Tickets not Trinkets
Over nine months in Europe, I took advantage of quite a few low-cost flights, trains, buses, and water taxis (!) to see as many amazing places as possible. From each of those places, I could have gotten a key chain or magnet or t-shirt, but my carefully packed carry-on didn’t allow for souvenirs. Instead, I started drawing what I had seen on each of the tickets that got me to those places. Take a look at some of my favorite tickets and some of the places I went with them.
Barcelona | February 2018
My friend and I shared a rotisserie chicken and bucket of patatas bravas as we sat and watched street performers, dogs, and tourists pass through this arch.
Munich | March 2018
You don't know you're a person who loves glockenspiels until you actually see a glockenspiel. At least, that's how it went for me. (I love the watermarked service agent in the background here!)
Cordoba | April 2018
The trip when I learned that Renfe assigns seats on the train... sorry to all whom I inconvenienced.
Wicklow, Ireland | January 2017
This cemetery was next to the ruins of a monastery from the 900s. I love how the little plane icon ended up sitting perfectly on a tombstone.
Paris | December 2017
My friend and I went to Christmas Eve mass at the Notre Dame, and there was a huge Christmas tree in front of the church. The whole thing took my breath away.
Cedeira | October 2017
We went for a Galician Halloween festival (okay, technically Semaín), but stayed for the gorgeous scenery with colorful boats. We also all barely made it on this bus for... reasons I will explain to you in person.
Florence | June 2018
Ask me about the Medici family! Please! I took a walking tour about them and learned that this bridge has a passageway for them to cross the river in case the people ever rebelled against them and the family needed to escape.
Xinzo | February 2018
This bus drove us to a Carnaval party at 10pm, and came to pick us back up at 6am. If I learned anything from this year, it is that Spaniards party hard. And that even if you spell your name out for them, they will write "Suzanne" as "Susan."
Madrid | November 2017
Madrid was my first European capital city, and I fell hard for it. I was so tempted to color this ticket in because the top of this cathedral is the most beautiful dark blue gray.
Murcia | December 2017
I went to visit two friends in Murcia by way of an overnight bus to Madrid + Bla Bla car to Murcia. But you don't get a ticket for a Bla Bla, so you make do.
San Andres de Teixido | October 2017
This is a gem of Galicia. It's the end of a holy pilgrimage, perched on some majestic cliffs at the edge of the Atlantic. It also has a spring of water that apparently has healing powers – except we learned the hard way that the water is not potable, so don't drink it if you go!