Just call me a Traveling, Wandering Bum- Paris Spring Break 2013

From the top of the Eiffel Tower

There is no city quite like Paris. No city with such class,  such elegance, with yet such a modern vibe and a grungy underbelly. Paris is the city of my dreams. I do not know everything, and there is no way I have been everywhere, but I do believe that at this point in my young life I am becoming a seasoned traveler; who has experienced and seen a lot of places on earth other than the small corner I grew up in. And something about Paris just stands out from the rest. I cannot explain it, Paris just feels right. Something about the twisted subway corridors, the ancient and awe inspiring Palaces, and the elegance of sitting in a cafe while sipping a cup of tea and reading a good book; it beckons me to it.

I guess I should start from the beginning. In Colorado, I had a friend named Clara. Clara's family moved to France once a few years ago and once again August of last year. She goes to an international school and will be graduating there. From the moment I knew I was going to Germany, we always had a hope in the back of our minds that we would be able to meet up. We have a mutual friend. Her name is Katlyn and she is also from Colorado and on the same exchange program in Germany. So, I guess you can put the puzzle pieces together at this point, that over spring break Katlyn and I went to go visit Clara. Her family was so welcoming and wonderful to be with. I am so grateful for them. It was one of the most pleasant, relaxing, and beautiful weeks of my exchange.

Here's an overview of some of the many things I did over the week:

 -Visit the Louvre at night. The largest museum in the western side of the world is open late certain days, and makes for a much more pleasant experience than a day  trip filled with crowded hallways leading up to the Mona Lisa and an hour long line to the door. As we wandered the corridors filled with Parisians enjoying the night time stillness and art classes taking place, we were really able to feel a spirit throughout the Palace that would be missed if we were in a rush. The emotion coming out of the statues eyes, the stories being told by the many painters, and the mysteriousness of the long and never ending corridors narrates the serenity and history of a place filled with endless stories and endless mystique.

-Spend a sunny day at a Park outside Paris.

Sadly, Clara had to stay home and do homework, but the rest of her family and us took the train one day and set out for a popular park about 30 minutes from the city. After the long and cold winter in Germany, I have never had more appreciation for laying and soaking up the sunshine. It was an extremely pleasant day filled with walks up and down lines of fountains, visiting a chateau, and enjoying the nice spring time weather.

-Took on Versailles in 45 minutes.
The Palace of Versailles was absolutely spectacular and jaw dropping. So was the massive and never ending crowd of people. With travel guides read before hand and cameras in tow, Katlyn and I somehow busted through Versailles in less than 45 minutes. My favorite parts were the painted ceilings, which never ceased to amaze me, and the famous Hall of Mirrors Louis XIV himself designed. I cannot believe the craft and time put into every detail. After getting through the palace we both felt mentally and physically drained from the mass of people. We headed back and spent the rest of the day wandering through the streets of Paris, and ended up finding the most mouth watering chocolate eclairs to put a sweet end to our day.

 - Ate at the restaurant I have missed most since I left home
It turns out there was a Chipolte in Paris! I just had to include this in my blog. For those of you who don't know, Chipolte is a "fast food" restaurant that serves "Mexican food" pertaining to burritos, tacos, and salads, but mostly burritos. After a solid 8 months without my favorite Mexican American concoction, I guess I can say that it was a pretty mouth watering meal! ;)

--Spent Easter at the American Church of Paris and the Jewish side of town where we ate Falafel and went thrift store shopping. This mural <<< is a painted on a building not far from the Modern Art Museum.

 Visit the Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie. Both are composed of collections of impressionist and post impressionist pieces , and features painters such as Vincent Van Gogh, Monet, and Pablo Picasso. The Musée de l'Orangerie is most famous for its collection of water lilies by Claude Monet.


--Visit the American University of Paris. This small liberal arts school set in the middle of the city is very likely to be somewhere where I may be spending a lot of time in the future. What I really love about the University and about Paris, is that there is this huge international community of people who have so many interesting stories and so many people that possess the same spice of life that I have. It makes it harder to feel like you're far from home, especially with a school that holds a group Thanksgiving every year and a has a American diner right on campus.  I am not entirely sure where my story will take me, but I do know that this trip to Paris has helped me to uncover another piece of the long, twisted, and adventure seeking path that is my life.