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Andrea MacDonald

Since her first visit to Europe, Andrea MacDonald has seized every opportunity to return. She has finally settled in lovely Valencia with her very own Spaniard, where she is learning that when life hands you lemons, you grab a Valencian orange too and make a sangria.

Burning Down the House (Literally!): Celebrating Valencia’s Las Fallas Festival

The Spanish city of Valencia is a fun place to visit at any time of year. But for five days in March, something extra special takes place. Processions wind through the city streets, with thousands of locals dressed in gorgeous traditional costumes. Parties and concerts begin at 1:30am and last until the next day. Parades …

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Italy Can Mend a Broken Heart

  For most of the summer, I was afraid to go to Italy. I was scared to hear the accent, to taste spaghetti Bolognese, to smell espresso. I worried that hearing my favourite Italian word, “Alora”, might send me straight over the edge. You see, I fell in love with an Italian last year. If this has …

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Alpine Adventures in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Discover Lauterbrunnen Switzerland Lauterbrunnen brings out the adventurer in (almost) everyone I thought that Lauterbrunnen Switzerland would bring out my wild side. But, it wasn’t until I was frozen in fear 20 meters in the air that it dawned on me:  I’m not really an extreme sports kind of girl. Unfortunately, that realization did not change …

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My Own Private Ibiza

It can hit you upon arrival, or sneak up after a few days; the realization that you have found one of the most exciting places of your life. For me that was Spain’s Ibiza. You know right away when it happens. It’s something more than just liking the looks of a new destination. It’s when something in the spirit …

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A Visit to Lavapies, Madrid’s Most Diverse and Revolutionary Neighbourhood

While the rest of her country huddled around television sets to watch their national football team become the most successful of all time, Montserrat was sitting in a dark room in Madrid, with a 53-year old ex-Flamenco dancer, smoking hash. “Damn football,” she said. “It’s just another way to make us forget how screwed up our …

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London: A See It All Weekend

For my 21st birthday, my Mom treated me to my first trip to Europe.¨We can go anywhere you want,¨she said, spreading the continent out before me like a treasure map. Naturally, I could think of no place more exciting than Paris… and Santorini had always been a dream destination. So those were my top choices. …

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Italy’s Padlocks of Love: Luccheti d’Amore

For young Italians, nothing says “That’s Amore!” quite like heavy metal – and the rest of the continent is locking onto the trend. Maybe it’s just me, but when I think metal, chains and padlocks, the first thing that comes to mind usually isn’t romance. But leave it to the Italians to take those three things, add …

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