Pope aims to restore 'body and spirit' during vacation that brings a pontiff back to Castel Gandolfo
Leo bid farewell to Rome during his Sunday noon blessing, saying he was taking a 'brief period of rest.'
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Travel + Leisure
3 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Overnight Train in Italy Might Be the Best (and Most Affordable) Way to See the Country
Train travel in general is having a major renaissance right now, and night trains are particularly popular. That's because overnight trains give travelers the best of both worlds: they allow people to travel a bit slower and more sustainably and they're a major time and money saver. Instead of spending money on accommodation and using precious daylight hours on travel from one city to another, you can pay for a train ticket that lets you sleep and travel at the same time. This is definitely the case for Trenitalia's Intercity Notte, the overnight train that connects major cities all over Italy. Currently, there are 24 connections between the north and south of Italy, including routes between Milan and Palermo, Rome and Trieste, and Turin and Salerno. Here's everything you need to know about Italy's night train to plan your next trip. The 24 connections on Intercity Notte really can take you from one end of Italy to the other—plus plenty of worthy stops in between. Whether your home base is in Rome, Sicily, or Milan, you can use the train to take day trips to plenty of other parts of the country. Here are the routes as listed by Trenitalia, and how many trains run for each route per day. To and from Turin and Salerno, four trains a day To and from Turin and Reggio Calabria, two trains a day To and from Turin and Lecce, two trains a day To and from Milan and Lecce, four trains a day To and from Milan and Messina, Syracuse, Palermo, two trains a day To and from Rome and Messina, Syracuse, Palermo, four trains a day To and from Rome and Trieste, two trains a day To and from Rome and Lecce, two trains on the weekend To and from Rome and Bolzano, S. Candido, two weekend trains You can book the tickets directly through the Trenitalia website—just make sure you know which route you plan on traveling, as the station names are listed in Italian. You can also use the site which allows you to filter routes specifically for the overnight train, or the Eurail website. Each route has between two and four trains per day, but even with multiple daily options, you will still want to book as far in advance as you can to ensure you get a spot. Some of these trains can take quite a long time—the overnight route between Rome and Palermo takes nearly 13 hours. You'll want to make sure that you are picking the best option for travel, which might mean spending a little extra money so that you have the comfort and privacy you'll want during your travels. There are four different types of tickets you can book for the train: the Basic Seat, the Comfort Couchette, Deluxe Sleeping Cars, and the Excelsior Cabin. The Basic Seat is the most affordable option and is just as it is described: it only includes a seat. It also has a fold-out table, footrests, luggage space, and outlets to charge your stuff—but in reviews across the internet, there's not a lot of privacy or comfort in these seats. The Comfort Couchette fits up to four people and includes full lie-flat sleeping spaces, but if you're traveling alone, you may be sharing the space with strangers. They do have women-only bookings available for the couchette option. The Deluxe Sleeping Cars and the Excelsior Cabin are where the real bells and whistles come out with more spacious beds, freebies, and other amenities. The Excelsior Cabin even includes a free breakfast, which might be worth it for those who want as much of a hotel experience as possible. Tickets for the overnight train for longer routes start at around $45. But the prices will vary widely depending on which route you book, which type of seating you select, and your date of travel. For example, browsing for a ticket from Rome to Palermo in mid-June, I found tickets for between $69 and $160. Make sure to book in advance to give yourself the best range of options and prices for the night train.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rome Is A Travel Hotspot For 2025 – Here's How To Experience The City In Style
Arguably, Rome is never not having a moment. It has been considered caput mundi – head of the world – for a reason, and almost two millennia, after all. This year, however, the Italian capital does feel particularly alluring. In 2025, Rome will welcome millions of pilgrims for the Vatican Jubilee, host major fashion shows for Dior, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana, celebrate the 20th anniversary of its glitzy annual Film Festival, and become the official new home of TV's Emily Cooper to boot. Add to this the fact that many of its main monuments have recently been restored, a number of big-name hotels are set to open, and that casual Harry Styles sightings are a regular occurrence nowadays, and it follows that the city is set to be the travel hotspot of the year. FIND OUT MORE ON ELLE COLLECTIVE Of course, this means that the already sizeable crowds will likely be more madding than ever for visitors in 2025 – but there is a way to avoid them, and still experience the Eternal City at its very best... Simply follow our luxury travel guide to Rome, for the tried-and-tested, inside track on how to visit the city in serious style. We've done the leg-work to bring you the most fabulous hotels, celebrity-loved restaurants and buzziest bars to know (and book ASAP), as well as the ultra-exclusive travel guides to call on for truly unique experiences while you're in town. Buon viaggio! Hotel Eden Emily Cooper may not have the best track record with romantic partners, chic outfits or BFFs, but her taste in hotels cannot be faulted. Season four saw the Emily in Paris protagonist hole up at the five-star Hotel Eden while she was in Rome, and we can confirm that the Dorchester Collection property is every bit as fabulous in real life as it looked on-screen. It's centrally located and walking distance from all the main hotspots, but with just 98 rooms and the lush Villa Borghese gardens right next door, it offers an elegant, peaceful oasis in which to relax after a hard day's exploring. Think ultra-plush beds, marble bathrooms, a small but perfectly formed spa, and thoughtful personal touches that make it feel like home (but better). Little wonder that over the years, it's acted as the Roman residence for the world's biggest stars. Seriously, though: walk up to the rooftop Il Giardino restaurant (a must-visit for an al fresco dinner) and you'll be greeted with the proof, as signed photographs of everyone from Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda, and Keanu Reeves to Pavarotti and Fellini line the walls. Die-hard Emily In Paris fans will also delight in recognising the exact suite, scenic breakfast spot, grand entrance and plump pink pastries that made cameos in the show. BOOK NOW Bulgari Hotel Roma If unadulterated glitz and glamour are what you're after, look no further than the Bulgari Hotel. Unveiled in 2023 with a next-level opening party attended by Zendaya and Priyanka Chopra, it has brought a whole new level of luxury to Rome – and immediately established itself as the most exclusive address in town. The property is located in the heart of the Campo Marzio district, on the prestigious Piazza Augusto Imperatore that is also home to Augustus' Mausoleum and the Ara Pacis. A most fitting location for a brand with such an illustrious Roman heritage, that blends influences past and present both in its exquisite jewellery and hospitality projects around the world. Inside, the hotel is a celebration of the finest Italian craftsmanship, from the (genuine) ancient sculptures that line the lobby, to the spectacular mosaic floors, Murano chandeliers, bespoke, hand-made furnishings and coloured marble bathrooms in each of the 110 bedrooms. Even the spa is a work of art; a subterranean temple of wellness inspired by the Baths of Caracalla, that offers treatments by Augustinus Bader. Make sure to secure a table at Il Ristorante by Niko Romito for an unforgettable dinner made up of twists on contemporary Italian classics, before closing the day with a digestivo on the rooftop – it's entirely reserved for hotel guests, and reason enough to justify a stay. BOOK NOW Hotel De La Ville Set within an 18th-century palazzo poised practically right on top of the iconic Spanish Steps, Hotel de la Ville is the perfect base from which to explore central Rome's endless wonders. The pure luxury of falling out of bed to sip coffee on your private balcony while looking out onto the city's rooftops and epic monuments beyond simply cannot be overstated. Nor can the joy of taking breakfast in the hotel's sun-soaked courtyard, for that matter, that provides a much-needed moment of quiet before the day's exploring begins – as well as an epic array of fresh-baked pastries to ensure you're adequately fuelled. The interiors are a real highlight here, as has become the norm for any Rocco Forte-owned property. Think funky furnishings, splashes of colour and quirky details aplenty, alongside more classical touches that nod to the historic location. Plus, of course, there's the added treat of having an Irene Forte spa right downstairs, that in this iteration is complete with a Mediterranean salt room, sauna, ice fountain, Kneipp foot baths and hydro and plunge pools. The undisputed highlight, however, is on the roof – more on this below... BOOK NOW art'otel Rome In a quiet corner just moments from Via Veneto, the newly opened art'otel Rome is a design-led jewel bringing contemporary cool to the Eternal City. Opened in March 2025, this five-star boutique hotel is less a place to sleep and more a fully immersive art experience. The sophisticated interiors are sleek and striking, and the artistic soul of the space belongs to Pietro Ruffo, the Roman contemporary artist whose dreamlike constellations, botanical illustrations, and celestial maps are etched into walls, balconies, and corridors. Ruffo's works, which also grace The Vatican and Dior's couture collections, form the hotel's permanent collection—the largest display of his pieces anywhere in the world. Even the lift becomes a canvas, wrapped in fantastical, floor-to-ceiling illustrations that transform a mundane ride into a moment of wonder. Downstairs, YEZI offers a sensual reimagining of pan-Asian cuisine, complete with terrace dining, aperitivo DJ sets, and cocktails inspired by ancient spice routes. A pastel Vespa awaits those craving cinematic city spins, easily arranged by art'otel, and with Jubilee Year unfolding, there's never been a better time to roam Rome. BOOK NOW Pierluigi By all accounts the place to see and be seen in the Eternal City, this legendary, family-run restaurant has been an A-list go-to for decades. Everyone from Charlize Theron and Kendall Jenner to George and Amal Clooney has been spotted here, so don't be surprised if you arrive to the sounds of paparazzi furiously snapping away. It's all part of the fun, though, and certainly lends a certain glamour to proceedings. Don't miss the lobster calamarata pasta, prawn Catalana and raw seafood platters, accompanied by some truly epic wines. CieloBeg, borrow, or steal your way into the rooftop restaurant at Hotel de la Ville, that's well worth visiting whether you're an in-house guest or not. Cielo is nothing short of a hidden gem and guaranteed to be the highlight of any Roman holiday, with its stunning views, awe-inspiring sunsets, and an exceptional fish-focused menu formulated by award-winning chef Fulvio Pierangelini. Go early, stay late, and lap up every romantic second. Hostaria Da Pietro A longtime favourite of well-to-do Romans and celebrities alike, this unassuming restaurant just off Via del Corso and moments from the landmark Piazza del Popolo serves some of the most authentic local fare around. The artichokes are a must, as are the fried courgette flowers and classic Carbonara – all followed by a huge Fiorentina steak for the table to round things off nicely. Save space for a slice of the owner's mother's freshly-baked cakes, too. Stravinskij Bar It's not easy to bag a table at the Hotel de Russie's iconic Stravinskij Bar, but once you're in, you'll understand why. As grand, glorious and greenery-filled as they come, it's set on the hotel's inner courtyard terrace and enveloped in perfectly manicured gardens. It feels a world away from the hustle and bustle beyond the doors; a serene oasis that gets buzzier and buzzier as the evening goes on, much helped by flowing botanical-inspired cocktails. NOTOS Rooftop For a front-row view of the epic Vittoriano monument and some seriously spectacular sunsets, head to the recently opened Six Senses hotel's fabulous rooftop bar. On any given day at aperitivo hour, you'll find a chic selection of well-heeled Romans and in-the-know tourists enjoying a moment of calm amid the urban garden scenery, creative cocktail in hand and with the city quite literally at their feet. Explore the city with Imago Artis When high-profile people and top-tier celebrities come to town, they invariably call on Imago Artis to organise their itineraries. Founded by art historians with unparalleled access to some of the most exclusive spots in the city, they quite literally unlock doors to a secret side of Rome you'd never see otherwise. Think everything from private, out-of-hours tours of the Sistine Chapel and journeying around the city by vintage Alfa Romeo in search of Bernini's lesser-known masterpieces, to mosaic-making in the gardens of a usually-inaccessible palazzo – not a queue or crowd in sight. But we won't reveal too much: this is a company founded on unveiling the usually hidden, treating clients to off-the-beaten-track, once-in-a-lifetime experiences of the most authentic kind; and so an air of secrecy and discretion is part of the package. Just trust us: once you visit the city this way, you'll never look back. Visit the nearby beachesIf you're visiting Rome in the summer months, it's well worth following in the footsteps of locals and embarking on the short journey along the coast for a beach day. By all accounts, the best spots are in Circeo and Sabaudia, but even closer to town you'll find the lovely Santa Marinella beach that boasts charming architecture, proper summer holiday vibes, and particularly excellent seafood lunches at Bianca. Relax Too often during a city break, we find ourselves so overwhelmed with all the new things to see and do, that we forget we're actually meant to be on holiday. Do as the Romans do and embrace il dolce far niente while you're in town – aka, the sweet art of doing nothing. We'd recommend booking into the Bulgari or Six Senses spa for an afternoon of pure indulgence or, if it's tanning weather, spend the day soaking up the rays by the outdoor pool at Rome Cavalieri, that's perched high up in the residential Balduina area and offers a fresh new perspective of Rome (and some excellent people-watching, too.). ELLE Collective is a new community of fashion, beauty and culture lovers. For access to exclusive content, events, inspiring advice from our Editors and industry experts, as well the opportunity to meet designers, thought-leaders and stylists, become a member today HERE. You Might Also Like Pyjamas You Can Wear All Day 10 Hand Soaps To Make Your Bathroom Feel Like A Fancy Hotel 8 Of The Best Natural Deodorants
CNN
5 hours ago
- CNN
He saw her in Yellowstone and thought ‘I'm going to marry that girl.' And he did
The moment Andrew McGowan and Shallen Yu met eyes through a storefront window, it felt like something passed between them. Andrew was sure his life was about to change. 'I saw her through the window and I was like, 'I'm going to marry that girl,'' Andrew tells CNN Travel today. Andrew and Shallen were strangers. They'd never spoken before. They were from different worlds. But against the odds, Andrew was right. It was the summer of 2013 and twentysomething college student Andrew was on vacation in Yellowstone National Park, known for its incredible wildlife, volcanic landscapes and beautiful views. Vacationing with his entire extended family — siblings and their partners, nieces and nephews, parents, aunts and uncles — Andrew's main goal for the weekend was to avoid any complicated family dynamics and focus on catching a fish or two. 'My parents described it as a family reunion,' says Andrew. 'I was mostly just there to go fishing with my brother.' The McGowan family hailed from Utah and usually headed to Yellowstone for a camping weekend every few years or so. Andrew and his brother always spent their time in Yellowstone fishing for trout. 'We grew up fishing,' says Andrew. 'What was unique about this trip in particular was that my family had never camped at the Canyon area of Yellowstone before. We just happened to camp there that year, and Shallen was working in the Canyon village right next to our campground.' Andrew grew up in a conservative small town in Utah as one of seven siblings, part of a large Mormon family. In the summer of 2013, Andrew had just returned from two years in the Philippines on missionary service — a typical rite of passage for young Mormons who volunteer to spend time away spreading the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. But while he was away, some of Andrew's family had begun to question Mormon doctrine, with his parents eventually deciding to leave the church. 'My parents were these really conservative Mormons, all my life, growing up,' Andrew recalls today. 'Then they moved away from it. They left it, went completely the other way.' For Andrew, this was discombobulating. Even though he no longer shared a belief system with his family, they remained close. And so the McGowans decamped to Yellowstone for a weekend of hiking, grilling and family time. While most of the family set up camp, Andrew and his brother went to the park's nearest general store, to secure fishing licenses. 'And we went into the store that she happened to be working at,' recalls Andrew. 'She' was Shallen. A twentysomething student from Taiwan, working in Yellowstone for the summer, as part of a student summer working program. Shallen, who was studying for a degree in geographic information, was thrilled at the idea of working in the national park for several weeks. 'I had never been there before. It was magical, it was beautiful,' she tells CNN Travel today. For Shallen, the summer in the US was a new experience — though she had spent time away from Taiwan before. 'I had never done anything like this specifically before but my mom would send me to summer camps in English speaking countries when I was a kid,' she recalls. Before Andrew entered the store, he spotted Shallen through the window. He walked in determined to speak with her — even when it turned out she wasn't in charge of selling the fishing licenses. 'She was working over at another counter,' Andrew recalls. 'So I went and bought chocolate milk at her register that she was working at, so that I could talk to her.' I saw her through the window and I was like, 'I'm going to marry that girl' Andrew McGowan on the moment he saw Shallen Yu For Andrew it was something akin to love at first sight. For Shallen, it wasn't quite that. But it was a memorable first interaction — a tall, blond guy bouncing up to her with a grin on his face. 'He's smiling really big, and he looks like he froze,' Shallen recalls today, laughing. The employees at the store all wore name tags, listing both their name and where they came from. Shallen's badge said she was from Taiwan. When Andrew spotted this, he decided to attempt to introduce himself in Mandarin. Andrew had a bit of a flair for languages; he'd picked up Tagalog while living in the Philippines, and dabbled in Mandarin as part of a college language requirement. Still, Andrew had never attempted to flirt in Mandarin before. And what came out of his mouth was 'really poor Mandarin,' recalls Shallen today, laughing. 'And then he left,' she says. 'We had so many customers come in, I didn't think much of it.' While Shallen moved onto her next customer, Andrew sat in his brother's car, debating what to do next. Fishing licenses secured, the brothers could move onto the focus point of their weekend away. But Andrew couldn't stop thinking about Shallen. 'He was like, 'Alright, we gotta go back.' And I was like, 'No, I gotta talk to that girl again,'' recalls Andrew. 'My brother had started the car, he was starting to back up, and I was like 'No, I'm going for it.' So, I got out the car while he was backing up.' Leaving his brother baffled, Andrew ran back into the store. He met Shallen's eyes, and she smiled. 'She saw me,' he recalls. 'She was smiling really big, like she was waiting for me to say something.' For a moment, Andrew and Shallen just stood there, smiling at each other. Not saying anything. 'Then I was like, 'You got a boyfriend?'' recalls Andrew. 'He said this in Mandarin,' adds Shallen. 'He was just straight out saying, 'Do you have a boyfriend?'' She shook her head and told him she was single. Still speaking broken Mandarin, Andrew asked Shallen if he could take her out for dinner that night. 'And I go, 'No,' because we're in the middle of nowhere, and dinner sounds so formal,' recalls Shallen. 'I'm like, 'This is weird.'' But Shallen was intrigued by Andrew. 'So I said, 'Well, if you want to practice your Mandarin, we can grab ice cream,'' she recalls. 'My thought process at a time — it's like, 'I don't know you, and I'm here in the States, all by myself. If we just sit in front of the store, there's a lot of people watching over me.' A lot of retired people come work in Yellowstone over the summer, and some of them, I could be their granddaughter… They can see me, I'll be safe.' 'Okay. Deal,' said Andrew. 'We'll do it.'' The two set the ice-cream date for two days later. In the intervening days, Andrew and his brother enjoyed hours spent fishing, while Andrew daydreamed about his upcoming date with Shallen. He was so preoccupied that sun screen was the last thing on his mind and he ended up with some unpleasant sunburn after a hike to a fishing spot took longer than expected. 'The area we were fishing that trip was called Slough Creek and to this day it was the best trout fishing I've ever experienced, making the nine-mile hike worth it,' recalls Andrew. On the day of his date, Andrew borrowed some clothes from his brother as his own 'smelled like trail and sweat.' He did his best to hide his uneven tan lines and met up with Shallen outside her store. The two said their hellos, slightly awkwardly, but both smiling just as widely as they had the day they met. Shallen gestured to the ice-cream store, which was attached to her workplace. 'And so we go over to this little rustic Western ice-cream shop, and we grabbed ice cream,' recalls Andrew. 'And then his sister saw us,' says Shallen. 'My sister was coming over to the general store to buy something, and she had her DSLR camera with her,' recalls Andrew. 'So, I hear her yell… She's like, 'Drew!' She's the only person in the world that can call me Drew…' Andrew turned around, Shallen also looked over. And then Andrew's sister snapped a series of 'paparazzi photos.' In the pictures, Andrew and Shallen look surprised but happy. Andrew's sister had captured the chemistry brewing between them. Over scoops of Rocky Road and chocolate, Andrew and Shallen started opening up. Andrew's stilted Mandarin only took them so far, so they switched into English. Shallen talked about what brought her to Yellowstone that summer. Andrew talked about his travels abroad. Shallen asked him how he ended up learning Mandarin. 'Shallen remembers that I high fived her on a couple things we talked about that we had in common but I can't remember exactly what they were,' says Andrew. There was an easy camaraderie between them right away. Shallen says at this point it was 'more bonding than flirting.' But she felt 'like I've known this person for a long time.' A self-confessed introvert, Shallen usually took a while to open up to someone. 'But for him… I didn't feel uncomfortable. We just talk and talk,' says Shallen. 'As for me, I like talking to new people, but I don't really connect deeply with people very often,' says Andrew. 'With her, it just clicked. It felt like a really good connection. I liked the way she talked about everything. I could tell that she was a really curious person.' As the conversation turned to Yellowstone's beauty, Andrew mentioned a spot called Artist Point, a cliffside viewing area. 'It wasn't particularly scenic at the ice-cream store itself so we drove over to Artist Point, which is an incredible view,' he says. Andrew drove them over there, in his brother's truck. They talked the whole way. At Artist Point, the two stood side-by-side, surveying the view of the cascading waterfall, framed by red rocks, still deep in conversation. 'We talked about the beauty of Yellowstone,' says Andrew. 'For me it was more commonplace since I grew up in the mountains and had been to Yellowstone multiple times but I remember being impressed and enthralled with how much Shallen appreciated it.' Then, their conversation was disrupted by a a passing family, who asked Andrew and Shallen if they'd take a photo of them. The family turned out to the from the Philippines. 'We ended up speaking Tagalog with each other for a bit,' recalls Andrew. 'They then offered to take a picture of us, which I thought would be a little odd since it was our first date, but Shallen was very chill and said okay. I'm glad she was chill and said yes because now we have that picture of our first date.' Picture taken, Shallen and Andrew turned their attention back to each other. 'We were having a really good conversation. I don't think either of us wanted it to be over. And then my sister texted me and said that my family was making peach cobbler,' recalls Andrew. Without overthinking, Andrew asked Shallen if she'd like to join the family get-together. 'I didn't know what peach cobbler is, and I'm a sweet tooth. And he explained. I was like, 'Of course, I'm gonna come,'' says Shallen. 'And all I think about is the dessert. I didn't think about I will meet his entire family.' 'So she met my family on the first date,' says Andrew. In the moment, his priority was just continuing the connection with Shallen. But he had no qualms about introducing his ice cream date to his loved ones. 'I have a really warm family, and my mom was smitten with her, right away,' says Andrew. Looking back, Shallen suggests part of this enthusiasm was Andrew's mother hoping her Mormon son would 'meet someone that's outside of the church and then just pull him out.' 'She also just liked you,' says Andrew to Shallen today. In between bites of peach cobbler, Andrew's siblings and extended family welcomed Shallen into an environment Andrew describes as 'chaotic but always warm.' 'My sister had brought her dogs and my nephew was chasing them around the campsite. My little niece was 7 months old at the time and my sister-in-law or my sister was like 'here, hold the baby,' to Shallen,' recalls Andrew. Shallen loved babies so she was unpertubred. She held her while Andrew's family got the cobbler ready. And later, when the McGowans posed for a family photo, they encouraged Shallen to join them in the shot. For Shallen, the whole affair was a bit surreal. But she tried not to overthink it. She felt happy, relaxed and welcomed. 'I'm just having the best time,' she recalls thinking. She also felt like she'd never experienced an evening quite like this back home in Taiwan. 'My family is very traditional and very protective,' Shallen explains. 'They will never let me do anything like this. Even though I'm already an adult, but in Taiwan, a lot of times it's like, 'Oh, you're in your 20s, you're still a kid.'' But that evening, Shallen felt a sense of freedom. 'I can do things that I choose to do, and I'm having this great connection with the guy I just met,' she recalls thinking. I'm having this great connection with this guy I just met Shallen, remembering how she felt on her first date with Andrew As the night wound to a close, Andrew's family retreated to their tents to sleep. But Andrew and Shallen stayed up by the campfire, chatting. 'We ended up just staying out and talking,' says Andrew. 'We took my brother-in-law's truck, and we went stargazing for a bit.' 'So our first date, it was like, six, seven hours long,' says Shallen. 'It was more than that,' says Andrew. 'We stayed out until 2 a.m.' The next day, Andrew was set to leave Yellowstone. He and Shallen exchanged phone numbers before he left. And while they'd both had a great time — an incredible time — Shallen says she wasn't thinking 'too much of it.' 'Because I was like, 'Well, at the end of my job, I'm going to go back to Taiwan, you're going to stay here,'' she says. 'I hadn't thought that it's going to go anywhere. But he came up again in August for a camping trip.' 'I came up to see her,' says Andrew. On this trip, Shallen introduced Andrew to her gang of Yellowstone work friends, and the group enjoyed a campfire and evening swim in the park's Firehole River. 'We were jumping in and having a really good time. It was really fun,' says Shallen. Shallen and Andrew felt an even stronger bond on this second visit. 'We had more connection,' Shallen says. 'And my friends all liked him.' A few weeks later, Shallen returned the favor and visited Utah to meet Andrew's friends — who couldn't quite believe she was real. 'His friends, they thought he was lying,' she says, laughing. 'Like, 'How do you meet someone in Yellowstone, just like that?'' 'They all liked her,' says Andrew. 'They all thought she was hilarious.' But then, just like that, summer was over. Andrew and Shallen were both in their early 20s. Still at college. From opposite sides of the globe. It wasn't obvious what their path forward could be. 'I was more like, 'Let's make this work.' She was more like, 'Let's just see what happens,'' recalls Andrew. It was the same sentiment — more or less. Andrew felt things deeply. When he was sure about something, he was sure about it. Shallen was more cautious. And she was sure her family back in Taiwan wouldn't approve of the relationship. 'One part of me is like, if I go home, I know my family would have all the disapproval,' she says. 'Which they actually did.' But Shallen was falling for Andrew. She loved spending time with him, and loved the idea of a future with him, even if she wasn't sure what it would look like. So, Shallen agreed, they should stay in touch. 'I went back to Taiwan, and we began our long-distance relationship,' says Shallen. The two navigated the multi-hour time difference as best as they could, organizing video calls, sending instant messages. 'I would call her early in the morning as she was getting ready for bed,' recalls Andrew. And for the next nine months, Andrew and Shallen communicated from afar. Meanwhile, Andrew started saving up 'as much money as I could' to buy a plane ticket to Taiwan. 'I worked two jobs, as a carpenter for a friends' construction company and then as a youth mentor at a boys home for kids that were in state custody,' he recalls. In the summer of 2014, Andrew reunited with Shallen in Taiwan. 'I loved Taiwan because it's this semi-tropical, verdant, agricultural paradise,' he says. 'I grew up in a smaller town, farming, and I've always had this fascination with the green things of the world. Taiwan was just this beautiful island, so there was a lot of natural beauty there. And then because I grew up in a smaller town, I was really impressed with the cities, how they function… You can take public transport everywhere.' Whenever Andrew and Shallen were together, eating out in Taipei or hiking in the countryside, things were easy. They also went to the Philippines for a little while, and Andrew showed Shallen where he'd lived. They felt closer than ever. But Andrew's interactions with Shallen's family were more complicated. They made it clear that Andrew wasn't what they'd envisaged for Shallen. 'My family's standard is like, 'Oh, did he graduate yet? Does he own his own house?'' says Shallen. 'It's very traditional East Asian culture. So, my mom's like 'Yeah, this would just be child's play.'' Andrew was intimidated by Shallen's family of academic high achievers. 'Her mom is, like, this really accomplished person in the finance industry,' he says. 'When we met, her mom was like, 'Okay, I guess I'll take you around.' I think at that point she was like. 'All right. I have to deal with this.' 'So, she takes me golfing, takes me to a driving range, and I've never golfed before…she's trying to teach me. I think she thought I was pretty dumb or something, I don't know, because I could not get it.' When Andrew finally managed to hit a ball properly for the first time 'it flew up over the fence, and it came down and it hit a golf cart.' It turned out one of Shallen's mother's friends was in said golf cart. 'And they're like this, this dumb American or this dumb foreigner hit my golf cart,' recalls Andrew. While bonding with Shallen's family was a little tricky, Shallen's friends liked Andrew right away. 'Her friends always had fun because I really tried to learn Mandarin,' he recalls. 'You also have a gift of learning languages,' says Shallen to Andrew today. 'I don't think anyone could just pick up Mandarin like that. But he's also very curious all that time. So, he had questions, and he's funny, making all of us laugh… All my friends liked you.' Post-vacation, in a quest to spend more time with Shallen, Andrew applied for a semester abroad studying Mandarin at Taipei Normal University's Mandarin Training Center. He enrolled in January 2015. 'That's when things became more serious,' says Shallen. 'He moved in with me in my apartment.' The couple started talking about marriage for the first time. They discussed the idea of Shallen moving to the US. 'And that's when her family was like, 'Absolutely not,'' recalls Andrew. After many difficult and tense conversations, Shallen made the decision to disregard her parents' pushback. 'We didn't get my family's approval,' she says. 'So we just eloped.' 'We were like, 'They're not going to support us, but we have to do what we want and what makes us happy,'' says Andrew. 'And so, we were like, 'Yeah, we're gonna get married anyways.'' In the summer of 2015, two years after they first met in Yellowstone, Andrew and Shallen eloped in the hills above the Utah town where Andrew grew up. 'The ceremony itself was really small,' says Andrew. 'My closest friends helped me carry up tables for food and blankets for people to sit on. I think we had like 20 people there in total.' While it was a special day, there were mixed emotions at play. Shallen was saddened by her family's absence. Andrew's family wasn't there either, but they wholeheartedly supported his decision to marry Shallen. Shallen, meanwhile, felt conscious she was breaking from her family's expectations. She was unsure what her relationship with them would look like in the future. 'I get really emotional when I talk about my family,' she says today. But Shallen and Andrew were excited to start a new chapter together. And in time, Shallen's family came round to her decision to marry Andrew. 'My mom was like, 'Okay, my daughter is not coming back to me,'' recalls Shallen. 'She went to this Chinese fortune teller… and got both our birthdays matched. And the guy actually told her, 'They match really well. They're going to have their differences. But they always work it out.' And so because of the fortune teller, my mom's like, 'Okay, I guess that's okay.'' In 2016, a year after their elopement, Andrew and Shallen — who took Andrew's name following her wedding, becoming Shallen McGowan — celebrated their marriage with a big party in Utah. Andrew's family were all in attendance. And this time around, many of Shallen's loved ones were present too. 'My mom, my brother, his wife, and their one-year-old baby; they flew here and two of my best friends came,' says Shallen. During these celebrations, Shallen and Andrew referenced their first date in Yellowstone: 'The catering that we hired…' begins Andrew. '… Half of it's ice cream,' laughs Shallen. This day also marked a moment of healing for Shallen and Andrew, as they spent the day celebrating with Shallen's loved ones. 'Now her family's come to terms with it, and they see how happy we are,' says Andrew. 'And we also have really cute kids, like really cute kids, and so you know, you can't complain about that.' Andrew and Shallen welcomed their two children in 2017 and 2019. When their second child was born, they left Utah and moved to California. Over time, Andrew also distanced himself from the Mormon religion he grew up with, before leaving the church altogether. Moving to California allowed the couple to find a new community. 'We're in a very multicultural place, and so it's better for both of us,' says Andrew. 'And better for our kids,' adds Shallen. Their love of their children is a big unifier for Andrew and Shallen. 'We said, 'We're going to have our family. It's going to be us and our kids, and that's going to be what matters the most to us,'' says Andrew. When it comes to raising their children, and navigating life together, Shallen and Andrew pride themselves on working as a team. 'We work things out, we try to see each other and see how we can help each other grow,' Shallen says. While Andrew views the moment he saw Shallen as love at first sight, as fate intervening, he also stresses their romance is an active choice. 'I think in some ways the universe chose us for each other, but we did ultimately make the choice of each other,' he says. 'And then we've made choices to respect and care about our relationship with each other and value that.' The result, he says, is they're very connected. 'I feel like she's an extension of me, and I'm an extension of her,' he says. 'And we're able to work together.' And whenever summer rolls around, the couple remember their first date. 'When we eat ice cream, we definitely think about it,' says Shallen. Shallen and Andrew also took their kids to Yellowstone a few years back. 'We told them, 'This is where we first met,'' says Shallen. 'It was very cute.' While their children were too little to take in the significance of the moment, for Shallen and Andrew, it was special. They hiked to Artist Point, and looked over the waterfall and views, thinking of the hours-long first date, and of the moment they first spoke to one another in the general store. 'Walking in and seeing her, like I said for me it was love at first sight,' says Andrew. 'I obviously couldn't see where our journey would take us, and I couldn't see where life was going to take us… but if I could go back, I would do it 100 times over. I mean, even with the difficult things, even with the hard things, 100 times over, I would do it again.'
