time travel to europe.

(Princess Grace Kelly & family on holiday in Greece)

(This is not photographed in Greece of Grace & Prince Rainier, though I'm taking pointers on Grace's sailing style for the cruise)

(on right : Lee Radziwill and son on holiday in Rome)

(Louis Armstrong & wife on holiday in Rome, Italy of 1959)

The countdown to our Mediterranean & Parisian holiday begins. We are currently six weeks & two days away from jet setting to Europe where we will land in Rome, Italy for a couple of days and nights exploring 'The Eternal City' while staying in a hotel. A few days after Rome, we will board a ship which will set sail on the Mediterranean waters taking us to the Bay of Naples, where we will venture to The Amalfi Coast and make way for Sorrento,Capri, Positano, Herculcneum, Pompeii, & Amalfi! 

From there we will sail to the Italian island of Malta known for it's Calypso Caves. After spending a day on the island, we will jump aboard the ship and sail the Mediterranean for a full day on none other than my birthday, May 7th! The thought of turning 26 out in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea eases the pain of growing older. I have no care in the world about the age of 26, for I know I will be feeling on top of the world! 

Following by birthday at sea, we will land in Greece where we will spend four to five days exploring Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes & Crete. I'm really looking forward to exploring Acropolis and being face to face with the ancient monuments & none other than the Parthenon. For years and years the Parthenon & the Colosseum have been on my bucketlist as they had always sparked my interest and I fell in love with their architecture and history having learned in all throughout college in all of my architecture and art history classes. These historic ruins are ever so fascinated and I feel that there is a bit of magic hiding within the Corinthian pillars as it is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece in the zenith of the Doric Order - now that's significant. 

Our final destination while aboard the ship is the most serene,Venice, Italy, 'Queen of the Adriatic Sea'. Though it will be the most expensive, I am so excited to feel the magic and romance in the air and glide through the city of water on gondolas and eat scoopfuls of gelato.

Cruise is over after Venice, but we can't leave just yet! How could we when we are so close, yet a plane ride far away from Paris! Zeke and I both have never been (actually we have never been to any of these places) and we have no idea when the next opportunity to explore Paris will be so we are taking advantage! Flights booked, a Parisian flat booked as well and we are ready to make way to Paris! We decided to for-go the idea of staying in a hotel and decided to get the full Parisian experience and rent out a local's flat that over looks the street markets and is a five minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. I really truly want to channel that inner Parisian I know I can become ;) 

I really can't contain my excitement for this trip of a lifetime. Spending the whole month of May in France, Italy & Greece is truly a dream come true as cliche' as it sounds. I'm a tourist at heart, I seek adventure, I have the constant urge to travel and explore & I want to see the world and all the goodness & beauty and secrets it holds. I want to see with my eyes different cultures, take in different languages & learn, meet new people. This is my chance and I can't stop counting down. It's almost pure torture. Truly. 

The way that I view Europe is how I see it in photographs and films of the iconic muses I look to for fashion, poise & class. I love looking at photographs of these historic cities from the 30's - the 60's. It's so fascinated and so much beautiful style & culture from the outfits to the automobiles. If only we still dressed the same way & drove more artistic & classic cars then these pathetic insect-looking hybrids. It makes me lower & shake my head at just the thought of it. 

Everything was so chic then. I guess you could say we are reaching to a very chic time in the 21st century, but our chic has become more so of a vain and in your face chic. The classic chic of the early 20th century was effortless & simple. And I want to capture that essence while in Europe. Is that silly?

I know girls can understand this mind set. We love taking holidays, and we love the outfits we plan to go along with our travels. It's half the fun! Men will never understand, and I don't blame them. They just naturally are not built that way. Zeke claims we are only taking ONE piece of luggage. ONE. Come again? You mean, both you and I are going to say one traveling bag for a full month in Europe? Yes he says, and I'll have to repeat outfits. I laughed at the thought of it. More power to him if he thinks this is going to fly. I mean, it would make our lives much easier for the traveling aspect of it, but how can we possibly fit all of our luggage? He'll crack, you just wait. Im hoping, at least. 

So for this holiday of a life time, I want to channel my inner Grace, Jackie, Audrey & Brigitte. When I think of each muse, I think of a certain place in Europe that they loved to travel to or lived. When I think of Grace, I obviously think of the south of France, as that was her territory being Princess of Monaco & all. Though on my bucket list, we will unfortunately not make it to the south of France but I'm being very good about not complaining because I am already so fortunate to go to all of these places that I will be traveling to. I did find photos of her and her family on holiday in Athens, Greece as they were there for a wedding. She makes me want to by a chiffon head scarf, but I don't feel that I have the confidence to wear it. 

Either way, all of these photos are so perfect and beautiful in their own ways. With so much character, style and passion it's how I hope France, Italy & Greece will be face to face.