The last trip during my study abroad travels (which ended December 17th) was to the Spanish island called Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
This trip look a lot of planning and a lot of changing of plans, and I like to think that it was well worth it. I had a lot of studying and writing to do at the time, just like everyone else in college, so my time was basically spent resting, eating, and doing the school stuff. The weather wasn't the greatest because the sun wasn't really out the entire weekend, but I found the slow pace and atmosphere quite enjoyable.
Originally we were supposed to have traveled to stay outside the city of Las Palmas, but because of my own mixups with our hostel arrangements, I changed the plans last minute and my roommate and I ended up on the opposite side of the island at a town called Puerto Rico. The hotels were very cool because they were on cliffs overlooking the water. Our last minute arrangements took us to a nice hotel over the water with our own little apartment for the 3 days we were there.
My favorite part about being in Gran Canaria was the stars at night. If it was just a little bit darker, like New Hampshire gets, than it would have been a perfect resemblance to home. I love laying outside at night, under the stars. There's something that is romantic about it and has a way of calming me down.
During my trip there I went on a boat ride between towns, shopped a bit (obviously), and basically just relaxed. I would have liked to have had time to hike a volcano, but I didn't plan it in advance or look into it enough to do that. I had never even seen a volcano before that so driving through the island just to get to and from the airport was really cool for me.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Two pence none the richer. 12/7-12/8
One night in London, one full 24 hours.
Not many people can say they've done that so i feel pretty cool about it.
Our main goal was to see the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. We flew in at night and mostly searched for our hostel; that's never a problem though because in our hunt for YHA we were able to see a nice part of the city and figure out the metro system too.
After dinner and finding the place we settled in and went to bed shortly thereafter with the intention of waking up early to head off to the exhibition. We had heard quite a bit about how long we would have to wait in line and how unlikely it would be for us to get in, so we started waiting in line around 8amish, and the doors opened at 10. Waiting paid off and we ended up being able to see the exhibition which consisted of sketches of faces and hands and a lot of detailed mathematical work that can be seen incorporated in Leo's "Last Supper."
I, unfortunately, had gotten a little too used to traveling alone and forgot to make sure that Isa knew where I was... so we got separated at one point. I'm not good at not roaming around, and in museums I feel like it's easy to get lost but you always know you are in a museum. So I wasted a little bit of our time with that, which I was apologetic about.
We were able to quickly see some of the art in the portrait gallery, and move onto other things we wanted to see as well.
Big Ben was more like Little Ben. The name is overcompensating.
We got to see the British Museum and take a good look around there as well. There was tons to see and very little time to do it, so aside from walking around and glancing at what we could, the two museums were the main focus of the trip. It was a nice taste of what I would want to come back and see later on in my life. But a day is fine with me because the Pound is killing us in the exchange market, so I spent a good chunk of money for a one day visit.
Two pence none the richer.
Not many people can say they've done that so i feel pretty cool about it.
Our main goal was to see the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. We flew in at night and mostly searched for our hostel; that's never a problem though because in our hunt for YHA we were able to see a nice part of the city and figure out the metro system too.
After dinner and finding the place we settled in and went to bed shortly thereafter with the intention of waking up early to head off to the exhibition. We had heard quite a bit about how long we would have to wait in line and how unlikely it would be for us to get in, so we started waiting in line around 8amish, and the doors opened at 10. Waiting paid off and we ended up being able to see the exhibition which consisted of sketches of faces and hands and a lot of detailed mathematical work that can be seen incorporated in Leo's "Last Supper."
I, unfortunately, had gotten a little too used to traveling alone and forgot to make sure that Isa knew where I was... so we got separated at one point. I'm not good at not roaming around, and in museums I feel like it's easy to get lost but you always know you are in a museum. So I wasted a little bit of our time with that, which I was apologetic about.
We were able to quickly see some of the art in the portrait gallery, and move onto other things we wanted to see as well.
Big Ben was more like Little Ben. The name is overcompensating.
We got to see the British Museum and take a good look around there as well. There was tons to see and very little time to do it, so aside from walking around and glancing at what we could, the two museums were the main focus of the trip. It was a nice taste of what I would want to come back and see later on in my life. But a day is fine with me because the Pound is killing us in the exchange market, so I spent a good chunk of money for a one day visit.
Two pence none the richer.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
To Amsterdam, (11/30-12/3) Brussels (12/3-12/5), and beyond!
And I figured everything out on this trip. For the first time in my life I traveled alone with no plans to meet anyone I knew, and with no knowledge of the city (or country) I was going to. Aside from a couple of museums and sights I wanted to visit, I had no expectations and was on my own time and schedule. I absolutely loved it!
It was night time when I arrived in Amsterdam, and I had no idea how to get to my hostel, so I went to the information stand in the airport and asked them a cheap way to get where I was going. Everyone in Amsterdam speaks English, that was really helpful. I think it's the second language next to Dutch (or Flemmish if you wanna be old school).
For those who don't know me too well, I get lost rather easily, and when I have a map I check it every couple of minutes because I know my instincts usually take me in the opposite direction that I desire. Well, not this time! I made it to my hostel alive and by 10pm or so. I checked into a room with 19 other beds numbered and lettered bunkbeds. Luckily 15 of the beds were empty, and so it was not too loud the first night.
After I settled I went out and walked around to see this Amsterdam culture that so many people are always raving about. You hear "Amsterdam" and people immediately think cannabis, prostitution, shrooms, and all of those other interesting things that are legal in Amsterdam. Everyone always fails to mention how amazingly beautiful the city is, especially in the winter with its Christmas lights and winter carnivals out everywhere. There was one at Leidse Plein, near where I stayed, and it had stands for food and an ice skating rink. Such a fun atmosphere! So I walked around the bridges and the canals in the cold weather before I decided to get to bed.
While I was in Amsterdam I toured the house that Anne Frank and her family hid in during World War II. It's called Anne Frank Het (Anne Frank's House), but it was an office building, not really a house if you think about it. I saw the bookcase that hid the door to the attic they lived in. Some things that surprised me were how well kept some of the original things are. Amsterdam was originally built within a walled city so the stairs are extremely steep and winding. A very dangerous atmosphere for old people, or people in a hurry. I saw stairs like this in the old houses like Anne Frank's house, and I also visited Rembrandt's Het, where I saw the studio he used to work in and some of his original works are there as well. When I was there the mayor was there celebrating with a bunch of people because they finally got an original Rembrandt to return to the house. Unfortunately the museum guard would not let me join the festivities.
When I walked to the Rembrandt house it was like fate because there was a flea market all along the canal that I was following (canals are a great way to know where you are in Amsterdam). And there was also a bagel shop that made homemade cream cheese, man oh man do I miss bagels with homemade cream cheese. Can't wait for my NY bagel when I get to JFK airport. HEAVEN! Anyway, so shopping and bagels to start that day, what a great start.
During my visit I went to the van Gogh Museum of course! I snuck as many pictures as possible. None of the museums in Amsterdam allowed pictures, so that was a little disappointing. I got yelled at in the National Museum for taking pictures, RIGHT before I go to the Night Watch by Rembrandt. I got a good amount of pictures though.
I met a lot of cool people while I was in Amsterdam. It's such a laid back atmosphere that being alone made it easier to meet new people. I went to the same coffeeshop a couple of times and the bartender started calling me his little sister and insisted that we take a picture together. There is where I met a group of Germans, a group of Italians, and a group of Northern Irish chaps. The Irish guys I hung out with a lot that weekend and they were great company. It's easy to lose track of time in Amsterdam.
Overall, that was definitely one of my favorite trips that I've been on in my life, and I hope I can go back some time, maybe with friends next time.
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| Winter Wonderland |
Also, banana juice is awesome, and its basically all I drank when I was in Amsterdam.
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Seeing as it was a very long weekend and I had been willing to miss a couple of classes for the traveling cause, I went from Amsterdam to Brussels for a couple of days to see what that city had to offer.
Brussels was beautiful! It was almost impossible for me to find my hostel, so for the first day I didn't go to the hostel. I just roamed around following really big crowds of people through narrow blocked off streets that were covered in Christmas markets. There was Belgium classics everywhere like beer, chocolate, and waffles. I tried all except the beer. I didn't see the big deal. I came a cross a winter festival that was Greek themed where I made friends with the guy working the Metaxa stand. I passed St. Hubert shopping center, and did not buy a single thing (proud of me!). St. Hubert is all old and expensive shops anyway. Right next to it though is like the college student version of a St. Hubert. A little shopping center that covers ONE block but manages to hold over 200 shops inside. HEAVEN!
All i really bought in Brussels was a Christmas hat though. With Christmas music everywhere, and ice skating and such a wintery atmosphere, how could I resist!
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| Holiday Market next to my hostel |
Brussels got lonely really quickly though because literally all there was to do was go shopping and walking around. I saw the whole city really quickly.
I went to a flea market, and came across an Orthodox church in the middle of Sunday service, which was an amazing coincidence. So of course I went to church.
I also went to see the museums they had, the National Gallery is I think around 5 museums. The Modern Art Museum was under construction, so only a small sample of the museum was on display in the Ancient Art Museum. It was easier though because those were the two museums I wanted to see anyway. I saw lots and lots of art by Flemmish artists that I had studied. It was very cool.
But mostly I walked around, ate, drank, and kept to myself on this trip. Definitely a downplay from Amsterdam, but it was good to relax and lay around doing nothing or watching Dutch television before finishing my work for the semester. Good to be stress free... or dangerous to not have a goal. Depends on how you look at it I suppose.
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| Belgium Waffle! |
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Day Trips to Toledo 11/25 and Santiago de Compostela 11/26
We are running out of time for trips in our semester which is ending soon. Day trips are necessary. Our last day trip will be to London! Yes London for a day. We are going specifically to wait in line for hours and see the da Vinci exhibit at the National Gallery. Hopefully we get in and hopefully we will find time to see other things as well.
Last weekend we went on two day trips. The first was a NYU funded trip to Toledo, Spain. Toledo is just outside of Madrid and was only a short drive away. Once we got there we walked around the old city with guided tours of synogogues turned mosques turned churches over time. Seems to be a dominating theme in the cathedrals of Spain. At least in the once Moorish states. Then after looking around a lot we had a couple hours to get lunch and shop around. I picked up my usual shot glass and a postcard, but that's about all.
Toledo was covered in fog when we got there in the morning, and it was briskly cold, but later in the day the fog cleared, the sun came out, and I fell asleep on a park bench.
Next we went to Santiago de Compostela which is in the northern Galicia region. Isabela and I had not been to Galicia on our journey, and now that we have the only part of Spain that we are going to have to leave out is Bilbao, unfortunately. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a famous pilgrimage sight for Catholics, which is why we ended up there. I had never heard of it until Isabela told me about this long journey from France to Spain that pilgrims travel and end at the cathedral in Santiago. It was beautiful there, and we toured every part of the cathedral. We even got to make it to a mass. During mass an Italian bishop was visiting and it was also a feast day. Since these two things were going on there was a little ceremony swinging a giant censor above the alter. We saw a smaller version of the one normally used, but it was enormous nonetheless. Probably the size of a toilet. I know its a bad comparison but that's the only universal description I could give to give you a good idea of what I'm talking about. So for about 10 minutes the censor was dramatically swaying across the alter attached to a rope hanging from the ceiling. It was very cool. Even though I'm not Catholic, or a pilgrim, I can appreciate it just as well.
Santiago was also interesting because it was our only day trip that we took a flight for. We woke up at 5am to leave the house and get to the airport, went straight to the cathedral once in Santiago, saw everything we wanted and had time to go slow and relax as well, then we caught a cab back to the airport and back to Madrid by 8p. Long day, but worth it. :)
Last weekend we went on two day trips. The first was a NYU funded trip to Toledo, Spain. Toledo is just outside of Madrid and was only a short drive away. Once we got there we walked around the old city with guided tours of synogogues turned mosques turned churches over time. Seems to be a dominating theme in the cathedrals of Spain. At least in the once Moorish states. Then after looking around a lot we had a couple hours to get lunch and shop around. I picked up my usual shot glass and a postcard, but that's about all.
Toledo was covered in fog when we got there in the morning, and it was briskly cold, but later in the day the fog cleared, the sun came out, and I fell asleep on a park bench.
Next we went to Santiago de Compostela which is in the northern Galicia region. Isabela and I had not been to Galicia on our journey, and now that we have the only part of Spain that we are going to have to leave out is Bilbao, unfortunately. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a famous pilgrimage sight for Catholics, which is why we ended up there. I had never heard of it until Isabela told me about this long journey from France to Spain that pilgrims travel and end at the cathedral in Santiago. It was beautiful there, and we toured every part of the cathedral. We even got to make it to a mass. During mass an Italian bishop was visiting and it was also a feast day. Since these two things were going on there was a little ceremony swinging a giant censor above the alter. We saw a smaller version of the one normally used, but it was enormous nonetheless. Probably the size of a toilet. I know its a bad comparison but that's the only universal description I could give to give you a good idea of what I'm talking about. So for about 10 minutes the censor was dramatically swaying across the alter attached to a rope hanging from the ceiling. It was very cool. Even though I'm not Catholic, or a pilgrim, I can appreciate it just as well.
Santiago was also interesting because it was our only day trip that we took a flight for. We woke up at 5am to leave the house and get to the airport, went straight to the cathedral once in Santiago, saw everything we wanted and had time to go slow and relax as well, then we caught a cab back to the airport and back to Madrid by 8p. Long day, but worth it. :)
Monday, December 5, 2011
Florence, Italia! 11/17 - 11/20
This will be brief, I'm sorry I've been behind with my adventures, but only a couple more to go and then I am done for the semester! Sadly.
I also heard that I have some blog-fans in Manchester's Milne Travel Agency! Shout out to you loyal readers! Love you Pam :D
My first trip to Italy was fantastic! The pasta wasn't as marvelous as I was hoping, but I guess pasta isn't really much to be desired when anyone can make it well if they tried. The gelato though, was definitely something we ate at least once or twice a day.
Our first night we walked around quite a bit, and explored. We ended up at a dance/show type gig where we stood and listened to the Italian jokes and singing. While the last act was singing the rooms tables and chairs were cleared out and it quickly turned into a club-like atmosphere. We had no idea what we were walking into and the smoke in the air was bothersome so we didn't stick around for more than a couple of hours.
I snuck lots of pictures of art on this trip. No pictures were allowed anywhere we went inside. I could snap plenty of the fake David's outside the Uffizi Museum. The Uffizi Gallery had amazing Renaissance artwork that I had studied, and like I always say, the more you know before you go the better you like the show, cause you know. I've never said that before but it sounded nice, and it rhymed. Rhyming things are nice.
The Uffizi was very cool with its Botticelli, da Vinci, Michaelangelo and whatnot. After that the boys went their own way because they have no patience, and the girls and myself headed to the Duomo. Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo) is one of the largest Catholic Cathedrals in the world, and it was designed to be THE largest originally. It was beautiful inside and I enjoyed looking around very much. I just love visiting churches in general, and other places of worship. There's God in all of them and its cool to see how other people worship compared to what I grew up knowing.
My family and I headed to the Acaddemy Gallery where the David statue by Michaelangelo stands. No pictures allowed, but the rule didn't go over too well with me. :X Just gotta be sneaky about it. Only once in all of my traveling has someone actually asked me to delete a picture I had taken, but a lot of times they have asked me to shut off my camera. I can do that of course, because I had already taken the picture I wanted. I don't get why pictures arent allowed without flash, it makes no sense to me.
We ate a lot of long and fulfilling meals while we were in Italy. For my brother and I it was our first time in Italy and so we didn't really have any expectations, and I had seen all of the sights I wanted to see. Everyone else had already traveled Italy and seen everything so it was really up to where my brother and I were dying to go.
One of our nights in Italy we went to an opera "The Marriage of Figaro." Now, everyone who has heard one opera song in their life has heard the Figaro song that I know nothing about... You know... FIGAROO FIGAROO FI_GA_ROOOOO! This opera was not that. It was about adultery and trickery and whatnot. Quite funny actually. It was my first ever, and I loved it! If I understood Italian it would not have been as cool because it all sounded so beautiful without understanding. The opera was in a evangelical church and it was quite quaint. I'm glad it was in a cold church instead of a big opera house like I kind of expected, it was more homie. My mom said that most operas shes heard of or seen in Italy are all in small venues like that. Friendly and personal.
One thing we definitely did a lot of... We shopped a lot on the streets in Italy. The leather was so cheap compared to everywhere else I've been in Europe. We shopped so much that I have lost most of my desire to buy any other things in Europe. Seriously. And that is an important statement because it is coming from the lady who has gone from one purse to 12 in her 4 month stay in this Western world! 1 to 12. Think on that for a second. I should get rid of some of them... BUT THEY'RE ALL SO PRETTY!
Anyway, shopping in Italy was like going to Morocco, where all of the stores give you a good price. But when you're among tons of good prices you always want better prices, so bargaining down is necessary.
Tips to good bargaining:
1) Never take out your money, and always keep small bills separate.
2) Check every nook and cranny for mistakes the creator may have made on the item
3) For every mistake you find tell them you want a discount
4) Never make an offer first.
5) Always go maximum half the offer that the seller gives you, and move from there. But sometimes you just know what something is worth, so you can go with your gut too.
6) Never change your price. Always make the vendor lower his/her price first.
7) Only go up in price an eighth of what you started. Vender wants 100, you offer 50. Vendor offers 90, you say 60. Don't change your price too much because then the vendor knows you're easy.
8) Always compare the item you're bargaining to the same item somewhere else. "You're selling this for $20? The guy over there is selling for $10."
9) If the vendor isn't having it than fiddle your fingers and leave the store very slowly, no one selling something likes to see money walking out of their store.
10) Be playful with the vendors. If you are nice and pretty you will get better prices. Many people do this for a living but its also a game of bluffing, like playing poker for a living.
11) Most importantly, NEVER bargain when you aren't 100% positive you want something. If you are a good bargainer, the vendor will lower the price and you'll have to buy at that point. Why waist 10 minutes bargaining for something you don't really truly want anyway? Oh yeah, cause its fun. At one point in Italy I annoyed a vendor so much with my lowballing that he gave me a bag for free. Oh, I forgot to count that... 13 purses.
We were treated wonderfully in Italy, and everyone was very friendly. Our lovely travel agent sent some wine to my parents' room and we felt right at home with all of the wine and food we absorbed in our short weekend.
Gratzie Italia.
I also heard that I have some blog-fans in Manchester's Milne Travel Agency! Shout out to you loyal readers! Love you Pam :D
My first trip to Italy was fantastic! The pasta wasn't as marvelous as I was hoping, but I guess pasta isn't really much to be desired when anyone can make it well if they tried. The gelato though, was definitely something we ate at least once or twice a day.
Our first night we walked around quite a bit, and explored. We ended up at a dance/show type gig where we stood and listened to the Italian jokes and singing. While the last act was singing the rooms tables and chairs were cleared out and it quickly turned into a club-like atmosphere. We had no idea what we were walking into and the smoke in the air was bothersome so we didn't stick around for more than a couple of hours.
I snuck lots of pictures of art on this trip. No pictures were allowed anywhere we went inside. I could snap plenty of the fake David's outside the Uffizi Museum. The Uffizi Gallery had amazing Renaissance artwork that I had studied, and like I always say, the more you know before you go the better you like the show, cause you know. I've never said that before but it sounded nice, and it rhymed. Rhyming things are nice.
The Uffizi was very cool with its Botticelli, da Vinci, Michaelangelo and whatnot. After that the boys went their own way because they have no patience, and the girls and myself headed to the Duomo. Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo) is one of the largest Catholic Cathedrals in the world, and it was designed to be THE largest originally. It was beautiful inside and I enjoyed looking around very much. I just love visiting churches in general, and other places of worship. There's God in all of them and its cool to see how other people worship compared to what I grew up knowing.
My family and I headed to the Acaddemy Gallery where the David statue by Michaelangelo stands. No pictures allowed, but the rule didn't go over too well with me. :X Just gotta be sneaky about it. Only once in all of my traveling has someone actually asked me to delete a picture I had taken, but a lot of times they have asked me to shut off my camera. I can do that of course, because I had already taken the picture I wanted. I don't get why pictures arent allowed without flash, it makes no sense to me.
We ate a lot of long and fulfilling meals while we were in Italy. For my brother and I it was our first time in Italy and so we didn't really have any expectations, and I had seen all of the sights I wanted to see. Everyone else had already traveled Italy and seen everything so it was really up to where my brother and I were dying to go.
One of our nights in Italy we went to an opera "The Marriage of Figaro." Now, everyone who has heard one opera song in their life has heard the Figaro song that I know nothing about... You know... FIGAROO FIGAROO FI_GA_ROOOOO! This opera was not that. It was about adultery and trickery and whatnot. Quite funny actually. It was my first ever, and I loved it! If I understood Italian it would not have been as cool because it all sounded so beautiful without understanding. The opera was in a evangelical church and it was quite quaint. I'm glad it was in a cold church instead of a big opera house like I kind of expected, it was more homie. My mom said that most operas shes heard of or seen in Italy are all in small venues like that. Friendly and personal.
One thing we definitely did a lot of... We shopped a lot on the streets in Italy. The leather was so cheap compared to everywhere else I've been in Europe. We shopped so much that I have lost most of my desire to buy any other things in Europe. Seriously. And that is an important statement because it is coming from the lady who has gone from one purse to 12 in her 4 month stay in this Western world! 1 to 12. Think on that for a second. I should get rid of some of them... BUT THEY'RE ALL SO PRETTY!
Anyway, shopping in Italy was like going to Morocco, where all of the stores give you a good price. But when you're among tons of good prices you always want better prices, so bargaining down is necessary.
Tips to good bargaining:
1) Never take out your money, and always keep small bills separate.
2) Check every nook and cranny for mistakes the creator may have made on the item
3) For every mistake you find tell them you want a discount
4) Never make an offer first.
5) Always go maximum half the offer that the seller gives you, and move from there. But sometimes you just know what something is worth, so you can go with your gut too.
6) Never change your price. Always make the vendor lower his/her price first.
7) Only go up in price an eighth of what you started. Vender wants 100, you offer 50. Vendor offers 90, you say 60. Don't change your price too much because then the vendor knows you're easy.
8) Always compare the item you're bargaining to the same item somewhere else. "You're selling this for $20? The guy over there is selling for $10."
9) If the vendor isn't having it than fiddle your fingers and leave the store very slowly, no one selling something likes to see money walking out of their store.
10) Be playful with the vendors. If you are nice and pretty you will get better prices. Many people do this for a living but its also a game of bluffing, like playing poker for a living.
11) Most importantly, NEVER bargain when you aren't 100% positive you want something. If you are a good bargainer, the vendor will lower the price and you'll have to buy at that point. Why waist 10 minutes bargaining for something you don't really truly want anyway? Oh yeah, cause its fun. At one point in Italy I annoyed a vendor so much with my lowballing that he gave me a bag for free. Oh, I forgot to count that... 13 purses.
We were treated wonderfully in Italy, and everyone was very friendly. Our lovely travel agent sent some wine to my parents' room and we felt right at home with all of the wine and food we absorbed in our short weekend.
Gratzie Italia.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Prague and Family! 11/11 - 11/13
With the weeks of school winding down, everyone has ten times more work than normal, EVEN ME! Not really though. I always give goals to myself and once they're on the list I have to get them done otherwise I feel like I have a lot hanging over my head. So the goals I create feel like homework and can stress me out just as easily. One might ask "jeez Yasmin, why create these goals then? Golly." Well, I don't usually intend to make goals they just happen. If I have to go to another part of town to work on a project that I've started because I thought it sounded like fun, that means that I can't just drop it and finish it later when I'm home and have no homework. Once it starts it doesn't end. Sometimes thats good, but other times I wish I had an off switch so that I didn't care an I could just take my time doing whatever I wanted.
Among the work I had to get started this weekend, my family was in Madrid for 5 days! I only was able to give them my nights and show them the apartment once, but otherwise it was a good amount of time. Dancing in Joy, going out to eat (of course) and introducing them to some of my friends was really nice. I feel more myself with them even though we hardly ever get along.
This past weekend we all went to Prague! In case you didn't know, Prague is AWESOME! It was so beautiful, even when the sun wasn't out or it was too cold to bare, the houses looked like a Christmas land, and everything felt really traditional. We saw stuff I didn't know existed, ate food that was so much better than in Spain, and we went to all kinds of museums including the Prague Castle, the Museum of Young Art, and the Gallery of Art. I thought the Young Art was the most interesting, and the 4th floor out of the 7 floors in the Gallery of Art was probably my absolute favorite. It had all kinds of impressionist, post-impressionist and cubism art that I had studied before so of course I was more interested because I knew what was going on. Interpreting art is always interesting but I'd rather learn about it in a classroom I think.
I was most excited to see the St. Cyril and St. Methodios Church that is one of the only Orthodox churches in Prague. Cyril and Methodios were brothers from Greece who grew up with a mother speaking Slavonic to them. They served the church and were missionaries. Essentially the pioneers of Christianity in ALL Slavic countries like Ukraine, Russia, Belarusa, Lithuania, and so on. Not to mention I have read a lot about them and their explorations and conflicts with the Pope and whatnot. Christian history fascinates me. Unfortunately the church wasn't as spectacular as I hoped, we couldn't even go inside! :( I just wanted to sit a minute in a Greek Orthodox church. That is the first thing I'm going to do when I arrive Sunday night December 18th in Manchester! Can't wait! I can have religion without church but I still miss the church atmosphere a lot.
At one point Isabela and I wanted to see a museum that the rest of my family wasn't too interested in, so we headed in our own direction. That was one of my favorite parts because we walked along the river and over the Charles Bridge. Even though it was cold, it was worth seeing the sights.
I'm gonna keep this one short because I really for the most part write these blogs for my family... and they were with me! haha
I tried different foods, of course, that's how my family vacations. It's nice though because it reminds me to slow down which is something I forget about. We didn't walk around as much as usual but I got some one on one time with everyone individually and it was really great for me even though my family and I can butt heads sometimes. Overcoming the tension and being happy together is just a challenge that makes our good times even more wonderful.
It's funny because my mom is the peacekeeper, and she is a Gemini. The rest of us buttheads and ironically my brother and I are both Scorpios and my dad is a Leo... interesting how all of those horoscopes seem to play their roles. Not that I believe in that stuff or anything...
Among the work I had to get started this weekend, my family was in Madrid for 5 days! I only was able to give them my nights and show them the apartment once, but otherwise it was a good amount of time. Dancing in Joy, going out to eat (of course) and introducing them to some of my friends was really nice. I feel more myself with them even though we hardly ever get along.
This past weekend we all went to Prague! In case you didn't know, Prague is AWESOME! It was so beautiful, even when the sun wasn't out or it was too cold to bare, the houses looked like a Christmas land, and everything felt really traditional. We saw stuff I didn't know existed, ate food that was so much better than in Spain, and we went to all kinds of museums including the Prague Castle, the Museum of Young Art, and the Gallery of Art. I thought the Young Art was the most interesting, and the 4th floor out of the 7 floors in the Gallery of Art was probably my absolute favorite. It had all kinds of impressionist, post-impressionist and cubism art that I had studied before so of course I was more interested because I knew what was going on. Interpreting art is always interesting but I'd rather learn about it in a classroom I think.
I was most excited to see the St. Cyril and St. Methodios Church that is one of the only Orthodox churches in Prague. Cyril and Methodios were brothers from Greece who grew up with a mother speaking Slavonic to them. They served the church and were missionaries. Essentially the pioneers of Christianity in ALL Slavic countries like Ukraine, Russia, Belarusa, Lithuania, and so on. Not to mention I have read a lot about them and their explorations and conflicts with the Pope and whatnot. Christian history fascinates me. Unfortunately the church wasn't as spectacular as I hoped, we couldn't even go inside! :( I just wanted to sit a minute in a Greek Orthodox church. That is the first thing I'm going to do when I arrive Sunday night December 18th in Manchester! Can't wait! I can have religion without church but I still miss the church atmosphere a lot.
At one point Isabela and I wanted to see a museum that the rest of my family wasn't too interested in, so we headed in our own direction. That was one of my favorite parts because we walked along the river and over the Charles Bridge. Even though it was cold, it was worth seeing the sights.
I'm gonna keep this one short because I really for the most part write these blogs for my family... and they were with me! haha
I tried different foods, of course, that's how my family vacations. It's nice though because it reminds me to slow down which is something I forget about. We didn't walk around as much as usual but I got some one on one time with everyone individually and it was really great for me even though my family and I can butt heads sometimes. Overcoming the tension and being happy together is just a challenge that makes our good times even more wonderful.
It's funny because my mom is the peacekeeper, and she is a Gemini. The rest of us buttheads and ironically my brother and I are both Scorpios and my dad is a Leo... interesting how all of those horoscopes seem to play their roles. Not that I believe in that stuff or anything...
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Parlez vous francais? 10/28- 10/31
I can see how some people might think of Paris as a romantic city. The city of love. It is a romantic and beautiful place to be. It's also the city of overly priced food, unforgettable world renowned art, and of course where there is art there is great history.
Isabela and I flew to Paris-Beauvais airport. It is an airport which, although its namesake is deceiving, is not in Paris. After waiting for our hour-late shuttle, it took us another 2 hours or so to get underneath the Eiffel Tower. That was our first stop and where we met up with Lais and Magda.
The weekend began quickly, and ended suddenly. I was hoping my chiropractor and his magic hands would have helped hold me together for the whole weekend but by the time the days were ending I was worn out and by our last day in Paris it was hard to do anything. I think I stuck it out pretty well though. We arrived in the afternoon on a Friday; walked around the Eiffel Tower and saw the NYU Paris campus. We enjoyed a lovely dinner out for my birthday, and had relaxing nights every night.
Saturday we went to the Musee du Louvre! AMAZING! I was disappointed that a lot of the rooms I wanted to see weren't open, but what I did get to see amazed me. I was running around drooling, taking pictures of all of the different artists I had studied like; Gericault, Delacroix, da Vinci, Donatello, Titian, Carracci, Rubens, Gentileschi, Reni, Louis David, and so so soooo much more! In just a couple of hours too! I loved it so much that when I returned to Madrid I wrote an email to my first art history teacher and raved all about it. Even though I don't remember everything I've learned about art, and I certainly don't know that much after a couple of classes, I still feel appreciation and respect for it in a way that makes me excited to keep learning or to see in person what I've already learned about. I definitely could not be an art history person though... museums can get boring after a couple of times; at least to me. Not to mention I have an awful memory. It's just a cool thing to be a part of.
That night we went to an authentic Cuban restaurant. It wouldn't have been difficult to get to if the Paris metro hadn't suddenly quit working. We had to take three trains to get back just because one metro line decided to die.
The next day Isabela, Magda, and I went to Versaille. Versaille was really cool but it was not as impressive as I thought it would be. The gold leaf everywhere was amazing, and the ceiling paintings in every room felt like someone worked on it like the Sistine Chapel... in every room. I saw copies of portraits I had studied of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette; and then realized that I had already seen the real thing the day before in the Louvre. I saw the bedroom chambers of dead kings and queens, which was creepy. Every room had a different color theme so looking down the corridor over the crowds of people I felt like I was looking at a rainbow. I walked through the Hall of Mirrors. The mirrors reflect the arches of the windows that overlook the grand garden outside. We didn't get to walk through the gardens or see the water show unfortunately, but maybe if I ever go back I will make a point to. It was amazing to be there knowing the process of how it was built and by who. I'm pretty sure we stood in the center of the same court where King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette were beheaded.
Later I went to the Musee d'Orsay and saw even MORE art that I had studied and fell in love with like; Renoir, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, and Van Gogh. It's amazing to me how much my appreciation for art has expanded over the past couple of years. I went into my Western Renaissance to Modern Art History class thinking that I was only taking it for a history credit, and I left with an enthusiasm for art that I didn't have before. That's what happens when you understand things I guess. I doubt there are many people who would get excited about an early 16th century painting of a woman with no eyebrows and an indistinct background, seated in the center with arms folded and half her body not there... unless they knew that the painting they were looking at was THE most famous painting in the world by Leonardo da Vinci. Not that I know much, cause I don't, but what little I do know makes the experience cooler. -- After seeing the museum I walked to a bridge that had hundreds of locks attached to the fence rail. They were locks of love. People come and write their names, poems, hearts, and lock them on the bridge over the Seine River that runs through Paris. One lock I found said "Sealed like a lock is the love I bear, never to part of this I swear. The only keys to break these ties, into the Seine never to rise." If I didn't read that I would have never known that the river's name. I looked it up because I thought it meant something in French. Nope, just a river.
I'd have to say my favorite part of the trip - if I had to choose out of all of the amazing things we did - would be our last night in Paris when Lais, Isabela, and I went to see the Eiffel Tower at night when it lights up and sparkles. I enjoyed my first French crepe with nutella and banana on it, we took a lot of pictures, and then we walked underneath the Tower to the other side where there was a park of people sitting in groups drinking; a lot like the Madrilenos do in parks. I laid on the grass looking at the Eiffel Tower, and I just had a moment to relax my mind and my body. It reminded me a lot of nights at home with my best friend Laura; sometimes when we didn't drive out to the river to sit on top of my car and look at the stars, we would just lay in the middle of the street at night looking up and talking about our lives and different things that would cross our minds. I don't think I have missed home so much being here as I did while I was looking at the Eiffel Tower; which is interesting to me since #France #EiffelTower have absolutely nothing to do with home.
When we left the park we walked back under the Tower to head to the metro and eventually bed. Just as we were leaving the park, the police came to clear everyone out, because just like most places in the world being at parks after a certain our or drinking in public, isn't really a legal thing to do. We went on our way without anyone even asking us to leave. After heading in our direction I noticed that my phone was missing. I immediately new that I had left it on the grass in the park. I left Isabela and Lais and ran to the park, which was now completely fenced off. I looked around to see if the police were watching, and when I felt the coast was clear I hopped the fence, and used Lais's phone to shine on the grass and call my number. Just as I spotted my phone a police officer yelled something at me in French. I ran to the fence, and bent it down so that it was easier to hop over. I thought that the police officer who was yelling at me would chase me or something... or I just didn't want to have legal problems in a foreign country, so I sprinted back to where I left the girls and we headed on our way. It was only trespassing but run-ins with the law is always exciting; that also reminds me of New Hampshire.
Our last day in Paris was Monday, and we returned to Madrid late that night. That day Isabela and I went to Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle Chapel. Notre Dame was breathtaking just as the other chapels we have been to. It was more breathtaking than the catedrals in Spain, with the exception of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. Inside we sat for a while in the pews.
I took the opportunity for further reflection and prayer; as I am not so frequently able to go to my own church while abroad. I've adopted the Catholic church as a good replacement for prayer-emergencies haha. Afterward we followed a tour led by a man who used to be a professor in the United States.
He explained to us the history of the images outside of the cathedral and every intricate detail in the stone. Unfortunately, Isabela and I ran out of time and had to leave before the tour ended so we could get to Sainte-Chapelle, where I saw the most amazing stained glass I have ever seen. My mom's obsession with stained glass rubbed off on me a little and I just felt amazed and hurt my neck from looking up so much. The light was beautiful when shone through the glass.
Once returning to Madrid I realized that every journey I've been on to different places has taught me something about myself. The things I learn about myself aren't always bad or good sometimes they're just habits that people point out to me or things that I say all of the time. Tijuana, Mexico taught me about patience. Beius, Romania taught me a little bit about understanding and inner strength. Sosua, DR taught me about growing up and moving forward. Every place has taught me something, and all of them have taught me bits and pieces that I have tried to put together along the way. I learn about all of these things everywhere I go, but every trip still seems to have its dominating theme. In Paris I started to learn how to let go of things that I tend to hold onto. Self-awareness isn't really any good unless you do something with what you're aware of.
Isabela and I flew to Paris-Beauvais airport. It is an airport which, although its namesake is deceiving, is not in Paris. After waiting for our hour-late shuttle, it took us another 2 hours or so to get underneath the Eiffel Tower. That was our first stop and where we met up with Lais and Magda.
The weekend began quickly, and ended suddenly. I was hoping my chiropractor and his magic hands would have helped hold me together for the whole weekend but by the time the days were ending I was worn out and by our last day in Paris it was hard to do anything. I think I stuck it out pretty well though. We arrived in the afternoon on a Friday; walked around the Eiffel Tower and saw the NYU Paris campus. We enjoyed a lovely dinner out for my birthday, and had relaxing nights every night.
Saturday we went to the Musee du Louvre! AMAZING! I was disappointed that a lot of the rooms I wanted to see weren't open, but what I did get to see amazed me. I was running around drooling, taking pictures of all of the different artists I had studied like; Gericault, Delacroix, da Vinci, Donatello, Titian, Carracci, Rubens, Gentileschi, Reni, Louis David, and so so soooo much more! In just a couple of hours too! I loved it so much that when I returned to Madrid I wrote an email to my first art history teacher and raved all about it. Even though I don't remember everything I've learned about art, and I certainly don't know that much after a couple of classes, I still feel appreciation and respect for it in a way that makes me excited to keep learning or to see in person what I've already learned about. I definitely could not be an art history person though... museums can get boring after a couple of times; at least to me. Not to mention I have an awful memory. It's just a cool thing to be a part of.
That night we went to an authentic Cuban restaurant. It wouldn't have been difficult to get to if the Paris metro hadn't suddenly quit working. We had to take three trains to get back just because one metro line decided to die.
The next day Isabela, Magda, and I went to Versaille. Versaille was really cool but it was not as impressive as I thought it would be. The gold leaf everywhere was amazing, and the ceiling paintings in every room felt like someone worked on it like the Sistine Chapel... in every room. I saw copies of portraits I had studied of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette; and then realized that I had already seen the real thing the day before in the Louvre. I saw the bedroom chambers of dead kings and queens, which was creepy. Every room had a different color theme so looking down the corridor over the crowds of people I felt like I was looking at a rainbow. I walked through the Hall of Mirrors. The mirrors reflect the arches of the windows that overlook the grand garden outside. We didn't get to walk through the gardens or see the water show unfortunately, but maybe if I ever go back I will make a point to. It was amazing to be there knowing the process of how it was built and by who. I'm pretty sure we stood in the center of the same court where King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette were beheaded.
Later I went to the Musee d'Orsay and saw even MORE art that I had studied and fell in love with like; Renoir, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, and Van Gogh. It's amazing to me how much my appreciation for art has expanded over the past couple of years. I went into my Western Renaissance to Modern Art History class thinking that I was only taking it for a history credit, and I left with an enthusiasm for art that I didn't have before. That's what happens when you understand things I guess. I doubt there are many people who would get excited about an early 16th century painting of a woman with no eyebrows and an indistinct background, seated in the center with arms folded and half her body not there... unless they knew that the painting they were looking at was THE most famous painting in the world by Leonardo da Vinci. Not that I know much, cause I don't, but what little I do know makes the experience cooler. -- After seeing the museum I walked to a bridge that had hundreds of locks attached to the fence rail. They were locks of love. People come and write their names, poems, hearts, and lock them on the bridge over the Seine River that runs through Paris. One lock I found said "Sealed like a lock is the love I bear, never to part of this I swear. The only keys to break these ties, into the Seine never to rise." If I didn't read that I would have never known that the river's name. I looked it up because I thought it meant something in French. Nope, just a river.
I'd have to say my favorite part of the trip - if I had to choose out of all of the amazing things we did - would be our last night in Paris when Lais, Isabela, and I went to see the Eiffel Tower at night when it lights up and sparkles. I enjoyed my first French crepe with nutella and banana on it, we took a lot of pictures, and then we walked underneath the Tower to the other side where there was a park of people sitting in groups drinking; a lot like the Madrilenos do in parks. I laid on the grass looking at the Eiffel Tower, and I just had a moment to relax my mind and my body. It reminded me a lot of nights at home with my best friend Laura; sometimes when we didn't drive out to the river to sit on top of my car and look at the stars, we would just lay in the middle of the street at night looking up and talking about our lives and different things that would cross our minds. I don't think I have missed home so much being here as I did while I was looking at the Eiffel Tower; which is interesting to me since #France #EiffelTower have absolutely nothing to do with home.
When we left the park we walked back under the Tower to head to the metro and eventually bed. Just as we were leaving the park, the police came to clear everyone out, because just like most places in the world being at parks after a certain our or drinking in public, isn't really a legal thing to do. We went on our way without anyone even asking us to leave. After heading in our direction I noticed that my phone was missing. I immediately new that I had left it on the grass in the park. I left Isabela and Lais and ran to the park, which was now completely fenced off. I looked around to see if the police were watching, and when I felt the coast was clear I hopped the fence, and used Lais's phone to shine on the grass and call my number. Just as I spotted my phone a police officer yelled something at me in French. I ran to the fence, and bent it down so that it was easier to hop over. I thought that the police officer who was yelling at me would chase me or something... or I just didn't want to have legal problems in a foreign country, so I sprinted back to where I left the girls and we headed on our way. It was only trespassing but run-ins with the law is always exciting; that also reminds me of New Hampshire.
Our last day in Paris was Monday, and we returned to Madrid late that night. That day Isabela and I went to Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle Chapel. Notre Dame was breathtaking just as the other chapels we have been to. It was more breathtaking than the catedrals in Spain, with the exception of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. Inside we sat for a while in the pews.
I took the opportunity for further reflection and prayer; as I am not so frequently able to go to my own church while abroad. I've adopted the Catholic church as a good replacement for prayer-emergencies haha. Afterward we followed a tour led by a man who used to be a professor in the United States.
He explained to us the history of the images outside of the cathedral and every intricate detail in the stone. Unfortunately, Isabela and I ran out of time and had to leave before the tour ended so we could get to Sainte-Chapelle, where I saw the most amazing stained glass I have ever seen. My mom's obsession with stained glass rubbed off on me a little and I just felt amazed and hurt my neck from looking up so much. The light was beautiful when shone through the glass.
Once returning to Madrid I realized that every journey I've been on to different places has taught me something about myself. The things I learn about myself aren't always bad or good sometimes they're just habits that people point out to me or things that I say all of the time. Tijuana, Mexico taught me about patience. Beius, Romania taught me a little bit about understanding and inner strength. Sosua, DR taught me about growing up and moving forward. Every place has taught me something, and all of them have taught me bits and pieces that I have tried to put together along the way. I learn about all of these things everywhere I go, but every trip still seems to have its dominating theme. In Paris I started to learn how to let go of things that I tend to hold onto. Self-awareness isn't really any good unless you do something with what you're aware of.
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