Mykonos, Greece

I wish I could say that over the past years of living overseas we significantly shortened our 'Bucket List.' This pesky little thing seems to happen once you start traveling . . . for every new place we visit, we somehow add about three more to our ever growing list of must - see - before - we - die locations. I love to ask fellow travelers where their adventures have taken them, what their favorite place was and where would they eat if they happened to return. Instagram has also given us way too many ideas for future trips. The list just keeps getting longer, but for our anniversary, Chris helped me check off a location that had been on my 'Bucket List' for as long as I can remember. 

The Greek Isles - Mykonos, Greece

Mykonos is known as the island of the winds, and I have always been enamored with the ancient white washed homes accented with a blue almost the same color as the surrounding ocean. In my mind, Mykonos screamed romance. Chris was more interested in the Greek mythology (you don't remember reading about Zeus battling the Titalns and Hercules killing big-ol giants? Yeah, me either!) than the pretty buildings and fancy (expensive), waterfront cocktail bars. 

We were interested for different reasons, but in the end, we both loved weaving in and out of the narrow streets, and sipping local wine and beer on the waterfront. I even talked Chris into renting a 4-wheeler and putting around the island. Once he agreed to the rental, I started asking every agency if we could rent. (Come on! Take our money!) I must have asked four or five different rental companies, and I was denied every time. Either the bikes were all rented out (lies - because there were parked all around), or I was 'too young' (yeah right), or I got no explanation, just a simple 'no.' We gave up and decided to walk down towards the water for a coffee. The bar tender laughed when we told him we were not allowed to rent a 4-wheeler. He promised that if Chris asked, we would not have any problems. Funny thing, as soon as Chris asked, we were given the vehicle, two helmets, a map of the island, and sent on our way. Guess I was the issue!

We spent most of our day at beautiful Paradise Beach, soaking up the rays and getting away from the crowds in Mykonos. We enjoyed local pastries that we bought from a sweet little man carrying a basket and hawking his delightful treats. After several hours, we hopped onto our 4-wheeler and tried to put-put back into town. We tried and tried, and couldn't get it to start! Oi! After about 30 minutes of trying, I called the company from a beach bar phone, and we waited. After a jump, we finally did make our way back into town, but I think our 4-wheel days are over. Next time, we will opt for a Jespa. 

Here's a few pictures! Hope you're loving your summer!

(Lake) Konnigsee in Bavaria, Germany

If you're, say, visiting Munich or Salzburg, and want to take a short sightseeing trip that could include hiking, boating, or simply standing in awe of the beauty of the Alps, then check this place out! 

You will not be disappointed! 

Situated in the far southeast corner of the German state of Bavaria, this little gem is perfectly shoved between the narrow pass of two jagged, alpine mountains. Lake Konnigsee is in the Berchtesgarden National Park, and while it's a relatively small body of water, it happens to be Germany's third deepest lake (random facts from wikipedia). 

At the end of last year, Chris and I had just moved to Regensburg, and Reece suggested a quick trip down to see the breathtaking Konnigsee (which literally translates to "king's lake"). We never hesitate when a new sightseeing destination is on the table, so naturally, we packed the car and headed south. 

The first thing you notice when walking up to the lake is the intense, aqua-green color of the water, oh and it's strangely clean. The lake is so clean in fact that it is said to be the cleanest lake in all of Germany. In order to keep up appearances, no fuel powered boats are allowed on the lake. In the summer, get extra exercise by rowing or paddling your way around the crystal clear lake, or do what we did, and take an electric powered passenger boat tour. If I remember correctly, the boat will put you back 12 - 18 Euros depending on the duration of the boat tour that you choose. We got off the boat at the beautiful, red domed church named St. Barthomoma, and we enjoyed a local beer at a nearby restaurant. And naturally, I took a million pictures.

We didn't have time to take a long hike, but next time we visit, I really want to hike Mount Jenner. I think it would be absolutely incredible to see Lake Konnigsee from above! Hopefully we will have time to go this summer! Another thing that we really want to see is Hitler's Eagles Nest, and if you're in this area, you're too close not to visit this historic piece of German history. Unfortunately, you can only reach it by bus or by hiking for 2-3 hours. If you want to figure out how to get to The Eagle's Nest, I found this post quite helpful. From the parking lot of Lake Konnigsee,  on a clear day, you can see The Eagles Nest. If you look at the last picture in this post, you will see it in the top left hand corner. You'll really have to look closely!

Our House Hunter's International Episode (Serbia -> Belgium)

Hello blog readers (and family and friends)!

Chris and I hope that you are doing well and thoroughly enjoying 2014! We have been quiet (on our little blog/journal) for a while because life has gotten quite busy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about that at all! In fact, I find that I feel incredible when I am really busy (I'm not speaking for Chris here - just for myself). Maybe I like being busy because I feel ultra productive? Maybe I get more done when I have a strict schedule to follow? Or maybe I am just wired to thrive under a little bit of pressure. In any case, a lot of people have asked if we would ever post our House Hunters International episode online, and after much ado, we finally got around to posting it! 

For those of you who are new here, Chris and I were filmed in April and May of 2013 for House Hunters International. HGTV wanted to document our move from Subotica, Serbia to Belgium, and even though we had already been living in Belgium for a good seven months before filming even started, they wanted to 're-create' our house hunting experience. We agreed to be filmed, and they asked if we could add a _touch_ of drama to our episode. In reality, our house hunting experience was not complicated at all, but for TV, we gave them some of the drama and conflict that they wanted. While Chris and I really loved filming part of our story abroad, this experience made us realize that most things on TV are slightly slanted and embellished. 

So if you are interested, here's our HHI episode! It is fun to have a 20-minute video of a piece of our journey together. One day we can show our children this episode when they want to see where we used to live around the world! 

Feel free to post your thoughts after you watch this, but be nice please! This is a positive space, and I won't post rude or degrading comments. (Why do people even post mean things about people they have never met? Unfortunately it happens a lot)

Dubrovnik, Croatia (Game of Thrones Anyone?!)

I know that everyone is getting sick and tired of winter (especially our friends and readers in America! What a wild winter you have all had!), so summer 2014 holiday plans are hastily being made. 

While Regensburg, Germany has been experiencing a relatively mild winter (knock on wood. There's still time for a blizzard or an ice storm to hit.), Chris and I are already dreaming about lazy summer afternoons spent by the sea. We've been trying to get our travel plans straightened out, and sadly, we've realized that budget flights are not as accessible (or cheap) as they had been in Brussels, Belgium. We're having to get creative with our travel plans. In any case, in an effort to inspire myself, I started looking through photo albums from last summer. We've visited Croatia two summers in a row, and we think we may go back again this year! We just cannot get enough of the incredible beaches, warm locals, fresh seafood, and affordable accommodation. If you're considering a trip to Croatia, this is the year to go! They just received their European Union status, so prices have not had too much time to skyrocket! Croatia is a hidden gem that hopefully stays unspoiled and mysterious. 

Chris and I have documented our Croatia trips to Krk, Hvar, and Plitvica Lakes, and this post contains a few pictures from our time in the walled city of Dubrovnik. If there are any Game of Thrones fans reading this, then you already know that Dubrovnik is the set for King's Landing. We rented kayaks on the beach that Game of Thrones also films on. Chris was totally geeking out. I guess I was too. The city is ancient and perfectly preserved, and no visit is complete without an hour (plus) walk around the thick city walls which were constructed between the 12th and 17th centuries to protect the city. If you have time, a kayak adventure will allow you to explore some of the hidden coves surrounding the city. Or rent a little boat and explore that way!

Food Tip: We had an authentic Balkan meal (made us really miss Serbia) at a little place called Dalmatino Knoba. They found out that we could speak a little bit of their language, and they completed our meal with a shot of complementary cherry rakija.  

This is making me want to get back to Dubrovnik! 

When Change is Exciting and Terrifying all at the Same Time

July 2013 - Oh, you sneaky little month, you! I had no idea how drastically our lives would change when you rolled around! 

After a year in Belgium, Chris and I felt 'normal,' and settled, and maybe even a little bit 'local'. We had a great group of friends in Roeselare and in Bruges, we spoke enough Dutch to understand what was happening around us (and when people were talking about us), I had two jobs, and we were celebrating 4 blissful years of marriage by departing on a whirlwind tour through the Mediterranean. For the first time in a long time, I was ready to "be," (I know shocker, eh, Mom?!) and simply enjoy the life that we had worked so hard to establish.

Stay Still - Relax - Enjoy the Season - Rest - Dig Deeper - Invest More - Plant Roots . . .

Who am I kidding?! We signed up for an adventure, and we have gotten more than we could have ever anticipated! It's been a beautiful and terrifying journey that has stretched us and pushed us closer together as a couple. We have learned to rely on each other for just about everything (he is great with directions, and I am not afraid to make linguistic mistakes so I am the mouthpiece when we travel), and through the joy and the tears, we would never rewrite any part of our story. The journey has not been what we expected, but we have been blessed every step of the way. 

Two and a half years ago, we moved to Subotica, Serbia and expected to stay rooted there for three years. We dug in, we made life-long friends, we experienced the beautiful Serbian culture, and we simply fell in love with the country. A year later, Chris' company moved us to Roeselare, Belgium, and while we were excited, we mourned leaving our beautiful Serbian family. Ghhhaa! Moving can be such a wild mix of emotions! Luckily, we loved our new city; I was almost immediately befriended by Niekie, the owner of a darling cafe called the MokkaBar, and Chris met the man of the town, PJ. Niekie and PJ invited us into their lives and introduced us to their friends. We can never express what a difference they made in our experience. I believe that it takes about a year to truly feel comfortable in a new culture. By July 2013, we had lived in Belgium for a year, so naturally, we had gone too long without a major change. 

We are on House Hunter's International Tonight!

Loving the beauty of Bruges, Belgium

Checking out some scenery in Roeselare, Belgium with the HHI film crew

We made them do our signature pose

Tonight is the night!

Chris and I had such a great time (such fun) filming a House Hunter's International episode detailing our move from Serbia to Belgium and our apartment hunting experience. We filmed for four full days in between Serbia and Belgium, and we were able to involve so many of the amazing friends that we have made along the way. We can't wait to see our friend's faces on TV! This episode was filmed quite a while ago, so it will be interesting to see the finished product. 

Anyway, on the west coast, HGTV will show our episode at 7:30pm and 10:30pm tonight. In Kentucky, our mugs will be on TV at 10:30pm and again at 1:30am. Get all of the exact information here. Feel free to tune in!! You may be seeing the episode before we do since we have to record it and watch it on Thursday morning. 

The Statesman Journal in my hometown of Salem, Oregon also wrote a piece on us. Read that article here if ya want. 

Thanks for reading (and watching). 

Lana and Chris McCoy

Want to see the episode? I posted it here. 

{Sneak Peek Istanbul}

Hagia Sophia at night

I turned 30! 

Actually, I hit the big 3-0 at the end of September, but this season in our lives has been a whirlwind that seems to finally be calming down. Sort of. It is just starting to sink in that I've hit that age when most women freak out about wrinkles, job security, settling down and babies. I have the wrinkles, but the other things are so far from my mind these days! Chris and I had been planning a birthday trip to Istanbul with two of our dear friends from Belgium since sometime in June. All of a sudden, we were thrown a curve ball when the opportunity to move to Regensburg, Germany popped up. It was not an easy decision, and we talked it over and over together. After a couple weeks of weighing the pros and the cons, Chris accepted and started the new job a week before our scheduled trip. Needless to say, instead of spending my time researching restaurants and scenic look-out spots in Istanbul, I was frantically packing, and cleaning, and turning off utilities and breaking the apartment lease. 

There never is a dull moment for this little expat family!

Doesn't Mallorca Sound Wonderful About Now?

Towards the end of May, we booked a spur of the moment (stupid cheap) Ryan Air flight to Mallorca, Spain. I told Chris that it would be a delayed present for his 28th birthday; but let's be honest, it was more of an excuse to escape a miserably long Belgian cold spell. Spain had also claimed a special place in our hearts and a prominent spot on our travel calendar after a trip to Barcelona (If you're interested, find some of our Barcelona info here, and here). 

I think there was still snow on the ground as we boarded a flight bound for Spain's largest island. I had heard about the neighboring party island (Ibiza), but the only reason we chose Mallorca was because there was a direct flight from Brussels to Mallorca for less than an Italian dinner for two (Italian is about the cheapest sit down dinner option you'll find in Europe). My type A-must-research-every-detail-of-a-trip-to-a-new-city-personality sort of took a vacation, and I threw planning out the window! I mean, how hard could it be for us to get down to a beach, lay out our towels, and relax on the warm sand?!

I learned my lesson (again), because what we wanted and what we walked into were so completely far off from each other!

 At the airport, we caught the local bus #21, and within ten minutes we were walking into the lobby of Java Hotel. Our accommodation was right in the middle of Playa de Palma, and while the hotel itself was newly remodeled and reasonably priced, the long stretch of beach outside of the hotel was less than relaxing! What we had wanted was a slow couple of days sprawled out on the sand followed by seafood dinners at beach front restaurants. What we actually got was this:

Antwerp(en), Belgium

Antwerpen has the prettiest train station that I think I have seen in Europe!

We always get asked what our favorite cities are in Belgium, and the answer always starts out the same. First and foremost, we are in love with Bruges. The preserved medieval city seems almost too beautiful to be real life; it feels more like a movie set than a place people actually call "home." As soon as I saw Her, I knew that I wanted to live close to Bruges (check out Bruges here, here, and here). So, yeah, Bruges would be our #1 place to visit in Belgium, but then of course there are other fantastic cities like Ghent and Antwerp that cannot be missed when visiting the land of strong beer and rich chocolate. 

Antwerp (English) - Antwerpen (Dutch) - Anvers (French)

When visiting Antwerp, it's not uncommon to see the city spelled all three different ways, but the most often used version is the Dutch one. According to legend, Antwerpen got Her name after the mighty giant who used to demand a toll for passage into the port city. Those who refused to cough up the money would pay by having their hand cut off and thrown into the river. Eventually the money-hungry giant was killed and his own giant hand cut off and thrown into the river, thus giving the city the name "hand-werpen" ("to throw" in Old English). Eventually that evolved into the modern day name of Antwerpen. You'll see hand statues and hand illustrations all around the city if you keep your eyes open for them.

Chris and I enjoyed a lovely weekend in Antwerpen checking out a few local restaurants, meandering through annual fall festivals, sipping sangria at the city "beach," and getting acquainted with Belgium's second largest city. While Antwerpen is not as visually stunning as Bruges and Ghent, it does have an artistic vibe that invites one to stop, relax, and stay a while. 

Planning a trip to Antwerpen? Here are some of our city notes:

Westvleteren Trappist Brewery Belgium

Pic found here.

Summer 2013 has come and gone, and I find myself with an ever growing list of adventures and experiences to blog/journal about. I have been so caught up in the moments that I've forgotten to properly documented the memories. The end of summer also marked another milestone in this grand little adventure that was supposed to take the McCoy family from Kentucky to Serbia and back again in three years time. Isn't it funny how life never really seems to go as planned?! Our international journey has not followed anyone's predictions, but we sort of like it that way. Chris and I have been living and working overseas for two years and four months; and in that time we moved from Kentucky to Subotica, Serbia (as planned), and then from Serbia to Roeselare, Belgium (not planned, but welcomed), and now we find ourselves in Regensburg, Germany. . . . absolutely not planned, but we figured we had moved before, and we could do it again!

What's one more move to shake things up a bit? 

Chris and I have been officially living in Regensburg, Germany for about three weeks, and everything is still so new. Once we feel a little more settled and 'normal,' I plan to document the process of our most recent move. In the meantime though, there are so many other things that I need to catch up on! 

First things first - Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren Brewery in Belgium

While living in Belgium, Chris and I were lucky to live 40 minutes away from one of the most famous breweries in the world. For beer enthusiasts, the mere mention of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren makes you salivate. For everyone else, don't worry, I'll fill ya in on some of the basic details. 

The Belgian BBQ

There is so much to love about Belgium! 

After a year in the land of chocolate, waffles and exceptional beer, we've come to realize that there's so much more to this country than one reads about in travel publications. Chris and I are so happy with our decision to live in Roeselare, because we were quickly embraced in this small, not-at-all-touristy, city. We are happy here, and we've met amazing people who have included us and made us feel at home. Aside from the obvious Belgian delicacies, here are a few things that we have come to appreciate about our second European home: 

{The work/life balance}

If you work on a Belgian contract, it is actually illegal to work more than 38.5 hours a week. Illegal! For all of our friends working 60+ hour weeks in America, this must seem like a vacation every day of the week! Of course there are people in Belgium who do work overtime, but in general, people value their time away from the office. On work evenings, young professionals meet up for a drink on a terrace, families stroll through the park, and in the summer there are fairs on the Market Square and events to fill every evening. It just seems that Belgian families spend more quality time together than in America. That's just my observation.  

{The bike culture}

Of course there are European cities (like Amsterdam) that have a more vibrant biking culture, but in Belgium, it's also acceptable for young and old people to scoot around on bikes. There are no school busses in Roeselare, so kids ride to school on bikes. I remember being jealous when high school friends received Mercedes or Hummers (seriously?!) for their 16th birthday. I think I am going to send our kids to a school where everyone rides bikes. Even the mail man delivers the mail on a bike! It just seems healthy to get to where you're going on a bike. 

The Grand Canal Party in Roeselare

The Grand Canal beach party in Roeselare, Belgium. Photo credits here. 

Several weekends ago, Chris and I experienced The Grand Canal beach party in our land-locked, Belgian home of Roeselare. It initially sounded suspect, but naturally, the McCoy's are always up for new adventures. Niekie (my first Belgian friend), rallied her posse to come out, enjoy the sand, dance the night away and support a great local DJ who just happened to be her hubby, Tim. It didn't take that much convincing to get Chris and I there. 

On the other side of the tracks, in the tired, industrial area of Roeselare, we walked through an arch built entirely out of wooden pallets and we completely forgot where we were. The set up was brilliant! Belgians are really great at capitalizing on their summers, and The Grand Canal beach party was a perfect example of just that. A wall of several thousand wooden pallets encompassed the make shift beach, restaurant, bar and DJ area. For two months in the summer, parties and events take place here when the weather is favorable. 

I love those moments when you blindly walk into a new place and feel immediately at ease. It didn't hurt that we were enjoying the balmy, Belgian evening with a big group of friends. What a difference a year can make! I remember walking through Roeselare as a complete stranger; watching people greet each other on the street, and stop at sidewalk cafes to kiss each other on the cheek. I wanted so badly to walk past someone familiar, to be recognized, to feel valued, to be known. A year later, I am being greeted everywhere I go, I am being kissed on the cheek and I am no longer a stranger. 

Tyne Cot Cemetery Belgium

Pops at the Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery in Passendale, Belgium

They made it! 

Finally, Chris' grandparents, his aunties, Elizabeth and Christy, and Christy's son, Jake, made it to Europe after two days of dodging tornados in Atlanta. They missed London, but thankfully they didn't miss out on their entire vacation. "The stranded five" arrived into Brussels several hours before we were scheduled to arrive in Belgium.  It was impossible to switch our tickets, and I felt a little anxious about them arriving into Belgium without Chris or I there to welcome them. I called our friend, Bert, and without hesitation, he offered to do whatever I needed to help make "the stranded five" feel a little bit more comfortable. What a blessing it was to have Bert there! Our family made their way from Brussels to Roeselare, and in our little city, they found Bert with a box of Belgian chocolates in hand ready to welcome five weary, stinky, American travelers.

After such an ordeal, naturally, their luggage didn't arrive with them. It was promised that the luggage would arrive the following day, but in the meantime we had plans! We washed the clothes that "the stranded five" had been wearing for two days straight, ordered pizza and just enjoyed being with family for the evening. Everyone was relieved to finally be together as planned, and at the end of the evening, the weary travelers were more than happy to retire to comfortable accommodation at R&Breakfast. 

In the morning, we were accompanied by five of our Belgian friends to the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Passendale, Belgium. The cemetery is built on the important western front of the First World War and is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world. It's quite humbling to walk through the museum and the graves themselves and try to grasp the complete devastation of the landscape and such overwelming loss of life. 

London With the McCoys

Mom and Dad McCoy in London, England

For almost a year, Chris and I had been planning a grand European adventure with his entire family. After countless Skype-planning-sessions, and way too many hours scanning Trip Advisor reviews, the European ininerary was set, hotels were booked, vans secured, restaurant reservations (for 11) made, and train tickets were booked for nine of Chris' family members. Everything seemed to be perfectly planned for their first trip to Europe. . . 

Well, everything that is except for the TORNADO! No one really planned on that happening! When the day finally came for the family to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, Chris' parents, brother and Claire (Chris' brother's girlfriend) made their way to London to meet up with us. The other half of the family had purchased Delta flights out of Atlanta, and that's where the little problem of the tornado happened to be. Weather is a funny thing that no one can predict or control, but she sure does have a way of completely derailing well planned trips in no time. 

There was nothing that anyone could do. It was just one of those major travel mishaps; the sort of mishap that Chris and I have never experienced in our two years of galavanting through Europe. I so wish that it had not happened to Chris' dear grandparents, his two aunts and his cousin . . .  but it did. "The stranded five" waited around for two days in the Atlanta airport without luggage and without very much sympathy from Delta. One Delta member even suggested they purchase new tickets to London or just give up and go home. Finally, a sweet ticket agent took pity on them and rerouted them through to Belgium. Once "the stranded five" finally got to Europe, they had missed their whole trip to London. 

The Moments We Don't Want to Forget

{ Where has this summer gone?! }

It seems that just yesterday I was unpacking our summer clothes and wondering if our sweaters and rain boots should still be easily accessible. Suddenly, the glorious sunshine seems to disappear just a little bit earlier each evening, our mini fan isn't getting quite as much use, dinner on the terrace requires a light jacket, and I'm beginning to wonder where I packed those sweaters and rain boots. I'm so not ready to say goodbye to summer. 

For all of the rain and freezing weather that Belgium experiences, when summer eventually rolls around, it's easy to forget the miserable winter that was. Like proper Belgian's (are we there yet?), we packed as much as possible into our first full summer in Roeselare. Chris and I were so busy simply enjoying the season with friends and family, that this little blog was harshly neglected. I just realized that there are several months that haven't been documented at all, and I must get back to blogging because I too quickly forget the details as life rolls on. 

{ Here's a mini recap of our Belgian summer }

Eating Our Way Through Barcelona

Barcelona kisses in Placa Reial - "Royal Plaza"

 Slowly but surely, spring has slipped into a mellow Belgian summer, and the days have gotten longer and longer. Western Europe is reporting one of the coldest spring seasons on record, and they aren't predicting a freakishly long, hot summer to make up for the extra wear and tear on our boots and rain coats. As soon as the sun makes an appearance, Roeselare's sidewalks erupt with smiling shoppers and the terraces are full of friends meeting over aperitifs and coffee.

By early May, Chris and I were totally over waiting for that occasional sun break, so we booked last minute flights and headed south to Barcelona. I am finding that summer is the hardest time for me to blog (for many reasons), but if I don't write about our trips, I quickly forget all of the fantastic meals that we had, the places we stayed and the adventures that we shared. Barcelona became one of our favorite summer spots, so I expect to get back some day and I want to revisit a lot of the restaurants that we discovered.

Chris and I met up with our best friend, Reece, and we were lucky to get a really great rate at a B&B right on the beach, Bed and Beach Barcelona Guesthouse. The location was perfect since the guys really just wanted to relax on the beach, and I had the flexibility to easily get into town and explore on my own. In my last blog, I posted about my relaxing day exploring Park Guell. There is so much to see and do around Barcelona that you could probably spend months in the city and not even scratch the surface!

We got a lot of food/drink recommendations from Reece's coworker who spends loads of time in Barcelona. We tried almost every single place that she suggested, and we were never once disappointed! Megan, if you ever read my little blog post, thanks a million for taking the time to share some Barcelona love with us! Below is a list of the restaurants and bars that we loved. I don't want to forget these places, and I would love to pass on some (of Megan's) information to others who are planning a trip to the lively city of Barcelona!

{Park Guell - Barcelona, Spain}

After a hectic month full of House Hunter's International filming and ridiculously cold Belgian spring weather, Chris and I decided to book a quick weekend getaway to sunny Barcelona, Spain. At least we were crossing our fingers and praying for a tad bit of sun! I think we would have been happy with anything other than the average spring temperatures of 6 Celsius/43 Farenheit! (Of course, the year we move, Belgium has the coldest spring in 44 years! Thanks Belgium!) Well thankfully, Barcelona did not disappoint! We basked in the warmth of the sun every afternoon we were in town.

We met up with our great friend, Reece, and the three of us booked an apartment at Bed and Beach Barcelona Guesthouse. The Guesthouse is about 15-minutes (by public transport) from the center of Barcelona; but as the name suggests, it's right on the beach. The owners were incredibly helpful, the apartment was clean and remodeled, and the price was super reasonable. It's a place we will absolutely book again!

Since we were literally staying right on the beach, the boys were hesitant to leave their sandy retreats for city sightseeing. I decided to leave them one afternoon and take a bus up to Park Guell. I am so happy that I made the trek! In my opinion, Park Guell is a must see when visiting Barcelona. The boys would disagree with me since they were content playing frisbee and sunbathing on the beach, but I spent a good three hours at the park and I could go back and do it all over again. 

House Hunter's International - Part 1

A couple of weeks ago, Chris and I finally made our way back to Serbia! After a year abroad, Subotica, Serbia had become our first European "home," and the sleepy city had found a way into the repertoire of our story. Our time in Serbia changed us so much that it is hard to put the lessons into meaningful words and sentences. I know that we will always remember our time in Serbia with fondness and deep gratitude. Over one too many cups of coffee, our group of friends said goodbye to us by focusing on the memories we had created in Subotica. The year had been full of picnics on Lake Palic, themed dinner parties, football and Frisbee games, sunny bike rides, family Slavas, and cultural home-cooked dinners. When Chris and I moved to Belgium in September of 2012, we promised our Serbian family that we would come back to visit as often as work and money allowed.

The truth is, the first six months in Belgium passed quickly. Transitioning into life in Belgium took longer than I had initially expected, and Chris' job proved very busy. I still feel like I am in a state of transition here, but I'm slowly finding my place and purpose in this new world. Getting back to Serbia was like a breath of fresh air - it felt like I was going home and waiting anxiously at familiar coffee shops for friendly arms to wrap me in a warm embrace. I remembered first stepping foot on the Korzo (main walking street) in Subotica, every face was the face of a stranger and every coffee shop was unfamiliar and new. What a difference one year in a new world can make, and how easily we can adapt if we allow ourselves to live openly and transparently. 

Remembrance Day in Roeselare, Belgium

As May 4th approached, the city of Roeselare started preparing for an event. The center of the city (de Grote Markt - or Large Market) was emptied of cars, and food carts, bistro tables and stadium seating filled the vacated spots. I asked the owner of Cafe Mustache (our favorite little bar here) about the upcoming event, and he mentioned that May 4 was a day of remembrance. He also casually stated that bands from all over this region would play during the event. 

Silly me! I had such a blond moment! I heard "bands" and instantly thought drums, guitars, and catchy beats. Naturally, I passed the misunderstanding onto my dear Hubby. Chris and I walked into the Grote Markt with absolutely no idea what day was being "remembered" and expecting to hear local rock "bands" from around the region. The "bands" were not there for entertainment, but rather they were marching bands playing tributes to the memory of fallen soldiers. 

We were a bit confused about May 4th considering Remembrance Day or Memorial Day is celebrated in November in several countries including Belgium and America. I decided to ask a man wearing paratropper fatigues and standing next to a large US army vehicle. Turns out he wasn't American but rather a Belgian army-vehicle-enthusiast/mechanic who had purchased the American war truck and restored it. He informed us that May 4th is a day to remember the soldiers who were lost in World War II, and that similar events were taking place all over the Netherlands and Belgium.

Back at It!

Well, hello there friends and family!

I almost forgot how to post on my own blog! I've been away a little too long! Oops-y-daisy! My mother phoned up the other day and said, "Honey, is everything okay? I have been checking your blog every single morning, and you've been slacking. Are you certain that everything's peachy-keen over there?" 

{Mom's are just the best aren't they?!}

Mom's comment got me thinking - is everything indeed "fine" in our expat-adventure? Contrary to what our mothers may think, we have not been away on an exotic month-long holiday, we're not pulling our hair out because of another sudden move, and fortunately we aren't rotting away in a foreign prison. We're still living in the quaint Belgian city of Roeselare, and we're enjoying the sweet (and slow) transition of winter turning into spring. Life is starting to feel a little more normal these days, and maybe that's partly why I haven't posted a whole lot recently. While there are still a million things to explore in our new world, I have been doing my very best to soak up the moments and enjoy BEING where I am. 

I am also being forced to learn a bit more about patience. Hard, but perhaps necessary, lessons.