Back to Reality

Well it's been five weeks since I have been back in good ol' Colorado. I have been meaning to post one last blog but as we know, life gets busy when you are back in reality. I am back to the same life that I once left five months ago. It's a love/hate relationship. I love being able to have a steady routine where I know what I am doing everyday, but I do miss the ability to hop on a train and head to a different city. One of the greatest things I have learned about myself while being back is that adjusting is hard, both leaving and coming home. People are not the same as when I left, I have a different perspective on the world, but mostly, I miss meeting new people.

Here is a fun fact about who has seen and read my blog in the four months that I was in Europe:

Country: United States	People: 1682
Italy	421
Germany	95
Russia	21
Serbia	19
Czech Republic	18
Belgium	14
United Kingdom	13
Ireland	10
Canada	9

Total Number or Views: 2302
 
The only country that didn't read my blog that I went to was the Netherlands and France!

I have been so lucky this semester! I have met exchange students from Spain, France and a friend from Trieste as well. It makes happy to know that they are experiencing what I just got home from. It's amazing how close Europe really is to me here in Greeley. While I may not be going to a foreign country for a little while, that doesn't mean I can't show how beautiful America really is. Although it was fun to see if the grass is greener on the other side, Colorado will always be my home.

My initial journey is over, but I am just in the beginning of the next.

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote and I know that I shall be happily infected for the rest of my life.”

-Ciao

I saw London, I saw France...

I departed from Paris Nord train station this morning at 9:01am. I have never traveled alone through such a large city before. Clearly I gave myself more than enough time, but it’s better to be early then late. I had to take the metro from my hotel and transfer to another metro to reach my destination.  The moon was still shining and very few people were out. The sun didn’t rise until 8:45am, two hours after I woke up. Now I am on the train, heading towards Brussels, Belgium where I will be able to navigate myself through the city to reach my hostel. Only a few more days and I will be heading to catch a plane to Dublin then finally one last long flight back home to Colorado. It has been an adventure for sure.  In Brussels there is an International Festival of Ice Sculptures ‘Ice Magic’ and the sculptures are comic book characters. Four hundred and twenty tons of natural ice will be transformed creating the worlds of Tintin, Quick & Flupke, the Smurfs, Gaston Lagaffe, Asterix, Boule et Bill, Thor, Spiderman, Lucky Luke and many more. I plan on spending a few hours there. I have never seen an Ice Sculpture before. I am most excited to eat a Belgium Waffle. I hear they are amazing. Along with ice sculptures and waffles I plan on seeing the giant atom and the Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule. Belgium was never in my plans to visit until I had to figure out what to do after Paris for four days so why not just go to another country before I head home! There is also a comic book path within the city where I can walk and see graffiti artists’ works of comics on the sides of buildings. I am excited to see what the murals are. Other then that, I plan on relaxing and preparing myself to go back to the States and reflect on what I have learned while being abroad. 

New Years in Paris

Champs Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.

While my time is ending here in Europe, I can now reflect back on my experiences I had here. I celebrated New Years Eve in Paris, France. It was spectacular. I have never been in a large city before to welcome in the new year. Paris is by far an amazing city. The streets are clean and filled with small french cafes on every corner. France is something else. French Baroque is a form of Baroque architecture that evolved in France during the reigns of Louis XIII. The gardens of Versailles are grand even in the mist of winter. I haven't experienced any snow yet while being in Europe, mostly just rain. There has been a light shower every evening in Paris. The lights on the Eiffel Tower light up every hour and display a spectacular view for minutes. Every hour I just hope that I am in view of the tower. My favorite part of being in Paris is that I was finally able to visit the Louvre Museum and Rodin's "The Thinker" at the Rodin Museum. The Louvre really does take about five hours to walk through, that is if you don't examine every single piece of art. Obviously I crowded my way to the front to see the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. It was everything I had expected: small and not the best painting I have ever seen. Being an Art & Design Major, we have been told about the tiny Mona Lisa, but it was still cool to see in person. My favorite piece in the Louvre is the Lamassu (human headed winged lion) during the ninth to the seventh century B.C. in Northern Iraq. They were enormous in person. I saw so many of the most well known works of art and it was a little overwhelming. 

Eiffel Tower with the The Seine river in front.

I stayed the first three nights in the Louvre Youth Hostel about 3 blocks away from the Louvre. It was in the perfect location to see Notre Dame and hop on a metro and go anywhere. I took the metro out to see the famous " Mouin Rouge." There are markets all over Paris right now for the holidays. I think Europe in the winter is the perfect time to visit. The streets are all decorated and there is hundreds of things to do. There was outdoor ice-skating, concerts, delicious street food, and shopping. The french know how to have a good time. Last night, New Years Eve, I was able to bring in 2014 in front of the Eiffel Tower. Thousands of visitors and locals gathered together to celebrate the past year and look forward to the new year. 

I head to Brussels, Belgium tomorrow. It is my last stop before I finally head home back to the states. To see more photos from Paris, France please view Hannah Swick Photography- Paris, France.

Au Revoir Paris! 

The Louvre.

Fountain at the Palace of Versailles.