Sometimes Pictures Just Aren't Enough

Before I go into hibernation so that I can study for my three upcoming exams I decided to upload all of my photos from my trips over the past few months. It was actually really fun to look through the photos because I was able to finally sit and remember the incredible sights I saw, and the forever lasting memories that came with those trips. I did the best I could to journal most days during these trips, but figured rather than summarizing my trips in individual blog posts the best thing would be for me to share my photos so that you could see for yourself exactly what I experienced.

However, as I finished going through my HUNDREDS of photos I couldn't help but find myself a little disappointed. People always say, "A picture speaks a thousand words," but I got to tell you, these pictures DO NOT exude all of the beauty that I attempted to capture. For example one day in Florence my friends and I climbed this hill to see what our hostel owner described as "the best view of Florence", and let me tell you, he was right. From the top of this hill you could see the highest point of the Duomo, the Arno River running underneath the Ponte Vecchio, you could see it all; and it was breathtaking. I didn't want to miss any of it, so I did my best to take a panoramic view with my camera, and I truly thought I had captured it all. But I didn't. A picture never could.

A photo is great for keeping a memory, and I couldn't imagine not having kept the thousands of memories I did, but a photo is tough for sharing. You will be able to get the essence of what I have taken through a picture; but the smells, sounds, and the excitement felt inside the first time I saw the Eiffel Tower, the Trevi Fountain, Big Ben, or Saint Patricks Cathedral---these are things I'm sad I can't share.

I feel so lucky that I have had the opportunity to travel and live in Europe. I cannot wait to come home, but I also can't wait to come back. There are more places that I want to visit than I already have, and there are so many places I want to return to so that I can share the moments with the ones I love. I want you all to remember: the incredible lasagna I had in Florence, the Croque Madame I savoured in Dublin, the unusual calm that surrounded me the first time I saw Buckingham Palace, the talented guitarist I stumbled upon in Madrid, the smell of Borough Market any day of the week in London--these are things I will always remember. And as much as I want the ones I love to understand these things too, they are the things that I will never take for granted.

My travles were amazing, and below I have included a few highlights from my trips. I am currently trying to figure out how to link all of my photo albums, but for now enjoy this brief glimpse into my journey.

xo.
-A



1. View of the city of Athens
2. Patsy, Me, and Phoebe in Oia
3. Me and Patsy throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain
4. Oia
5. Rialto Bridge, Venice
6. Rainbow over Piazza after thunderstorm in Florence
7. Me at castle in Lisbon
8. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin