Reflecting On My Time Abroad

"Oh The Places You’ll Go" - Dr. Seuss

Karly Knutson 

30" x 40"

Watercolor, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop

Everyone has a unique story that is shaped throughout a lifetime. While each story is very personal, stories are meant to be shared. It is through these shared experiences that communities are created.

In the Spring of 2014, I studied abroad in Coventry, England. I met some of the most intriguing people, traveled around England and to 7 other countries, immersed myself into the culture and fell in love with adventure. Like many others who have studied abroad or traveled the world, the experiences made a print on my life and became a new chapter to my story. This mixed media image encapsulates this chapter of my unique story but also welcomes a shared meaning with others.

Each rain drop stops at a location I traveled or runs off the page to signify the 7 other countries I traveled to besides England. There are are a lot of hidden gems, you have to look close;)

Oh The Places You'll Go!! Riga, Latvia

In between final exams, Bailey and I traveled to Riga, Latvia, for our last study abroad adventure. Yes, we do actually attend the university here abroad. It is not all fun and games. Last Friday I had a two hour exam for my Global Inequality and Development class, this past Wednesday I turned in a group crisis communications plan for my Sports PR and Marketing class, and this past Friday I had another two hour exam for my Sports Media and Sponsorship class.

Riga was a recommended destination from our advisor here at Coventry University. We were looking for a nice and relaxing time different from the normal study abroad experiences. We had absolutely no expectation! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved Latvia. It was incredibly stunning in Old Riga! Also, many of our experiences there were very lucky and unique. This year, Riga has been named the Culture Capital of the world. Therefore, many interesting events have been occurring. This brought a very different aspect to our time in Riga. Furthermore, Latvia's Scandinavian influence, weather, traditional meals, and friendly people reminded me a bit of home in a way. It definetly made me excited to return to Minnesota. Wow was the food and beer incredible!! and inexpensive!!! My favorite Latvian traditional meals were grey peas and bacon (a soup mixture in a bread bowl), boiled potatoes, traditional meat balls, and a personal hot dish that included potatoes, steak, carrots, and more.

Day 1: Touring Old Riga ~ On my flight to Latvia I ended up sitting next to an American FBI agent working at the U.S. Embassy in Latvia. He gave me great advice and key attractions for traveling within Riga. He also informed me of the rising tension between Latvia and Russia. I had no idea that the tensions were traveling beyond the Ukraine situation. By the end of flight he generously gave me his contact information if I would have any questions while traveling or in case of an emergency. He also extended an invitation to my friend and I to meet up with his family at their home near the beach. This offer was extremely nice, but as young women traveling in an unknown country, we didn't exactly want to be a part of the next Taken movie... We never ended up taking him up on his offer, but I wish we would have! Later in the trip we met another american woman whose husband worked at the Embassy as well. She reassured us about his credentials and spoke extremely highly of him and his family. We also learned that his beach home was incredible!! Dang! I guess next time I am in Latvia I'll have to get in touch with him again.

After landing and checking into our hotel, Bailey and I set off to tour Old Riga. Walking through the small cobblestone streets surrounded by colorful architecture, I instantly knew this trip was going to be great! Shortly after beginning our adventure we found a street market. It was amazing how many various markets and street vendors there were! Of course Bailey and I couldn't resist! Handmade silver and amber jewelry, knitted apparel, leather goods, carved wooden goods, and ceramics were popular traditional items being sold. I ended up purchasing a beautiful green amber ring:) We then made our way to St. Peter's Church, Musicians of Bremen Statue, Riga Dome Church, the Doma Laukums, Three Brothers, the Parliament Building, the Castle of Riga, and finally the River Daugava. That evening we returned to our hotel for a nice dinner and early night.

Day 2: Latvian Freedom Day ~ Our first full day in Latvia ended up being the Latvian Freedom Day. There were people everywhere within the city and many had Latvian flags. After a little while of touring the outer rim of Old Riga, we stumbled upon a flower laying ceremony at the Freedom Monument after following the music of a large band. It seems like a very formal event with very high ranked officials and members of society attending. The rest of the public crowded around as well. As the ceremony came to a close, we decided to follow a man that seemed extremely important. After only standing a few feet away to take a picture, I found out he was the Latvian president. How neat!! We then made our way back to St. Peter's Church in Old Riga. We made our way to the panoramic view of the city atop the church's tower. It was incredible!! Yet, extremely cold and windy that high up!! After warming up in the church while listening to a choir recital, we made our way to Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs traditional Latvian pub. It was so old and just the perfect find!! We arrived just in time for Lucky Hour (happy hour). For Freedom Day, we were recommended to attend a concert in Vermanes Garden. So, after dinner we decided to check it out. It was a very strange experience! Half of the songs were in a different language, the atmosphere was very hippy/boho, the singer's hands were painted red, and I heard way too many high pitched screams for me to understand... Very different than anything I had heard or seen before.

Casually stumbled upon a flower laying ceremony for Latvian Freedom Day and the President..

Day 3: The Real Riga Walking Tour and the Riga Zoo ~

The next day we ventured deeper into Maskavas Forstate and Central Riga during a free Real Riga Walking Tour. During this time, we learned a great deal of history about Riga that I knew absolutely nothing about! It was so interesting! Our tour guide also spoke about the similarities between previous years of tension with the Soviet Union and now with Russia. It is amazing how much more you learn about the world by actually visiting areas and learning from the locals! Many of the locals that we spoke to about the issue felt completely safe, but unsure of what was to come. Beyond learning the history and current status of Latvia on this tour, we saw an incredible about of statues. Who knew a city could have a statue everywhere you turn!

The Riga Zoo was our afternoon activity. This zoo is one of the oldest in Europe founded in 1912. While many of the animals that we saw can be found in a zoo in Minnesota due to the similar climate, there were many new species that I had never seen or heard of before. Also, I was amazed by the amount of baby animals I saw. Oh they were so cute!!

Day 4: Majori ~ Jamala, Latvia ~ It was finally beach day!! We found ourselves at the beautiful beach town of Majori as part of the well-known Jamala Beaches along the Baltic Sea. It was the just the perfect relaxing day that we needed! We walked along the white sand beach and managed to find a place out of the wind to relax on our beach towels. Over the hours that we enjoyed the beach i had my fair share of quality people watching, closing my eyes, playing in the sand, and reading an amazing book. Even though it was not exactly bikini or swimming weather, we still were able to soak in some rays. When the wind didn't pick up, it was very warm! Back in town we cuddled up with some blankets outside a coffee shop before our traditional Latvian dinner. Traveling to and from Majori was extremely easy and inexpensive! I would love to come back to this beach town or another beach town along the Baltic sea some day!! Maybe when it's nicer weather though!

Day 5 - 6: Last Day ~

Our final full day in Riga was filled with the remaining attractions. We first found the KGB Building, which was the main location of the violence and genocide against the Latvian nation during the Soviet occupation. This was an extremely eye opening historical layout. The unlawful torture of countless people until 1991 within this building was extremely haunting. Everything that occurred during the Soviet reign of Latvia has striking correlations with what is currently occurring in Ukraine. I have definitely grown a stronger interest in this issue!

After we finished the KGB Building, we made a quick stop at Muffins & More then to the famous Centraltirgus Market. This market is by far the largest market I have ever seen or heard of. There were enormous indoor facilities that were sectioned off for food along with an entire outdoor area sectioned off for fresh produce and random goods. We ventured throughout the market besides the giant fish market building. The smell was repulsing!!!!! 

For dinner, we returned to Folkklubs Ala Pagrabs. This was the perfect ending to our trip! There was traditional dancing occurring just a few feet from our table and the atmosphere was fantastic. Also, this was the night that we met a woman and her husband that knew the FBI agent I met on the plane. There were countless pilots that had accompanied her and her husband to dinner as well. We talked with her for a long time and it was so enjoyable! We talked further of the Latvian~Russian tension. She informed us that the United States, as part of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with Latvia, is flying in troops and important figures into Latvia to make our presence and influence known to Russia. I will definitely be following this issue and checking in with my new contacts.

The next day we returned to Coventry to begin studying. Woohoo!! 

Great last trip!

Groningen Management Games

As part of the Sports and Event Management department at Coventry University, I have had the opportunity to travel with classmates to two different management games. Management games are week-long competitions of various sports and event management related tasks among groups of students. My first management games was at Center Parcs in England with third year students. During these games, I was part of the faculty for my internship helping with the organization and grading.

This last week I attended the Groningen Management Games in The Netherlands. These games involved students from over 12 countries, mainly from Coventry University, Groningen University and Cologne University. The tasks at this event involved the Bupa Great North Run. We wrote job descriptions, organized new side-events, presented strategic plans, recorded promotional videos, debated, and much more. Along with the various tasks each day, every team joined in on a volleyball tournament. Instead of being on the faculty side, I joined a student team to execute the tasks. All of the other students at these games were receiving credit for their time. There was very little motivation for myself to work hard because I wasn't receiving any credit for my work or participation there. Yet, many of the tasks were very interesting to me and it reminded me of Deca/BPA in a way. My team was made up of four students from Groningen and myself. It was so great to work with them and discuss the differences among our cultures. They taught me some Dutch phrases and suggested many things to do and things to eat during my time in Groningen. They spoke very good English, but I ended up having to write a lot of our work due to my English background. Although we didn't win any prizes, we passed the week with flying colors and it was great to apply what I have been learning at university!!

Group 14: Anouk, Hessel, myself, Judith and Iris 

Beyond the hard work that we put in throughout the week, we also had free time to explore the town and meet other international students. Groningen was absolutely beautiful!! There weren't any major attractions, but every where you went it was just stunning! We ventured to the football stadium, one of the red light districts, the main square of Groningen, many markets, and just throughout the streets. We met so many lovely people!

Joey, myself, Bailey, Adam and Zane out to dinner

When we were getting ready to leave, everywhere throughout the Netherlands was preparing for King's Night and King's Day, a national celebration. I wish we could have stayed the weekend to enjoy the festivities!! It reminded me of America's Fourth of July a bit. There were concerts and festivals being set up everywhere and everyone was wearing orange. I would love to attend this event someday! Amsterdam is also on my to do list for the future!

Austria and sLOVEnia

Day 17-18: Salzburg, Austria
On the 17th day of my European Backpacking Adventure, I had to say my final goodbye to my time with family. Early in the morning, my mom and I parted ways. She was heading to the airport to catch her flight back to Minnesota and and found my way to the bus station to begin my journey to Austria. After waiting in an empty parking lot for an hour and getting very nervous, I finally found the correct bus connecting my route together. The bus drove me to Villach, where I connected with a train heading to Salzburg. About six hours later I made it to my hostel and jumped into the arms of my new traveling buddy and roommate from university in the States, Ana.

That evening we sat down at a lovely Italian restaurant for wine and pasta. We then roamed around the city of Salzburg, taking in the beautiful views and cultural history. Mirabell Gardens, one of the Sound of Music featured locations in Salzburg, was the most impressive when it came to the abundance and beauty of flowers. I was informed of the beauty during this time of year, but I was blown away! Grandma Linda, you would have been in heaven here!

Our full day in Salzburg was very packed and eventful. We woke up early and joined a large group of other tourists on a Sound of Music Tour within Salzburg and the countryside. We saw many important places within the movie and learned a lot of detailed information that I did not remember. Many avid fans of the Sound of Music were on our tour and we were entertained by their singing. I am not sure if the tour was worth the money that I spent, but I am still glad I had the experience. Once we returned from the tour we ventured to the Hohensalzburg Fortress where we were able to take in a panoramic view of the entire city. We then hiked to a modern art museum. Ana and I are both very interested in art and we were very excited for this art museum. Throughout the exhibits there were extremely sexual and disturbing images and videos. We tried to understand and think outside the box, but we just didn't get it... We were disappointed... Oh well.. We had a wonderful day, but I would have enjoyed it more with better weather. Unfortunately, the weather was foggy and a little cold. I shouldn't be complaining about weather because I have been extremely fortunate on my trip, but it was a bummer.

Day 19: Traveling to Slovenia
Traveling from Austria to Slovenia was one of the most stressful, confusing, and longest days of my travel experience! After breakfast we left for the train station to find out that the ticket I had purchased was for two days early. With twenty minutes until the our desired train left, I as in line to speak with OBB Information. The man I spoke with was an angel sent from heaven! I was originally needing to purchase a whole new ticket for 78 euro, but he worked his magic. He gave me a stamp on my expired ticket and informed me that it would work as long as the conductor accepted it. So we gave it a try and got to the train just in time! My ticket was accepted!! The ticket was in all German, so we had a little difficult time understanding our full journey. Throughout the two trains and two buses we took to get to Piran, I can't tell you how many people we asked!! It was a little difficult to find someone who spoke English and understood the transportation. Yet, whenever we did get help, the people were beyond friendly! Once we finally got to Piran, the sun was setting. So, we had to find some wifi to get a better understanding of where our hostel was. We stopped in a cafe with incredible smoothies and received great advice. Unfortunately for us, our hostel was all uphill... Then we met a city bus driver on his break that offered to drive us for free on his route, just leaving, halfway to where we needed to go! Free transportation and it was with a bunch of people so it was safe too!! By the time we arrived at the Trumpet and Cloud Hostel it was dark and we were still waiting for another friend to arrive. Luckily she made it about an hour later! The hostel was so great! It ended up that there were a bunch of international students staying there for their Erasmus program. We were the only tourists and we had the best room in the house! Right outside our room was a giant belcony overlooking Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea. When the sky was clear, we could see part of Croatia!

Our first moment of relief as we finished our day of traveling and arrived in Piran to watch the sunset

Day 20: Piran, Slovenia
My day touring the lovely city of Piran was beyond all my expectations! There weren't any huge tourist attractions or swarms of tourists wandering about. Ana, Hannah, and myself simply spent the day hiking the hills, walking the streets, and taking in the beautiful views Piran had to offer. That evening we made our way up to it's historic city walls for the sunset. The little peninsula in the Adriatic Sea reminded me much of Italy! I would go back in a heartbeat!

Overlooking the city of Piran

Day 21: Portaroz, Slovenia
The next day we made our way to the other side of the mountain, Portaroz. This was definitely the tourist side of the peninsula. There were beach resorts, clubs, restaurants, and many public beaches and swimming areas all along the coast. We bought some food and wine at a local market and spent the day by the water. It was a much needed relaxing day in the sun! For dinner, we made our way back to a Piran local restaurant that was highly recommended by some local friends we met. It was delicious and fresh! We even tried a local orange drink, but we were not a fan.

Day 22: Ljubljana, Slovenia
By bus, we made our way to the capital of Slovenia by early afternoon. Here we met up with two more friends. In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to roam the city. We even made it up to the Ljubljana Fortress for a tour and beautiful view of the city. For dinner we found a Friday Food Market with a variety of dinner and drink selections. For my final night of my European adventure, we went out into town.

Day 23: Homebound
My backpacking adventure across Europe was such a wonderful experience, but I was ready to get back to Coventry! I took an early morning bus to the train station with my already checked-in ticket in hand. Upon arrival I found out I had to check my backpacking bag for 60 euros... Not a great way to end the trip, but it had to be done. Once arriving at the London Luton Airport, I took a bus back to Coventry. It was so great to walk back into my room and reunite with my study abroad group:)

Can't wait for my next backpacking trip across Europe!! There are so many more countries and cities I want to visit!! 

Mother ~ Daughter Italian Adventure

The first ten days of my Easter break spent with my family in England and France was so incredible but also extremely exhausting! The second week of my trip was spent with my mom in Italy. Our Italian adventure was definitely more relaxing as we soaking in the sun, hiked to beautiful views, ate authentic cuisine and drank local wines. As we said our goodbyes to the family back in Paris, my dad even suggested that we go to a spa! Although we never found a spa, we made up for it with shopping. Don't worry dad we got you something too:)

Hike from Monterosso to Vernazza

Day 10 & 11: Cinque Terre
After saying goodbye to the family in Paris, my mom and I left for the train station to take a night train to Milan. Awful experience! Luckily we did get ourselves a sleeping room that locked with beds, but that did not mean we had a good nights sleep… It was hot and bumpy! We ended up having to leave our window open… Yet, we made it to Milan bright and early and were able to make it to Cinque Terre early afternoon without missing the daylight.

Upon arrival, we knew that our time here was going to be splendid! We walked out of the train station to an incredible view of the Mediterranean Ocean and the new city of Monterosso. It was then a little bit of a hike to the old city of Monterosso where we found our Bed & Breakfast. We were the only ones at the Bed & Breakfast and we had access to an incredible view on a terrace. We spent a lot of time up there reading, drinking wine, eating cheese, and just enjoying the view.

Vernazza

Once we were settled into our room and ate at a local restaurant, we hiked an hour and a half along the coast and through the mountains to the next town of Vernazza. As we walked through the vineyards on the mountain we stumbled upon a man selling his wine and limoncello. It was great to talk to him about running the vineyard while we sipped on our limoncello. After enjoying Vernazza for an hour or so, we made it back to Monterosso for a wonderful dinner along the coast.

Riomaggiore

Our full day in Cinque Terre was spent in the sun! In the morning we hiked up to a small church and cemetery that was breathtaking! There were rows and rows of family tombs, individual plots stacked into walls, and bright flowers everywhere. Throughout Italy we found very similar cemeteries to this where they were located in the most beautiful and highest places in town. After our hike we roamed the new town of Monterosso then hopped onto a boat bringing us to the first town of Riomaggiore. After getting a bite to eat, we attempted to make our way to the second town. Failing to understand the train system we ended up on the wrong train bringing us back to Monterosso. Despite our disappointment in our mistake, we enjoyed laying on the beach until the next train arrived. Manarola was beautiful as well! After a few hours, we made our way back to Monterosso to have dinner at another local restaurant. 

The Leaning Tower.. neat

Day 12: Pisa & Florence
Early the next morning we packed our belongings and made our way back to the train station to catch a train headed toward Pisa. We were told that Pisa was nothing special and we only needed a few hours there. We couldn’t agree more! We took a picture with the leaning tower, at some pizza in Pisa, and then made our way to Florence. We spent our first evening in Florence roaming the city and listening to a Rick Steve’s audio tour to gain a better understanding of the history in Florence. For dinner we were able to meet up with two friends from my home town that were studying abroad in Florence. We went to a small local family restaurant and the food was delicious. It was great to see familiar faces and learn about their experiences thus far. It was also great to get some advice for our time there. Our way back to our hotel was just one of the many times we were in the wrong place at the wrong time when it came to moving vehicles.. In the middle of a quiet plaza, we almost got run over by a speeding ambulance.. We clung to each other and survived!!

Day 13: Florence Cooking Class

Overlooking Florence on Piazza de Michelangelo

The first full day in Florence was wonderful! We woke up early to go see Michelangelo’s David along with other famous works of art. We then made our way to the Piazza de Michelangelo stopping by many shops and Florence Leather markets. All of the leather purses, jackets, wallets and belts began to look the same! Yet, we each found a few items that stood out. And what do you know, we ended up purchases the same purse in different colors! We not only look alike, but we think alike too. At the top of the Piazza we had an incredible view of the city and a fake David statue. Hiking further, we found a beautiful monastery where we had the opportunity to listen to a group of monks singing together. In the afternoon my mom and I found a cooking class to join, In Tavola Cooking Class. We were very fortunate to have been grouped up with another mother, daughter who was studying abroad in Florence, and an aunt. We all had a wonderful time together and we had many new tips and recipes to bring home. We made Egg Plant Caprese, Gnocchi with a meat sauce, Chicken, and an orange dessert cake. Once all of the meals were prepared, we were able to sit down and enjoy our creation while drinking wine. What a great way to learn to cook better!

Day 14: Chianti Region Wine Tasting Tour

Mom and I at one of the Chianti Region Vineyards

The next day, we signed up for a Chianti Region Wine Tasting Tour. I am a college student with a low budget and not yet at the legal drinking age in America. Therefore, I know nothing about wine! It amazed me how much there was to learn about different grapes, soils, regions, and other factors of the quality and taste of wine around the world! Our tour was within the Chianti Region of Italy, so we mainly learned about that area and their specialties. Along with drinking wine, we had the opportunity to taste local cheeses and a variety of other food. One of the great things about this wine tasting is that it was small. There was a couple from South Africa, including the husband who was a psychiatric specialist, and another couple from Arizona, including the wife who was the president of the Jane Austin Society, that came along with us. I was by far the youngest person, but it was so interested hearing their stories and laughing about how little we all knew about wine. I am still no wine connoisseur, but I am no longer completely clueless! After our tour, my mom and I found a very unique restaurant within a store! It was buffet style with tables set up throughout the nooks and crannies of the store.

San Gimignano

Day 15: Siena and San Gimignano Day Trip

For our last day in Florence, we booked a day trip. Unfortunately, this was not the best experience. We were on a giant coach bus with 50 other tourists, there weren’t any bathroom breaks, and everything was spoken to us in English, French, and Spanish. Despite these aspects, we saw beautiful views and met very lovely people. We visited the two highlights of Tuscany, Siena and San Gimignano. Within these areas we toured the Siena Duomo, tasted famous gelato, and found the cutest boutiques and local art galleries. At the end of the day we sampled local wine and sweets in a Tuscan Vineyard.

The Grand Canal

Day 16: Venice
Venice was a beautiful city, unlike anything I had ever seen before! Yet, it did come with many complications! Our hotel gave us a bottle of Champaign to calm us down haha. After we had a glass of Champaign and ate some lunch we were ready for the day! We took a Grand Canal Cruise down to St. Marks Square. There, we stumbled upon a doctorate graduation ceremony. Following the ceremony, graduates along with their friends and family roamed the streets of Venice performing various strange traditions. So strange, yet entertaining! Meanwhile, mom and I roamed the streets as well doing our fair share of shopping and site seeing. We finished our evening with a dinner along the canals.

Our Italian adventure will be remembered forever! The fresh fish, bread, pasta, wine, cheese, and other local cuisines will be greatly missed! So will my time with my mom! It was so wonderful to have a mother/daughter trip after being away from one another for so long! It was hard to say goodbye, but it was refreshing to realize we would be reuniting again in a month!

Knutson Euro Trip '14

Throughout my life I have grown to realize how fortunate I have been to grow up in a family that cherishes time together and loves to travel the world. While I have never been one to be homesick, I can't express enough how amazing it was to reunite with my family in London just over halfway through my study abroad experience. We made sure to update each other about the details of our lives, make fun of one another (especially mom and grandma), and take in the world around us. Our week was filled with so much laughter and incredible memories that will last forever!! As Grandma Linda would say, "It was a splashing time!"

Tyler, Myself and Kyle at the London Eye

Day 1: Reunion in London
 My dad arrived early for work and we were able to get together for dinner the night before the whole gang arrived. The next morning my dad and I took a train from Coventry to London and eventually found the condo we were staying in after a few bumps in the road. After checking in we decided to get a bite to eat and go grocery shopping for the week with a few hours to kill before my mom, 2 brothers, and grandparents on my mom's side would arrive. Not realizing how much food we bought, we ended up having to push our grocery cart about a mile across cobblestone roads back to our place. We looked ridiculous and got a few stairs, but it got the job done! Don't worry we returned the cart!

The rest of the family was very tired and jet-lagged from their flight over, but they were troopers! After getting them some food, we ventured to the London Eye for an evening ride and beautiful view of the city turning on their lights.

The Knutsons with a beafeater after our London Tower tour

Day 2: Touring London
 Our first full day in London was absolutely gorgeous!! We purchased tickets for the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Tour (or the "Hip Hop Bus" as Grandma Linda calls it) and made our way over the Tower Bridge to take a tour in the London Tower. After a relaxing lunch in a park, we hoped on the Big Bus towards The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. We then made our way through St. James Park to Churchill's Bunker. In the evening we found our way to The Ship & Wale near our condo for dinner. After dinner the grandparents went back to the condo, while the rest of us found The Wibley Wobbly Boat Pub.

Celebrating Mum's Day with Grandma and Mum

Day 3: Mum's Day in London
Our second full day in London was Mum's Day. We made sure to find some gardens for grandma to enjoy! We also thought Kensington Palace would be an appropriate thing to do. Turns out, it was not worth the money. The women in the family had high expectations. Oh well! We walked around a bit more and enjoyed our afternoon on the Big Bus seeing more of the city. For dinner we had our minds set on finding one of the oldest pubs in London. In only took getting a little lost to find it. We also managed to find a chocolatier where we tried a chocolate beer and chocolate martini. We also purchased chocolate covered coffee beans!! I think I ate most of them...

Fam at the White Cliffs of Dover

Day 4: Canterbury and Dover
Our day trips in England with our private tour guide were incredible! Our guide was very friendly and knowledgable!

We began our first day by making our way to Canterbury and remembering the Canterbury tales. The small town, partly enclosed by castle walls, was so quant and had a lot of history! We had the opportunity to tour the Cathedral and afterwards we were lucky to stumble upon a grand opening and we all received free pulled pork sandwiches!

The Butcher's Arms restaurant in Priors Hardwick

Our tour guide then brought us to the White Cliffs of Dover. I wish we would have been able to hike them more, but there was so much to do and not enough time! We then went up to the Dover Castle and Dover bunkers. It was amazing how much more I learned about WWII in the Dover bunkers besides just the American history.

Day 5: April Fool's Day in the Cotswolds, Coventry and Priors Hardwick
April Fool's was no doubt my favorite day of the entire trip! We all had our attempts at pulling pranks, but Grandma Linda was definitely on a mission to prank everyone. :) We began our private tour in the Cotswolds. Absolutely stunning! It was the picture perfect area that I imagined England to be like. We had a picnic in Upper Slaughter then made our way to Kenilworth Castle. This castle was completely run down, yet the most beautiful! When roaming the ruins we had to imagine everything from what was still standing. After a quick stop in Coventry to show the family where I am attending school, we set off for The Butcher's Arms restaurant in Prior Hardwick where we met up with the Porter's for dinner. This authentic Portuguese restaurant will forever be my favorite place to eat! Our night was filled with great company, lots of laughter and stories, delicious food and such welcoming staff. Or as Tony Porter would say, "Besides the food and service, our evening was fantastic!" Definitely a night to remember!

The Knutson siblings pose + tourist pose = perfection

Day 6: Last day exploring London
Our evening before turned out to be a very late night, so it was great to sleep in! Once everyone was up and ready for the day, we made our way to a local farm for brunch. All of their food in their cafe was fresh from their animals and crops on the farm.

We then made our way back to the Westminster Abbey for a tour. It was absolutely incredible! The aspects that I really enjoyed was understanding the royal customs within the church as well as recognizing all of the historical figures buried or commemorated within the church. My senior year of high school I woke up at 3am to watch the marriage between Prince William and Kate. It was very cool to see where it all happened! Also, with the historical figures, I was almost at a loss of words realizing I was standing above the tomb of Charles Darwin and other important figures I have learned so much about throughout my years in school.

Day 7: Windsor Castle, Bath and Stonehenge

Our last day in England was spent traveling with our private tour guide again. Our first stop was Windsor Castle. By this time, we all felt like we had seen so many castles that any more would just be too much.. Yet, we were all pleasently surprised! Upon arrival we found out that the Queen was not only at the Castle at the moment, but they were preparing for the first official meeting in England between the Queen and Ireland's Prime Minister since the split. Therefore, we had to opportunity to watch a dress rehearsal of the parade including horses, bands, guards and two empty carriages where the Queen, Prime Minister, and other important personel would be the following week. Furthermore, inside the castle there was preparation already occurring for the dinners and celebrations.

After Windsor we made our way to Bath and Stonehenge. Both had amazing history and beautiful sites! It was great to have a private tour so that we could gather a little extra information that isn't necessarily picked up anywhere else. Now that I have seen them both, won't be needed to return any time soon.. 

We then made our way to a night ferry taking us to Cien, France.

The Family and the Eiffel Tower

Day 8 & 9: Normandy Beaches & Paris
Upon arrival in Cien we got picked up by our Normandy Beach tour guide. Our first stop was Sainte-Mère-Église where the parachute memorial for John Steele and other parachuters stood. We then toured the American conquered Utah Beach, Pointe Du Hoc and Omaha Beach. I remember learning about these areas in school, but actually being there was much more impactful! There is so much history and detail beyond what people learn in class! After our Normandy tour we made our way to our hotel in Paris for our last night together. We had a wonderful meal and said our goodbyes to the Grandparents as they were leaving in the morning for their Rhine River Cruise. With the five of us left, we spent a day in Paris enjoying what the city had to offer and each others company. We had the opportunity to see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Love Lock Bridge, and had lunch outside the Louvre. It was a very relaxing day in a beautiful city! That evening my mom and I said our goodbyes as we left for the train station to begin our Italian adventure.