Alex returns
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👋 Hello, NWA! I am back from a six-week sabbatical, the bulk of which I spent traveling in Europe.
🧳 What happened: My husband and I — with one backpack each — spent one week in Greece, two weeks in Italy (plus Vatican City), 10 days in Spain and four days in Portugal. It was as wild and wonderful as it sounds.
🤯 The big picture: We did and saw so much. The sheer amount of art, architecture and history was overwhelming in the best way.
- The Vatican museums and St. Peter's Basilica had us awestruck.
- The Acropolis and the view of Athens from it were stunning. So were the views of the Mediterranean Sea from Crete. And from the sea itself, which we swam and snorkeled in.
- The only way to get around much of Venice, Italy, is by foot or boat, making it one of the most unique cities I've ever visited. The place is a labyrinth of small streets and canals.
- Madrid's massive art museums and the Royal Palace of Madrid are must-sees if you ever go to Spain's capital.
- Lisbon, Portugal's tile work is as serious as its hills.
🍝 On the food: I knew I could eat pasta for two straight weeks in Italy, but I got schooled on how distinct the regional cuisines are as we went to four cities in separate regions — Rome, Venice, Florence and Milan.
- I'm still thinking about the paella in Valencia, Spain, the croquettes throughout Spain, and the best gyros and falafel of my life in Greece.
🏡 The bottom line: It's good to be back. When you enjoy where you live and your typical day-to-day work and life, you travel to explore but not to escape.
- 🙏 Huge thanks to Worth for being a one-man show while I've been out and to Axios for making this incredible opportunity possible.