Author: lyssdri

A wanderer with a camera.

Lyon: deux

Okay, I’m writing this from a cafe in Lyon. I know, I’m supposed to tell you everything every step of the way, but things were really stressful so I just kept all my thoughts in a little folder for you guys.

Alright, here we go. I flew from Cincinnati to Paris, which was nice. I don’t like the connecting flight life. Though, for all my money saving friends, sometimes it is a lot cheaper (moins cher) to have connecting flights. My boyfriend used STA travel; he had a fright from Cincinnati to New York, then to Paris. Once there we had a train to Lyon. This is where the first travel hiccup starts.

Continue reading Lyon: deux

Rotterdam

Have you ever had an awkward day between your travels? You’re in a city for one night just because it kind of worked out that way, not because you really wanted to be there? That was Rotterdam for Johnny and me. We arrived early on a rainy morning via BlaBlacar, this time driving with a cool Flemish businessman.

We spent most of the day just walking. We got lost walking to the train station, and then we got lost walking to some museums. We walked some more. Hey, in Rotterdam you should take the public transportation. Its not that expensive, but we didn’t realize that until later on our way to the CouchSurfing location (stay tuned for another blog post on this experience).

Continue reading Rotterdam

Antwerpen

I think part of my actual soul was left in Antwerp this last October when I visited there. I showed up with very little idea of what to do, like I think I had one coffee shop and one leather shop I wanted to go to, but that’s it. Some how it became my favorite stop on my small run through Belgium and the Netherlands.

Continue reading Antwerpen

NYC omg.

So I recently went to New York City. It’s known for Broadway shows, famous people, flashing lights, lots of fashion statements, and the movie Elf. Needless to say, I went in with really high expectations. I did my research, looked up my coffee shops, was really ready to get into the city.

Continue reading NYC omg.

Coffee in Geneva

I think you can learn a lot about a city from the coffee shops there. Are they rustic and homey, serving the lattes in hodge-podge mugs? Is it cleanly decorated with white walls and prints, or is it filled with wooden accents and plants? In America we often just grab our coffee and go, but since I work in a coffee shop, I find myself spending about 50% of my time seeing what a coffee shop can say and do for a city.

Continue reading Coffee in Geneva

Marseille & Aix-en-Provence: the fast version

So you might know that I spent November of 2015 in Marseille, France. Since then I’ve done nothing but sing praises for the south of France. Everything there is a little bit brighter–mainly because, unlike in Paris, the sun actually shines there. Instead of my normal post where I ramble forever about how gorgeous everything was, I’m going to hit my hard and fast favs of this little region.  Continue reading Marseille & Aix-en-Provence: the fast version

Budapest

The beautiful and historic city of Budapest. I was able to visit this place for only a day in December when my dad was there on a business trip. I was in extreme panic for about five minutes- What do I do? I know nothing about Hungary. I have never been to eastern Europe before, how do I plan for this trip and get as much as possible out of it in just a mer 24 hours? It was after my initial state of panic that I thought to check my new favorite European travel resource: USE-IT maps. These maps are made by locals for travelers who want to explore like locals. I printed out the one for Hungary before I left, but you can find them in the city for free, and then also have an app available! Seriously guys, check it out.

Continue reading Budapest