Only Wool Socks » 17 Weeks Around the World: A Journal

Aug 16

by Philip McGuire in Post Trip 0 comments tags: film, four, minutes, months, travel, video, vimeo

Four Months in Four Minutes

I work in the film industry, so it is only natural that I made a short video to showcase the trip. Yes, I realize that this video is eight months after the trip. Art takes time, ok? Enjoy.

May 16

by Philip McGuire in Packing, Post Trip 0 comments tags: clothes, list, merino, packing, reviews, socks

Time to Talk Socks (Packing List Thoughts, No Space Helmets Involved)

The trip is over. I am back in Los Angeles. I have been for some time now, as I am sure many of you noticed. Never fear- the soul searching, life changing event entries will come, but before all of that I want to get back to my roots. Let’s talk about my socks.

May 08

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: austria, christmas, family, markets, museums, vienna

The Final Stop: Vienna

And just like that I was in Vienna, my last international stop on this four month long trip. Months before the trip began I talked with my parents about spending Christmas together somewhere in Europe since neither my sister nor I could make it home for the holiday. My mom decided that she wanted to see Vienna during Christmas, so that is where we all met.

May 05

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: barcelona, christmas, familia, gaudi, sagrada, spain, tapas

Barcelona Part 2 of 2

The next two days were filled with activities that people will recognize as traditionally “Barcelona”.

May 03

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: barcelona, black lab, paella, spain, stadium

Barcelona Part 1 of 2

Barcelona was simultaneously extremely busy and full of things to do, and slower and emptier than most of my stops so far. I think the city is truly slow at heart and it was our plans that made the city feel busy and big. Whatever the case, our explorations began on Tuesday morning with a walking tour guided by an American named Andy.

Apr 19

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: alps, andermatt, bellanzona, castle, hiking, mountains, switzerland

Andermatt, or The Alps

Lugano was just an introduction to the McGuire sibling travels. We were up early to catch a train to Andermatt, a tiny town located in the Swiss Alps. I was bemused to find that not a single one of our Swiss trains ran on time, a funny fact considering the amount of watches I have seen so far. I gave my sister a hard time about it, to the point where she got defensive claiming that this was an anomaly.

Apr 17

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: christmas, lake, lugano, school, sister, switzerland

Lugano

Switzerland is one of the few countries on my itinerary that has always enjoyed permanent member status. You see, my sister lives in Switzerland, I had never visited her there before, and I think my family would have had a few choice words for me if I had skipped seeing her.

Apr 10

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps, People 0 comments tags: aachen, berlin, berlin wall, cologne, germany, julian

Germany with Julian

I have a good friend name Julian. Julian and I went to high school together. We have many similarities and a few striking differences. Chief among the differences is that Julian is German and I, despite having a grandmother whose maiden name was Scheiffer, am not. Julian lived in my hometown for three years, and when he moved back to Germany I lost a nearby friend and gained a travel destination.

Mar 22

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: dublin, galway bay, guinness, ireland, newgrange, pizza

A McGuire Goes to Ireland

If I were a more clear minded planner I would have realized that Athens is close to some of my previous stops like, say, Istanbul, and Dublin is near some of my stops like, say anywhere that isn’t Greece. Alas, I planned poorly and subjected myself to a long day of travel from Greece to Ireland.

Mar 22

by Philip McGuire in Detailed Recaps 0 comments tags: acropolis, athens, greece, parthenon, souvlaki, zeus

Athens: A Post Wordier than the Philosophers

When I think of Greece I think of history. I think of the great philosophers that I read in high school. I think of language, culture, and art. And I think about how I knew next to nothing about modern day Greece before arriving, despite a financial crisis that dominated the news and a long ago viewing of a movie about a wedding.