Today my husband and I celebrate three beautiful years. I know that for some three years may seem like nothing, but for us, it's an exciting celebration! I feel like we've been married for much longer, yet the time has gone by quicker than I can fathom.
We vowed when we got married that adventure would always be a part of our lives. We made a promise to travel each year, but this year our plans changed because of the pandemic. We've celebrated our last two anniversaries in Europe and the United Kingdom, so it's a bit different being here in Michigan. Nevertheless, I absolutely love spending time with my husband, no matter where we are! Even though our anniversary looks a bit different because of the travel restrictions, I know that our love remains the same.
As we celebrate today, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on our past travels and adventures together. From the very beginning, we've had the traditional adventures of travel, but also the adventures of daily life, marriage, challenges, and joys! I learn something new every time I travel, just as I learn something new through the challenges and joys of our friendship, relationship, and marriage. Life is certainly a crazy adventure, with or without traveling!
This year as our travel plans have changed, I've spent some time thinking about my past travels and all the adventures we've had. I am so thankful to have such an amazing travel partner, but even more so, an amazing husband. Instead of writing a love letter to my husband here (I'll do that privately), I want to share something different with you. I've selected photographs and excerpts from my past travels!
I have selected bits and pieces of things that I've learned along the way while traveling and I hope you can learn a bit, too!
All my love,
"As with past travels, I’ve learned to appreciate beauty more, at home and afar. I was reminded yet again to slow down and enjoy the world that surrounds me."
To view more of our Barcelona travels and read about our adventure, check out this blog.
"I thought I knew what there was to know about the Holocaust, yet everywhere we went I learned a little bit more about the history, the stories, the heartache. It is unfathomable the amount of destruction and evil that occurred."
"To be honest, beforehand I knew very little about the Berlin wall and learning about its impact and history was fascinating and saddening"
To read more about our travels in Berlin and see some photographs, check out this blog.
"We went to the Budapest National Gallery and History Museum. The most amazing realization was that all of the ancient artifacts were local to that exact city. Usually, in museums, such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, The Lourve, or the National History Museum in London, the artifacts and antiques are gathered from around the globe, but here, they were taken straight from the source, Budapest."
Check out more of our adventures in Budapest here.
"It’s amazing when you get away from the distractions of the world, how you start to focus on the people you love, the people you miss, and the people surrounding you. "
"And despite the wrong turns, closed attractions, sore feet, and dirty shoes, we absolutely loved our travels. While we adore being abroad, there is something so comforting about home though. And that is what makes travel beautiful; it can be uncomfortable sometimes, yet so invigorating."
To see the beautiful city and rolling landscape surrounding Edinburgh, take a peek at this blog.
"Most buildings in Lisbon are painted brightly or covered with elaborate tiles. In Portugal, the use of azulejos, tiles, to cover walls and floors was used as a way to make spaces more aesthetically pleasing, and dates back to the end of the 15th century."
"As I looked out and saw the sun pier through the clouds, it brought me to tears. At that moment, it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen... Then clouds rolled in, but we didn’t mind. We were just happy to be there, be present, and enjoy the street guitarist playing."
To see more of lovely Lisbon and hear more of our travels, visit this blog.
"How can you describe the beauty of travel? It is as challenging as describing the beauty of a happy marriage."
"Travel is a lot like a marriage, or from the limited experience I have of it. The take-off is an exciting time, as is the honeymoon stage. By the time you've landed, you may be exhausted but still ambitious about the trip ahead... As the trip progresses, there are peaks and valleys. There are exciting attractions and sore feet. There are delicious eats and wrong turns. As in our marriage, there have been amazing moments. Memories have been made on trips, date nights, and even in the monotonous daily tasks of life. But, there have also been family illnesses and deaths, personal illnesses that have shaped our relationship and made us stronger, job transitions, and unexpected changes... It's made our marriage stronger, it has brought us closer together, built trust, and helped us discover new things about ourselves and our relationship... The trip concludes and you look back on those memories made, the places you've been, and reflect on experiences that you have had. And while that is not synonymous with the ending of a marriage, I believe it can be symbolic of the end of a year, the celebration of an anniversary. You look back on all those memories, you think about all the places you've been, and reflect on each experience you shared together."
Read more of our adventures in Paris and our first trip to Europe together here.
"Through travel I've learned immensely about wise tales, cultural occurrences, art history, and more. Did you know there is a pyramid in Rome? I didn't until I saw it."
"When in Rome, you eat copious amounts of pasta and pizza, slowly stroll down ancient alleys, and enjoy the history that surrounds you. It was an incredible feeling to be standing amongst architecture and art from approximately 100 AD."
"As we marveled at the size and architectural genius of the Colosseum, we were also remorsefully reminded that this very place was a graveyard, frequently used for execution. It amazed me that such horrific actions could one day be famed occurrences. But like many other events, tragedy was forgotten with time. "
"It was unbelievable. The crowds were hushed and the priest said a prayer. We closed our eyes, bowed our heads, and felt honored as we prayed right beneath God reaching out to David. Michelangelo never wanted to paint the chapel, but the Pope insisted. He conceded to the request but demanded it would be done his way as he was not a painter, but rather a sculptor. Standing beneath his infamous fresco was awe-inspiring. The statues, columns, characters and saints lunged into reality with Michelangelo's talented ability to create a two dimensional work that appears to be in three dimensions. It was by far the best piece of art I've ever seen and I believe that ever existed for magnitude and marvelous appearance"
"With our time in Italy coming to an end, we were determined not to say goodbye, but see you later."
To read about and see more photographs from our magnificent time in Rome, check out this blog.