunning setting and charming culture, but its full of nocturnal Frenchmen spending all their Daddies money on gin and tonics for little blonde American girls. In short, this festive Spanish town is a refined way to party like it’s 1999…. or 1970s… I don’t know why but the french go nuts for disco music. I have no explanation for this.

Lets first start with the landscape and ambiance of San Sea Bass. Shall we?

In June, the city secured a coveted designation as a 2016 European Capital of Culture, ensuring that it will put its best foot forward for years to come.

Also, I happened to stumble on this simply terrifying parade.

All that beach goodness resulted in this however….

But seriously. A rule that truly benefits the community.

The Spanish…. They understand my physical and emotional pain.

Also, I looked fabulous on Saturday August 10th.

Theres no denying it, San Sebastian is beyond beautiful, but when the sun sets it becomes a pleasure place for horny twenty somethings who prey on anything with functioning genitals. It is simply indefinable.

As a solo female traveller I’m always on the fence of whether or not I should go out and create an experience for myself or just avoid it all together because its safer. So when I got a knock on my door from a frenchmen with on bottle of whiskey I had quite the dilemma.

I had previously planned to go out with a group of people from Barcelona but lost them when I tried to buy sangria from a grocery store…. The language barrier proved to be difficult. So it was either stay in my bed all night or go out with this creepy rando who clearly scoped out where I lived. So I compromised. I agreed to go out for a drink as long we stayed in the hostel and I opened the whiskey. Traveling solo is all about making compromises and always having an escape plan.

You may think I’m stupid, but I just think you’re paranoid and boring. And yeah I’ve fucking seen “Taken,” but helloooo, pay attention man, sex trafficking happens even more often in America. If I have to hear about that stupid, and might I add completely and utterly fictional movie again I’m going to loose it. Traveling is all about creating memories of a lifetime. So, if you spend your entire trip alone and in fear of something horrible happening you’re not going to have a good time. Its not about being afraid of what may happen, its about always being aware of what is happening.

Oh, and heres a tip, when someone dubious asks what you’re studying in college I always say I’m studying to be a police women. Its hilarious. I talk about my Heckler & Koch 9mm and they’re usually scared shitless. Nothing scares a european more than a crazy american that knows how to handle a weapon. Seriously. A select few find it weirdly erotic. In that case I usually just ask where the library is in french and run… It doesn’t work for everybody, but playing it off that I am a crazed american that knows how to handle lethal weapons works for me. Its all about knowing what works for you when you’re abroad.

Later the frenchmen asked me to go to the discothèque(no one goes to the club before 3am here)with them, at 2:30 in the morning I might add. So I said I had an 8am tour and headed up to my room. 3 minutes after I got in bed a got another knock on my door, this time asking for a french kiss, cause who doesn’t want to french kiss a frenchmen right? Not me. Never. Never ever bro. In this case I just gave a traditional “faire la bise,” the french tradition of kissing both cheeks, and promptly shut and locked the door behind me.

My second night I stumbled upon some more frenchmen. They’re everywhere. Really, even in Spain. We ended up going to a discotheque and I got everything payed for, hollaaaaa. But I did end up getting lost and approached a second time by another frenchmen for a french kiss which was slightly alarming. So I said I had to go to the bathroom, then I ran out the club and got into the nearest taxi. The moral of that story is that I felt uncomfortable and I left, I had an escape plan and I followed it. When you travel you have to trust your instincts and follow them.

I still had an amazing time, meet some amazing people, but traveling solo you have advantages and disadvantages, you have the freedom to do what you want and when you want, but you lack the security and companionship of traveling in groups. The moral of this rant is to have a good time, meet some interesting people, and create memories. Just don’t be an idiot. Take care of yourself and trust your instincts always.

Oh yeah and don’t trust the french, the young men that is. And the italians too for that matter, they have a weird thing about blondes, I did very well there.

These people. They are awful. Don’t trust frenchmen. Seriously. I hate it.

[backpackinginstilettos]

Nantes Cont. A Hipsters Paradise.

Follow the road less traveled, not a typical backpacking tour. A planned tour means you will hang with Americans on bikes and flirt with drunk Germans and someone will steal your Levi’s in the hostel and a guy from Poland will sock you in the face while bad techno plays everywhere and you will learn nothing except that your face hurts and not everyone showers. Immerse yourself in other culture, understand their politics, speak their language, learn their customs.

Getting lost should be seen as a sweet chance to be found.

Remember, you belong everywhere.

An 18th century stone house created by Jean-Luc Courcoult, a local theatre producer, that appears to be swept down into the currents of the Loire River.

[backpackinginstilettos]

Nantes. Like Ermahgerd.

It was never my intention to visit Nantes. You see, what happened was I was headed to San Sebastian, Spain, via train when the SNCF conductor ever so kindly asked me for my rail pass. The plan was to make my way to Spain via Rennes to Nantes, Nantes to Bordeaux, Bordeaux to Hendaye, Hendaye to Irun, Irun to San Sea Bass. Easy enough. False. See, the thing is, I’m a stupid fartface and when the conducter asked my for my ticket I didn’t have one. Why you might ask? Because I left that stupid piece of paper that cost me 250 bucks in the back for my best friends car. Suddenly I had a choice. Either go home and inherently admit my failure, or spend a day in Nantes, a city I knew nothing about, and admit my failure later. The choice was clear. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade…and try to find someone whose life has given them vodka, cause its about to be a party up in here. 

First off, Whaaaaaaaat. Thats an elephant just casually walking through town. 

Les Machines de l'île.

Nantes is the hot spot in the European art world, a middling-sized city re-thought, re-imagined, re-built on the notion that public art is a smart investment that promotes itself as France's most "bizarre" city.

Consistently Nantes puts 15 to 20 percent of its budget into public art. Art is not a luxury to citizens, its an investment in their future. 

[backpackinginstilettos]

Backpackersguidetoearth....yours is close

Similar in subject, not in style.

[backpackinginstilettos]

You're the second blog of your kind to follow me. I wonder if you know each other

Peut-être.

[backpackinginstilettos]

Looks like you are just beginning your adventure. First time backpacking? How long? You are going to love it, I found it nearly impossible to create memorable moments every place I went while traveling in Europe!

No, its not my first time backpacking. I've backpacked through Western Europe, Canada, and a bit of Peru over the past three years. I'll be gone for five months. And yes I'm having an amazing time! I don't think its impossible to make memorable moments either! I don't really search out to create memories, I just sort of get lost in the culture and beauty of a place and kinda stumble upon them. Its magical.

[backpackinginstilettos]

Apéritifs are just the Best Things Ever

I am a recent convert to aperitifs and what I call the aperitif way of life--which is another way of saying I am no longer in any hurry to eat. 

An apéritif is an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite, and is usually dry rather than sweet. So not only do you drink yummy drinks but it also manages to make the delicious french food your about to eat taste that much better. 

Dinner in a Frenchman's house can be an unnerving experience for an American. For one thing, no one ever seems to be in a hurry to eat. Although you may be greeted with fabulous kisses and a warm double welcome--Bienvenue! Bienvenue!--you're likely to be seated in the parlor, without any food in sight. Your host will kindly ask after your health, nodding Bien! Bien! to whatever you answer. (A true Frenchman repeats everything.) Then you will be poured an aperitif. 

So you might be thinking "isn't this just a fancy word for cocktail hour?" False. See the french have some class and and take pride in their food, therefore they aren't going to scarf down something called a pink panty dropper before they eat some exquisite Coq au vin. Food and wine are sources of national pride and reflect regional differences. Meals are ritualized, and full of social cultural meaning. An apéritif has a propose, unlike the before dinner appletini to help "loosen things up" and make you seem funnier to your in laws, its there to bring out the flavors in the food you're about to eat AND its delicious wine that isn't meant to be slapped out of a bag like I'm used to. I'm hooked. 

Before my move to France food was food. Food was good. I ate when I was hungry and I ate on the couch while I watched The Bachelor with my Mother and felt sorry for myself. The couch was my preferred place of eating and drinking, nothing comforted me more than watching Toddlers and Tiaras and eating white cheddar popcorn while I mocked fat pageant moms who live vicariously through their talentless children. That way of life is in the past now. I mean I'm still addicted to TLC's reality show line up (I mean they have a show called "My Teen is Pregnant and So Am I." I mean, I can't pass that up.) but I refuse to eat on the couch any longer. Dinner is to be eaten on a plate and around a table with people you love.  

For those who have never indulged in this sort of drink, here are a few basics: An aperitif (the word comes from the Latin aperire, "to open") is a light, most often dry, most often modestly alcoholic beverage meant to spark the appetite without overwhelming the senses. And while an aperitif may be as simple as a glass of dry white wine or Champagne, a true aperitif, the kind that I love, can have a little more flavor, like an Pastis.

[backpackinginstilettos]

Mont Saint Michel is Haunted

Mont Saint Michel is Haunted. Just really haunted. Its beautiful. Beyond beautiful. But it is also cursed by a million vengeful ghosts that want justice for their wrongful death. You have to go though. Its pretty awesome.

The best time to go is right at sunset in the summertime. Not only do you surpass the Disneyland-like crowds and see a truly incredibly sunset, but the monastery comes alive with classical musicians, spectacular light shows, beautiful projections, and…. oh yeah a shit ton of ghosts. Ghosts everywhere. It got to the point where I couldn’t even take a picture in the building cause there be all sorts of spirits up ‘n derrr.

Those dots. Ghosts bro. Ghosts.

Not going to lie as a single white female of Italian descent I’m superstitious. I’ve seen The Sixth Sense, I know things.

Apparently they converted Mont Saint Michel into a prison during the French Revolution and some guy named Louis in the 1400s slaughtered 2000 people there throughout the Great War. So not only were a bunch of dead people, but dead people seeking revenge for their unwarranted death. Scary. Shit.

But seriously there were a crazy amount of cold pockets, creepy noises from locked rooms, orbs, the works. If you think I’m crazy for this, thats fine, I know I’ve been crazy for a long time now.

Despite the presence of unearthly beings, Mont Saint Michel cannot be missed. Built atop of quicksand in the 11th century by Christian pilgrims, its a constant physical reminder that we as humans have the capability of achieving the impossible if we believe it to be possible.