Not to be Cliche...

But AmsterDAMN.

Our next city is contained within a snow-globe, brimming with peace and timelessness.

With permission from my professors (and a wild week before in getting three weeks’ worth of work done), I was able to miss a few classes to spend time with my family. From London, we flew to Amsterdam: sweet land of canals, bicycles, and big pancakes.

Lots of Pip, No Cheerio's

At the end of November, my family hopped across the pond to celebrate Europe, togetherness, and nontraditional holidays. I left Dublin on the eve of November 19 to meet my favorite four in London, and was welcomed with Olaf-warm embraces, a box of Ferrero Rocher’s, and hushed laughter into the wee hours with Kaylee. Mom had booked a flat in Pimlico, a quiet neighborhood made up of Parisian terraces, grocery nooks, and flats (like ours) set beside—and looking to be set within—dress and flower shops.

We woke each morning to a burning sunrise, arching over the square of even homes, and stepped out into bitter air. London couldn’t have been a better city to be riding the Hop On, Hop Off buses; being as big as it is, it was so necessary. And being as chilly as it was, that was a luxury.