Vienna's National Library: The Hidden Gem of Austria

If you are ever in Vienna, wandering the cobblestoned streets surrounding the elegant Hofburg Palace, you'll probably have noticed some of the more popular sights: the noble Lipizzaner Horses, the mouth-watering delicacies of Austrian coffee houses (like Cafe Demel, which you can read about here), or the Sisi Museum located inside the palace, showcasing one of the most enchanting royal figures in Austrian history.

But there is one underrated feature of the immediate area that not many people know about, which boggles my mind because it is one of the most beautiful rooms I've ever stepped foot in. I'm talking about Vienna's National Library, and in particular, the State Hall.

Supporting Local Economies: Amerii Handbags & Balinese Artisans

Recently I was contacted by a marketer from the up-and-coming handbag company Amerii, based out of Bali. She wanted to do a collaboration video on my YouTube channel in which I'd review one of their handbag products, and in exchange, of course, I'd get to select any of their products which would be shipped to me for free.

Before responding, I checked out Amerii's website to make sure it was a company that I'd want to attach my name to, and I was very happy with what I saw.

Cafe Demel: Cafe Culture in Vienna, Austria

A pint in England. A glass of wine in Paris. Vodka in Russia. Some beverages are synonymous with certain locations. Coffee, I discovered recently, goes hand-in-hand with Vienna, Austria.

A visit to Vienna, Austria is not complete without an afternoon or morning spent lounging within one of the city's elegant and relaxed cafes, where time seems to slow down and every sip and morsel has meaning. Drinking coffee is an event, each moment designed to be treasured and experienced with delight. 

I was lucky enough to spend a morning in one of the city's oldest and most notable cafes, Cafe Demel, an establishment frequented by past emperors and empresses in days when the Hofburg Palace was inhabited by the royal Hapsburg family. 

Here's what you need to know about Vienna's cafe culture so that you can luxuriate in the moment yourself when the time comes.

San Marco Square in Venice, Italy: A Basilica, A Campanile and A Clock

If you are a first-time visitor to Venice, Italy, and are wondering where to start when touring around this fascinating city, my recommendation is to begin in the iconic Piazza San Marco - also known as Saint Mark's Square - a wide, open-air plaza surrounded by many of Venice's key attractions. From the square, you can easily access the famous Basilica di San Marco, the towering Campanile, the unusual Astrological Clock, along with many museums, including the Doge's Palace.

In fact, you could easily spend a couple of days exploring what San Marco Square has to offer!

When we visited Venice, Italy in October of 2018, we only had three days to experience the entire city, and so we chose to spend just one day in San Marco Square. This post will focus on our tour of the Basilica, the ride up to the top of the Campanile, and the Astrological Clock. To read more on the Doge's Palace, you will need to read my future blog post about it.

Please Nominate me for the Kerala Blog Express 2019

Hello to all my lovely, loyal readers! I am coming at you today with a little, tiny, very simple request, and I sure hope you can find it in your hearts to help me out!

It was this time last year that I begged, plead, and grovelled for your votes in a press trip competition called the Kerala Blog Express. This press trip to Kerala, India is a two-week bloggers dream, taking writers, vloggers, and photographers from one end of Kerala to the other, visiting tea plantations, cultural sites, luxury hotels, beaches, and more. I'm so in love with the idea of blogging and vlogging my way across Kerala, but I can't get there alone.

Cruising the Canals: A Gondola Ride through Venice, Italy

One of the most iconic activities to participate in when visiting beautiful Venice, Italy is undoubtedly floating through the narrow canals and waterways on a graceful gondola. Seeing Venice from the seat of a boat gives travellers a view of the city that can't be seen from just strolling the streets.

In October of 2018, I was lucky enough to find myself in historic Venezia, and of course, made sure that I had the chance to ride in a gondola at least once during our stay.

If you were ever wondering, "Is a gondola ride worth the cost?" or "Are gondola rides just cheesy tourist traps?", I beg you to take the time to read this post in order to help you answer those questions.

Riding the Rails: Train Ride from Vienna to Venice

I am a proud Canadian, loyal to my country, in love with its beauty, aware of its size and the variety of landscapes it boasts from coast to coast. Because Canada is so big, travelling from one province to the other, or from Canada to its neighbouring nation of the United States, either requires a multi-day road trip or more commonly, a few hours flying time.

Hopping from place to place via train is not something you do in Canada.

Which is why, when we visited Austria in October of 2018, I was more than ready to ditch airports and car rental shops in favour of cruising to Venice, Italy on a smooth and sleek Eurorail high-speed train.

If you've never travelled around Europe by train, then I highly suggest (next time you find yourself hopping from one European country to the next) that you give it a try.