Fall Break

It seems like so long ago that I sat down and booked fall break. A concept that I was very excited for seeing as we don’t have it back home. What could be better than a full week off from classes to relax and travel. Of course even the best laid plans go awry, which came in the form of our flight being cancelled due to transportation strikes in Italy, two days before we were suppose to leave. A planned strike like this was not something I was use to or expecting. It’s one of those things you learn to take as they come and say that’s Italy for you. However, at the time I was very upset by the whole affair and couldn’t figure out why the school hadn’t warned us earlier of the planned strike, which seems to be common here. A few weeks ago I could hear drums and protestors down the street, shouting over some other offense. Anyhow after several hours of frustration I managed to book another flight, which was more expensive, out of Pisa, which was more inconvenient. Now I had to take a private bus from Florence to Pisa because the trains and busses were also on strike. What a way to start a vacation. But, at least this was the extent of my bad luck and the rest of the trip went smoothly.

Barcelona

From the warm weather, to the beautiful beaches and lively scene Barcelona was the place to be. Deciding the best way to reacquaint myself with the city was by bus; I leapt on to the hop on hop off bus and set off on a whirlwind tour. As I sped down the streets past the high rises and out to the seaside déjà vu hit me full on as I had a moment’s panic attack that I had ended up in the wrong city. Barcelona definitely reminded me of Miami, which endeared it to me even more. The first sight I had to see was the only place I recalled from my last visit here nine years ago, the Sagrada Familia. The famous church designed by the infamous Gaudi was just as I remembered it, under construction. As I walked through the interior I marveled over the massiveness of the structure and the intricate design. Shortly after this my tour continued with a leisurely stroll through Parc Guell, which boasted fabulous views and eclectic music. The final stop for the day was Mt. Tibidabo, an amusement park high above the city where I watched the sunset on a perfect first day. Of course nothings perfect and this fully hit home with the mad dash down the mountain to catch the last bus back to the city, luckily I made it. The next few days were filled with visits to famous museums, Picasso anyone, and strolls around this beautiful city.

Having had my fill of delectable sangrias and tapas I was glad to be heading to Paris, even if our flight was at six in the morning. Arriving groggy yet excited I met the day head on. Our apartment was located a stones through from Notre Dame in the lively students section, I could almost hear the people sing. Two of my favorite stories of all time take place in Paris and neither of them are real. But that’s the thing about Paris it makes the unbelievable seem possible. So, much to my dismay there are no tours of the underground of the Opera Garnier to search for the lair of the Phantom and while you can visit the Egouts (sewers) and follow in Jean Valjean’s footsteps I decided to stay in nicer smelling areas, with the exception of the occasional subway ride. This trip marked one of the first vacations where I broke the “no castles” rule. I went on my own to visit Versailles and it was worth it. While the exterior of the Palace was definitely outshined by Catherine’s Palace the opulence and elegance of the interior and gardens were incomparable. Walking for miles you don’t even realize it because you are too captivated by your surroundings, which this time of year had an eerie beauty, since all the flowers were dead and the trees were falling from the trees. Chilly, the sun played peek-a-boo all day, teasing me as I wandered the maze of pathways. A delightful day, ended with a conversation with a local gentleman of the area who gave me even more information on the gardens. He and is friend had actually just finished a book that is about to be published on the hidden mysteries on the gardens, something I’m looking forward to reading.
Some other highlights of the trip were of course visiting the Eiffel tower, the Louvre and the musee d’Orsay. However, another side trip I took was out to Giverny (pronounced jiv) to see Monet’s house and famous gardens. Only an hour or so outside of Paris this is well worth the visit. The gardens, even in their final days of being open, are beautiful and you can see why the artist was so inspired by his surroundings. The lily pads gracing the water and the trees solemnly standing guard over the pond had everyone oohing and ahhing.

All in all fall break was an amazing event. Not only did I get to explore some wonderful places but I also discovered how independent I can be. On several occasions I struck out on my own and managed to navigate unfamiliar streets and transportation routes and have experiences of a lifetime.