My final days abroad...
Sorry this post is SUPER LATE! I have been working as a camp counselor for the past 4 weeks, and there has been no time at all to finish up my blog for my last week in Paris. Here is an overview of my final adventures studying abroad.
On Monday, June 27th our marketing class went with our professor to get falafel in the Jewish district of Paris. This was my first time to have falafel, and it was delicious!! Then we all went over and hung out on the side of the Seine river. Afterwards, my friend David and I went up the Montmartre to see Sacre Cour. The inside was gorgeous, but the view was one of the most incredible sights I’ve ever seen.
Wednesday…the day my mom came into town!!! Our class went on a “company visit” of city hall, which was honestly just a tour of Hotel de Ville. It was full of history and the inside was very pretty, but I was preoccupied because my mom had come in to Paris to visit me! I went over to her hotel and we made our way to the Eiffel Tower. We had a delicious seafood dinner at a cute café around the area and then took the elevator up the tower. It was definitely a little frightening because we went to the very top level, but by the time we were up there the sun was down and the lights from around the city made the view outstanding.
BARCELONA was our destination for the weekend, so after class we headed to the airport. Arriving at the Hotel Neri, we were more than satisfied with our room. It was a beautiful hotel located on a picturesque alleyway just off a main square in the heart of the city just a couple blocks from Las Ramblas. We went exploring and had dinner at a packed tapas bar which was quite the experience. Later that evening our hotel was having their annual summer party, so we stopped in and hung out in our favorite spot, the hammocks up on the roof.
On Friday we headed to Park Güell, a famous space designed by Antoni Gaudi. We also hit up the beach, which was beautiful and the water was absolutely perfect! The “magic fountain” in the Olympic Village was our last stop of the day, and it was stunning. It was mesmerizing to watch the designs made by the water, and also, people-watching was a hilarious. Mom didn’t feel well that day, but she was such a trooper.
The next day, we started off going to La Sagrada Familia, a famous church designed by Gaudi that is still in the process of being built. It is so different from anything I have ever seen, and it is beautiful. These picture do NOT do it justice. Then we took the open-air bus to the Fútbol Club Barcelona stadium. The fanaticism over this team is unreal, but the stadium and tour was sweet. I got a stomach bug while we were there, so we went straight back to the hotel for the night. I stayed in, but mom did a little bit of extra exploring.
Sunday before our plane out of Spain, we walked around the Barrio Gotic and Cataluña square area. We also made our way down Las Ramblas, the huge tourist street.
Monday after class mom and I did some shopping, walked around the Eiffel Tower and Luxembourg garden area before heading back to Saint Germain and hanging out at a local café.
Tuesday night I went on a Paris night tour with Fat Tire Bike Tours! We biked around the city and ended with a boat cruise. It was a fun way to get a final view of the city and meet some other cool tourists.
Our last night in Paris!! The program hosted a farewell dinner at a café in our neighborhood, and then some friends and I went out to a fun bar-turned-club and danced all night before I had to leave early that next morning to catch my flight. It was a bittersweet goodbye.
