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ALDO 'nealey' sandals
Gladiator. I think it goes without saying that in Europe in the summertime, sandals are an absolute necessity - compared with Wellington where I live, where I could go the whole three months not even slipping a pair on. This probably would explain why I only have one pair.. well, until recently.

I stumbled across the 'Nealey' sandals on ASOS a wee while back and was pleasantly surprised to find over the weekend that they were on sale for an absolute steal. I love the pop of neon, contrasting against the white and brown leathers - neon for dummies if you will. Should you prefer a more classic colour combination, you can get the cognac&white pair here and the tan&black pair here. Wishing that these had gone on sale before I headed to Europe, as they would have been perfect for Greece!

 

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outfit 1: Acne blouse, Supre shorts (similar), Topshop sandals, Karen Walker sunglasses
outfit 2: ASOS lace dress, Topshop sandals

While I've probably already said it, I don't think that I've ever seen any place as beautiful as Santorini, a place teeming with experiences and moments that I hope I will never forget. I'd forgotten the mist that hangs in the air, making it impossible to tell when the sea ends and the sky begins - something I still can't get over.

Most of our time in Santorini was spent either at the beach, eating at the various Tavernas, or simply enjoying the view from our balcony (which is where I'm standing in the first pics). Swimming down at Ammoudi Beach was an experience in itself, jumping off boulders into the calm cool waters of the Calderra. Perhaps regrettably, I didn't ride a donkey from the bottom of the steps near Ammoudi Beach to the top, instead opting to climb the 240 plus stairs in the heat. There's always next time!

 

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Petit Bateau t-shirt, Karen Walker necklace and sunglasses, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag
Greek isles. For such a long time, I've dreamt of going to Santorini, with the winding paths and sundrenched white houses carved into the rocks. I feel so lucky to be here, and to be staying in Oia, where most people wander in the early evening to see the sunset. It's so easy to get lost wandering up and down the small lanes, but even that isn't so bad (unless the heat is bothering you), as you're likely to stumble on a magnificent view. Besides enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful food, we've managed to temporarily adopt a cat which bears a close resemblance to our own at home.

 

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outfit 1: ASOS lace dress, T by Alexander Wang cardigan, Karen Walker belt, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, Triwa watch, Gorjana bracelet
outfit 2: Kate Sylvester top, Topshop jeans & loafers, Zara jacket, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, Triwa watch, Gorjana bracelet

Paris photo diary. Paris is one of those cities which just feels magical. I'm not sure if it is the tall shuttered buildings and grand parks, or the cliched romanticism that it just seems to exude, but it is one of those places that I would be happy to go back to over and over again. I'd say that considering the various obstacles that we came across, most notably, the guy whose apartment we were renting not showing up, we managed to squeeze in everything that I had planned over the two days in Paris.

Considering that it's the middle of summer, the weather didn't fare so well, with intermittent rain showers and slightly lower temperatures having me wishing I'd brought my jacket with me. Among some of the things that we did, was climb to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower and get the lift to the very top, stop by the Tuileries, see the Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa at the Louvre among other things, wander underground to the Arc de Triomphe, shop along the Champs Elysees (with a quick stop at Laduree), as well as drink a number of espressos along the way. Somehow I managed to buy three breton stripe tops in the space of a couple hours, as well as a couple of special things from Celine. Surely it's without any surprise that I'm already thinking about going back.

 

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Topshop peplum top, floral shorts (similar) & loafers, T by Alexander Wang cardigan, Diva necklace, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, Karen Walker sunglasses, Triwa watch, Gorjana bracelet
First off, I must apologise for the lack of posting! It has been a whirlwind past five days, and I think the only time I have really been back in my hotel room is to sleep. Not only have we gone from Amsterdam to Paris, to Athens, but this morning we are catching the fast ferry to Santorini.

To catch you up, above are some snaps from Amsterdam. Getting only one full day there, we grabbed the opportunity to stop by the Van Gogh Museum and also the Rijksmuseum, and of course, the Heineken Brewery. While I've done these things before (bar the Rijksmuseum), it's always nice to get the opportunity to go back and see something again that is otherwise relatively inaccessible to you. And what I love most of all? Wandering up and down streets stumbling across another beautiful canal every five or so minutes. Stunning!