PILATUS AND LUCERNE

Never have I ever seen snow capped mountains in real life before, well... that was until I visited Switzerland. I never actually thought that I would get so see a large mountain range before, let alone stand on top of one! Switzerland is full of breathtaking natural beauty, clear water, and high altitudes. 

Lucerne, Switzerland

The monumental Lion of Lucerne

First up was the city of Lucerne, nestled in the Swiss Alps. This city is just so vibrant and colorful, and I can't skip over the gorgeous water. The water here is just beautifully clear and the perfect shade of blue. I mean you could see the rocks at the bottom of the canal that ran through the city. The ROCKS! Where I'm from, you'd be lucky to see something 2 inches below the surface of the water. The ducks here seem to love the clear water as well!

Look at the cute ducks!

After exploring parts of Lucerne, I took a boat across the lake of Lucerne and made my way to the most exciting part of my trip, Mount Pilatus! The train wide up to the summit of the mountain was long, and practically vertical! This is definitely not for people who are badly afraid of heights, but luckily I'm only slightly afraid. Me and my friends constantly joked about how high up we were and recorded the trip up with our phones up against the open windows of the train car. It was all fun and games until one the phones fell. Fortunately it fell back inside of the train rather than down the entirety of the mountain. 

The most breathtaking view I have ever seen with my own eyes.

The second most breathtaking view I've seen with my own eyes.

The mountain was just the most amazing experience of nature I have ever had, and I don't really do nature, so that is saying a lot! Firstly, I should start by saying that the air here was just so clean and fresh smelling! and the vistas are one truly one of a kind. My favorite moment was watching the sunrise above the mountains as I sat in awe of how amazing nature really is. Also it was the coolest thing ever to see snow in the middle of summer. It was so bizarre, and cold! I would say that if you love nature and hiking, Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland is a destination to set your eyes on.

View from inside a cable car.

My very first time in a cable car!

INNSBRUCK

Among my travels throughout western Europe, I only got to visit the city of Innsbruck for less than 24 hours. Innsbruck is a gem nestled in between the misty mountains of Austria. Innsbruck is home to rich culture, beautiful architecture, and the headquarters of Swarovski. 

Innsbruck, Austria 2019

I truly enjoyed my time here and definitely want to go back some time soon. Upon my wandering of the city, I indulged in the most amazing potato salad and even a bit of sauerkraut. Normally I'm not a fan of sauerkraut, but clearly Austria knows what it's doing. I'm craving some as I write this actually. Innsbruck also had a load of great and unique shops to enjoy, some filled with nicknacks, unique snacks, and even cute ducks!

Look at the ducks! They are all handmade! 

All of these smelled like fresh cinnamon and cloves!

Of course I don't think it's possible to talk about Innsbruck without mentioning the Swarovski headquarters. This place was absolutely gorgeous, and the displays here were so lux and glitzy! One of my favorite parts was the "grocery store" which was a display of shelves lined with everyday products, except they were all bejeweled with sparkly Swarovski crystals. I learned that the company was based off of the crystals that are found within Austria's mountains.

Bejeweled Pringles anyone? Maybe you fancy some sparkly Nutella?

Innsbruck was truly a hidden gem among my travels and I honestly need to go back to see everything that I didn't get to the first time around. Austria as a whole is such an amazing country to visit, so if you are looking for a fun and rich experience that you wouldn't have originally thought about, Austria is definitely a destination to consider!

AMSTERDAM

If you are looking for a city with great food, nightlife, and plenty to do while still having some sort of tranquility, Amsterdam is the place to be. This famous city is located in the Netherlands, a country of gorgeous flower fields and impressive marvels of engineering. This city has a very calm and lovable atmosphere, and a special charm that makes you want to go back as soon as you leave. It wonders and oddities really make Amsterdam an amazing vacation destination. 

I was granted the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam in the summer of 2019, along with a group of friends. With great food and lots of activities do, we were fully entertained. The city was lined with beautiful canals, cafes and even a flower market. The shopping districts are chockfull of great fashion, hilarious nicknacks, and lots of great eateries. The aroma of fresh churros wafted through the air as we waltzed around the city without a care in the world.

My personal favorite part of Amsterdam was easily the Red light district. This place was like a completely different world to me, but in all honesty is was so refreshing. It challenged all of the social taboos that seem to linger around where I'm from, so to see people be so free to do as they please and just live their life the best way they know how was amazing to see. The nightlife here is very intense and lively too. Also the explicit items on display along every store are just the most entertaining and hilarious thing to look at when you are a teenager with friends your age. We actually almost got matching tattoos. What a way to live in the moment. Additionally there was a rubber duck store and I sort of lost my mind upon walking inside. I never knew i needed to go to a rubber duck store in my lifetime, but I sure am glad that I did.

Look at many rubber ducks there are! Insane!

The beautiful and culturally rich city in the heart of the Netherlands definitely needs to be on your travel list if it wasn't already. There is plenty to do for people of all ages, just don't take your kids to the Red light district. I know that if I could've stayed longer than two days, I would have. 10/10 would recommend to everyone to visit.

PLACES THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND VISITING

De Bijenkorf Department store

Red light District

Rubber Duck store

Any Churro shop you find

Van Gogh Museum

De Bijenkorf department store