PARIS!!

sorry i have been slacking on posts!

Ive been in Paris a couple of weeks now and i LOVE IT!! The first day we got here we took a boat tour down the Sine river and saw all the major sites, the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and all the Museums! it was beautiful. We had class in the Louvre, how freaking cool!! I felt like i was in the movie the DaVinci code haha. The class pyramids were even cooler in real life! We walked around for almost 4 hours, my feet were killing me. We hit all the major pieces, Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and so many more. We also had class in the Musee dOrsay and say some Manet. After the site visit we stalked the Chloe fashion show because its PARIS FASHION WEEK!!! Kayne West was here the other day, so was Rachel Zoe, my roomie spotted them but i was home sick. I've had a cold ever since i've been here..which turned into a double ear infection the day before my 21st bday. GROSS! anyway, back to the sites, then bday stories. We walked along the Champs Elysee, a super fancy shopping street and saw the Arch d'Triumph and walked under it. How very Parisian!! We saw Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle with amazing stained glass windows. Everything here is just...pretty. 

Shopping here...is unbelievable. its high class, expensive and kinda scary. We went to a huge mall, 5 stories. no stores..its like one big gallery. all the designers kinda mesh together. You just wander around and gawk. everything is hundreds of euros and just gorgeous. even the building was stunning with a glass dome ceiling and exquisite architecture. Only the Parisians would make sure their shopping malls were that top notch. 

so i'm finally legal...in the states! turning 21 here..was interesting. the Parisians didn't quite get why 21 was a big deal and didn't get the shot book...but they went along with it and gave me an amazing birthday. my Alfani roomies took me for yummy sushi for lunch and then for dinner a bunch of us went to this amazing cafe.  i love french food. they brought is soups to try and bread and meats. THEN the meal. Veal, mashed potaotes, the best grilled mushrooms ever, and salad. and wine of course!! ooh and the dessert! they dimmed the lights and i turned around to see the whole wait staff walking toward me with a cake and sparklers! they sang to me and clapped! it was SO cute!! the night before, the girls got my cake and decorated my bed with baloons. i love them!! after eating more than we could handle we went to a bar then dancing but it was Wednesday..so nothing too crazy. all and all it was a pretty good bday! thanks everyone!! 

this weekend im going to see the D-day beaches in San Malo. my internet is super slow and it wouldnt let me dl pics..but there are a ton on facebook! check them out!! 

I'M FREE!!!! time to SKI!!!!!!!!

Finals/Midterms are OVER!!! My huge duffel had been shipped to Paris= I will be living out of my backpack for 2 weeks! SWEET. Tomorrow morning I will be on my way to Interlaken, Switzerland for 3 nights. Hopefully this will be me....

But most likely, since I have no hand eye coordination and have never skiied before in my life, and beginners probably shouldn't start on the SWISS ALPS..this is what I will look like...ouch

well..I hope I come out alive and with all my bones in tact. 

wish me luck. yikes!

CIAO ITALY!!! thanks for all the good times and good food! 

finals week

2 papers down, 1 final and 2 midterms to go. OY!! im so bogged down with studying i can't even get excited for the 10 day break. ok lies. IM SO EXCITED!!! traveling around Italy has been fabulous but it's time to spread my wings and explore the rest of Europe! First stop, Switzerland! I will be staying 3 nights in Interlocken, skiing, falling down the Swiss Alps and relaxing. 2nd stop, Viena, just a short stay to see some sites. 3rd stop, Prague! 2 nights wandering around and find cool stuff to see. Last stop...AMSTERDAM!!! 3 nights of more relaxation. i will not make any travel plans for those days, who knows what will happen. i just hope i survive this week and come out alive so i can enjoy my break!! then it's BONJOUR PARIS!!! the trip is half way over and i wouldnt change a thing. we have seen every landmark there is, eaten all the local food and seen all the cool local night life. i will miss florence but i am ready for big scary Paris, i just hope its ready for us!! 

ROME!

Last weekend we had a school trip to Rome. I have never walked so much or seen so much history in 3 days. I hurt all over when i got home but it was worth it.  The first night we got a feel for the city and saw some political buildings and some fountains, including the famous Trevi Fountain..beautiful! The next day we did religious Rome and saw the Vatican and the art associated with it. The last day was the best!! we saw Ancient Rome!! The famous stuff you see on postcards and the history channel. The Collosuem, the Foruem, tons of ruins and more! it was great. We had this crazy Austrailian tour guide who was a walking encyclopedia . The first night we went out to dinner with a big group and had a really good meal for pretty cheap! The next night...PUB CRAWL!! it was Mallory's 20th birthday so we had to go out and celebrate Roman style! It was crazy! for the first hour we got free beer and pizza then they took us to another bar..then we all hopped on a bus and went to 2 more bars. it was a late night but it was fun! there were live bands at 2 of the bars..i think a Bon Jovi cover band..and maybe a Queen cover band..it was hard to tell. We ended up in a cave dancing the night away. good times.

one afternoon after lots of touring, our art history teacher, Ashley took a bunch of us girls to her favorite gelato place. Oh my god. it was aaamazing. 3 flavors on a cone with whip cream=2 euros=heaven!!  anyway, the whole weekend was a blast and i can't wait to go back some day because there is no way we saw everything. 

The first night in Rome at the Trevi Fountian!! so pretty 

Which way to the Vatican?

Me, Abby, Emily and Berman in front of the Vatican!

They make you wind around rooms and hall ways for hours to get there!

Background: i fell down the stairs at our apartment in Cinque Terre, so stairs intimidate me now..especially Vatican stairs! good thing they warned me first! Thanks!

Sneak blurry picture of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel! sh

Saint Peter's Basilica. Largest Church in Europe.  It was pretty impressive. 

Changing of the funny looking Swiss guards outside the Vatican. There are so many requirements to become a Swiss guard, can't be married, certain height, weight..etc! crazy

The Vatican is it's own state!! the smallest..and has its own post office..and stamps! cool

After a long day of walking, I got a little thirsty. I have never seen so many fountains in my LIFE!

In front of the Pantheon. SWEET! (it rained, i look like a wet rat. gross)

Climbing the Spanish Steps. Roman Holiday anyone?? 

Do we have to put our stamp everywhere? Hard Rock cafe..in Rome?? gross

Classic tourist pic in front off the..capital building..maybe? 

this one might be famous...ooh ya the COLOSSEUM!!! 

i can't believe i'm standing in front of the freaking Colosseum! it was MASSIVE!

now inside where they had animal fights, gladiator battles and killed criminals!

Me chillin in the Forum with some ancient Roman ruins. 

I climbed the Dome in St. Peter's. it was a treck but we got some killer views!!

I'm on TOP OF thE WORLD!!! well...on top of the Vatican

bye rome..i'll be back!!!

Cinque Terre pictures

we had a free weekend so my roomies, plus collin and rae went to Cinque Terre (5 cities) The views were breath taking and the atmosphere was relaxing. The pictures do not even begin to capture this.  there are more pictures than i usually post because it was hard to choose. i might start a shutterfly so i can post more. ill keep you updated. 

first meal at the one restaurant open in our town of Vernassa. YUM!

view from our killer balcony

view of the town at night

the bottom level our our apartment built right into a cliff

beach town of Monterosso. wonderful! 

i can't belive we strolled on the beach in janurary

rock collecting!

roommate picture

postcard. everything was so pretty. 

this sums up are weekend. relaxation and wine.

 

our hometown restaurant. family owned and great food. this was our great waiter

Main street in Vernassa

view after walking up 380 steps in Corniglia i think

lovers walk in Manarola. People put locks up to prove their love. CUTE. the rest was a grafitied tunnel..not so cute.

 

GROUP PIC!

Venice pics

our Venice trip was a few weeks ago but i still wanted to put up some pictures. i will put the other trips in separate posts! enjoy

Yes. we did the most touristy thing in Venice and road a gondola. it was freaking AWESOME!

Cute group picture with Tom, our European Studies teacher, on the Riaolto Bridge. 

*ok now we go in order, sorry about that. 

Before heading to Venice, we took a class trip to Revenna to see some mosaics. they were pretty. 

For our first dinner out, we asked the front desk for a cheap place to get sea food. Well we got sea food but it sure wasn't cheap! Emily and I shared the Sea Bass and they first presented raw and whole. Then they cooked it and it came out looking like it went in..but with some potatoes around it. Luckily they cut it up for us at the table and served us. It was a fancy meal to say the least.

our cute hotel Al Codega, 4 stars baby! the are treating us well over here. 

me in front of Saint Marks Square. it rained all weekend, yukies

beautiful cannals and countless gondolas

its true, i do love my president...what a crazy store. i love europeans!

on the Riaolto Bridge

pretty streets with cute lights

I RODE A GONDOLA!!!

we had a gondola race with the other boat...we so won! my guy is on the left!!

Saint Marks Square completely flooded at night! we had to walk over bridge thingy. it was so pretty with the lights reflecting.