It's been about a month since I've returned back to the US, and I'm having Europe withdrawals. Since returning school has started at the University and midterms are around the corner, so to take a break from all responsibilities and anxieties I hit the road with two of my favorite science friends. We planned a day trip to Big Sur, Ca, and left our worries back at home in Santa Cruz. Hitting the road and driving along Hw 1 at 8am was well worth it as you can see in the pictures. As soon as we saw this bridge the tourists in us came out and of course we had to stop for some flicks. 2 hours of coastal driving later we hit beautiful Big Sur. We had no idea where we were going so we just parked on the side of the road and started exploring. There was a 16 mile road leading up to an army training facility so we decided to join the rest of the crazies and begin our journey up the hill. It may sound like I'm complaining,(and I kinda am), but incase you didn't know science majors aren't exactly the most outdoorsy people. Science majors are antisocial, lack people skills, and see just as much sun as a vampire. We live inside labs, libraries, and coffee shops cramming information like "how to find the probability of finding a particle in a box" and "what type of mutation occurs when A is swapped with G". You're probably thinking what in the actual hell does that even mean, and to be honest we still have no idea and we have been studying it for 4 years. Long story short, science people don't get out much, so when we do we over pack and bring absolutely nothing that we need. Between the three of us we had enough pepper spray to kill 10 bears, enough candy for 5 children, a roll of toilet paper, and of course I brought 2 pairs of shoes and 2 outfits because you never know when you'll need to do an #OOTD. One of us brought a chipotle wrap, watermelon sour patch kids, and vitamin water for lunch, which isn't the best when hiking up a straight incline for miles underneath what felt like the African sun. We only lasted 3 hours, (I swear it was more like 10), but hey we tried right? To reward ourselves we ate at the River Inn, and had cocktails, burgers, tacos, and bread pudding. We basically hiked to burn off our dinner, but hey who's judging? Leaving your worries at home and hitting the outdoors is such a relief from stress, and we will be planing a camping trip soon! I am now 1/2 a shade tanner, sore, and probably covered in poison oak, but overall happy that we were able to experience Big Sur. Note to self: next time put enough gas in the car so you aren't stuck paying almost $6 a gallon in the middle of nowhere. More travels ahead.
My first day in Rome I hit the streets for some solo sightseeing. I stumbled upon multiple castles, churches, and of course Roman sculptures. After walking around Rome for half the day I ended up at the Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani), which are the various museums of the Vatican City built in 1508. The Vatican City is so big it would take over 12 years to see every part and artifact. I spent 4 hours inside and here is what I saw. I started out by seeing the tomb of Constantina, Constantine the Great's daughter, who died in 354 AD. Next you can see a wall of statues missing their heads, arms, and legs. These statues used to be positioned on the outside of Vatican City, but during World War II soldiers and enemies cut off the body parts of these sculptures and these pieces were the only ones recovered. I was able to go inside the Sistine Chapel created in 1483, but no pictures were allowed to be taken. The inside of this chapel was breathtaking! The ceiling was hand painted with the Last Judgement by Michelangelo. which took over 4 years to complete. The art was so detailed and it appeared to almost be 3D. The remaining of the pictures are of St. Peter's Basilica. You can see the huge ceilings and doors that are pictured above. Saint Peter is said to be buried underneath the 66 foot tall alter in the picture above. There's too much info and history about the Basilica that I can't incorporate into this tiny blog, so this is just a glimpse into it. The next day I went on a 6 hour tour to the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater). The colosseum was constructed around 70-80 AD with concrete and stone. It could hold an estimated 80,000 people and was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. The structure is composed of three circles, one around the other, and three floors. There used to be a roof and all the outsides were covered with doors, so you could only imagine the smell of the dead animals and gladiators. The cross seen in the picture is to commemorate the Christians who were killed when the Colosseum was in use. It was documented that over 500,00 people and over 1 million animals were killed during the Colosseum games. In the pictures you can see that there is no longer a stage, so you are looking at what was underneath the stage, which was the cages for animals and rooms for the fighting gladiators. The rest of the pictures include various fountains around the city of Rome. Unfortunately the famous Trevi Fountain was being renovated so I had to toss my 3 euros into a small pool they made. The last picture is of the Spanish steps, which is hard to see as people thought the steps were seats, but it took me a good 10 minutes to walk up all 140 steps. I'm sad to say, but this will be my last day in Rome and I leave here tomorrow to hit Chicago! I have fallen in love with Europe and the culture and I hope to visit again soon.
On my way to Rome I made a stop in Florence, Italy to check out the Florence Cathedral. The Florence Cathedral is the main church of Italy and was constructed from 1296-1436. I still can't believe I was able to see a 700 year old cathedral, its beauty blew my mind. The first seven pictures show the Florence Cathedral inside and out. The inside was made of marble floors, 44 stained glass windows, a dome, beautiful gothic paintings, and my personal favorite, the colossal clock. This clock is pictured in the fifth picture and is unique in the sense that it shows the 24 hours of hora Italica. The period of time ends with the sunset at 24 hours and is one of the few clocks left in working conditions. You can see the dome attached to the cathedral, which is the largest brick dome ever constructed. The inside of the dome was hand painted with the story of the Last Supper. The remaining pictures were taken around the town of Florence.
After leaving Switzerland we hit the road for a 4 hour road trip to Milan, Italy. The pictures above are of the MIlan Cathedral and the inside of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The Milan Cathedral gothic architecture took over six centuries to complete (1386-1965) and is the fifth largest cathedral in the world. In the last picture you can see the inside of the Galleria Vittorio, which is one of the world's oldest malls. Its long name is dedicated to the first King of Italy. Inside the mall you can find Italy's oldest restaurants and floors of high fashion designer stores. I was only in Milan for one night because it helped break up our driving to Venice, Italy. Fortunately the drive form MIlan to Venice was only three hours! When we arrived in Venice we had to take a water taxi to the mainland as there are no cars on the island. The first three pictures are from the water taxi and of the main port in Venice. Pictures 4-6 are from St. Mark's Square, which is the central square in Venice. The two pillars you can see are known as the "Columns of Justice". Public executions were held between these two pillars and it was documented that more Homosexuals died between these pillars than anywhere else in Europe before Hitler. People were burned alive from 1268-1446 then decapitation was used after 1446. The rest of the pictures include the famous Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal, and of course my pasta! I rode a gondola through the Grand Canal, which was terrifying as the alleys are as wide as the boat! I couldn't leave Venice without trying their pasta and gelato, and let me tell you I wasn't disappointed! While in Venice I was also able to see a glassblowing demonstration of glass sculptures, which I loved since they explained the chemistry of what was taking place. Tomorrow I will be driving through Florence to reach my final destination of Rome!
I left Paris and hit the road for a 6 hour road trip to Lucerne, Switzerland. This drive was full of castles, wineries, crops, and beautiful medieval architecture. I have an obsession with medieval architecture and this drive didn't disappoint. The third picture above shows the vineyard for Burgundy Wine, which is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France. If you love wine, then you know just how popular this vineyard is. I don't even know where to start in relation to Switzerland. First of all Lucerne is one of the most beautiful towns I have ever seen. When I arrived it was raining and the town had a nice fog over the river, which reminded me of home. The first three pictures are of the Reuss river and you can see the Spreuer Bridge, built in 1408. The bottom three pictures show the Lion Monument which was created in 1820 to commemorate the Swiss guards that were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution. Up close one can see that the lion displays his Swiss shield with a knife shown in his side to show the Swiss's true loyalty to their country. My second day in Switzerland I rode the world's steepest cogwheel railway up Mount Pilatus, which is part of the Swiss Alps. This mountain has an elevation of about 7,000 feet and it takes 40 minutes one way up or down the mountain. RIding up the mountain the scenery is as green as can be with wildlife and views of Lucerne and the Lucerne River. Once I reached the top I hiked around the mountain for a couple hours and just enjoyed the view and cold air. Unfortunately it was extremely foggy on top, so the view was blocked. I would definitely recommend doing this if you ever find your self in Lucerne, it is worth the 80 minute roundtrip plus who doesn't want to hike the Swiss Alps. And don't worry I got my fair share of swiss chocolate, beer, and swiss fashion while here. Tomorrow I am off to Milan, Italy for a night then off to Venice, in which I am super excited for.
Today was the most exciting day in Paris so far. I got to go up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. I am not the biggest fan of heights, so this was a bit scary, but after a 30 minute line, and 10 minute ride up the tower, it was all worth it. The view was spectacular. The pictures above cover all four sides of the Eiffel Tower. The second picture above shows the Champ de Mars and the Ecole Militaire. The third and sixth shows the very blue Seine river. The fourth picture shows the famous Pont d'lena bridge. After visiting the Eiffel Tower I walked around the town and learned how to ride the underground. The underground subway reminded me a lot of the Hollywood subway in relation to the look of the station and feel from the people in the station. Above are various pictures throughout the town that I saw during the day. The last picture is of the famous Moulin Rouge. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to this cabaret show. The show started with a two hour dinner and ended with a two hour show. The dinner consisted of multiple dishes popular in the French culture such as, veil, salmon, and duck. I wasn't the biggest fan of the food, but the show was unique and extremely entertaining. The acts performed during the show included snakes, ping pong balls, mini ponies, roller skates, and nudity. I really enjoyed the French take on entertainment, even though it was a totally 360 from American entertainment. Tomorrow I am off to Lucerne, Switzerland for a stroll around the town, a trip up Mount Pilatus and of course some shopping!
I arrived in Paris via the Eurostar and my first stop was the spectacular Cathedrale Notre Dame. Notre Dame was built in 1862 and is known for its stained glass windows. I fell in love with the gothic French architecture as soon as I walked by. The detail put into this cathedral is breathtaking. I was lucky enough to observe a service that was taking place and I could honestly feel the peoples passion for their religion, which was new for me. After Notre Dame I walked across the famous "Love Lock" bridge to dinner. The restaurant overlooked the Paris canal and the back of Notre Dame. One thing I have learned about being in Paris is that you can not alter the menu to your preference. I enjoyed a six course meal with the best creme brulee I have ever had!!! The top had a roasted sugar coating which set it apart from the ones in America. To spice up the night a gas explosion occurred within the restaurant kitchen, in which caused the chef to catch fire. Defiantly an interesting first day in Paris. After dinner our group took a night tour of the lights of Paris, which included the famous Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triompe (this monument honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution), Les Invalides (where famous war heroes from France are burried, like Napoleon Bonaparte and Vauban),Rue de Rivoli, Place Vendome and other famous monuments. The first picture of the Eiffel Tower is when the lights go off and flash at 9:00pm, and the second picture is what it looks like anytime after the light show. In Paris part II I will be riding up the Eiffel Tower and shopping, so more
After an exhausting 10 hour flight I finally made it to LONDON. When I say exhausting I truly mean it. The turbulence was bumpier than a roller coaster, sleep was impossible due to snoring, people throwing up, and the man behind me giving me a back massage with his knees all night, and the food served looked worse than food served at a retirement center. But hey who's complaining I made it to london right? I don't know if you have ever been through London Heathrow, but this airport is insane. When you get off the plane you walk down what feels like a 5 mile hallway to elevators, then more hallways, then more elevators, which takes you to a train. You jump on the train and then take two more elevators to reach customs, then wait 1.5 hours for them to ask you a million questions about why you are in the UK. After all that you obtain your bags and hit the city. Unfortunately I was only in London for about 24 hours, but I was able to enjoy Hyde park, which was the most beautiful outdoor setting I have ever encountered. For some reason London makes greenery look better than usual. The last picture above is from my hotel room which overlooks downtown London. (Look closely you can see the London Eye). I wish I would've had more time in this gorgeous town, but I'am off to Paris early in the morning via the Eurostar to encounter coffee, bread, and more coffee.
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