Hello, Cinque Terre
29 de agosto de 2019
Hello everyone! If you ever get the chance to travel to Italy, I highly recommend you making a stop at this amazing place. This was our last day in Florence so we decided to spend it somewhere near and calm. In order to get to experience Cinque Terre from Florence you have three options:
- By car to La Spezia - which I wouldn't recommend since you'll miss most of the incredible landscape. Nevertheless, if you pick this option you can there take the boat (battelo) or the bus to travel between the tiny villages;
- Train from Florence to La Spezia - there you can catch a bus that goes around the villages;
- Train to Riomaggiore - where, if you don't get easily sea sick, you can catch the boat, visit the villages and return either by boat to Riomaggiore and then catch the train back, or stay at the last stop of the boat (Monterosso) and catch the train back there.
Since we were up for adventure, we decided to go for the third option. There are several types of tickets you can buy to go on the boat and the prices vary. What changes is the number of stops you can make along the way and the direction you're following. The fact that we were short on time and didn't want to rush anything, we bought a one way ticket (which means one trip from Riomaggiore - where we started - to Monterosso - where we ended), with the possibility of making two stops (the last stop and one in between). After the boat we caught the train back to Florence in Monterosso.
Like I said, you can make travel by boat in both ways so, if you have time to spare, you can make the trip from Riomaggiore to Monterosso, then return to Riomaggiore and catch the train back there. It all depends on the time you have and what you want to do with your trip.
The boat tickets have to be bought on the spot but, if you want to save some time waiting in line, the train tickets can be bought online. The only thing you have to do is bring a print of them with you to the trip - just don't be late to catch them!
If you want more information regarding the boat, timetables, stops and prices, you can check their website to plan whatever is best for you.
Cinque Terre, or Five Villages, are coastal villages that manly live out of agriculture and fishing. The villages themselves don't have access by car, so that's why I recommend the other two options. Either way, the five villages are: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. Since we decided to make an extra stop we left the boat in Manarola and spent about 2 hours there calmly walking and taking the view - hence why most of the pictures are from there. From all the stops, this one was definitely my favorite and I highly recommend you spend a little of your time there as well.
Next post I'll be showing you our Florence trip, what we visited and what I loved the most. Until then hope you like this entry!
25 things I've learned in 25 years
4 de julho de 2019
"I didn't come this far to only come this far"
Apparently I'm 25 now..? So strange to think about this. It seems like yesterday was my 20th birthday but here we are. Time sure flies when you're having fun...or when you're too busy. A quarter of a century on this earth has made me grow and learn a lot, not only about myself, but about life. In 5 years I'll probably come to this blog and laugh at my supposed age wisdom, but until then, enjoy 25 things I've learned in 25 years on this earth.
- Things don't change. You change the way you see things;
- A mistake isn't the end of the world. It's the beginning of something better;
- On that note... Never be afraid of change. Change appearance. Change job. Change place. Change is a part of life and you shouldn't feel anxious about something new. Embrace it and live it to its fullest;
- Don't settle. Love yourself enough to know what you want and what you don't want. Good things will come when you know your self-worth;
- Mental health is as important as physical health. Take your time. Ask for help if needed. Nothing is too big that can't be solved. You're not alone;
- Take a criticism as an opportunity to grow, not as an attempt to bring you down;
- Know that "me time" is as essential as "us time". "Us" being friends, family, loved ones... You shouldn't feel bad for wanting time for yourself;
- Friends are important. Friends are a pillar. They're your second family. Treat them as such;
- Even if you like planning like me... Don't plan everything. Take a trip without having everything timed. Don't marry because you're the right age. Don't try to guide your own life... Seat back and enjoy the ride sometimes;
- And... Travel. Challenge yourself to get to know new places, new people, new cultures. You'll learn more about life being outside the box;
(Trying)Being an adult is hard. Remember that time when we were little and we wished to be big..? It's not worth it. So many responsibilities, things to remember, things that are proper and things that are resented. It's great to have more freedom, it's worse having that freedom conditioned by age;- Making time is the best gift you can give to your loved ones;
- Respect other's believes. Even if they're not yours. Even if you don't agree with them. Share your views without silencing the ones around you. Be humble;
- City life is not for me. I feel like my family's life is the "Little Mermaid"'s story and sequels. My ancestors lived on the land and wanted to come to the city. I live on the city and want to return to nature;
- Don't be afraid to express yourself. Through words, writing, painting... Let your thoughts come out. Don't bottle everything up;
- Never stop wanting to become a better person. You have so much room to grow. Learn and bloom;
- You can't help everyone. Even if your heart is the size of the universe. You're human. At the end of the day know your limits and see you've done the very best you could with the cards you've been given;
- Don't stop wearing something because of someone else's criticism. If you want to wear a dress, do it. If you're more of a pants kind of person... do it. Wear whatever makes you happy. Just don't catch a cold or overheat;
- Organizing your house = organizing your mind. Try it. It's therapeutic for me;
- Don't be afraid to cry if you're sad. Don't be afraid to laugh when you think something's funny;
- Never stop dreaming. When you least expect it, your dreams will come true;
- Adopt pets, don't buy;
- Don't abandon your loved ones at the hospital. So many people, especially elders, are left at the hospital just so their families can have a vacation out without worrying (?). Please don't abandon the ones that took care of you when you were most vulnerable;
- You won't get everything you want in life. Don't be upset about it. Enjoy and be thankful for what you have;
- Age doesn't define you or you're mental maturity.
Bullet Journal(ing)
24 de junho de 2019
Hello everyone! This year has been full of surprises and the year to start new things. So... with that in mind, I finally decided to start a Bullet Journal.
For some of you that know me in person or have followed my journey through the years, anxiety has always been my weakness. The thought of forgetting about something important, of having things that aren't in my control, or even dumb thoughts that after a while you realize how idiotic they were... That has been my life for the past two/three years. To be able to release some of the tension, I started to doodle, to write, to paint... and why not put that energy into something more productive that could actually help me with my daily tasks?
I've always used Mr. Wonderful's agendas, and what made me love them was the fact that you could put a little bit of yourself in each page with the stickers. Nevertheless, I wanted to be able to make this year's agenda my agenda. And here's how I started:
- Bought a dotted notebook. It doesn't have to be dotted but I figured it would be easier to draw and take measurements with the dots on the pages;
- Got some pens. These can be any type of pens - you can even do water-coloring. Go wild with your imagination. There are no rights or wrongs. The essential pen is a black fine tipped one for details and writing, the rest is up to you!
- Inspiration is key! I started following some Instagram pages and hashtags so I could get a grip of what type of style I wanted, what colors suited me the most, ... Probably one of the most important steps;
- Get to work. Start small. Start testing. And by the time you're done you'll realize how easy it is.
I got to admit, it was scary at first. The thought of looking into a blank page and knowing you have to put something there from your own head... it can be terrifying. But with time I soon realized that the only things I needed to be scared of were those kind of negative thoughts.
If you want to pursue this path, please feel free to message me with your results! I'll be sharing my own via my Instagram page, at least some of the pages I create.
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