I can’t believe we are already in July and I honestly feel like I must have skipped a few days of June. Maybe because I got to travel a bit again, maybe because the weather was so changing and it seemed like we got to experience the 4 seasons in a single month… Anyway, I am actually very happy about everything that I got to do this month!
My favourite things about this month:
- Birthdays: since I couldn’t do anything for my birthday last October because of COVID, my friends and I finally celebrated it with a few drinks (and amazing presents), and a few days later a friend of mine got to do a small party for her birthday too! It wasn’t very big but it felt amazingly “normal”! I also got to fly to Italy this month for my dad’s birthday, and it was great to see some family again!
- Summer fruits: one thing that I miss in Belgium are fruits and vegetables that grow with sunshine and warmth, and that didn’t travel the world to reach our shelves. So, when I went to Italy, my dad’s flat being right in front of a farmer’s market, we bought a lot of apricots, peaches and cherries, and we basically ate that all day every day. I am not so much of a “fruit person”, but these ones were absolutely delicious!
- Seeing some friends again: with the COVID restrictions being gradually lifted, I was able to see my friends a bit more, eat out a bit more with them and discover new restaurants. Some other friends that I hadn’t seen in a while could also come to visit me in Belgium, and I was really happy to see them again! I hadn’t seen one of them in years!!
My latest trips and adventures
- Going to Rome was obviously the biggest adventure of this month! I got to see my dad and some family, to enjoy the incredibly hot weather and cool AC, and of course the amazing food. Just like last year, I didn’t do much, even though things were pretty much back to normal, but I did go to the famous “piazza di Spagna” and also to a park that was really close to my childhood home!
- Here in Belgium, I didn’t discover new places but I tried an activity for the first time, so I’ll count it as an adventure! One sunny afternoon, me and my boyfriend went to a park and he taught me how to drive a longboard. I was really scared to fall but didn’t and I think I was almost decent at the end! I still need a lot of practice though!
Hobbies and distractions:
- Books: I finished the book Red Istanbul by the Italian-Turkish director Ferzan Özpetek. It talks about childhood memories and, most of all, love. It is short and sweet, and I really liked it. Now, I am currently reading Dance, dance, dance by one of my favourite writers, Haruki Murakami.
- While I was in Italy, when we were waiting, in the afternoon, for the temperatures to reach an acceptable level, I watched two new series: Mare of Easttown, a crime drama about a detective investigating a murder in a small town; and Lupin, a French TV series inspired by the thief Arsène Lupin, a character created by Maurice Leblanc. I really liked both and would also highly recommend them!
General thoughts:
I don’t know how this month flew by so fast, but it is true that on top of having an incredibly busy time at work, I got to see friends, travel and do many things, so it’s really not that bad! I have also really enjoyed slowing down in the evenings and making the most of the long summer evenings that I love.
Sadly, I haven’t been as consistent with my blog as I would have liked to, but I am trying to not beat myself up for it and just go with whatever I feel like doing, without too much pressure.
Looking forward to:
- Holidays: I still have some days off planned for the end of July and beginning of August, and I will go to Dubrovnik! I am beyond excited to be able to travel again and discover a completely new country! If you have any recommendations, please share them!!
- A week-end away: At the beginning of July, my friends and I are going on a very short adventure here in Belgium, doing some fun activities and basically just enjoying some time together. I can’t wait!
How was June for you? What are you looking forward to?
Published last year in June:
A week in Italy after the lockdown
– The Lockdown Tag
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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