CINQUE TERRE - ITALY

We finally arrived to Cinque Terre after a 3 hour train ride. We stayed in a little apartment way up high off main road in Riomaggiore. After we settled down in our rooms, we walked around a bit and then grabbed dinner. I finally had fish and chips! I waited all week to find a good place and it was a great choice. I also got a fried crab leg as a cherry on top. Then we grabbed gelato but I ended up having a milkshake made from chocolate carmel gelato with M&M's mixed in. Yummy. 

Then we went to the coast of Riomaggiore where they had rocks right on the water. It wasn't a beach but it was fun to climb on the huge rocks and sit above the water. Here we just chilled out and watched the sunset. It was tough to climb on the rocks with flip flops but I didn't fall which was lucky enough. 

We headed back to our apartment and meet Monica who was from Canada and talked with her for a few hours. Then we went to bed. The next morning we got up early to hike!! We grabbed a boat that went to Vernazza. The only hike path that was open was the most difficult path from Vernazza to Monterosso. Apparently there were a lot of mudslides from the bad winter and they were all under construction. This path was supposed to be the most beautiful and I can definitely vouch for that! 

Starting the hike!

Although it was a tough hour and a half upward hike we made it and also enjoyed every bit of scenery and nature we encountered along the way. We stopped to take pictures at various spots along the way. We even saw vineyards and had a big water bottle to keep us hydrated. Once we got to monterosso, it was so gorgeous. 

We grabbed lunch at a sandwich place where all their sandwiches were named after American bands! I had the Smashmouth which had Proscuitto, Fontina, Tomato and Pesto. It was amazingly good. And of course, afterwards we got gelato. 

Then we laid out on beach for an hour or so and relaxed. On the beach side of Monterosso, there was a great view of the Mediterranean. We climbed out on the rock to get a closer look of the little town as well. It was one of my favorite towns out of all five of the Cinque Terre towns.

Then we walked to the other beach around a cliff to grab the boat back to Riomaggiore. 

After we all showered, we grabbed dinner at Primo Piatte and I had pesto pasta. It was not so filling so I split a pizza with Lisa. It was ham, artichoke, olives, and mushroom (I didn't eat the last two). Got a piece  of chocolate cake and then hung out on main street to enjoy the night life a bit. Then we went to bed.

LONDON

We arrived in Heathrow airport and took the tube to our hostel. We used the tube quite a bit in London, considering it was such a large city and it was a very fast way to get from place to place. We stayed at Astor Victoria, which unfortunately was the most repulsive hostel we stayed in, but what can you do. We got situated there, then went to Harrods department store! It was the most amazing shopping store ever. It felt a little like Water Tower Place in Chicago if I were to compare it to something. But really, nothing could compare to the Harrods gift shop. Us four spent more time than we needed but with a floor with the wall lines with purses... how could a girl just take a peak? 

We then headed to the Parent Trap House. It was very authentic looking. I recognized it right away. Sadly, it was a bit under construction, but that didn’t stop us from documenting our discovery! 

Afterwards, we headed to Leicester square to eat at a great burger/ice cream restaurant called Shake Shack. I got a hotdog, cheese fries and the sticky toffee ice cream. I hadn't had a meal like this in months, and it tasted like America. Then we walked around Liecester square a bit.

Wednesday: Next morning I meet the other three girls at Leicester square because they went early to buy tickets to a musical. Before I meet up with them I grabbed breakfast at a café in the square. I got a sesame seed bagel with cream cheese and cucumber. It was amazing!

We went on the free royal walking tour of London, we saw prince Charles house, St. James park (Henry the 8th built) where queen does all her meetings. (She prefers to live at the Buckingham palace.) At St. James Park, in front of the palace, we witnessed the changing of the guards which was so fun to watch. Over all the palace was not what I imagined a London palace to look like but when we went to the Buckingham palace, I understood the Queen’s preference of living there over the others. It was so incredibly gorgeous. Our tour guide then told us about "The Mall" which is the road leading up to the Buckingham Palace. It is colored red to symbolize a red carpet. 

Prince Charles's House

Buckingham Palace

"The Mall"

We then saw Prime Ministers home, green park, Winston Churchills bunker. Walked to see westminster abbey and big Ben. London eye in distance. We also walked through Trifigal square which had some interesting statues such as the blue cock.

Green Park

Prime Minister's Home

     

Winston Churchill's Bunker

Entrance to Westminster Abbey used by William and Kate at their wedding

After our tour we meet up with Jamie, and visited Niel’s Yard. So cute! It was a little cuartyard tucked away by two ally-looking entrances. All the buildings were painted with funky colors. Then the other girls left for musical, so Jamie and I went to her sisters law school, then shopped at primark and then grabbed dinner at Homeslice, a restaurant in Niel’s yard! We all ordered salami and Margarita pizza with white wine to share. After we finished dinner we saw that it had started raining, so we took the double decker bus to the Love Shack Café, which had amazing shakes! We all got hard shakes, mine was the Mars Attack with peanut butter.... And alcohol. It was a great end to a long day but exciting day.

Homeslice - Our dinner spot! 

Thursday: Our last full day in London started off with a dream of mine… We went to Abbey Road! It was so cool to see the exact crosswalk were The Beatles shot their "Abbey Road" album cover. We had a lot of fun running across the street and dodging traffic just to get a replica picture and we had great success! 

Abbey Road Studios

Next we ventured over to to see the London tower and the London bridge. 

We also saw Shakespeare's Globe Theater. 

Since it was around lunch time we headed to the borough market where there was a lot of free samples and food kiosks. I got a marinated chicken wrap, it was so good. 

Walked along river to Leicester square to stop at M&M world. Relaxed a bit then went down Oxford street for shopping! 

 To end our day, we went to St. Pancras train station to see the "Platform 9 and 3/4" from the Harry Potter movies. It was so fun to do because they had a little station all ready with the Harry Potter scarf and all! 

London was a great city and the three day trip was the perfect amount of time to see all of London!