Last Thursday I left for Paris. We got there around 8pm, and we immediately met up with our friend Ali who is studying in Paris. It was so nice to be able to stay with someone that knows the city, otherwise it would've been overwhelming. Paris is HUGE! That night we celebrated Ali's roommate's 21st birthday. After some drinks and games of flip cup, we headed out to a club. The next day we woke up early to see the Louvre, walk through the Jardines des Tuileries and the Avenue des Champs Elysees, and to see the Arc de Triomphe. I thought I walked a lot in Sevilla-I was wrong! My feet have never hurt so much. After hours of walking around the city and along the Seine, we headed home to rest before going out. That night we cooked vegetable pasta, and I realized how much I miss cooking! Wierd, right? In Spain, Lola (my host mom) makes all my meals for me so it sometimes gets old not to be able to pick what I want to eat. After dinner, we headed out to an Australian Bar and I had a blast. After an hour or two we tried to get into a an upscale club, but with one look at the 5 of us the bouncer turned us down. I guess we didn't dress to impress. Also, being American isn't always the most favorable in Europe.
The next day we checked out the Notre Dame, climbed the Eiffel Tower (only to the second floor because the top was closed), ate nutella and banana crepes by the Palais de Chaillot, and wandered around the city some more. Wandering is probably one of my favorite ways to explore cities because I get a feel for a city this way. Also, Paris was beautiful so I loved walking around and seeing different parts of it.
On the third day we took a train to Fountainebleau to see the Chateau de Fontainebleau. I learned that the Chateau was used by all of the French ruling dynasties, dating back to the 1100s. The Chateau was had absolutely beautiful gardens and was breathtaking from the outside. Inside, we toured the Grand Apartments, which included the Papal Apartment, the sovereign's apartments and the Emperor's apartment and the Throne Room. All of the rooms we saw had much of the original furniture and intricate tapestries and paintings. It was quite a sight to see. After touring the Chateau, we headed back to Paris to see the Sacre-Coure, a beautiful Roman Catholic Church located on the highest point of the city. This area of the city was one of my favorites because there were hundreds of people sitting on the hills below the Sacre Coure lounging around and enjoying the weather. There were also a lot of cute shops and restaurants. After enjoying yet another crepe, we headed to the Moulin Rouge.
The next day we went on a hunt to the find the Taco Shop. There's a Taco Shop in Madison, and the only other 2 locations in the world are Amsterdam and Copenhagen. After walking for what seemed like an eternity we finally found it but it was CLOSED! Instead, we took a picture just to document our dedication. We then headed over to the Van Gogh museum. Although I enjoyed the museum, I was disappointed that this museum didn't have Starry Night. Oh well! That night we went to a restaurant that boasted over 100 specialty beers and traditional Belgian food.
The next morning we woke up at nice and early to catch a plane to Berlin. Berlin was not what I expected at all. Since its the capital of Germany, I expected to be extremely modern and metropolitan. Although some areas were, there were other areas that were really old and there were obvious remnants from the Cold War. I think this is what made Berlin such an interesting city. Different parts of it seemed like a completely different city.
On the first day we headed to a section of the old Berlin Wall were there was a memorial for all those that died trying to cross it. We then headed to the Parliament building, the Brandenburg Gate (the only remaining city gate of the original 14), Unter den Linden, and Bebelplatz (the square where the Nazi's burned the books). That night we ate some authentic German food - unleavened bread, sausage, potatoes and sauerkraut. Although I wouldn't want to eat heavy food like that everyday, it was surprisingly really good. I even ate the sauerkraut, which I've always been hesitant to try at home. That night we headed out to a club called Watergate that overlooked the river. Going out in Berlin is MUCH different than Spain. In Spain if you want to even think about getting into a trendy club, you must wear heels, a skirt or dress. If you want to get in for free, I've learned to not speak English while I'm waiting in line. However, Berlin is more laid back. Basically, you won't get into a club if you are too dressed up. Also, house music was founded in Berlin, so the music was a lot different. Although I had a lot of fun at Watergate, the club scene in Berlin wasn't my favorite. Trying to dance to house music was an interesting experience..
The next day we checked out Topographie des Terrors, which was the former location of the headquarters for the SS and the Gestapo during WWII. Outside there were more remains of the Berlin Wall and inside there was a plethora of history on WWII. I find WWII really interesting to read about, so I tried to take my time going through this exhibit. We then went to the Berliner Dom, a church that was supposed to have a good view of Berlin, but it was closed. Instead, we decided to enjoy some German beers by the river and we met some Dutch people that we ended up going out with that night.
Its good to be back in Sevilla, but its bittersweet. This trip was my largest, and it felt like it was so far away for such a long time. Now that its over means I go home soon :( Although I do miss my family and friends at times, this trip had been such an amazing experience. I'm not ready to go home yet, but I have to snap back into reality at some point. I only have 3 weeks left here, so I better take advantage of it!
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario