Bonjour my friends!
I just ate the most wonderful piece of pizza and pastry of my life. In Paris listening to the music of a carousel in a park beneath Sacre Coeur. Could life get any better? Yes, actually it will, in two days when I am home with friends and family but that is neither here nor there. Right now - Parisian food. Delicious. Incredible. It started with the best baguette in France two days ago and now it is all about the amazing pizza (Italy is still Numero Uno in this department but this Parisian piece is a close second). The pastry was so moist and soft and flaky with powdered sugar... heavenly. It doesn't end there. Last night I was given the generous invitation of having dinner with family friends from Florida who are currently in Paris on business. We went to a place called the Buddha Bar just near the Louvre. From the sound of the name you can assume it was a Japanese restaurant and you would be correct. But we not only ate sushi but also an orray of amazing dishes. Wonderful. The company was the best part. The last time I had seen Jim and Karen was over 10 years ago... at least. We had a great time catching up and it was so nice to have something social to do, rather than be hanging out sola. I think that is why I am as ready to come home as I am. I like to travel by myself but it gets boring... or I get bored. Museums and monuments and wonderful French food are not as enjoyable alone as they are with family and friends.
Speaking of museums... yesterday morning I went to the Louvre - one of the (if not THEE) most famous museum in the world. I'm assuming it is the BIGGEST museum in the world but I have no idea - I just couldn't imagine anything bigger. It is in a PALACE for goodness sakes. The musuem is a museum itself. Gorgeous. In order to see all 35,000 pieces of art I walked at a pretty quick pace and didn't get to see it all. At first, it was very peaceful walking through the museum with only a few other people scattered throughout. However after 1.5-2 hours of being open, the Louvre began a Disneyworld nightmare. People, tourists everywhere being loud even though it is a museum and taking crappy pictures of pieces of art they could just Google Image... I couldn't move freely throughout that museum which is enormous let alone breathe freely. Needlesstosay I got the heck out of there immediately! An experience... indeed... one that I would rather not relive... ever...
The rest of the day I wandered the streets of Paris and for a few hours enjoyed an amazing spinach and salmon quiche while reading my book and journaling in a bakery called PAUL in the Latin Quarter. Then dinner at the Buddha Bar which lasted quite late so I got to see the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night - stunning! Better from afar at night than in the day time close up, which is what I did today - the Eiffel Tower - the main attraction of Paris or most famous. It was... steel, lots and lots of steel. Not my favorite part of Paris but worth it. I also went to Versailles today. WOW! Talk about over the top. That King Louis XIV knows how to do it up... too bad King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette would later be beheaded as a result of living a too-fabulous lifestyle among a myriad of other things. Although I did not go into the palace because I hear it is a let-down, the gardens were enough to keep me occupied for hours. They stretched for miles and miles and miles and miles. Endless. With a canal in the middle, hundreds of fountains, thousands of statues and maze-like hedges. Beautiful. I ate a sack-lunch on the banks of the canal and enjoyed my book for a few hours.... Oh to be in Paris.
So that kinda sums up my Paris experience. I have one more day in which I plan on heading back to the Montmartre District and the Latin Quarter - my favorite places. Hopefully there will be sun tomorrow but it is doubtful. Then I plan on taking a long shower tomorrow night before I wake up and hop on a 9 hour plan ride which will last technically only 2 hours... crazy concept I know. Jet-lagged I will arrive in Chicago on Wednesday.... I'm ready but I'm not ready all at the same time. I own a jumble of feelings right now. Oh the paradox of life. How philosophical. Anyways, thank you all for tuning in to my adventures across Europe. I have had the time of my life and I hope you all have enjoyed reading about my adventures every step of the way (or as close behind as possible). And don't worry I'll be back to Europe before I know it (God willing) and will be blogging about Europe again before I know it. In the meantime I hope you all continue to keep up with my blog as I will be trekking to Ocean City, New Jersey this summer for a missions trip and then this fall back to Chicago of course!
Dos besos,
Sarah
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Final Stretch
Hello all.
I have 22 minutes this time so this should be a little more detailed and a little less sporatic. I am in Paris! But before we start with Paris, let me update you on Munich. The Castle, like I said before, was fantastic and the countryside was beautiful as well. The next day we went to Dachau concentration camp. It was a very somber and serious trip but it was worth it. I think visiting a WWII concentration camp and seeing the horror that humanity can commit against one another is very important. We toured most of the camp including the dorms, torture rooms, crematory (spelling? sorry), and gas chambers. It was eerie at times especially when walking through the long corridors of the rooms used for torture and solid confinement. It was horrible hearing about the methods of torture and the brutality that the SS guards and Nazis committed against Jews, homosexuals, gypsies and anyone else who was not blonde hair and blue-eyed. Walking through the gas chamber with the word "shower" (in German) above the entrance was one of the worst experiences and feelings of my life. I couldn't be in their for more than 5 minutes and I would never again want to go back. I can't even express how I felt because I have no idea how to put it all into words and phrases. It's indescribable but something I suggest everyone experiences if given the chance. All in all Munich was a success. Although I was sad to leave Jared (and his fantastic med school friends), I was ready to go to Paris.
Means of transportation to Paris? Night train. At first I was a little sketched out because I had heard so many creepy stories. However, it was pleasant. Cramped but pleasant. After popping two sleeping pills, I was out like a light and barely woke up through the night until the train guy woke us up in the morning. One of the best nights sleep I have had on this little adventure since leaving Spain. Yay! Night train was a success! I barely got the the hostel in the Montmartre district before I left to go take a free walking tour of the city. What an introduction! I saw a little bit of it all today: Notre Dame in all her glory, Shakespeare's book shop where starving writers live and work, Eiffel Tower from a distance (tomorrow I'll go to the top), Napolean's tomb, the thriving and entertaining Latin Quarter, Tuileries gardens in bloom, Opera Garnier, Champs-Elysees, Place de la Concorde, the Grand and Petit Palais (didn't go inside but they were pretty on the outside), Place St. Michel and the Arc de Triomphe (with a car accident occurring every 30 seconds on average). We walked by the Louve and tomorrow, since there is rain in the forecast, I have plans to go see the Mona Lisa, other works by DaVinci, Venus de Milo, the sculpture room and all 35,000 other works of art housed in the Louve. I also hope to go to the Musee D'Orsay, which was the old train station and is now a museum.
Today I also visited the neighborhood I am staying in - the Montmartre District, known for its artists. In this district is the Moulin Rouge, Sacre Coeur (on Paris's highest hill and has a stunning view), Toulouse-Lautrec and his can-can dancers, Lapin Agile - the bar where Picasso exchanged paintings for food back in the day, the Red Light District, Paris's last surviving windmill, the Artists' Square where there are wall-to-wall artists wanting to sketch your portrait, Van Gogh's house, Picasso's studio and sooo much more. This area has so much character and quirks. Full of coffee shops, bakeries, cafes and food and art stands. I hope I have time to return and explore some more but it's Paris and there is soo much to see!
And sooo much to eat! Paris is known for its baguettes, cheeses (there are 365 different types - one for every day of the year), crepes and any other type of delicious baked goods. Today, I had a nutella crepe made by the original crepe people from the town of Brittney (spelling?) in France. I also bought a baguette from the man who was elected to make the best baguettes in France this year (in the Montmartre district as well). The feeling of a warm, fresh out of the oven baguette.... indescribable. I also bought some local Brie cheese... (honestly I wasn't that impressed but don't tell the Parisians - I plan to give it another go tomorrow). Mmmmm delicious.
I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people on my journey from Vienna, Austria to Paris, France. It has been a wonderful adventure and Paris, as a last stop, will be going out with a bang! So much to see. It's almost overwelming. Traveling has also made me realize that seeing the sites is really not enough. I wish I could live in these places and become part of them instead of just passing through. I feel too tourist-y. I don't like it. I love to travel and see the places, smell the fragrances, taste the food and experience it all... but it's not the same as living in a place like I did in Spain for five months. It has has to do with people. Traveling alone has its perks but I miss laughing with someone in Paris, getting lost with someone else in Paris etc. That's why I am ready to come back to the States. I want to see my family and friends. If I can't be in Spain, I want to be home, ya know?
Anyways, time to get going. I'll try to update the day before I plane out of Paris to Chicago.
Adios.
Hasta pronto.
Dos besos.
Sarah
I have 22 minutes this time so this should be a little more detailed and a little less sporatic. I am in Paris! But before we start with Paris, let me update you on Munich. The Castle, like I said before, was fantastic and the countryside was beautiful as well. The next day we went to Dachau concentration camp. It was a very somber and serious trip but it was worth it. I think visiting a WWII concentration camp and seeing the horror that humanity can commit against one another is very important. We toured most of the camp including the dorms, torture rooms, crematory (spelling? sorry), and gas chambers. It was eerie at times especially when walking through the long corridors of the rooms used for torture and solid confinement. It was horrible hearing about the methods of torture and the brutality that the SS guards and Nazis committed against Jews, homosexuals, gypsies and anyone else who was not blonde hair and blue-eyed. Walking through the gas chamber with the word "shower" (in German) above the entrance was one of the worst experiences and feelings of my life. I couldn't be in their for more than 5 minutes and I would never again want to go back. I can't even express how I felt because I have no idea how to put it all into words and phrases. It's indescribable but something I suggest everyone experiences if given the chance. All in all Munich was a success. Although I was sad to leave Jared (and his fantastic med school friends), I was ready to go to Paris.
Means of transportation to Paris? Night train. At first I was a little sketched out because I had heard so many creepy stories. However, it was pleasant. Cramped but pleasant. After popping two sleeping pills, I was out like a light and barely woke up through the night until the train guy woke us up in the morning. One of the best nights sleep I have had on this little adventure since leaving Spain. Yay! Night train was a success! I barely got the the hostel in the Montmartre district before I left to go take a free walking tour of the city. What an introduction! I saw a little bit of it all today: Notre Dame in all her glory, Shakespeare's book shop where starving writers live and work, Eiffel Tower from a distance (tomorrow I'll go to the top), Napolean's tomb, the thriving and entertaining Latin Quarter, Tuileries gardens in bloom, Opera Garnier, Champs-Elysees, Place de la Concorde, the Grand and Petit Palais (didn't go inside but they were pretty on the outside), Place St. Michel and the Arc de Triomphe (with a car accident occurring every 30 seconds on average). We walked by the Louve and tomorrow, since there is rain in the forecast, I have plans to go see the Mona Lisa, other works by DaVinci, Venus de Milo, the sculpture room and all 35,000 other works of art housed in the Louve. I also hope to go to the Musee D'Orsay, which was the old train station and is now a museum.
Today I also visited the neighborhood I am staying in - the Montmartre District, known for its artists. In this district is the Moulin Rouge, Sacre Coeur (on Paris's highest hill and has a stunning view), Toulouse-Lautrec and his can-can dancers, Lapin Agile - the bar where Picasso exchanged paintings for food back in the day, the Red Light District, Paris's last surviving windmill, the Artists' Square where there are wall-to-wall artists wanting to sketch your portrait, Van Gogh's house, Picasso's studio and sooo much more. This area has so much character and quirks. Full of coffee shops, bakeries, cafes and food and art stands. I hope I have time to return and explore some more but it's Paris and there is soo much to see!
And sooo much to eat! Paris is known for its baguettes, cheeses (there are 365 different types - one for every day of the year), crepes and any other type of delicious baked goods. Today, I had a nutella crepe made by the original crepe people from the town of Brittney (spelling?) in France. I also bought a baguette from the man who was elected to make the best baguettes in France this year (in the Montmartre district as well). The feeling of a warm, fresh out of the oven baguette.... indescribable. I also bought some local Brie cheese... (honestly I wasn't that impressed but don't tell the Parisians - I plan to give it another go tomorrow). Mmmmm delicious.
I have enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people on my journey from Vienna, Austria to Paris, France. It has been a wonderful adventure and Paris, as a last stop, will be going out with a bang! So much to see. It's almost overwelming. Traveling has also made me realize that seeing the sites is really not enough. I wish I could live in these places and become part of them instead of just passing through. I feel too tourist-y. I don't like it. I love to travel and see the places, smell the fragrances, taste the food and experience it all... but it's not the same as living in a place like I did in Spain for five months. It has has to do with people. Traveling alone has its perks but I miss laughing with someone in Paris, getting lost with someone else in Paris etc. That's why I am ready to come back to the States. I want to see my family and friends. If I can't be in Spain, I want to be home, ya know?
Anyways, time to get going. I'll try to update the day before I plane out of Paris to Chicago.
Adios.
Hasta pronto.
Dos besos.
Sarah
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Munich
Hello all!
I only have 8 minutes left on the computer so this is going to be short and sweet!
I am in Munich, Germany with my brother!!! (and his medical school group that are heading to Romania to do service work) We have had a blast and its not even over yet! The first day we took a walking tour of Munich and heard all about the history of the city. Munich is the birthplace of Hitler's 3rd Reich and there is so much WWII knowledge to learn. Sooo tomorrow we will be going to Dachau concentration camp. Although I know it will be somber and depressing I feel it is an important piece of history that I want to learn about and experience as best as I can. However today we went to Neuschwanstein Castle in the same region as Munich - Bavaria. BEAUTIFUL countryside. The castle, which Disney modeled his castle after, was breathtaking. It was so intricate and stunning. Built only in the 1800s, it is rather young and was not completed because the King Ludwig died *suddenly*. Very interesting storyline which I wish I had more minutes to tell you about in detail. We also went to the original HaufbrausHaus - the famous Munich beer hall which I probably did not spell correctly. Very cool. We have also eaten a lot of Doner Kebaps which are fantastic and gelado. I have finally decided that my favorite flavor is pistaccio. It only took me 19 years and 11 months to come to that conclusion but I am satisfied now.
49 seconds... Tomorrow evening night train to Paris.
Update more then.
Dos besos
Sarah
I only have 8 minutes left on the computer so this is going to be short and sweet!
I am in Munich, Germany with my brother!!! (and his medical school group that are heading to Romania to do service work) We have had a blast and its not even over yet! The first day we took a walking tour of Munich and heard all about the history of the city. Munich is the birthplace of Hitler's 3rd Reich and there is so much WWII knowledge to learn. Sooo tomorrow we will be going to Dachau concentration camp. Although I know it will be somber and depressing I feel it is an important piece of history that I want to learn about and experience as best as I can. However today we went to Neuschwanstein Castle in the same region as Munich - Bavaria. BEAUTIFUL countryside. The castle, which Disney modeled his castle after, was breathtaking. It was so intricate and stunning. Built only in the 1800s, it is rather young and was not completed because the King Ludwig died *suddenly*. Very interesting storyline which I wish I had more minutes to tell you about in detail. We also went to the original HaufbrausHaus - the famous Munich beer hall which I probably did not spell correctly. Very cool. We have also eaten a lot of Doner Kebaps which are fantastic and gelado. I have finally decided that my favorite flavor is pistaccio. It only took me 19 years and 11 months to come to that conclusion but I am satisfied now.
49 seconds... Tomorrow evening night train to Paris.
Update more then.
Dos besos
Sarah
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