Thursday, May 23, 2013

Reflecting


Today it was so beautiful here. The weather was very nice it was 85 degrees most of the day. However I do miss the Paris weather. Although it some people might think Im crazy i love the 55 degrees days. I can't wait to go back. I feel bad for my friends because they have to listen to the same stories over and over again. I still tell everyone my favorite part was the Louvre. I don't think I could have planned a better trip. I still can't believe I'm not waking up in Paris. I think Paris was such a great learning experience. The best way to learn is to get outside of your comfort zone. Everyday we were outside of our comfort zone on our trip. We weren't familiar with the language or the customs. However we were able to learn so much from that. Especially about ourselves!


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

I still can't believe I'm home! I miss Paris so much. I especially miss everyone from the trip. Nothing could beat the experiences we had in France. The only thing I don't like is how jet lagged I am. I am very happy to be home though. It is really nice to see my friends and family again.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Home


Home!

Today is my first day home in Virginia. It feels really weird to be back in the states. I am still trying to adjust to the six hour time change. The food is so different after being in Paris for ten days. However it was nice to eat food I am familiar with. It is also nice to be able to understand the menu! I am very excited to see my family and dogs again. I already miss Paris and my Maymester group. 


My first real meal back in the United States..Crab Dip!


Monday, May 20, 2013

Our Trip Home!



Today was extremely long. After a 9 hour and 15 minute flight we finally arrived back in Atlanta. I did not sleep at all on the flight it was rough. However I was lucky to get to sit by my friends so it was fun. After countless games of hangman, a few light shows, and two bad movies we were back. Then I had to catch my flight back to Charleston. It was an extremely long day. However it was very comforting to be back home and in a country were everyone speaks your language. Paris will be missed but it is nice to be home!


Airport in Paris.



Sunday, May 19, 2013

Final Day in Paris


We visited most of the places but definitely a few to add to the list next time I visit Paris!

Today was our last day in Paris. It is very bittersweet. I have had the most amazing time here. Today we stayed around our hotel area. The weather was bad so it was nice being close to our hotel when in down poured. We had an awesome lunch at a café right across from our hotel. Then we walked around and did our final sight seeing. After that we went to dinner. We ate at a Chinese restaurant because we felt it was only appropriate since we passed them everyday. After that we went to a different café for dessert. I got nutella crepes they were amazing. Everyone on the trip met up for a final fun night. I am really sad to leave Paris! This trip has been a once in a lifetime experience with amazing people!

Awesome nutella crepes!


Saturday, May 18, 2013

An Eventful Day in Paris




This morning we visited a market. It was very interesting. They had all kinds of things. Most of them on the first street seemed to have been stolen. However the deeper we got into the market the cooler the items became. After the market we went to a wonderful restaurant shop. I got a ham and cheese it was delicious. Next we went to the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs. I loved it. The museum was full of innovated art pieces. Everything was so interesting to look at. Next we visited the Louvre. I was so surprised by the museum. I was expecting it to be just like any other ordinary museum but it was amazing. The Louvre was huge. It would take years to see everything they had. We got to see the Mona Lisa. Although the line was very long. My favorite section was the Egyptian section. Every piece of art in there was amazing. We even got to see a mummy. I also really enjoyed going into Napoleon’s apartment. The dinning room was incredible. The Louvre was one of my favorite museums. I recommend everyone going there once. 





Awesome artwork from the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs.


In Front of the Louvre!


The art from Ancient Egypt is amazing. It consisted of a lot of hieroglyphics, sphinx, and mummies. Ancient Egypt was located in northeast Africa. They use images and text to depict stories. These images and texts could be found on temple walls, tombs, and even statues. Paints were obtained from minerals such as iron, copper, soot or charcoal and limestone. Their art is extremely one of kind. There is nothing like it today. That is why it is so popular amongst tourists. 











Ancient Greek artwork can also be found at the Louvre. Their artwork mainly consists of statues and paintings based around their mythology. One of the most famous art pieces is the statue of the goddess of love. Her name is Venus of Milo. The sculptor is unknown however it was created around 120 B.C. Art was extremely prevalent during Ancient Greek. This is mainly because of Alexander the Great. His success spread throughout the classes. This allowed them to have many luxuries and truly appreciate art. This is reflected throughout their artwork mainly because there is a lot of gold and marble. 







In the 19th century part of the Louvre you can visit a section known as Roman Rooms. The ceilings are amazing in these sections. The come from the ground floor apartment of Louis the XIV’s mother’s apartment. Her apartment consisted of six rooms. An architect named Louis Le Vau oversaw the project. The ceilings are breathtaking. There is an immense amount of gold throughout them. They are also extremely detailed and consist of multiple different paintings. I think people enjoy this exhibit because it is always very interesting to see what it would have been like to live like a queen or king. 




Napoleons apartment was one of my favorite parts in the Louvre. It was incredible. I couldn’t imagine living there. The apartment was created in the 18th century. The amount of gold throughout it is unbelievable. The contrast between all the gold and dark red furniture almost makes you feel sick. The dining room is incredible. Everything in there is extremely exaggerated. The table itself is huge. I think people love seeing Napoleons apartment because he is known for his affluent lifestyle. This apartment alone surpasses Napoleons wealthy reputation.