Weekend Wanderings: Mercado de San Miguel

Last month I had one of my best weekends in Madrid thus far when my great-grand little sis from my sorority came to visit me. Both my great-grand little Morgan and I are complete foodies, so naturally we made a few stops to Mercado de San Miguel during her trip. 

On our first visit we were too full from lunch to feast upon the plethora of epicurean delicacies, so the next day we returned to the market around lunchtime with empty stomachs. We indulged on a gourmet meal of savory tapas at the market, snacking and sipping wine among the chic locals. I devoured a selection of creamy cheeses and rich jamón ibérico, while Morgan sampled a variety of exotic seafood, cheeses and pastries.

We had way too much fun eating and drinking our way through Madrid. One of my favorite parts about living abroad is getting to connect with other friends who are overseas. There's no better feeling than having a little piece of home here in Europe - it's the best of both worlds!

You can find some of my previous photos from Mercado de San Miguel here!

Noordermarkt

One of my favorite parts of Amsterdam was wandering through Noordermarkt on Saturday morning. Naturally I fell in love with the abundance of fresh organic vegetables and charming antiques, but my favorite part was undoubtedly the immense variety of cheeses. I'm a cheese-aholic as it is, (an unfortunate circumstance for someone as lactose intolerant as I am...) but let me just say that Dutch cheese is magical. Don't even get me started on how savory that rich Gouda was. 

After the market, Kelly and I stopped by the Cheese Museum - which pretty much takes the cake for the best museum ever. The Cheese Museum offers unlimited samples of every kind of cheese they sell, which basically meant that I had to take a million Lactaid pills and didn't have to pay for lunch that day. Jackpot.

Visiting local markets is always on the top of my list for whatever city I visit, and Noordermarkt is no exception. 

What are some of your favorite markets abroad?

Street Art in Amsterdam

Amsterdam can be classified as unique in many ways, but one of its most distinguishing characteristics is its street art. While I'm not a fan of absentminded graffiti that's created strictly for vandalism's sake, I think the beauty and talent found in real street art is completely underrated. I especially respect the work of artists such as Banksy who address controversial topics in their art, producing images mixed with satire and politics. 

The unusual and polemic street art found in Amsterdam makes the city stand out among others. My favorite street art in Amsterdam is on Spuistraat, right by Dam Square, but other intriguing images can be found scattered throughout the city. I have a newfound appreciation for street art after this trip - so I'll definitely be on the lookout for more this year!