Bavaria and Tegernsee Lake

Welcome to one of the most beautiful and magical locations I have ever journeyed to. Welcome to Rottach-Egern and Tegernsee Lake. Rottach-Egern is an hour and a half south of Munich, both of which sit comfortably inside the free state of Bavaria, in the southern region of Germany. Bavaria is the largest state by area. What makes Bavaria so unique is their culture. They take pride in their traditions, the people here are warm, friendly, have an easy going attitude, and love their beer. Their beer kicks ass, especially weissbier. It's also not uncommon to see people of all ages in traditional dress called Tracht; for females the Dirndl (see photo below) and Lederhosen for males. It's becoming cooler to do so and you see young adults and teenagers wearing them too. It's a trip, I felt like I had gone back in time!

We  had the opportunity to experience some incredible Bavarian summer festivals. We ate sausage, pretzels, fish on a stick, and wienerschnitzel (which I always thought was sausage but is actually veal-it's delicious). We tried incredible fresh milk and cheeses, and visited beer gardens and summer lake festivals. At one festival in particular, this group of men were playing these massive wooden horns called alphorns or alpenhorns (see photo below). The sound emanating from the horns was low, bassy, and hypnotizing. The festival started on one side of the town and continued all the way to the end of town. At one point, a group of 10 young men in lederhosen began a choreographed traditional "whipcracking". It was one of the strangest and coolest things I have ever seen!! They used whips to whip the air in unison from rooftops and picnic tables where people sat eating. If you were unlucky enough to get into their line of fire, you got whipped too! I definitely got whipped once or twice as I was passing them haha. The festival ended with an incredible firework show over the lake to swelling violin music. Um. Was I in cultural dream heaven? Yes. I couldn't soak everything in fast enough.

One day we took a cable car to the top of Wallberg Mountain in the Bavarian alps. I fell head over heels in love. I looked across the alps with the chapel in the distance and heard the sound of the bells clanging around the necks of beautiful chestnut colored cows. I felt like I was standing inside of a storybook. I half expected the Sound of Music to start playing. I took a moment seated by the chapel by myself to really take in my surroundings and soak in every moment. We never know when we'll return to a certain spot. I like to do this often. It reminds me I'm alive and fortunate to be breathing. So if you get the chance and ever find yourself in Germany, in Munich, take a trip down to Tegernsee Lake and unwind. Have a beer at the local brewery. Eat some pretzels. Gain some weight. Jump in the lake. Jog around it. Watch people play volleyball. Relax!

It's very different from summer to winter, so I'd plan accordingly :) If you want to experience a white wonderland, go in the winter, if you want a beautiful relaxing vacation, go in the summer! Also, if you have time, go to Neuschwanstein Castle, it's the castle Walt Disney modeled the infamous Disney Castle after!

                                                       

Tegernsee Lake: Beautiful chapel in the distance

   

Our guide in traditional Dirndl <3

Me, the beautiful Brit, and her awesome mom Sally!

Having a little too much fun by the lake. Liz Stanton and Brit Miller

Marching band in traditional Lederhosen walking through the town streets

Enjoying a glass of wine as the men play the alphorn/alpenhorn behind me

Two dancers on stilts dancing to a Bavarian live folk band!

Tegernsee Lake. The whipcrackers stood on this rooftop to the right! 

Traditional Dirndl!

At the Dirndl shop with the ladies and master seamstresses:)

Wallberg Mountain

Chapel at Wallberg Mountain where I sat and reflected <3

I met some awesome people, learned a lot, ate a ton, and created incredible memories. I find that some of my favorite places on earth are places I never would have gone to on my own. Danke (thank you) David, Laura, and @LizMStanton, and thank you ATI!  Auf Wiedersehen!  

For more info on Rottach-Egern visit http://en.tegernsee.com !

TRAVEL

Travel is an essential part of my nature. I've been to 18 countries so far and am itching to go to more! I love learning about cultures, customs, trying new foods, checking out unusual bars and places, meeting new people, understanding different perspectives, and going on adventures! I think people may get the wrong impression about travel; that you need to have insane amounts of money to do it. Travel is an attitude, a spirit, it's what defines the adventurer. My first solo trip to Europe in 2012 for 6 weeks left me completely broke. Completely. And I didn't spend money like a maniac, but I also wasn't thrifty with it. I wanted to experience Everything. I stayed in hostels, nice hotels, with new friends, air bnb spots, couch surfed, overnighted on a boat from Greece to Italy. I traveled by plane, foot, train, boat, mo-ped, bicycle, quad, etc… It was about the experience. And though I got home with almost nothing to my name, I would have done it a million times over and spent that much, because I learned more about myself and people and what I was capable of than I had in my entire life.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows either. Because I had no plans, I often had those last minute freak outs of "where am I going next and where will I sleep?" I had one experience in Turkey where I briefly thought I was getting kidnapped. But I'm also very smart when I travel. I don't recommend taking a solo trip, especially as a woman, right off the bat, if you haven't traveled much or are not aware of your surroundings. What I love about travel, is that it allows me to venture into the unknown and see what I am really made of. And I have met some of the most incredible and inspiring people along the way, many of whom I'm still amazing friends with today. And travel doesn't mean we need to fly to Europe or Bali. We can adventure just outside of a city we've grown up in and never left, we can take a road trip to another state, it can even be as simple as passing through a part of town we normally wouldn't frequent. 

To me, it's about stepping outside of my comfort zone. Into that place where my insides go topsy-turvy and fear starts creeping in. Because I know that beyond that fear lies my greatest awakening, the thing that builds character or destroys it. I want to know what my limits are, and push beyond those thoughts in my head that say you can't. Well why can't I? "Well you don't have money. Well you're not good enough. Well you're just not cut out for it or that wasn't the hand you were dealt". I say fuck that. I believe we each have a purpose and a calling, and that only we, when we push through the mud and the fear, can truly see the beauty of our dreams take shape. It's not easy. But if it was, I wouldn't appreciate the view :) Much love.

Bahamas

Greece!

Zurich, Switzerland

Il Duomo, Firenze (Florence) Italy

Barcelona the one and only

Barcelona street art

Barcelona

Gaudi Casa Batllo

Barcelona

Absinthe- Bar Marsella Barcelona

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

My favorite secret bar in Barcelona

My bestie and travel bud :)

On the Road to Tibidabo, Barcelona (noticing a pattern here? haha)

The Start of a Journey

Life to me is an adventure, a learning experience, a place to grow and a place to expand. A place to dream. A place to feel. I am absolutely fascinated with life and everything in it. Including you. People fascinate me. Travel is my love. New experiences are always what I'm after. I love art in every form. I love to sing, dance, dream, play, imagine, write, learn, read, interact, create. I love to direct and produce. I suppose I'm most "known" for acting. I've been acting since I was 14. I'm 26 now. And I feel like life is just beginning, because of different attitudes I'm adopting about myself and the world around me. You may know me from Disney's Cory in the House, or Vampire Diaries, Switched at Birth, Desperate Housewives, The Starving Games, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, etc... I also sing and write my own songs, and perform with a group of incredibly talented Dreamers. I'm sentimental. I like poetry. I like digging into human emotion, why we do what we do. I refuse to put myself in a box.  I get insecure. I make mistakes on a daily basis. I get scared shitless all the time. But I jump anyways! I have amazing friends and I try not to take myself too seriously.  And I care deeply about humanity, for whatever reason it's ingrained in my bones, and though it's not always easy caring about a species that can be so apathetic and unkind to one another, I wouldn't have it any other way. This blog will explore my journeys through over 18 countries, my love of art and food, and the things that make us human. Enjoy :)