Guanajuato Photo Diary

Of the many places I've travelled to around the world, Guanajuato will always be my favourite. It is unlike any other place I've been to and trust me, the photos don't do it justice. I'm obsessed with all the beautiful bright colours in Mexico and this little city takes colour to a whole new level. They're definitely not afraid of a coloured house in Guanajuato, or a coloured anything for that matter. With all those hues, it's hard not to feel happy all the time! 

My favourite thing about this city is the way the houses can be seen from a distance, sitting on the hills, each painted a different colour and built right next to each other. It's so pretty to look at and makes me wish I had a pretty pink house to call my own amongst what could be called a colour explosion. 

Unfortunately I didn't get much of a chance to get out in Mexico as I was focused on training and competition, but I did manage to go downtown to the local markets one afternoon. It wasn't as busy as it had been when I was there a few years ago, but it was still relatively lively and just as colourful as I remembered it. Most of these photos were taken from the markets. Everything about that place was incredibly vibrant and I bet anyone would have a hard time finding anything black or white in there (except for me, who ironically chose to wear black and white that day). 

Well these photos are a far cry from Sydney's autumn which I have sadly returned to, but at least the weather has been really warm for this time of year. I'm glad to have the opportunity to ease back into the cold weather. But on a positive note, seeing as tomorrow is the first day of winter, yay for outerwear and rugging up!

San Juan Photo Diary

So I'm currently living it up in sunny San Juan in Puerto Rico! Ok, so I'm not actually on holiday, but it sure feels like it at the moment. I'm actually here for a diving competition (Puerto Rico Grand Prix) and unfortunately there won't be much tanning happening. Even so, I took these photos from my hotel on one of the occasions I made it outside for some quiet relaxation. It's on the water, plus it has its own private beach. I laid on a day bed for a little bit but then naturally migrated to one of the very welcoming hammocks. It was so peaceful lying there in a bikini and sunglasses, closing my eyes and forgetting about everything for a brief period of time. This is my first time to Puerto Rico and it really is amazing. I'd love to come back here for a holiday someday but for the moment I wish I never had to leave!

Take Me To the Beach

I spent most of last week in Adelaide for a diving camp and I thought I'd share some pretty amazing shots I got on the beach, all taken on my iPhone! 

Rostock Photo Diary

Apologies for the delayed upload but I've finally gotten around to posting these pics from my trip away a few weeks ago. Following my week in Madrid, I travelled to a small town in Germany called Rostock for another diving competition. This was the fourth time I've been to Rostock and although there's not much to see and do there, it's a very cute and interesting place. 

Much like the rest of Europe, the architecture was amazing and so different to any building styles in Australia. Pretty much every building has a pointy roof to allow for snow fall, plus each one is a different colour, making even the most boring of structures fascinating. 

My favourite part of Rostock is the city centre where there is a little street that runs right down the middle with shops on either side before opening out into a large square complete with a fountain and surrounded by unusual statues. Amongst the shops, there is no shortage of bakeries, which leads me to Germany's best feature...cake and pastries. I'm not going to lie, a lot of cake was consumed during my week in Rostock along with some of the best sandwiches (think fresh crusty bread rolls jam packed with cheese and vegetables) and some of the best breakfasts too. 

Even in the smallest of cities shopping is always involved. After walking the entirety of the street, there tucked into the back of a small shopping complex was glorious Zara. My friend and I did some serious damage in there (without spending too much money of course). My purchases included an amazing yellow blazer, printed jeans and a grey mini skirt with crossover detailing at the bottom. Zara remains one of my favourite stores because current trends from the runway are made available immediately and at a fraction of the price. Plus the quality is really good, which to me is very important. 

I'm back home now and even though it's nice to be back in my own bed and in the sunshine, I do miss travelling and being out of my daily routine. After not having travelled in almost a year, I forgot how much I enjoy it and hopefully I can head overseas again for another trip soon! 

Madrid Photo Diary

Forever New coat | AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans | Sass & Bide top (old) | Jeffrey Campbell espadrilles | Samantha Wills necklace

I've been in Madrid for the past week for a diving competition. This is my second time to Madrid and I'm glad I got the chance to explore a little more than the first time. I spent most of my time at the hotel and at the diving pool but we got to out a couple of days to see some of the city. 

We went to Plaza Puerta del Sol the first day for a little bit of shopping. It's the heart of Madrid and the square was bustling with people, despite being such a freezing and wet day. Many streets branch out from the main square in which there are countless shops including major stores such as Zara, Mango and H&M, small boutiques and food stores selling all sorts of things from strange cuts of meat to gelato. 

The roads radiating from the centre square also lead to other major sites such as the Plaza Mayor. I really wanted to go and see it as well as the Royal Palace but unfortunately I didn't make it to either of these popular tourist sites. However, I went to a beautiful park called Parque del Retiro from which many of the above photos were taken. 

The park is one of the most popular in Madrid and one of the biggest I've ever seen. The day I went it was filled with people either exercising, taking a stroll, or looking particularly touristy (like me). Everything inside was so incredibly beautiful. In addition to the many monuments and water fountains throughout the park, there was also a big lake with a monument overlooking it in which many people had hired rowboats and were gently rowing around in. It couldn't have been more picturesque.  

Before leaving the park we sat down at a cute little cafe near the lake and had (obligatory) Spanish hot chocolates with churros. Chocolate con Churros is something I've always wanted to try and I happily indulged myself whilst taking in the most amazing view inside the Parque del Retiro. 

I'm going to miss Madrid but hopefully I'll be back again and soon and can see some of the major sites. I had an amazing trip though and now I'm looking forward to the next leg...Germany. Adiós Madrid, Guten Tag Deutschland!