Favourite EU Places & Spaces
It's been a whole year since we left from Vancouver, Canada to embark on our crazy journey across Europe. And what a year it's been! Since anniversaries are about celebrating, we wanted to let you know how things have turned out, and revisit some of our absolutely favourite spots from our trip!
Welcome Home!
To start off, we are officially, in our new home! We just finished moving in this week, and it's both strange and wonderful to know that we are going to be in the same place for more than 4 weeks at a time. You see, when we made the decision to go on this adventure in 2018 (omg, that seems forever-ago) it was contingent on us selling our home in Victoria, downsizing, and living as lean as possible. With the lightning speed at which our place sold, we were thrust into this new lifestyle in January 2019 - a full 4 months before we got on a plane. So, to say that we've been nomadic for awhile now, is no understatement.
Now that we have a home, a REAL home, it feels almost a little strange but also extremely comforting:
The dogs have their own couch
I have a full freezer and sizable dry-good pantry (not ones that fits into one tiny portable box)
Kelly loves that we don't have to pack our lives up every few weeks and load everything into the truck
And to be completely honest - living lean and light is so extremely liberating, but it also takes a toll on your mental health over time. Constantly saying 'good-bye' to new friends, constantly feeling uncomfortable for not knowing how to communicate properly, constantly never knowing your surroundings, and constantly not knowing where to acquire necessities when needed.
Living on the road can be tough....
But now, we have a home to call our own again! And, we also have the truck back!!
After the US announced that it was considering militarizing the US/Canada boarder, our wonderful Broker in Tacoma, Washington kicked the brainstorming into high-gear. That week we had the truck booked with a Canadian freight company. The 4Runner was put on a flatbed rig and brought right to our door here on Vancouver Island.
Of course, due to COVID-19 the truck (and everything inside) was 'off-limits' for a bit of time. But its quarantine is now complete and we are feeling 100% reunited as a family!
Happy Anniversary - Favourite EU Spaces & Places
Yes, it is time for some celebrations!! Especially now when the world is strange, and we can't be with others in the way we used to (btw, I miss hugs...a lot). So let's relish in our love for adventure and amazing places!
We are constantly asked "What was your favourite place or country?" so, here is our list in our own words.
Kelly's Top EU
Seefeld Olympic Region - The tiny village of Seefeld, has a special place in our hearts and memories. Back in 2015 this area was our first introduction to Austria. For Kelly, it is the most perfect Austrian mountain village.
Kelly says, "The village has no corporate hotels, it's all locally owned B&B's. You can find very traditional Tirolean dishes at almost all of the restaurants, and they are always well done. But you can also hike to huts and have some really rustic dishes. The mountains are everywhere, and the hiking trails are fantastic, and you can hike year-round (here they actually plow the trails in the winter months)."
Kelly picked the video below to share with you what it's like to be there in the winter. Such PURE MAGIC!
Slovenia - all of it!! Kelly says "The people are lovely, the wine is delicious, but photos are really the best way to share its beauty! (especially because Knives never posted anything about Lake Bled...). For me, his country is beyond words."
Venice - Kelly says "Normally I would NEVER go to a tourist hub like this, but...when there are no tourists, it's amazing! Venice sucks when it's busy - which might be most of the time(?) but if you get to visit on quiet days in the off-season it is magical. You get the Chicchetti bars all to yourself - or at least until the locals filter in, but that's when it can be even better! Business owners love having dogs as customers!! The dogs would usually get boiled chicken or fish on the house (not spoiled at all, eh?!) But Venice is actually a really cool city to explore and walk around when the streets and alleys aren't filled with people. You can walk around for hours and never see the same thing twice!" ....(We walked 23km one day, and could have easily done more)
Knives' Top EU
For me, I have a number of places for a number of different reasons...so here's my list.
Nouvelle Aquitaine, France For it's Everyday Lifestyle The Nouvelle Aquitaine region of France reminds me a lot of the the East Coast of Canada. It's on the ocean, life goes at a relaxed pace, the community is rock solid, and the people are some of the friendliest you'll ever meet! This is the place that I would choose to buy property, start up a Bed & Breakfast, work part-time in tech, grow a garden, ride my bike, bake bread, paint, nap with puppies, and drink wine with friends. The vibe is relaxed, the community is caring, and technology is (surprisingly!) very integrated into everyday life. The city of Bordeaux is France’s fastest-growing digital region in terms of job creation. It's a very attractive city for tech startups too! Thanks to local officials, organizations and different communities to boost the city’s economic development, a startup tech culture has developed throughout the region. So, if you work in tech, speak French, and enjoy work/life balance in a place that is almost always summer, this is a fantastic little corner of the world!
Croatia For its Beautiful Soul If I never had to drive a desk again, this is a place I would happily call home. In my opinion, the beautiful Croatian culture is top in the world! And you need to go there without being a tourist to really be part of it. You need to embed yourself and be open to a new way of thinking, a deep way of feeling, and to always say what you think without any fear of reprieve or political incorrectness (It's almost opposite to Canada in that sense).
In Croatia, people will tell you exactly what they think. For me, that takes a lot of self-assurance and self-respect. But, to balance this, they are also passionate, giving, family oriented, and have an exceptionally strong sense of place and of pride. And with a country as diverse and stunning as this (see video below) its easy to see why.
Southern Austria & Eastern Slovenia For Raw Beauty
This one I will keep short and sweet, as I've already written about my appreciation and awe of this jaw-dropping part of Europe. The landscape is surreal. The food and drink is unbelievable. The hiking is unmatched (even by BC standards). And the people are so welcoming. This part of the world has a surreal feeling, and you keeping pinching yourself to see if you're really awake.
The End?
I'm having a very difficult time finishing this post - for obvious reasons I'm sure. I go back to work on Monday, and with this return I feel both sadness and pride.
Sad, because I know all things must come to their end. I've tried so hard not to count down the days since we started our adventure...
But also proud because I'm not the same person who left a year ago. Where I used to talk, I instead listen. Where I used to be nervous, I am now brave. I am comfortable with being uncomfortable, of not knowing where I might be, or what I might do.
And even if nothing more really changes in the day-to-day drastically going forward, at least I know that I've changed. And, perhaps, that's even better.
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