Favorite Place(s) Around the World

I have a handful of favorite places. Coincidentally, none of the three are in the United States.

Place #1:
The first place I'll list is a town called Oakville in Ontario, Canada. My entire family, myself included, is Canadian. My immediate family lived in Oakville before we moved down to the States and we often go back to visit. It is basically my dream town, with good downtown and residential areas.

 

(Downtown Oakville, web source: Wikimedia Commons)

This is a central spot along the main street in Oakville, Lakeshore Road. There's a square with restaurants surrounding it. My mum always tells me about a little coffee shop here where she would take me when I was a toddler.

(personal photo of Lake Ontario with the Toronto Skyline; photo from July 2016)

While this isn't the most beautiful photo in the forefront, this is from Lakeside Park in Oakville. It backs right onto Lake Ontario, and you can see Toronto across the way. In person, it's pretty magical. This park is actually where I lost my first two teeth at 18 months. That's what you get from metal playground equipment.

(personal photo of a church along Lakeshore Road; photo from July 2016)

This is just a beautiful church along the main street in town.

Place #2:

Place number two for me is London. I had the amazing opportunity in the summer of 2016 to study abroad, and I was able to travel around Europe for a couple of weeks before my classes actually began. Even though my trip was centered in Italy, London was my favorite place that I went.

(personal photos of the Parliament Building and Big Ben; photos from June 2015)

Here is the stereotypical London tourist pic...Big Ben from different angles. One across the river and one from the square closer to Westminster Abbey.

(personal photo of the University of Greenwich; photo from June 2015)

This was one of the coolest places I visited in London. I was staying with a friend's relative who is a Ph.D. student in film at the University of Greenwich in London. It was especially interesting because many popular movies used this campus as their backdrop (a fact that I'm sure drew this guy to the school). These movies include Sherlock Holmes 2, a recent James Bond movie, Les Miserables, Thor and many more.

(Tower of London, web source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Tower of London was truly one of the greatest "tourist spots" I have ever visited. I'm a historical buff, and this was certainly the perfect place for me. British military officials known as "beefeaters" are the keepers and tour guides at this palace. Beefeaters have become sort of a novelty, but to become one is actually an incredibly challenging process. First off, you must have 22 years of military service. They act as the guardians of the buildings themselves, as well as the crown jewels which are housed in the Tower. They have a moving sidewalk right in front of the jewels and I'm not ashamed to say that I took a couple laps to really appreciate these magnificent pieces.

Place #3:

Last, but certainly not least, is Riomaggiore, which is in Cinque Terre on the coast of Italy. I had a free weekend while on my trip with OU, and immediately headed for the coast. If you happen to find yourself in Italy, you MUST take the time to seek out any one of the villages within Cinque Terre. Seriously, if I am ever ever seeking a "summer home" (HA), it will be in this region. 

(Riomaggiore, web source: Pixabay)

I was here for about 27 hours, so I didn't take the time for many pictures. But, if I had, they would look exactly like this. The vibrant colors around the city were amazing. I had an amazing view from my B&B's balcony, where I ate real Italian pizza and played cards for hours. It was perfect! I can't wait to go back someday.