Currently Living My European Dream and I'm Loving It!

I haven't written anything in a while, and now I'm finally back to share some of the travel milestones I have experienced recently.

Some of you probably already know that I moved to Europe, particularly in The Netherlands more than 1 month ago, on June 24, 2024, to be exact. I have been living my dream European life since, and I am just so immensely grateful for all the opportunities and blessings that have come my way in order to live this life I'm currently living.

And since travelling around Europe has been one of my motivations to fly from the Philippines and move across the world, I didn't and won't hesitate to fulfil the goal of exploring different countries one by one.

So now, I'm gonna share with you some of my recent weekend travel escapades around Europe.

1. AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam has always been one of my dream cities, particularly because of the influence of the Hollywood movie titled The Fault In Our Stars. Since I watched the movie and saw how the female lead wanted to visit the movie so badly that it was her dying wish, I have been very curious to know what is in the city. Then I watched The Hows Of Us by KathNiel, and Amsterdam was also one of their shooting locations.

So, last month, I took the train early in the morning to finally visit this enchanting city. During my visit there, I just spent a couple of hours walking around the city center, getting lost in the magic of the charming canals and famed streets. I also visited the Rijksmuseum, which is the biggest museum in the Netherlands.

I didn't get to visit the Van Gogh Museum and got to experience cruising through the canals by boat, so I am planning to visit there again in the future.

2. ANTWERP, BELGIUM

Antwerp is the closest city to where I live, so I decided to book a train ticket to go there, and thankfully, I wasn't disappointed with my visit.

From the moment I stepped out on the train to the time when I was already ticking off the thing on my bucket list, which was to eat a Belgian waffle in Belgium, the whole trip was just magical. I love how Antwerp just has one of the best train stations, and that walking around the city center felt like a breeze. I went alone during this trip and I never felt in danger. I got to visit a lot of places too and tourist spots too. Surely, I would recommend visiting Antwerp if you're in Europe.

3. COLOGNE, GERMANY

Cologne had so much to offer, from the stunning views around the city center to the majestic cathedral that I had the chance to visit while I was there. If felt like living in a fantasy because of their impressive architecture. I was also just lucky enough to witness a Pride Month demo parade that was happening on the same day that I visited. I also enjoyed the ramen that I had for lunch but their serving was just too much for me so I didn't get to finish it all.

4. LUXEMBOURG

Luxembourg is a tiny country in Europe, but it is also one of the richest in the world. And I just can't help but feel lucky because I was able to visit it for a day. Since I didn't have a very detailed itinerary, I just roamed around the city center for hours and saw different tourist spots while walking. I have a poke bowl obsession so eating one for lunch was kind of the highlight for my day, and that is besides enjoying the remarkable landscape the country has while inside my train.

I still have less than 11 months in Europe (unless I decide to stay longer) and there are still a lot of beautiful cities and countries I want to visit, including Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, and so many more. Hopefully, I manage to visit them all while I am here. Manifesting it!