stumbled upon this in Barcelona. (no need to compliment me on my fabulous filming skills)
December 11, 2011
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
December 10, 2011
hola, barcelona
Out of all the trips I took and cities I saw besides Paris, Barcelona was by far my favorite. It’s such a beautiful city with so much to see, and everyone there is incredibly friendly and happy. Our trip was absolutely perfect, and over the course of the four days we were there, we met so many interesting people (16, to be exact) from all over the world. One thing I didn’t know prior to visiting it, is that in Barcelona they speak not only Spanish, but Catalan as well. Catalan is the language of Catalonia, an autonomous community with it’s capital in Barcelona. I definitely can’t speak Catalan, and only a little bit of Spanish, but I was still able to get by very easily. Four days full of sangria, warm weather, markets, exploring, the beach, dancing, tapas, and some sunshine, what could be better?
if you ever find yourself traveling around Europe, take my advice, and never fly with Easy Jet. Alexis, Kaylin, Haley, Scott, Alex, Nick and I met at Charles de Gaulle, the airport right outside Paris before boarding a plane toBarcelona. The flight from Paris to Spain was supposed to only take an hour and a half. That is also how long we waited on the runway while they “looked for a solution” to their technical problems, before canceling our flight altogether. They stupidly had everyone leave the security gates, only to tell us five minutes later they found us another flight leaving in thirty minutes. That meant that everyone had to go back through security, and all the way back to the gate.
please note that Easy Jet’s solution was to wrap duct tape around the engine
Once we got there, we immediately secured our belongings and headed for the bus into the city. While pick-pocketing in Paris is a pretty big concern, it’s not nearly as extreme as it is in Barcelona. Thieves there will have no problem walking by you, cutting the strap of your purse, and running away. I definitely felt a little paranoid about checking my bag every two seconds, but better safe than sorry! We got to the city and found our hotel, right off Las Ramblas, the main boulevard in Barcelona. We settled in and headed out to a bar around the corner (mostly because a crazy Brazilian with dreadlocks pressured Alex into it), and were greeted by extremely friendly bartenders, free shots, and amazing sangria.
Everyone in Barcelona is extremely friendly, which is a huge welcomed change from Paris. I absolutely love Paris and all, but I will admit that it felt really good to be in a place where being friendly to strangers is socially acceptable. At home in the states, I have no problem striking up conversations with strangers and smiling a lot, but in Paris that is a huge faux pas. I know and accept that it’s simply a part of their culture, but I can’t say I don’t miss the friendly aspect of American culture.
The next day we explored the huge market down the street before meeting in a nearby square for a free walking tour of the Gaudi buildings. We saw things like the Gaudi lamp posts, houses, an apartment building that George Lucas used as inspiration for Star Wars (!!!), and Sagrada Famillia.
on the roof of the building there are these statues that look exactly like Storm Troopers, and apparently George Lucas used them as inspiration for Star Wars
Gaudi house
Sagrada Familia
On the tour we met a couple from Australia who had graduated last spring and were taking half a year to travel around Europe before heading to Uni in the winter. They were really interesting and after the tour we all went to lunch together at an authentic Spanish restaurant.
Estrella and vegetarian paella, quintessential spanish meal. so good!
Afterwards we were exhausted, so we headed back to the hotel to take siestas before dinner. In Spain, they build a few hours into their day just to take naps, and everything shuts down. If America adopted this practice, I certainly wouldn’t mind.
We had heard great things about this “magic fountain” that puts on an incredible light show, so we decided to check it out. Well, it didn’t ever turn on, but we did see a group of other tourists posing really creatively with it.
the fountain that never turned on ):
Dinner consisted of mediocre food and more sangria, and afterwards we wandered around and met an American who had moved to Barcelona after traveling around Europe for a year and was working as a club and bar promoter. She was obviously really good at her job, because she convinced us to go into the bar she was working for that night, where we had the best mojitos I’ve ever had (sorry Hotel Convento in Puerto Rico, it put yours to shame).
Alex got talking to the owner, Dan, who told us about his other bar a few streets down called SF that had just opened the previous night. We headed over there and Dan told us about his crazy life and how he was an artist, and did the album artwork for the bands NOFX and Bad Religion, and also toured with them for like 5 years. As a huge music fan, I was really impressed. What are the odds of wandering into a random bar in Barcelona and meeting the guy who did the album artwork for music legends?
The next day we woke up and got amazing vegetarian food and fruit juice from the market. There was so much to see there, fruit, juice, meat, candy, chocolate, beans, gelato, and more.
Afterwards we went out to this hill at the top of the city with a really, really incredible view, and then saw the Gaudi benches. Even though it was raining, it was really beautiful. After walking through the park, we took shelter in this cave and I spotted someone wearing a phillies hat and eagles sweatshirt. Turns out he grew up 20 minutes away from me, and what was even weirder was that his friends who were with him were from the same hometowns as my friends. small world. before going back to the metro, we stopped in a cafe for classic hot chocolate and churros.
after dinner on las ramblas, we went to a small theater to see authentic flamenco dancing. the guitar playing was beautiful and the dancing was incredible, and though it wasn’t quite the same, it made me miss tap dancing. It was so authentic and such an incredible cultural experience.
That night we went to the best bar in all of Barcelona, and possibly the world. It’s called Le Cyrano, and it’s a little hole in the wall that, for about €3, hands you a bottle of soda, a glass with ice, and the BOTTLE of alcohol of your choice and lets you fill your glass to your hearts desire. It’s so popular that it’s incredibly hard to get into, if you don’t know the secret. The bouncer shoos everyone away, telling them the neighbors get mad with the noise and they’re at capacity, so come back in 20 minutes. Most people are fooled by this, and leave only to get turned away again 20 minutes later. But there’s a bus stop right outside the bar, and the bouncer can’t tell you to vacate a bus stop, making it the perfect hiding spot. We casually made our way into the bus stop, and about 5 minutes later were summoned by the bouncer to go in. genius.
The next morning we grabbed fruit from the market and met for the free walking tour of the old city. the old city, or gothic quarter, was gorgeous. I finally felt like I was really in Spain, with the beautiful Spanish buildings, markets, tight streets, and tasteful graffiti.
We made more friends as we were explaining to the tour guide that we were studying abroad in paris, and a family overheard us. The son was also studying with ISA, but in Madrid, and after the tour, him, his parents, and us all got lunch from this incredible sandwich place near the beach. After spending two months with people all our own age, it was a little strange being with parents, but it was welcomed. We parted ways, and went to shop at the stalls along the harbor. Afterwards wandered for a while until we hit their version of the boardwalk along the beach. Though it was cold, the beach was absolutely gorgeous. We stopped in a restaurant for coffee and dessert— authentic Catalan cream.
We walked along the harbor as the sun was setting and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful sunset. Some of my friends are from California and said it’s just like the sunsets in Malibu, but I couldn’t get enough of it.
We headed back to the hotel to pack, because with a 7am flight, we were going to end our time in Barcelona like champs— by staying up through the night up until our flight. I knew from the get-go this would probbbbably be a terrible decision given the last time I stayed up all night, mais c’est la vie.
After dinner we took the boys to the pour your own bar, and met some crazy Italians who took us to another bar where they only have shots, and they’re out of this world.
Most of them are lit on fire, or decorated in some elaborate way. We have the same bar in Paris, though I have yet to go. Afterwards we went to some of the beach clubs where our friends ran into some people they had met when traveling in Ireland. Such a small world! We stayed until closing time, headed back to the hotel, changed, and called a cab. It was approaching 4am at this point, and we were already feeling like death.
We got to the gate and napped a little on the cold floor before boarding the plane. From that point on it felt like hours until I was comfortably back in my bed on the 5th floor in the 14ème. I was back in Paris, and I was home.
Overall, Barcelona was amazing. Having only taken one year of Spanish (shout-out to 3rd set spanish 1H and my girl Selena/JLO) I was surprised that I could somewhat communicate, but it wasn’t as weird as I thought it’d be to be somewhere and not really know the language. There are more things to worry about there, like pickpockets and the people trying to sell you “beer” (drugs), but it was a really interesting culture and city with so much beauty and mystery; I’ll definitely return.
December 10, 2011
This time, next week, I will be back in the states. It goes without saying that I don’t want to leave, but I absolutely cannot wait until these little monkeys are back in my arms. See you at 15:30 next saturday, Philadelphia
December 7, 2011
five lessons learned from living in Paris
my dad forwarded this article to me this afternoon, and I really think it captures a lot of what I’ve learned from living in Paris. It’s definitely worth a read
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/07/travel/five-paris-lessons/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
December 7, 2011
December 6, 2011
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
you know that god awful construction going on in the apartment below us that I mentioned a few weeks ago? this is what I was talking about.
December 5, 2011
December 5, 2011
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the past there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
this poem has a lot to do with the reason I found myself in Paris at age eighteen.
December 4, 2011
I know, I know. It’s been a while. But a lazy sunday afternoon while it’s raining in Paris calls for a café with Wifi (wee-fee, as pronounced in french) and plethora of blog updates, so get ready.
The saturday before halloween (only further pointing out my lack of updating) we went to the Centre Pompidou.
I had been there a few times already, but since I have figured out how to talk my way into free admission at almost every museum, I figured why not go back. Though it’s not my favorite museum in Paris, I definitely recommend it. It’s full of interesting modern art with a message.
the view from the top
a street artist below drawing a portrait of Charlie Chaplin entirely out of chalk.
After the museum, we got crepes and gelato from our favorite place, Gelati d’Alberti. We discovered it on a whim a few weeks prior, and couldn’t get enough. It’s absolutely incredible, and gives Capogiro in Philadelphia a serious run for their money. What makes it even better is that we discovered it completely on our own, yet found out that it is ranked high among the best gelato shops in Paris. From there we walked along the Seine and Pont Neuf to Galleries Lafayette where we went up to the roof to take in the view.
Our plan from there was to go drink champagne at the eiffel tower later that night, but the day took a very pleasant unexpected turn when we got tickets to the sold out Pitchfork Music Festival, which Bon Iver was headlining. With only an hour and a half until he went on, we rushed around the corner to the Internet Café to print our tickets, and were on our way. The festival was at the Parc de La Vilette, up in the 19eme arr. Walking from the metro to the venue was the first time I ever felt threatened/unsafe in Paris. The 19eme arr is very close to the suburbs, or banlieue as they’re called in French. I don’t know if I’ve explained it before, but Paris is set up differently than most cities. Aside from the homeless who sleep on the streets and in the metros, the poor tend to live in the suburbs where it’s cheaper, and the wealthy mostly live in the city. Because of it’s proximity to les banlieues, it’s general knowledge to avoid the 19th and 20th arr at night.
Alexis and I met up with her friend whose not in our program but also loves Bon Iver, and made our way into the venue. The Pitchfork Musical Festival was essentially a gathering for every American and French hipster in Paris, and the amount of English I was hearing around me made me feel like I was back in the states. Bon Iver was absolutely incredible live, and sounded even better than on the recordings, in my opinion.
The next night a bunch of us went back to Gelati D’Alberto one last time, because it was closing for the season. Really had to soak it up, ya know?
the BEST combination— Raspberry and Lavender. I know, it sounds strange, but it was to die for. If you’re in Paris in the spring, go to 45 Rue Mouffetard in the 5ème arr, you won’t be disappointed.
Halloween is always a good time. Past adventures have included skipping school to go to the Phillies World Series parade, and driving two hours out to Lancaster only to get lost hiking in the woods for 4 hours, and this halloween was no different. A few of us went out to the Chateau de Vinncennes, just outside Paris. We picnicked and explored the grounds, and it was absolutely beautiful. Just next to the Chateau is the Parc Floral de Paris, which has big letters like the ones in Amsterdam that we wasted no time posing with.
The parc itself was gorgeous, especially for the end of October. The flowers were still in bloom and the sun was shining, though it was a little chilly. We explored as much as we could before the old lady on the bike yelled “LE PARC EST FERMÉ” repeatedly at the top of her lungs.
That night we went to Café Oz, a bar/club at Denfert-Rochereau that was having a Halloween night where Alexis had the hookup to avoid the ridiculously long line. While they all skipped the line, I waited for my friend Rebecca outside so we could get some wine beforehand, instead of paying the ridiculous prices inside. This proved to be a really stupid idea, because long story short, we ended up waiting in said line for over two and a half hours— though we did make friends from Strasbourg and London along the way. After waiting long enough, I met up with our friends who were in the area and we tried to find something else going on. We had heard about people having crazy parties in the Catacombs at night, (the underground tunnels where they stack 6 million skeletons on top of each other and you can tour about a mile of it, where I vowed to never go back) so of course we tried to find a way in. Though there is one main entrance, it was obviously locked, but there are grates and little secret entranceways scattered around the 14eme arr. We couldn’t find any, and were, of course, unsuccessful. We decided to go back to Oz, but this time through a different entrance. Around the back of the club was a group of semi-sketchy looking guys climbing the two story wall to get into the outdoor terrace of the club. We watched as one by one they climbed the gate, shimmied up the 2nd story, and hoped the fence. Sounds easy enough, right? Nick made it in and was waiting for a while, but once Bryce finally made it in, was caught by the bouncer and thrown out the front door. We called it a night.
“do you know where to find LES CATACOMBS??”
perfect form
On wednesday morning I met my French Civilization class near the Seine for another glorious 3 hour walk through Paris with Big Red, our lovely yet slightly confused professor (see: http://didshereallysaythis.tumblr.com, a blog devoted to quoting good ol’ Big Red). She really wanted to show us the inside of an apartment building that she somehow knows about that is apparently very Art-Nouveau, so, like any reasonable person would NEVER do, had us wait outside the apartment building until a random resident left and snuck in behind them. She also told us that they construct buildings like they bake cakes, and that gold is not a solid, no, it’s a liquid. I left early to make it home to grab my bag and head to the airport, because we were off to Barcelona!
November 29, 2011
where my love for Paris really started. When I was younger, I read all the Madeline books, had all the dolls, saw all the movies, and even played the computer game. Towards the end of the Champs-Eylsées there is a house that looks exactly like the house Madeline lived in. I’m not sure if it was the inspiration or not, but I call it ‘the Madeline house’ anyway.
(via 10knotes)
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