Adventures in Yellowstone

Wow, it seems like so long ago that we took our family vacation to Yellowstone, even though it was a few short weeks ago! Time flies I guess when your fiancé comes into town to plan your wedding and you have to see this friend and these friends and do this, do that... But it's all fun of course. :)

Anyway, back to Yellowstone. We spent about 5 days up in that area. A realitivly short drive from Colorado, we took our sweet time exploring Wyoming on our way there, spending the night in Casper on our way. Once we got checked into our cabin at the Pahaska Teepee Lodge, formerly owned by the infamous Buffalo Bill, we spent a whole day in nearby Cody, WY. They have a fantastic museum, Buffalo Bill's Center of the West Museum, which housed some pretty cool exhibits. My dad and brother went crazy for the large gun exhibit, my mom and I enjoyed the Native American jewelry and Western Art exhibits, and then we all enjoyed the natural history exhibit and Buffalo Bill exhibit. I kinda went into crazed designer mode in the natural history one, because the interior design of it was just so darn brilliant, I couldn't contain myself! The way you experienced the space, the way the information was given to you... It was perfect! Makes me curious about museum design a bit… But I digress. After spending the afternoon walking through the downtown area (and me finding the perfect cowboy boots for my wedding!) we ate dinner at a cute family owned establishment then made our way to the Cody Rodeo. It was my first rodeo experience, and it was definitely fun! I have mad respect for those bull riders... That was certainly quite intimidating to watch! 

The next two days we spent exploring Yellowstone National Park. We of course saw all the main sights, watched Old Faithful erupt, etc. The geothermal areas of the park are just breathtaking and mind boggling to me. To think that just up the Rockies from us in Colorado are these awesome acts of nature is so neat. (The geology neard in my dad and I certainly came out in this trip. I am my fathers daughter!)

 Aside from the cool features the park has to offer, some of the coolest memories involve some of the animals we encountered. Now, coming from Colorado, deer and elk are a common sight for me. So when tourists would block the road with their deer or elk sightings we all thought "so what?" But we did really want to see bison, a grizzly bear, and a moose. I've seen bison before up in Custer National Park in South Dakota, but waking up in the morning to see four of them across the small street from your cabin is quite a different thing! And then leaving the park on the first day we came across a mama grizzly and her two cubs on their evening walk... So cool! One of the little cubs starting skipping and I just about died.

 

After we had had our share of the sights in Yellowstone, we made our way back home via Grand Teton National Park. I'm a Colorado girl at heart and have seen many beautiful mountain views in my day, but still the Tetons rendered me breathless. It amazes me the beauty we have on this earth. Gods creations are truly everywhere, and it is so apparent when you look at something like this.

Overall it was a great week, and I loved exploring a part of the country I hadn't seen before, despite it being so close to home. As if I needed it, this trip even more solidified that I am truly a Colorado girl at heart, and that the west is where I belong. And I'm so happy my man feels the same way! (Well, not about being a Colorado girl at heart, since he's a guy but you know what I mean :) )

--Caroline

Five Friday Favorites

I have so enjoyed being home this week! And in the essence of maximizing my time at home, here's a quick snapshot of what happened this week...

1. Berlioz made the trip out to Colorado with Kyle and I, since he will be in the care of my parents until I get back from my study abroad this summer. I was SO NERVOUS about flying with a cat, something I've never done before, but he was such a good sport. Here he is relaxing (with the help of some drugs) on the way from the airport to my parent's house. What a cutie!

2. By the grace of God, one of my closet friends needed up being in Colorado this week also, and we got to hang out which was awesome and very unexpected! I love that with the best of friends you can go awhile without seeing them, yet pick up right where you left off. :)

3. I ran a couple errands in Boulder with my mom, and we came across these funky little town homes. I'm not sure why, but I'm just a little obsessed... #architecturenerd

4. Kyle and I got to spend a day up in Estes Park, one of our old stomping grounds for many a date. Lots of good memories then, and were made this trip too.

5. In a bout of spontaneity, we decided to creep around the Stanley Hotel, the infamous hotel up in Estes. My parents got married there, but it's been so long since I've been inside that it was nice to explore a little bit with Kyle! It's a truly beautiful & historic hotel, and I highly recommend a visit if you're ever in the area.

Hope y'all have a great weekend! 

--Caroline

Winter Cruise: What I Packed

As I mentioned yesterday, Kyle and I recently got back from an absolutely wonderful 3-day cruise to the Bahamas. I've done an Alaskan cruise and  a European river cruise, but this was my first cruise down south! We had a blast, and really enjoyed having a break and some time to ourselves before Christmas. You can read more about the details in yesterday's post, but today I'm sharing what and how I packed for this amazing trip!

When I was packing to leave Tallahassee, I was packing for the cruise, warmer Daytona weather, and cold Colorado weather. Overwhelming to say the least! To make things easy on myself, I pre-packed a smaller suitcase just for the cruise, which was filled with a set amount of outfits. I took an afternoon and tried each outfit on, making sure I knew what undergarments to pack, what jewelry to pair, and what shoes I needed.

Since the ship had nightlife, I wanted to pack a nice outfit for each night that would work for both dinner and going out, if we wanted to. I packed a different outfit for every day, keeping in mind what we might be doing both on the ship and off. I also packed a couple extra tops, an extra swim bottom, and a couple different things that would work as a swim coverup. 

I definitely overpacked. I didn't wear one of the outfits I brought for night (which was an extra one more for going out, which didn't happen really). There was one of my "day" outfits I didn't wear, as well as two unused extra tops. We didn't end up working out, so my workout outfit and tennis shoes never got used. My black heels never got worn (too dressy after a day in the sun!) and my spare swim bottom didn't get worn either (to be expected). There were some jewelry items that went unworn, but again I knew, being the jewelry-loving lady that I am, that that would happen!

Even though I over packed in some regards, I was missing a couple key things, namely in the form of outerwear. Both Kyle and I didn't really think about it being windy up on deck at night, and so I was really happy I brought a maxi dress for dinner on the first night! I certainly could have used a wrap or cardigan or something for walking in and outside at night, as it was a little chillier than I thought. Next time! 

Do you cruise in the wintertime? Any packing tips?

--Caroline

Winter Cruise For The Holidays

Over the weekend, Kyle and I got back from our wonderful cruise to the Bahamas! It was an amazing trip, a great break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and a great time to reconnect and spend time together. This was my first "fun ship" cruise, but I've done both an Alaskan Cruise and a European River Cruise with my family. At only three days, it was short but sweet in every way!

After getting on board, we wandered around and checked out the ship, seeing all it had to offer and enjoyed some beverages that we got weaseled into purchasing (they are good at that! we learned quickly to say "no!"). We lounged for awhile, took a little nap, and then got ready for dinner. And after dinner, we had to take some fancy pictures, because why not? When in Rome! Rather, When on a Cruise! 

The next day, we spent the morning up on deck before we docked in Nassau, Bahamas. We had brought Santa hats with us, and since the ship had festive decor we fit right in! After an afternoon out on a catamaran and snorkeling with the reef fishes, we got all dressed up for dinner. It was festive, dressy night, so I wore my sparkly dress and wedges. 

 

On the final day, we sunbathed up on deck in the morning, where we fell asleep in the sun. This of course made us even more tired, so we spent the day relaxing and resting. After dinner, we saw the second comedian on board (after seeing the other one the night prior) and after laughing our butts off we fell asleep, knowing we'd have to wake up early to disembark. 

We had so much fun, and certainly enjoyed our little Christmas vacation! Now back to reality... Check back tomorrow for details on what and how I packed for this winter cruise!

--Caroline

Linking Up With: Walking In Memphis in High Heels and The Fashion Canvas for the Trend Spin Linkup! 

A City of Love & Lights

Thus far, I've talked about how impressed I was by Prague, how I grew to love all the German villages, and now it's time for me to share the last part of my family vacation: Paris. I loved Paris, don't get me wrong, but my expectations were high (how can they not be, with the amount of screen time Paris gets in movies & tv, and nicknames like The City of Love and The City Of Lights?). Needless to say, I was not as into Paris as I was some of the other places we went. I contribute this not only to the epic hype surrounding the most popular vacation destination, but also the fact that at this point my family and I were kind of ready to be home. I certainly want to go back to Paris, because being there for only 2 days we really didn't have time to check out the art museums, and we missed out on a lot of exploring. Some day I'll return, and it won't be at the end of my trip!

A Beautiful outdoor modern art installation at Versailles.

I loved this interior light installation--it looks like an elegant strand of pearls.

The Hall Of Mirrors! I had been dreaming of the day I'd get to see this in person!

The Arc de Triumph with the French flag, still up from Bastille Day.

My family and I in front of the Eiffel Tower.

The Luxembourg Palace & beautiful gardens.

The Eiffel Tower sparkling during the nighttime light show.

And that concludes our trip! It was such a fun and memorable trip, and I'm so glad I got to experience it with my family. I can't wait to go to Florence next summer for my study abroad, and I can't wait to travel back another time. I need to see some of the sights I missed throughout Prague, Germany, and Paris, as well as visit more of the Czech Republic and France. 

I hope y'all have enjoyed my posts about the trip! Have a wonderful Tuesday!

--Caroline

Bernkastel & Trier

We spent our last day in Germany between the towns of Bernkastel and Trier. Starting in Bernkastel, we were walking around long before the town was really awake, which was kind of cool--we got to see everyone wake up, open the shops, and start the day. It kind of reminded me of the beginning of Beauty and the Beast, when Belle goes around and sees all the townspeople waking up! We declined the included city tour of Bernkastel to do some of our own sightseeing, and we came across some unique sights!

A vine-covered building around the city center.

No optical illusion here... the house really is at an angle!

Drinking beer in a bathtub--what more does one need in life?!

I'm guessing this is a passageway to something related to the vineyard above, perhaps a wine cellar? Regardless, the detail is amazing!

In the afternoon, we made our way to Trier, a city known for it's abundance of Roman ruins! The Roman Empire is so frequently discussed in all aspects of life: government, art, architecture, and thinking, so it was truly amazing to see these ruins in person. I can only imagine what it would have been like to be at the large bath house or coming into town through their fortress bridge...

Part of the bath house that is still standing today.

One of many underground walkways under the bath house complex.

The impressive bridge tower on the edge of then-Roman territory. 

The day spent between these two cities was a great way to end my time in Germany. I wish we could have had more time in Trier--I got the impression it had so much more to offer than what we had time to see. Good to know for my next trip!

Have a great Thursday!

--Caroline

Cochem: A Dream Come True

If I had to pick only one village from Germany to go back to, it would be Cochem. 

Residential, but touristy. Quaint but bustling. Old yet new. Cochem has it all! We started the day off with a city center tour, which then led us up the hill to the castle. I will tell you that I was so looking forward to this day since I looked at our itinerary... Visiting a castle has been my dream since forever! It was so cool to see a medieval castle in the flesh and bone! Ahh! I'm still so excited, and I've been back for almost a month now... Sorry, I'm not sorry.

After lunch, my brother and I went on a bike riding excursion to a nearby village, to which I do not remember the name. It was a good 3 hour bike ride along the Mosel River, with breathtaking views on both sides. I want to go back and ride a bike there again, it was a great little trail.

The view from our ship of Cochem.

A local artist's mosaic representation of the history of Cochem.

Detailed ceiling & walls in the dining room of the castle.

The view from the castle armory tower--a great lookout for intruders!

I love the medieval charm the castle has. Straight out of a movie!

Me posing with the knight's armor.

The cute village we ended up in on our bike ride!

Like I said, this was my favorite stop in Germany, and I'd repeat it again in a heartbeat. That's the coolest (but also meanest) part of this trip-- I found so many amazing places I want to return to, but what are the chances I'll be able to? I'm so grateful I was able to go on this once in a lifetime trip, and to be able to spend it with my family.

--Caroline

Medieval Rothenburg

After Wurzburg, we spent an afternoon in the medieval city of Rothenburg, Germany. A quaint little town with a lot of history, you almost get the feeling as if nothing has changed. Of course it has; there are little tourist shops on the street corners, a very slight bustle of people around the small city center. It was certainly very cool to see a true medieval fortress in the flesh!

The outer walls of the medieval fortress.

The bustling city center.

View from one of the fortress towers.

I loved this funky little half-timbered hose!

That's all for today, a short a sweet post to start off your week! Have great day!

--Caroline

A Franconian Bamberg

By books, Bamberg is a typical Franconian city in Germany. It has been called a medieval version of Rome, because the city sits atop seven hills which flank the Regnitz River; a perfect place to live under protection. But it is not a "by-the-books" city by any means. Famous for their well-known and unique "Smoky Beer", and a beer capital of Franconia, Bamberg was definitely a fun city to be in. My love for architecture was alive, as Bamberg has a great mix of architectural styles. 

The Old City Hall, which straddles a bridge.

Bamberg's "Little Venice" and a line of half-timbered houses.

Beautiful flower in the gardens of the Bishop's Palace.

View of the city from the gardens of the Bishops Palace. Love those red roofs!

I loved the Rococo painted details on this building!

The Bamberg Dom-- a Romanesque and Gothic styled Cathedral.

And that's Bamberg! I caught a cold my brother had, and the day we were in Bamberg was the first day it was really bad, so I really don't remember much aside from the pictures I took. I'd love to return someday, preferably when I'm not in the fog of a cold!

--Caroline