Europe, you are missed...

I've been fortunate enough to have traveled quite a bit. It was important to my parents that my brothers and I were well-educated, well-traveled, and had open minds. They encouraged travel, learning other languages and trying new things on a regular basis. Because of their generosity, I was able to attend my first semester of college in England with an amazing friend, and later return to Europe post-graduation to travel all over with another best friend. Here's a few photos:

Pret-a-Manger was my favorite place in England. It was a quick-stop for sandwiches, sushi, salads and juices to go. Everything we had there was delicious! Anytime Ashley and I ventured into London, we'd always make a stop there.

My best friend Ashley and I having tea on campus. Looking back now, we were quite brave for venturing out at barely 18 and in our first semester of college all the way across the world.

A visit to Ireland over one of our winter holidays. Dublin was an incredible city - full of the nicest people I've ever met (a rarity considering most everyone hates Americans) and incredible food and drink. I'd love to settle in Dublin for a while.

A small village outside of Dublin that we ventured to. It was completely picturesque - small homes, stone walls and rolling green hills. Pretty much the exact picture one gets when they imagine Ireland, right?

Seeing Imogen Heap in December 2005 - just after her second solo album, Speak For Yourself, was released. It was a tiny, intimate show with some great little opening bands and lots of dancing and singing along. Imogen is stunning in person.

This photo's from my later trip to Europe. Florence was an unbelievably romantic city. Every little alleyway and cafe and coffee shop felt like the perfect lover's retreat. I wished I'd had my boyfriend at the time, now my fiance, there with me. It's definitely on our list of things to do as soon as we can afford it!

A lovely shop in Rome, Italy.

The Roman Colosseum - it's frightening to think of what went on in the Colosseum, but it was incredible to get to see it in person. Such a beautiful piece of history still so intact.

The Parthenon in Greece, and one of my roommates throughout the trip - who has ended up becoming an insanely good friend, Meagan.

This is apparently illegal. Haha! Luckily, since we were a group of cute girls, the police didn't bug us much. We had to sidle up next to a shady looking old man and pay him to give us the bird feed. The pigeons went crazy, as you can see from this picture - but it really was a fun experience.

Versailles Palace. We got to tour through Marie Antoinette's stomping grounds. It's such a stunning palace, with everything trimmed in gold. The gardens were equally as gorgeous, though I've been told they are thinking of opening one of the old guest quarters as a hotel.

A cathedral in Prague, my all-time favorite city. I've dreamed of going there before getting to visit in 2009 and the three days I spent there wasn't enough. Full of gothic architecture and windy cobblestone roads, it feels like something out of an Edgar Allan Poe novel, though I suppose Kafka is more fitting.