Of Castles & Waterfalls

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Part One: Castles 

Nestled in between the Swiss mountains 45min north of Lugano is a charming city called BELLINZONA. Home to three different castles {all designated by the United Nations as sites of cultural importance} Bellinzona is an underrated gem! I have yet to see any American or Asian tourists here (which is really saying something because they are everywhere!) I just don't understand it.. I mean check out that view ^^! Plus if the prospect of exploring middle age castles wasn't lure enough, consider that Bellinzona is still in Italian-speaking Switzerland so you can grab some incredible gelato + a pizza after you explore the castles! My kind of place.

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Part Two: Waterfalls 

And from there the weekend only got better! The next day, we took the entire incoming class and headed to VALLE VERZASCA, a favorite region of mine, home to a massive waterfall + glacial rivers + quaint villages. Our large group of english-speaking students seemed so comically out of place in these mountain villages, I couldn't help but smile as one of the DOUBLE DECKER tour buses struggled to navigate a narrow cobble stone road lined with balconies.. #EuroProbs. Comedy aside, I was more than thrilled when the buses finally stopped to let us off for a picnic by the river and then a hike up to the base of the waterfall. When I came here last year I had no idea what to expect, whereas this year I was excitedly urging the incoming students along the path to the magnificent falls. Can you blame me? 

the view from a mile away! ⇡

see that little speck circled in the bottom right? ↗ that is a person. yeah.. this waterfall = gigantic.

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Part Three: The Plunge 

And then to wrap it all up I jumped into a glacial river  (like literally. it is glacier melt.) Interestingly enough, the night before said plunge ^^ I watched The Titanic..  coincidence? I think not. I feel for ya Jack and Rose!! My legs went numb after just two minutes in the water! But the thrill of it all was worth it. 

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And thus concluded my last weekend of 'summer'. Orientation is done. Classes officially started this week, so it is back to the daily grind of homework/work/classes/more work, etc. But I certainly am not complaining, because I have an inkling that this semester is going to be brimming with the best adventures yet.  I am ever grateful for this chance to live in such a breathtaking region of the world, for the escapades I have the opportunity to go on, the people I get to meet, the friends I have been able to make, etc. I can feel it, a tingling kind of sensation in my bones, I think that this is going to be my most exciting year yet! so bring it on world.

PS you can find last years posts about Bellinzona + Valle Verzasca here and here

Concert Fever

Despite working long hours over the last two weeks as an orientation mentor for Franklin, coming back to Lugano has been a bit of a "break" for me. Being at home this summer was incredibly fun, but also incredibly busy. I feel like I packed three summer's worth of activities into one. So bear with me as I throw it back to last May and recount the beginning of my adventures with Summer 2013.

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A mere day (yes, ONE day!) after I got off the plane I was nearly front & center at the Imagine Dragons concert. I was jetlagged out of my mind but the concert was insanely fun. I was so stoked to see one of my favorite bands perform live. Sad moment: I took a few videos but we were so close to the speakers that the bass is ridiculously overwhelming. But the silver lining to the poor audio quality on the videos is that you can actually see a  few ripples of sound go through the air.. sick! The concert was definitely a jump-around-on-your-feet kind of event. A perfect way to kick off a crazy summer.

« other favorite songs: On Top of the World + Radioactive + It's Time + Demons »

◇  Concert #2: Vampire Weekend  ◇

Literally the day after Imagine Dragons (now 2 days post-Switzerland) I went to the Vampire Weekend concert! Thats right, back to back concerts for the win!! Luckily the Vampire Weekend concert was in Red Butte Gardens, a more laid-back outdoors venue where I battled jet lag just chilled as we listened to the majority of the concert on a grassy knoll. For a few of my favorite songs we made our way up front and joined the fray in front of the stage which is my favorite place to be.

« other favorite songs: Giving up the Gun + Horchata + Everlasting Arms 

◇ Concert #3: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros ◇ 

Two weeks later we were at Red Butte Gardens again for another concert. This time, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Are you aware that there are SEVENTEEN people in this band? Because I had no idea and was so beyond confused when there were like 20 people on stage! It kind of was a bit of a hippie circus at times, but overall enjoyable. Like I said ^^^^ for the Vampire Weekend concert, I love this venue because of how laid back it is. For the better part of the concert I was lounging on a picnic blanket with my friends eating a baguette dipped in olive oil/basalmic, enjoying strawberries and salted dark chocolate (my favorite!) So I'd be amiss if I complained.

« other favorite songs: 40 day dream +  Janglin '»

And that concludes the concert section (aka part one) of my summer adventures in SLC!! More to follow soon, xoxo

2 Weeks of Year 2

And then before I knew it the summer was over, I said my goodbyes and I was on another plane to JFK..

But it wasn't all tears + goodbyes. The stars aligned to give me the best American send off yet! I didn't have to pay for baggage that was five pounds too heavy becuase the Delta employee sympathized with my plight as a student + in JFK there was a Shake Shack (best NYC burger!) right next to my gate + I got a rootbeer float (my favorite American treat). Living the dream! 

also by coincidence you can see "AMERICA" in the bottom right...

And then a mere 8 hours later ⇢ sunrise over Milan, Italy 

day one in Lugano = conquering jet lag while lounging at the beach with friends

adventure #1: Monte Tamero, home to the friendliest cows around! 

Also at Monte Tamero ⇡ an alpine coaster (so fast!) + a funicular + ziplines

✥ Lugano & Lago Lugano ✥ 

Cathedral Saint Lorenzo ⇅

Another Lugano favorite of mine: The newspaper tunnel under the train station. Fortunately I get to pass through whenever I am headed downtown for groceries, and every few months a new character is added to these walls, so it keeps things interesting! ⇅

The cutest little floral shop downtown

But really.. I will always stand by my statement that Lugnao is a summer kind of city. Warm weather suits it best. Check out those piazzas, that fountain, the lake. And don't forget to seize the opportunity for paddle boating/ swimming in the cold water on a hot summer afternoon. 

These first two weeks have absolutely flown by! I am so happy to be back in my home away from home. Moreover, I am grateful for the job I have working at orientation for Franklin. It has been a perfect way to transition back from Salt Lake to Lugano. Of course I am also grateful for all my family+friends back home whom made this summer an incredible one (more on that in an upcoming post!) One year ago I arrived uncertain, insecure, and confused. Now I confidently walk the streets of Lugano. I am at ease with my surrounding, and overwhelmingly appreciative of the beauty I get to experience on a daily basis. So that being said, I am committed to maintaining a positive attitude through the ups + downs of living in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home, I am committed to making this year the best one yet! So here it goes, the beginning of a new chapter of adventures.. Thanks for following along with me! 

New York City, USA

I love adventures.. especially those of the well planned out kind! But New York City was not one of those trips. I can frequently be found at my computer in the wee hours of the night searching for deals on flights, reading about far flung places and planning my next trip. So it wasn't unusual when about a week prior I figured out that I could fly to New York for $5 on my skymiles alone. But the idea was so spontaneous + far fetched I didn't believe that it would ever happen. Thankfully I have a mother who is just as adventurous as me! And a few short days later we were on a flight to JFK. I am still pinching myself! The whole trip was so surreal that words fail me. So I have decided to let the photos speak for themselves.

❖  D A Y  O N E ❖

 MANHATTAN

TIMES SQUARE + RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

❖ D A Y   T W O ❖

THE BRONX 

A mega highlight of our trip! Seeing my good friend John whom I didn't expect to see for the next two years was such a treat!! It was well worth taking the 1 hr subway ride into "da hood". And in case you're wondering, he is so happy, loving the work and just the same old John Durham jassin around. 

then back to manhattan for this view  ⇡ of the NYC SKYLINE 

☼  &  ☽

« from the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller) »

❖ D A Y  T H R E E ❖

Early morning TRAIN CONCERT ON THE TODAY SHOW. Waking up at 6:00am was maybe worth it.. 

 ⇡ FINANCIAL DISTRICT ⇡

9/11 M E M O R I A L ⇡

The new World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) ⇣

It was a long line to get in but well worth the wait. The pools of water are aptly named "reflecting on absence".. The soft sound of falling water coupled with the hundreds of green trees lining the walkway provided an unusually peaceful space for contemplation. Seeing all the names of people who lost their lives on Sept 11, 2001 made the tragedy seem so real and so immediate. I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in NYC. I know I am planning on visiting again once the 9/11 museum opens on Ground Zero. 

AFTERNOON
⇿ View from our bike ride down along the shoreline ⇿

 BOAT RIDE ➾ STATEN ISLAND

✓ Brooklyn Bridge 

✓ Shake Shack

✓ Statue of Liberty 

MANHATTAN though.. 

Then back to the apartment for a much needed nap followed by an evening treat... 

 5th row tickets to see WICKED on Broadway!

We just may be the last two people in the world to see it.. but well worth the wait!

The city that never sleeps.. NYC you've done it again! I'm sure we will be back soon! ✌