Spring Break Part 2: Paris!

After a fantastic (and far too short) trip to Switzerland, the five of us reluctantly (or at least I was quite sad to leave) got on the first of two trains to Paris, France. I think it's funny, because before going on spring break if someone had asked me where I was more excited to go I would have answered Paris in a second. It's probably because I've really known about Paris for most of my life - from the Madeline series to Midnight in Paris, in some way it has always been there. I've always been a city girl (I mean hey, I've been to New York seven times... That's saying something!) But then when we were in Switzerland I realized just how amazing and beautiful natural landscape truly can be. Looking back I wish we could have spent an extra day hiking in Switzerland, but this just gives me all the more reason to travel either back to the Alps, or to make use of the Rockies in the US.

Expressing my excitement.

But anyway, it's not that I didn't like Paris! I definitely liked Paris. After our six hour train ride (I love Europe, and trains! You can see so much!), we met one of the hostel people at a nearby train station and got our keys. He took us to the hostel, which was actually an apartment being leased as a room for the hostel company. I was a little weirded out because the five of us were sleeping in the living room on triple bunks, and there were more people we didn't know in the actual bedroom. And the eight people total had to share one bathroom. I had read on the internet that the hostel supposedly had pretty good views, and when we looked out our window in the living room if you really pressed yourself up against it, you could just see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It was pretty awesome because even though it was far away it is lit up at night, and it sparkles! So once we saw that, we decided to actually go down to it! That made me more excited to be in Paris again. I think I was just overwhelmed from going from such a quiet village to a loud city again.

So luckily one of the girls I was traveling with spent a month in Paris last summer, so she was our go-to directions girl. She got us to the Eiffel Tower in one piece and it was just as cool as I expected! Especially all lit up like that. And it also sparkles every hour for ten minutes, which is even cooler. Our last full day in Paris I went up in the tower, but it was pretty foggy so I never really did get to see it clearly in the daylight.

The next day we went to a patisserie for breakfast, and I got quiche. It was delicious! After that we went over to Notre Dame. That was so. awesome. And I have to say, Disney did a fantastic job animating the cathedral. It looked just the same in person as it did in Hunchback. We went up to the top, and I saw gargoyles, random graffiti on the top of the tower, and one of the bells!

One of the gargoyles looking over the city

After our climb to the top of Notre Dame, we went over to Shakespeare and Company Bookstore. This place now rivals The Strand on my list of favorite bookstores. It wasn't huge, but crammed to the brim with books of all styles. They had a floor-to-ceiling shelf of Shakespeare plays, of course, and of course a large fiction selection. But there were also large poetry, cooking, history, play, mystery, science fiction, and childrens sections - you name it, the bookstore probably had it. Pictures weren't allowed, but has that ever stopped me?

I mean LOOK at this place! I could have spent all day here.

In the second floor of the bookstore they had a room which had a bed and a piano in it. I'm guessing people can sleep up there, though I'm not really sure why? There was also another room with a typewriter in it, which was known as the 'library room'. There was a large collection of books donated by a patron which could be read in the store but not taken out. I didn't look too closely at them but there seemed to be a nice selection.

I went back to Shakespeare and Company the last full day we were in Paris, and bought a couple of more books. (Sorry parents, I told myself I'd stop after this. I really will! I swear!) So I now have a little mini collection of my own. I bought a copy of Shakespeare's sonnets, so now I have Shakespeare from Shakespeare and Company! Hehe! I think the bookstore was probably my favorite part of Paris.

My other favorite part (because I love this movie) was when I went on a self-guided Midnight in Paris tour. But before my little tour I first went to the Musée d'Orsay. I don't consider myself an art aficionado by any means, but I do really love impressionism. Monet, Renoir, Manet, Pissaro, Sisley, Degas - they were all at this museum. Of course Van Gogh as well and Seurat as well. It was so fun to walk around and find paintings that I recognized.

Voilá!

I then hopped on a random metro train (I know, probably a bad idea in hindsight) and kind of felt like Gil in Midnight in Paris. I was on the hunt for the church steps where he first was taken back in time, and after closely following the map (who needs the maps app?) I found them!

I didn't end up going back in time - much to my dismay - but walked down the street and just took it all in. It was just as cool as I expected. There were a lot of little alleys and side streets, so I could easily see why this location was picked. It could have been so easy to get lost!

I went and walked around by Notre Dame again, and went to a few stands near there. I got a water-color painting of the Eiffel Tower, and looked at some old antique books. Most were in French, but it was still fun to look at.

After writing about Paris, I think I actually liked it more than I realized. It was a fun city, big, but not overly so. I think I would go back again someday! Au revoir!

Spring Break 2012 Part 1: MOUNTAINS!!

I have to ask, how has this much time already passed? It seems like yesterday that I was coming off the plane in Heathrow, not really sure as to what time/day it was. Now I'm sitting on my bed in my flat that first felt like a weird hotel-camp hybrid, and now feels like home. Spring break has come and gone, and what a trip it was.

After a lovely 4:15AM wakeup call on the first day of our trip, the five of us Spring Break travelers were off to Gatwick Airport. Transportation to Switzerland included a cab to the train station, a train to the airport, and then finally the plane to Zurich. After that was another train to Interlaken, so needless to say by the end of that first day I think all of us were asleep by 10PM. Never in my life did I honestly think I would set foot in the Swiss Alps. Basically after ten minutes of hiking, I was hooked. The mountains were beautiful, the best of the best. They were pointy, snow covered, and monstrous. I could not hide my excitement, as noted in this picture:

How was this real life?!

The hike we took the first day was only supposed to be a small hike around a surrounding village, but it turned into a hike half way up one of the mountains. It was worth every almost (and actual) slip and mud stains that coated the bottoms of my pant-legs and tennis shoes. The weather could not have been better. Blue skies, and mild temperatures. We spent both days outside, which was wonderful. The first afternoon we went down to one of the lakes near Interlaken, and just sat and enjoyed.

 

The next day we went hiking higher up in the mountains. We took a tram up, which kind of felt like a roller coaster. The view from up in the mountains was different, but just as amazing. We went on an hour long hike from the tram stop to a small touristy village where we ate lunch at a place called the Edelweiss Cafe. We sat outside (loved the nice weather!) and had an awesome view of the mountains:

It was pretty much a straight drop down right after this safety bar! It was a little unnerving, especially because I had the seat closest to the railing. The rest of the day was spent hiking around the area, and taking in the sights. There were lots of little cabins around, which I think would be a fun place to go back and stay.

Overall I would say Switzerland was my favorite place we went over break. It was relaxing, beautiful, and just what I needed in a spring break. Basically, the one thing I have to say for this whole trip is, "I love mountains!!!"