Home Safe and Sound


Greetings Ramblers!

I do apologize for the delay in posting, but I am not sorry. The truth is, June was a rough month for me and that's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes. I needed to drop some commitments and put myself first. I can't speak to other countries around the world, but I know that where I'm from, we have been conditioned to put our commitments above ourselves and that's simply not alright. We have to take care of ourselves first, otherwise, what is it all for? But hey, that's a post for another day.

Anyway, I am back now, and I have some content planned for you lovely Rambler's who have stuck with me for so many years. I hope that you are all doing well and remembering that you are worth your effort, that you are your number one commitment and should be your first priority.

That being said, on to today's post!

I have now returned from my semi-mysterious trip abroad, and can now reveal where it was I ventured off to! Drum roll please!

Your one and only Bra Street Rambler did some exploring in Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania!

And was it ever an adventure!

Before I go any further, I would like to thank all those who contributed to making this such an incredible experience for me. From my parents for watching my cat, to my friend for driving over five hours to come and get me from the airport after I missed a flight and had to be redirected to a different city, to every one of the new friends I met in between. You're all amazing!

So, why did I choose these places? Well, I've always found the history, and especially the mythology, surrounding Greece to be fascinating and as most have, I've dreamed of visiting there. So, why not go?

Now, if you've ever looked at flight prices from Canada to Europe, you may have noticed that they can run you a pretty penny. My takeaway? Make it worth it. I couldn't very well travel all that way and only see one place! So I took a look at a map and lo and behold, right there sharing a border with Greece, was Bulgaria! Spoiler alert, one of the characters in the book series I've been working on for the past few years, is from Bulgaria! This particular character has been taking more and more of his time to share his story with me of late, and though he wasn't scheduled for his own spotlight until book six, it became time to do some research and move up his book. So off to Bulgaria I went to discover who he was, and where he came from. A decision I most certainly do not regret! Alright, so look at the map once more, and there sharing a border with Bulgaria? Romania! Well, as a fantasy writer, I couldn't very well turn That down now, could I? So one, two, three, an adventure was born!

While I certainly can't include every story in this one post, I thought I'd share some highlights from my experience in Greece, so here goes!


Greece:

-If you want to see the best that Athens has to offer, explore its history, its mythology, its culture, I Highly recommend a free walking tour with Vassilis Katsiklis from Urban Free Tours. Trust me, you will Not regret it. His passion for the city of Athens truly shines through as he brings you on a journey through history and teaches you about amazing local sites and landmarks. You can sign up here: http://www.urbanfreetours.com/


-Athens isn't the only place worth exploring while in Greece, if you have a chance to check out Meteora, take it! Not only is it gloriously picturesque, but it offers its own rich history through various monasteries located atop massive pillar-like rock formations. These views will take your breath away, so be sure to include it in your trip plans.


-Following these two locations, I headed to Thessaloniki, but that's not where I spent my day. Just outside the city, I headed to a ranch for some horseback riding. To tell you it was a horseback riding experience would be a lie. Here I was offered a day on the farm. I'm not a city girl, so for me this was exactly the break from my busy itinerary that I needed. I got to sit with the owner Markos and enjoy good conversation on a beautiful, sunny day, hang out and play with several horses, and of course enjoy the hour long horseback riding through the country side. Once the day was done, I didn't just leave with memories of having gone riding, I left having made new lifelong friends. Marcos, his girlfriend, his cousin, and myself concluded the afternoon with more conversation at a local cafe and I can honestly say it was a day I'll never forget.

So those were some highlights for Greece and though there was So much more I was privileged with enjoying, I'm sure they will come up in future posts. Next up, I'll be posting about highlights from Bulgaria and Romania, as well as some cultural differences observed between Canada and Europe. As always, feel free to comment below with any questions or to email me at thebrastreetrambler@gmail.com

Remember Rambler's, life is short and you've only got the here and now to dream big and make things happen.

Cheers!
The Bra Street Rambler





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