Nice and Monaco

Hey everyone!

Shalom from Nice, France. This was the last stop on my European tour and I couldn't have picked a better place to end. Nice is chic, yet down-to-earth at the same time. I have stayed the last night in a hostel with a bunch of college students and have really enjoyed it. I have met people from all over the world including Germany, Australia and Canada. There are also plenty of Americans as well. It has been so much fun to talk with them and hear their travel stories. The guy who runs the hostel, Valerio, is a 24 year old Italian man who happens to be stuck in France. It's hilarious because he neither speaks French nor knows anything about France in general. However , the hostel is well run and Valerio is great to talk with.

Yesterday, I arrived in Nice around 9 am and found the hostel easily. I left my bags and went to explore parts of Nice. I ended up back at the train station and went to Monaco for half the day. On this trip, I have been to the two smallest countries in the world, the Vatican City and Monaco. Monaco has stunning scenery and is full of rich people. When I say rich people, I mean people that carry around black credit cards. I explored Monaco and saw some of the major sites. I actually ended up playing some solid beach volleyball with some French guys who didn't speak a lick of English, but they were good volleyball players.   When I returned, I went to dinner with my roommates. One girl is from California and attends school at St. Andrews University in Scotland. Another is from Canada that attends McGill. Pretty interesting!

After seeing the gorgeous beaches that Monaco has yesterday, I decided to return today. I spent the whole day at the beach and it couldn't have been a more relaxing way to end my trip.

Europe has been so great for me. I have learned so much since being here about history and myself. It will be hard to determine the highlights of my trip but here are a few in no particular order.

1.       Istanbul: Touring the Blue Mosque and the Aya Sofia

2.       Greece: Our day in Santorini and Greek Salad

3.       Italy: The Coliseum and Gladiator Pictures

4.       Florence: Meeting Australian guys

5.       VENICE! Enough Said

6.       Switzerland: Seeing the Matterhorn

7.       France: Staying in a hostel in Nice and Monaco

Europe is such a great place and I am so happy I decided to take a trip over here. I hope I can return to some of these places again someday.

I hope you all have enjoyed following me on trip. In about four hours, I will head to the Nice Airport where I will get on a flight to Amsterdam and then eventually fly to Washington, DC. I should be back in DC around 3 pm tomorrow, Eastern time. I will depart with fond memories of Europe.

Ciao, until next summer (hopefully!)

Monaco

Home base

Nice

AL

Antibes, France

Hey everyone!

The last two days have been stressful and relaxing. I had my first bit of bad luck on this amazing trip yesterday. My train from Avignon to Antibes was delayed by a half hour. Up until this point, all of my trains have been on time down to the last second. To make matters more interesting, the train broke down about half way to Antibes. A three hour train ride became almost a five hour train ride.

When I got to my hotel in Antibes, the hotel moved me to their partner hotel to make room for a tour group. However, have no fear! I finally made it to my other hotel and it is nicer than the other one even if it is further from the beach. Once I got settled, I went out to explore. Antibes is such a cute little resort town filled with rich people and rich stores. The beaches are so nice and even have sand, which isn't normal for a lot of the Riviera. I ended up eating bread and strawberries that I bought at the supermarket for dinner. Cheap and easy.

Today, I spent the entire time at the beach. I was surrounded by many families. It was nice to spend the entire day just relaxing. I don't get to do that very often.

Tomorrow, I will travel the 20 minutes by train to Nice, which is the last stop on this amazing trip.

I will spend tomorrow at the beach and then go to Monaco on Friday.

Saturday, I come back to the United States with fond memories of Europe.

Until next time,

AL

Avignon & the Pont du Gard

Hey everyone!

I am just coming back from the one of the best days I've had. Provence is such a cute little part of France. However, it is a shame that the lavender isn't in bloom this time of year.

This morning, I slept in a bit and then had breakfast. I had forgotten how small the French breakfast is, but I made do with a croissant and some coffee.

After that, I went and toured the Palace of the Popes. I'll give you a little background history on the place so you know what I learned today.

In 1309, a French pope was elected for the first time. After deliberation, he decided that Italy was no place for the Catholic church. As a result, he brought the Catholic church to Avignon, where the French king was supportive. For nearly a hundred years, the Catholic Church was run from Avignon instead of the Vatican City. The popes lived in the Palace in Avignon until 1408. In 1378, the Italians demanded an Italian pope as well, so for about thirty years, there were two popes.

The structure of the Palace is incredible with Gothic style architecture. There isn't much inside the palace anymore, but the tour was interesting nonetheless. I also went on the St. Benezet bridge to get a good view of Avignon from there. The weather was great today so I got some good pictures.

Around noon, I took a bus to the Pont du Gard, which is a famous Roman aqueduct. Most people come to the site just to see the aqueduct. I came to swim! The Pont du Gard is the final stop on my Roman ruins tour, which I have embarked on these last 23 days. After this, I'm all about the beach at the French Rivera. However, aqueducts are a signature aspect of Roman architecture and life. The Pont du Gard is absolutely stunning and I had a great day tanning and swimming near the site. I spent about five hours there and then took a bus back to Avignon. I got myself some dinner and then decided to purchase some lavender, which is famous in Provence.

Tomorrow, I leave Provence and head for the Riviera! Antibes and Nice are coming my way. After all the travel I have done, it will be nice to just relax on the beach, while attaining bronze goddess status. I hope Liz Riggins and Emmie Derback read this. They will understand the "status" comment.

Can't wait!

The Palace

Pont du Gard

The view from my swim spot

AL

Zermatt and Avignon

Hey everyone!

As of now I am in France! However, I wanted to tell you all about my day yesterday in Switzerland. I decided to be nature girl yesterday and went hiking. If you're going to go hiking, you might as well do it in the most spectacular mountains imaginable. After doing a little research, I went up to the Sunnega mountain range in Zermatt. It has good areas for hiking and a great view of the Matterhorn. I basically just explored the area up there and took some great pictures. There are people who live up on the mountains and I expect they live a modest kind of lifestyle. After I was done exploring, I just sat and looked at the Matterhorn for a few hours. It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity or time to marvel at something, but that is what I did. The Matterhorn is such a great sight and I am happy that I got the chance to see it.

Today, I spent about twelve hours over three trains traveling to Avignon, France. Finally, I arrived at my hotel and spent the evening exploring parts of the city. It’s a nice little town with a couple huge sights, including the Palace of the Popes and the Pont St. Benezet. Tomorrow, I am planning on seeing the Pont du Gard, which is an aqueduct leftover from Roman times. It is supposed to be quite a sight. After that, I will probably tour the Palace of the Popes and browse the shops. Should be great day!

Matterhorn

Palace of the Popes

AL

Zermatt, Switzerland

Hey everyone!

Not a whole lot to say today, except that I am in Zermatt, Switerland. I left Venice early this morning and took three different trains to get to Zermatt. I changed in Milan and then in Visp. I arrived at my hotel with little difficulty. The hotel is so cute! Classic Switzerland. Zermatt is a small town so it is easy to get around. It was very cloudy today so I couldn't see the Matterhorn. The entire town is arranged around the Matterhorn so when you can't see it; there isn't much to do.

However, the town has a certain charm that is hard to describe. It is a classic Swiss town that is full of nice people and gorgeous scenery. After walking around the entire town, I checked out possibilities for hiking and ascending the mountains. I have decided to take the Sunnega train up the mountain and do some hiking from there. It's not super expensive to take that route and I think the scenery will be unmatched. This route has good views of the Matterhorn, which is the reason for going. Tomorrow night, I will take an overnight train to  Avignon, France.

So pumped! Here are some pictures of Zermatt

AL

Venice, Day 2

Hey everyone!

Today, I had the most perfect day in Venice. I was definitely on the struggle bus yesterday so I was blinded to the charm of this city. However, today I was able to explore so many neighborhoods and landmarks that were gorgeous. Venice is one of the most unique cities I have ever seen. On another level, their public transportation is on point. It is better organized here than in cities where cars are allowed. Additionally, the Italian men are much better looking here than in Rome or Florence…must be all the American touristsJ

I began the day by touring over to the Island of San Gigorio, which is home to a ghostly church. While the church is very pretty, the island is very quiet. It is a great place is sit down and contemplate life. The church also has a gorgeous bell tower that I walked up and took some great pictures of Venice. I sat on the island for about an hour before returning to San Marco.

A little later, I took the boat to Burano, which is famous for its lace. I had to take two different boats, so it is safe to say that I have mastered public transportation. The route to Burano took around 75 minutes. Burano is really nowhere near Venice and it takes a long time on slow boat, but the route is a very pretty one. Burano itself is such a cute little island. Unlike Venice, it is very obvious that people live here. I saw cars, residences and an adorable little school. The island also countless lace shops and a church with a bell tower that leans. It doesn't lean near as much as the bell tower in Pisa does though so it is not as famous. I grabbed a nice lunch and browsed the shops that were amazing. The lace is all handmade and expensive. All in all, Burano was well worth the trip.

It took me over an hour to get back to Venice, but once I did, it was quite an adventure. I browsed the shops with the idea of eventually ending up back at the Rialto bridge. Well….that didn't happen. For those of you that have been to Venice, it is really hard to navigate. I wasn't using my map and wasn't worried about getting lost so it really didn't matter, but it was interesting. I finally found something I really think my dad will like so that  was successful. I started walking from San Marco and somehow ended up back at the train station, which is a good half mile past the Rialto Bridge. After seeing the train station, I walked the opposite direction and ended up in the Jewish ghetto of Venice. Honestly, I am happy I got so lost because I got to see the charm of the back streets of Venice. However, eventually I had to find a boat stop because I couldn't figure out how to get back to Rialto, but I made it!

Venice has stolen my heart and I hope I can come back here someday. Today was a great last day in Italy, which has been wonderful.

Tomorrow, I will travel to Zermatt, Switzerland, which is home to the Matterhorn. Ciao, Italia!

San Gigorio

San Marco

One side of the tower

Burano

Canal

AL

Venice

Hey everyone!

I am officially in Venice after a long day of travel. Sadly, I said goodbye to Cera, Tara, and Michelle this morning. So bittersweet and it was hard for me. It is weird when people who become part of your everyday life just disappear. It almost feels like the tour was a dream that I woke up from, but it was a good one. Now, I am off on my own so I should have more time to post about what I am up to.

After my roommates left, I took the Roma metro to the Train station. European train stations are different in Italy. There is no security at all. You simply get on the train and the conductor checks your ticket once the train has departed. There was an adorable little Italian couple that sat across from me who lived in Padua. It took us about 4 hours to get to Venice so it was a very nice train ride. Once I arrived in Venice, I easily found my hotel and even mastered the boat system in Venice. Although, it really is not difficult at all. Venice is like Disney World for tourists. There are more Americans here than Venetians. The hotel is in a great location near the Rialto Bridge and the scenery couldn't be better. Today, I mostly just tried to understand the city as best I could. I wandered around the city in the back allies where there is nothing but peace and tranquility. I walked over the Rialto Bridge and took the boat to San Marco to see St. Mark's Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs. Wandering around the shops is always a fun pastime. Tomorrow, I am going to explore the lagoon of Venice. The islands of Murano and Burano are famous for glass and lace, so I am looking forward to that!

Last night

Venice

Grand Canal

St. Marks

Rialto

Annalee



Rome, Florence, Pisa

Hey everyone!

Ciao from Rome! I have been a little behind on posting because we have moved around so much, but do not fear, I will try to post more frequently. The last two days have been great. On Sunday (6/3), we toured the Coliseum and the Roman Forum in Rome.  The Coliseum was one of the highlights of my trip so far because it is very impressive. This particular structure has seen its fair share of blood. It used to be a part of normal Roman life to go watch animal and gladiator fights. The Romans would bring in exotic animals from Africa, such as lions and tigers, and watch them fight. As the people got bored, the Romans began to shift to gladiator fights. Men would fight each other to the death, which was considered entertainment. Well, if they say so. Regardless, it was very interesting.

The Roman Forum was less impressive, but interesting for me. We toured the building where the Roman Senate used to meet. Other points of interest include the grave of Julius Caesar. There are crazy people who still put flowers on his grave. He has been dead since March 15, 44 BC. Those who know Shakespeare will know the famous line, "Beware the Ides of March" from a soothsayer. Anyways, I found the Forum to be interesting. Definitely worth a look if you are in Rome. 

During the afternoon, we began our drive to Florence. Located in Tuscany, Florence is the capital of art and wine. Our group stopped at a local winery and had a wine tasting. Very interesting how they make the wine and how different the wines were. I enjoyed it. Afterwards, we drove on into Florence and bummed around the city. Seeing the Duomo at night is something everyone should see. It is so beautiful that it doesn't look real. Florence is very difficult not to like.

Yesterday (6/4), our group did a walking tour of Florence, which was interesting. There was a confusion with our tickets for the Duomo, so sadly we did not get to go in. That will definitely be on my list for the next time I come to Florence. Also on my list are the top art galleries, which contain work by Michelangelo and other famous artists. We just did not have time, which is disappointing, but will give me an excuse to come back to Florence. In the afternoon, some of us traveled to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower. Despite what some may think, the Tower serves as Bell Tower for a Church, it just happens to be leaning, due to the sand in the ground around it. However, it was so worth it! When I returned to Florence, I met up with an old friend, Chloe Ward who was studying in Florence with the University of Kentucky. It was quite nice and surreal to meet up with her in Italy.

This morning, we packed up in Florence and came back to Rome. Unfortunately, this is the last night with the group. Tomorrow, they all go home and I go to Venice. It feels surreal to have people who have become part of your everyday life go back to their lives. Kind of like ghosts, I suppose. Anyways, I have so enjoyed getting to know Cera, Tara, Michelle, Elyse, Greg, Kenny, Scott, Lauren and Tina. I hope we will remain friends in the future.

Done with Rome, On to Venice!

Arch of Constantine

Gladiator Fights

Coliseum

Duomo in Florence

Touching the Pig means you will return to Florence

 

Michelangelo's Fake David

Florence



Delphi, Pompeii, Rome

Hey everyone!

Hello from Roma! Just wanted to update you all on the activities of the last couple days. On Thursday, we drove to Delphi. It is a very small town that makes its money off the ancient sight. However, once we got there, I immediately went to work out. Delphi is incredibly mountainous so it was the perfect place for a workout. I found stairs that were similar to the Exorcist steps at Georgetown and started to workout. There was another woman running the stairs as well. Her name was Evelyn and she was Bulgarian. We ended up working out together and talking. Turns out, she used to work for the Bulgarian ministry of defense and has dealt with many foreign affairs. She now trains the defense team for Bulgaria for part of the year and has dealt with people from the United States that advise Obama. SO COOL right?! After the workout, she invited me back to her house for a drink and I agreed. We ended up talking for about an hour and she sent home some Bulgarian cakes for Tara, Cera and I. So delicious! Honestly, that interaction was one of the coolest things that has happened to me since I have been in Europe.

The ancient sight of Delphi is a basic Roman town. It has all the effects of a typical Roman town; a treasury, a theatre, and a temple dedicated to Apollo. Very interesting to see the place where the supposed "Oracle" gave advice to whomever asked. Anyone out there think the Roman politicians may have assisted here?? After Delphi, we drove to the coast of Greece and boarded an overnight ferry to Italy. It was an interesting experience since the ferry is run like the Italian Navy. We were even woken up with a horn and a guy turning on our lights. Not so comfortable.

Friday morning, we exited the ferry and took our first steps in Italy! Such a gorgeous country. We drove 3 hours to the city of Pompeii, obviously famous for the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius during the reign of Nero.  The archaeological site is amazing. It is so well preserved and we actually got to walk in the houses, bakeries, and brothels of ancient Pompeii. Unbelievable. Afterwards, we drove the rest of the way to Rome. The Eternal City is, for lack of a better word, seductive. We toured the Vatican  and then had free time. The Vatican is a nice sight to see. The Sistine Chapel is mesmerizing. Afterwards, we had lunch (Italian food is amazing!) and then wandered around the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. So great. Tomorrow, we tour the Coliseum and the Forum. So very excited!

After a half day in Rome tomorrow, we will head to Tuscany for a wine tasting and then , on to Florence!

Delphi

Pompeii

Vatican

Lasagna

Trevi fountain

Spanish Steps

AL