The Honeymoon Photoshoot

Hola, ¿cómo estás?

...and that concludes the extent of my Spanish... aside from dos cervezas, por favor! Y vino! Excelente! Muchas gracias! You know, it's all about priorities over here.

The days spent honeymooning were those of which dreams are made of. When we were living it, I pinched myself just to make sure that I wasn't dreaming, and now that we're back, I daydream (often) about being there again. Mornings meant waking up to palm trees, blue skies, and the songs of birds as we spent extra moments snuggled in the sheets. Calm washed over us each day as we took note of our lack-of schedule, and nothing but the beach to conquer.

When I look back on our time together, I can’t help the smile that stretches across my face. All the moments we spent in stillness as we lazed by the pool, books in hand, not a word needing to be spoken. Long walks on the beach, and parasailing high above the ocean (that is – until we were completely dunked into it – both exhilarating and totally terrifying for me!)

Our one week anniversary celebrated with a private candlelit dinner on the beach, complete with a four-course meal, constant stream of vino, and never-ending conversation that connected us together even more as time went on.

We ate when we were hungry, napped at least twice a day, burned through books, and talked for hours on end. We felt like total ballers lounging on our terrace, Bob Marley playing in the background, as we soaked up the sun, and drank from our mini-bar. We ventured out on photography missions, and even battled the ocean in a kayak. (I’m still wondering who won the battle – my pride says we did, but the ocean who so-conveniently decided to form white caps out of nowhere, flip us over and then continue  to smash waves our way over and over and over is probably still laughing!)

But this particular day? I woke up before the sun, ran down to the beach to see it rise and spent the day hamming it up for the camera while frolicking across the sand.

...And can I just say – hot damn! I love this man.

Let the daydreaming begin ;)

P.S. If you missed any of the deets on our wedding, they can be found here.

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Paradise in Poland

Happy Monday, friends! How did we get here again so quickly? I hope you enjoyed your weekend! Sebastian and I spent our time biking around town, hanging out in parks, eating way too much ice cream cake, lighting sparklers, and celebrating birthdays with our friends. And as my friend told me... we successfully entered the realm of quarter of a century.

...So I figured we'd start out the week by looking at some pretty pictures!

While visiting Poland, we snuck away to a little piece of paradise - the family cottage. This is a cottage that Sebastian's dad helped build when he was young. A little home away from home to go, relax, and spend time with family. It's the cottage that was built with love. And continues to be maintained with just that - everything you see here is all taken care of by Sebastian's grandmother.

It's filled with lush greenery and flowers galore. Among the gardens, you can find lettuce growing, strawberry bushes, tomatoes, and herbs. All to be picked straight from the garden to enjoy devour.

And that view. There's just something about being next to a lake that immediately calms you. The water was cool, and crisp. And you can even catch a few pike, if you're lucky.

Some of my fondest memories from our trip come from this little place. It's where more than twenty of us got to get together to eat, drink, and dance the night away. And trust me when I say, the back patio turns into a wicked dance floor.

A Day In Gdansk

Planning our trip to Poland began over a year before we actually boarded the plane to get there. So, as you can imagine, there was a whole lot of anticipation. And build-up. And maybe even some expectations even though I told myself not to.

And the truth is, I really didn't know what to expect. And it certainly wasn't what happened.

Since this was my first time in Europe, I was expecting to be blown away by the history, the architecture, and the overall feel that you get when you're there. And oh boy, was I ever. And on the other hand...I also expected myself to be incredibly nervous - like, stuttering my words, sweaty palms kind of nervous - because I'd be meeting Sebastian's family (other than his parents and brother) for the first time ever. I mean, there was a whole lot of pressure there, not to mention a language barrier to jump over.

And let me tell you - I met some of the most warm, welcoming, and incredible people I have ever had the chance to get to know. People who I can now call family. I look back at my time in Poland and yes, the architecture was thousands of years old, things that changed the world as we know it happened there, and that feeling in the air? It's something I couldn't even begin to describe.

But what I will think about the most - is the people. Is my family. We cheered together, we danced together, we ate epic meals together, and oh yes, we drank together.

And you want to know what else we did? We went on a pirate ship together. Trust me when I say that you don't even know how excited I was. I literally turned into a pirate.

See for yourself, if you'd like...

The Vatican Museum & St. Peter's Basilica

Looking back at our vacation photos has been a pretty surreal experience for me. I go through an array of emotions. Remembering all the fun we had, all the incredible people I met. At times, it fills me with great joy looking back, and others, sadness that it's over. And most of all, I find myself having to pinch myself because I can't even believe that this is real life. This happened and it was the most incredible adventure.

The Vatican Museum is by far one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen. As you walk through the museum, you are surrounded by beauty and history. You can't help but be in awe and at the same time, it was incredibly overwhelming.

Sebastian and I took a three-hour walking tour of the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica, and although we had those little earpieces in listening to an abundance of information, I couldn't help but block it out and just stand there completely overwhelmed by everything that surrounded me. Some of the most famous and influential works of art can be found among the gigantic collection. Paintings so big that walls had to be destroyed just to fit them inside. Tapestry so intricately designed, you have to wonder how they possibly did it all. And then, of course, beautifully painted frescos covering the walls and ceilings. It was unbelievable. I could have spent days in there.

There's really no way that words, or even photographs could paint an accurate picture in your mind. To say it was massive, to say it was lavish.... all seems like an understatement. It was truly like nothing I have ever seen before.

Have a look at our photos, if you'd like...

Rome's Colosseum and The Roman Forum

Where do I even begin? The Colosseum is one of Rome's most famous buildings and enduring monuments to ancient Roman culture. It is un-freaking-believable.

A few years ago, I went on a road trip to Vancouver, B.C. It took 5 days to get there. And that was rushing through it - Canada is a massive country, to say the least. I drove back home through the U.S. and detoured just so I could see Mount Rushmore.

I was picturing something magnificent. Huge. Incredible. And after watching way too many movies, I imagined one of the mouths to open wide to reveal a secret cave. I finally drove up, parked the car, and hurried out so I could lay my eyes on the wonder that is Mount Rushmore. I felt a rush of disappointment. I thought it would be bigger. More spectacular.

The Colosseum? Nothing like that. Not even a little bit. It's bigger in real life. It's more incredible than you could ever picture it to be. Even after seeing hundreds of photographs.

On our second day in Rome, Sebastian and I took a tour of the Colosseum and The Roman Forum. Our tour guide was a funny Italian archaeologist who joked about his height, his pony tail, and assured us he wasn't gay. Even though there would be nothing wrong with it if he was. (Most Americans think he is because he carries around a messenger bag, but as he said "It's what Italians do.":) 

Have a look at our photos if you'd like! 

An incredible view from inside. Imagine the wood floor across the entire area, covered in sand, as it would have been originally. From this view, you can also see the underground area, where a variety of animals, such as lions or tigers, would pop-up onto the main arena from a trap door. (Archers would be ready and waiting just in case they decided to attack the Emperor.) For the Romans, it was all about the show. 

It's also unknown how many people actually died while fighting here. By the time the gladiators made it here, they were already incredibly famous and loved. In which case, people wouldn't want to see them die. Although, I'm sure some did anyway. Some of the Emperors were on a serious power trip.

Imagine this as it once was. Much like your modern day stadium. Packed with 50,000 people cheering for their favourite gladiator to win. (And for more bloodshed...)

Looking out on the Arch of Constantine. (From here...)

This section of the Colosseum was rebuilt after the collapse. You can tell because they used brick to re-build it, instead of concrete.

Before the Colosseum existed, a power-hungry Emperor named Nero burned down Rome so he could steal the land for his own and then build his massive empire. Where you now see the Colosseum, used to be a giant swimming pool that was used for Nero's enjoyment. The swimming pool was then removed and the Colosseum was built for the people of Rome. The pool's removal also explains part of the reason why the Colosseum collapsed; the foundation underneath wasn't as solid. 

You can also see small holes on the outside of the Colosseum in this photo. The cause of these holes are actually from the metal clamps that held the marble in place. What you're looking at is actually the "skeleton" of the Colosseum. 

All I could keep thinking about while touring around this massive amphitheatre was... if I thought it was this amazing right now, imagine how mind blowing it would have been in its prime. Before the soft ground caused the one side to collapse. Before the metal clamps were stolen and it was stripped of its marble exterior. (Thanks, Middle Ages. Pffft.)

Now, onto the Roman Forum...

Just standing outside doors that are over 1700 years old. No big deal.

And now you know how I got that awkward sunburn that I told you about.

The Emperor's private arena. 

So much excitement!!! I whole-heartedly recommend booking a tour if you ever go to Rome and check out The Colosseum (and/or the Vatican). My head was filled with so much information during that three hour walking tour... and I know it's impossible to regurgitate it all back to you. Seeing where the chariots rode, where executions took place, how the Romans lived, and imagining what their daily lives were like... along with imagining what the insane Emperors were really like, was surreal. 
It was a day filled with nostalgia and amazement.

...And as soon as we got home, we watched "The Gladiator" to re-live it all over again. (Do yourselves a favour and watch it! It had been years since I did and I forgot just how good it is. Russell Crowe is phenomenal.) 

Can't wait to show you more! 

Exploring Rome

As we boarded the plane to head to Rome, I was filled with excitement. (Which also could have been from the adrenaline that was pumping through me after being sent back through security right when we were about to board our plane, then having to go back through it all again in hopes that it didn't leave without us. But that's a whole other story...)

I didn't really know what to expect when we landed, but the anticipation was killing me. We arrived late at night, and shuttled into downtown by bus, and were greeted by the hustle and bustle of the city.

We tried to quickly orient ourselves with our surroundings with the help of a map, and with no help from the locals, who so eagerly told us to go in the complete wrong direction. Luckily, I - and by I, I mean Sebastian, can tell when people are bullshitting us and we found some nice policemen to help instead. (Be warned, fellow travellers!)

Even though we arrived late at night, we were eager to see the city. We wined and dined, and explored as much as we could.

The only way I could possibly explain how I felt about our experience in Rome is that... I was in awe of its beauty, and I was completely fascinated with its history. There is so much to do and see, and you will most definitely need a new pair of feet by the end of it.

But it's totally worth it.

(I apologize in advance for the length of this post, and the amount of photos used. But c'mon! Cut me some slack. It's incredibly difficult to choose a select few from the hundreds taken. Soooo I did pretty good:)

Euro 2012 - Gdansk, Poland

Having the chance to be in Poland while they hosted the 2012 Euro Cup was pretty freaking amazing. Each time I try to think of how to sum it up, I come back to the same words time and time again. Madness. Surreal. Crazy. Mayhem. Busy. Un-freaking-believable.

Traveling from Canada to Europe is like stepping into a completely different world. The culture, the atmosphere, the history, the lifestyle… everything is different. And then throw in a bunch of wild soccer fans on top of all that and you have a whole new world of fun. And you know… it’s funny, because back here, the media reported on fights breaking out, and the controversy of how horrible racism is in Poland and Ukraine. And you know what? We saw none of that. No matter which team you were rooting for, you were accepted into the party. No matter where you were from, you’re going to raise your drink and cheers each other.

The only thing that made you stand out is a) if you didn’t dress for the occasion and b) if you didn’t have paint on your face. (And if you don’t have paint on your face, you can be damn sure there’s someone waiting to put their teams colours on you:)

***
June 8^th was the opening day of the Euro Cup. We spent the day in a city called Gdynia, which is where Sebastian’s aunt, uncle, and cousins live – who, by the way, were pretty much the best hosts ever. They put up with our shenanigans over the 2+ weeks that we stayed there. (And fed our bellies until we could eat no more. And then fed you again shortly after. Ahhh-mazing:)

We put on our team colours (Go Polska!), painted our faces, and set out to watch Poland vs. Greece at Gdynia’s fan zone. You could feel the excitement in the air, as everyone screamed for Poland. Who, by the way, if you missed the game, made the most insane save on a penalty shot and I thought everyone was going to completely lose their minds. (And well … I think some of them did … Sebastian included.)

All ready to go down to the game! From left to right: Ewelina (Seb's cousin), Me, Kasia (Seb's aunt), Ava (my soon-to-be mother-in-law!), Mirek (my soon-to-be father-in-law!), Valeriy, Matt (our friends), and last but not least, Matt (my soon-to-be brother-in-law!)

Ava and I, showing our team spirit.

***
On June 14th, it was time for Spain vs. Ireland. The game that the guys had been waiting to go to since, for what seemed like forever ago.

It might seem like there was a lot of people at the Gdynia fan zone up above, but baby, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Gdansk is the official host city for the Euro Cup, so you can imagine how crazy it could have possibly been there. In my mind, I mentally prepared myself, but really, let’s be honest here. There is nothing you can do to prepare yourself for thousands of people in such a condensed area.

Some of those people being the most hilarious you will ever see. There were leprechauns everywhere! (No rainbows though. What gives?) And countless amounts of ginger beards. It was a sea of red and green. And constant chanting. Then there's that guy who climbed the light post, tried to use a flower basket to lift him up, and crashed back down on the ground taking the flowers with him. And who could forget the Spain fan who was dressed up as a matador with a miniature mechanical bull that would literally walk on the ground while he waved his cape around it.

I kid you not. (If only I could flood you with all of the pictures we took.)

Watch this video to see a bit of what it was like downtown, in the heart of Gdansk. (And then be shocked that Sebastian didn't get punched:)

 

A sea of people. (Can you find me?:)

Don't let the crowd distract you from the beautiful city. 

Photo opp's with our new friends. Don't mind my sweet rain cape... it's fashionable, right?

After spending time downtown amongst the crowds, and after the boys went to the game at the stadium, Ewelina, Matt (Seb's brother), and I made our way to the main fan zone in Gdansk. (And made some more friends, of course!)

The fan zone has the capacity for more than 30,000 people and even though it was raining the first time I was there, it was madness. In the centre of the fan zone, there's a stage set-up for concerts next to the massive screen for watching the soccer game. There were beer tents and food galore, accompanied by a ton of activities for everyone to enjoy. I couldn't believe it when I saw human fooseball, cage soccer matches, and even water soccer set up in a small pool! The kid in me was jumping up and down for joy!

To give you an idea of just how crazy it was, check out this video that was taken from just one of the tents available. TV's surrounded the area, the beer was flowing, the chanting and screaming never stopped, and there were Ireland fans galore.

...Want to know how the Irish behave when they lose in the Euro cup? Check this out too. Best. Losers. Ever.

It was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never, ever forget. For the most part. (I kid, I kid.)

The finals are this weekend! Who will you be cheering for?

We're Engaged!

Sebastian and I are happy to announce that we're engaged! On June 18th, he proposed in the city he was born in as we walked along the longest wooden boardwalk in Europe, which extends over 500 meters into the Baltic Sea.

The weather in Poland wasn't completely ideal while we were there, most days we needed sweaters, and even umbrellas... but this day, the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky. We walked hand-in-hand right down to the water, where he got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I was completely taken by surprise and couldn't imagine a more perfect proposal. We are over-the-moon with excitement!

Our Euro trip was absolutely amazing and without a doubt, exceeded any expectations I had. I can't wait to let you all in on the details! (I only have ohhh... 1500 photos to sort through, so please bear with me:)