We had all been warned about the "homesickness" we would feel upon returning from Paris. It's odd, although I did miss my family and friends while studying abroad, I was hardly ever homesick. Back in the States, I find myself thinking about Paris all the time. "What is going on over there today?" "This would NEVER happen in Paris." "Where can I get a decent baguette in this town?" Call me a snob, but I just flat out miss Paris. Yesterday I found myself at the height of this feeling and decided to take action.
And so my take on my favorite French foods were born, in healthified form. For dinner I made an artichoke and red pepper crustless quiche paired with a fresh salade niçoise (sans the tuna and egg). But the pièce de résistance were the homemade macaroons with caramel filling! I'm obviously biased, but even my mom thought the meal was delicious. It definitely made me feel as though I was back in the City of Lights, but nothing beats the real thing. Time to go back, that's for sure!
Artichoke and red pepper crustless quiche with salade niçoise
Now that I've been home for over a week, I am FINALLY coming around to blogging about the last trips that I took while abroad.
Brussels: I took a class on the European Union this past semester and to finish up the course our professor took us on a day trip to Brussels, Belgium. It was hard to believe that we were taking a casual field trip to a different country! Known as the unofficial "headquarters" of the EU, Brussels is a gorgeous city with huge influence throughout the European continent.
When we arrived, we immediately took a tour through the European Parliament, where the majority of decisions for the EU are voted on and passed into law. It was really interesting to see the center of everything we had been learning about in class. We then went around the city to see the various other EU buildings, such as the Council of Ministers and the European Commission. I was surprised how modern and industrial all of the architecture was. I wasn't very impressed until we walked to the Palais Royal, the main square in the city and did a little sightseeing and some serious eating! Belgium is known for their mussels, beer, and waffles- all of which I thoroughly enjoyed during my 10 hour visit to Brussels. It was a short trip, and although I wish we had had more time to see everything that the city had to offer, I am so glad that I could check Brussels off of my bucket list :)
Normandie: Our group spent out last Saturday in France in the Normandie region. Normandie is most known for the beaches where the American troops landed during WWII to liberate France on D-Day, but many people don't know how vast the region is and how much more it has to offer. On our trip to Normandie, we visited Giverny and Honfleur.
Giverny is a tiny village (seriously, there are only 2 parallel roads!) where artist Claude Monet's home and water gardens are located. Giverny was an escape for Monet, a place of immense inspiration, and it was there that he painted his Water lilies masterpiece. After touring the gardens, I can testify that is heaven for an artist. The colors are so incredibly vivid, from the flowers, to the trees, to the lily pads, and I wanted to spend the entire day in the gardens!
After leaving Giverny, we headed to Honfleur, a beautfiul port town in the region which provided inspiration to many painters during the impressionist period. While in Honfleur, we had lunch on the water and tasted some of Normandy's traditional cuisine. We started with a sweet cidre (cider), an alcohol drink which is produced in the region. I finished off my 3 course meal (which, by the way, I am having a tough time adjusting to life without the 3 course "formule") with 3 classic Norman cheeses, Camembert, Livarot et Pont-l’Eveque. It was a perfect day, learning about impressionist art, enjoying beautiful scenery and delicious food, and spending my last few days with some amazing friends.
Sainte-Chapelle et le Moulin Rouge: During our last week our group went to a concert at Sainte-Chapelle, the chapel famous for it's gorgeous stained glass. The small orchestra was amazing, playing the best of Mozart and other famous composers. It was hard to decide which to focus on, the music or the beautiful chapel. A few friends and I sought out a different form of entertainment the last week as well, and we went to have dinner and see the show at the Moulin Rouge! It was like going to see the Rockettes in NYC with a Parisian (and topless) twist. The show was SO fun, and dinner was delicious! During the show they had acrobatic performers, the world's fastest juggler, a hilarious ventriloquist, and a dancer who swam in a tank full of boa constrictors!! We tried to squeeze as much as we possibly could into our last week in Paris, including a picnic under the Eiffel Tower to see it sparkle one last time. I could watch it sparkle forever :)
Monet's gardens in Giverny. Simply breathtaking
Adorable cottages in the small village of Giverny
Port at Honfleur
Inside the EU Parliament
Main square in Brussels.
All of the buildings surrounding the square are gilded!
Stained glass in St. Chappelle- Impressive with or without an orchestra concert
Amy, Alex, Sam, and I after seeing Féerie at the Moulin Rouge
So here I am sitting at the airport in Charlotte, waiting for my connection home, and all I keep thinking is "why is EVERYONE here speaking English?" I feel totally out of place sitting at the airport restaurant trying to figure out why I can't order a beer, why I'm tipping the waitress 20% when I didn't even get free bread, or why the lady in the bathroom gave me a funny look when I said "Oh, pardon!" after bumping into her. Don't get me wrong, it's absolutely amazing to be able to order a big glass of sweet tea (oh how I missed it) and to know that I'm coming home to homemade hamburgers and fries, but I can't help but feel like I got on the wrong plane. I'm really supposed to be taking a vacation to the South of France and am going back to Paris next week. Also, the sound of a thick, southern American accent is slightly burning my ears. "Dag gone right" doesn't have the same ring as "Mais oui, bien sûr!" In all seriousness, I can't believe this journey has come to an end. Or maybe it really has just started, because I feel as though I have a whole new love affair with Paris. I went on this trip entirely for myself, and never in my life had I made a truly selfish decision. I am SO glad I did. I have never been so happy to have done something in my entire life. I got the opportunity to live like a true Parisian college student, was able to travel to places I had only dreamed of, and made some lifelong friendships in the process. I would not change a moment of this experience and really need to wake up from the dream of a semester I have had. If you're an API student reading this, I owe you a huge thank you for playing a part in the greatest 3 months of my life. Each one of you had an impact on me and have helped me discover who I am and what I want in life. I will miss you all more than words can describe, so PLEASE keep in touch...especially if you ever make it down South! Don't laissent-moi, I promise I'll show you the traditional hospitality :)
I still have several entries and photos to post and will as soon as I have ample sleep and internet access. Keep checking back!
At our favorite bar, Bého
Celebrating Elizabeth's 21st at Buddha Bar
Dinner and show at le Moulin Rouge!
Reuniting with friends in Prague
Out to a Scottish bar at 10 am to watch the Royal Wedding!
Nearly everyone
Sur la plage in Cassis
Overlooking Marseille
Santé à Champagne
In Loire
A night at l'Opéra
In Monet's gardens at Giverny
After lunch in Honfleur
Exploring on our first day :)
Je vous aime, toujours
Good thing I'm back in the States now (I guess) or else my heart would belong to Paris forever :) As Rastignac said in Honoré de Balzac's famous novel, Le Père Goriot, "À nous deux, maintenant Paris!" It's true, it's between you and I now Paris. À bientot.
It's a bit unreal to say that I just arrived "home" to Paris, but it's true! I just came home from an amazing 2 week vacation throughout the continent. 5 cities and 4 countries later, I did the impossible- stuffed my life into my Northface backpack and lived out of it for 2 whole weeks. I always wondered what the allure of backpacking for an extended period of time was, and I was a definitely weary of ruffing it in hostels the entire trip, but now I know that it is completely worth the experience. Be prepared for a long blog this time, there's just too much not to talk about!
Amsterdam:
Forget every stereotype you have of Amsterdam. Okay, prostitution is legal and marijuana is tolerated (it's technically illegal, the police just look the other way), but it is SO much more than that! The architecture is absolutely charming, like rows and rows of gingerbread houses, and a series of canals runs through the entire city. In fact, Amsterdam is often referred to as a "Little Venice," but more to come on the real mccoy later! We did so much sight seeing in 3 days- the Heineken brewery, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh museum, the IAmsterdam sign, and took a 4 hour long walking tour of the city, including the Red Light district! Ironically, the Red Light district surrounds a large, 14th century church, and is one of the coolest areas to visit, even at night! No pictures though! If the girls catch you photographing them, they will chase you and destroy your camera (they take their "jobs" pretty seriously..)!
We left crêpes behind and devoured typical Dutch street food- fries with mayonnaise and fried croquettes. We also realized (the hard way) that the rumors about bicycle traffic are 100% true in Amsterdam. Bikers have the right-of-way, and if they hit you, they can sue you! They are vicious. I was also shocked by the number of Dutch who spoke flawless English. They definitely put the French to shame when it comes to English grammar and vocab.
Casually trying on a pair of Dutch wooden clogs.
We learned that thousands of bikes are taken out of the canals each year!
The famous tulips!
We visited a floating flower market where thousands of bulbs are sold
Berlin:
Although our visit to Berlin was the shortest of our European "tour," we managed to see nearly everything! We discovered a great company in Amsterdam called New Europe which provides free walking tours throughout several cities in Europe. We loved our tour so much in Amsterdam that we decided to take one in Berlin and were not disappointed. We saw several interesting historical sights throughout the city, from WWII to Cold War and more. We were able to see the sight Adolf Hitler's underground bunker, where he committed suicide. It is now a parking lot with only a small sign to indicate what once existed there. We saw the Berlin Wall, including the East Side Gallery where artists from all over the world were invited to cover the wall with paintings. After the tour we visited the Jewish Museum which I found to be an amazing memorial to Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Several of the exhibitions were designed by American architect Daniel Libeskind and were set up to evoke the feelings of those persecuted during the Holocaust, both mentally and physically. I think it might have been the most interesting museum I have even visited. In our short time, I was able to have my fair share of German cuisine, including schnitzel, currywurst, and of course, German beir! But after leaving, I had a bit of an identity crisis. As you all hopefully know, I am the proud daughter of an Italian American family. You might not know that I am actually 50% German, which we tend to "forget" from time to time. But after briefly seeing what German culture had to offer and trying some delicious German food, I am starting to inch closer and closer to considering myself both Italian and German. I still think I'd prefer a good spaghetti with Nona's meatballs over schnitzel or currywurst, but I'm workin' on it!
In front of the Berlin Wall
Famous square where the Brandenburg Gate is located.
It was a focal point during WII but was totally abandoned during the Cold War.
Checkpoint Charlie- US crossing point between East and West Berlin
East Side Gallery
Berliner Pilsner at a German bier garten
Prague:
Prague was the city that I had heard the most about but knew the least. It certainly does live up to the hype. The architecture is gorgeous- I loved the cream colored buildings and terracota roofs. Like Amsterdam, Prague seemed like a city straight out of a fairytale. The history there is also unreal, although a little complicated once you get into geopolitics :)
We did another New Europe tour in Prague and saw former Communist buildings and cubist architecture (apparently Cubism took Prague by storm in the early 1900s, as did déco art). We saw the Old New Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter, which is the oldest active synagogue in Europe! We were also able to go inside the famous Astronomical Clock and hear the trumpet player play at the start of the hour. Hundreds of people gather in the main square each hour just to hear the few notes that he plays. We spent several hours in Prague Castle, an amazing structure overlooking the entire city where the President actually lives! Talk about a room with a view!
We arrived at the perfect time, the week before Easter, to see the amazing Easter festival in the main Old Town Square. There were vendors throughout the square putting off an amazing display of Czech culture- traditional cuisine, artwork, etc. I couldn't help myself when I saw women painting Easter eggs by hand, I had to buy a few! Lucky for me, Prague is insanely cheap- 200 Czech koruna (pronounced "crown") is about $12.50. Now I know why so many students travel to Prague- you can splurge, even on a student budget. And we definitely splurged, especially on food! I couldn't get enough of Czech goulash with dumplings, or apple streudel, or the delicious street food. I loved "klobasavtesté," a sausage wrapped in dough, pigs-in-a-blanket style, and "trdlnik,"essentially a cinnamon and sugar covered spiral doughnut.
View of the city from inside the Astronomical Clock Tower
Easter festival in Praha
Painting the eggs!
API friends on the Charles Bridge
Venice:
It seems fairly obvious that my entire vacation culminated to my visit to Italy. I have honestly waited my entire life to visit the country that my family so frequently talks about, and it was everything I had dreamed of and more. Venice was the most beautiful city we visited on our trip, and my favorite overall. I love learning historical facts, which is why I loved Rome, but Venice has a charm that is unlike any city I have ever visited. On the first day, we followed the advice of one of the employees at our hostel and simply “got lost” in the city. It was so refreshing to be able to stroll slowly through streets and alleyways, all without ever having to watch out for a passing car. It was so intriguing that the Venetian public transportation is the “vaperetto,” a waterbus. Without cars, things seem so much more relaxed- People take their time in Venice, and I loved that! The other great part about the city are, of course, the canals. Amsterdam was a great precursor, but nothing beats the real thing. Around every turn there seems to be another beautiful bridge lined with adorable buildings, where the doors are literally on the water- you can only get to them by boat!
We were in Venice on Easter and spent the majority of the day in the Piazza San Marco. In the square is a huge palace once belonging to the Venetian Doge, who ruled the city during the 14th and 15th centuries. We toured the palace, which was full of amazing pieces of art and rich with political history (right up my alley!). We were even lucky enough to be able to attend mass at the famous San Marco’s Basilica! The church was massive, and the walls were completely gilded. I may not have been able to understand a word of the sermon, but it was an incredible experience nonetheless.
I have found that in Italy, there is no such thing as too much of anything, be it gelato, pasta, or red wine, and I certainly enjoyed all three (don’t worry Mom, I went easy on the wine!). We had an AMAZING meal for Easter dinner: The traditional 4 course Italian meal with antipasti, baked pasta with eggplant, lamb with rosemary potatoes, and a nougat cake for dessert! Check out the foodie section of my blog for some pictures that will make your mouth water :)
On the Rialto Bridge after Easter mass
Authentic Venetian masks, sold virtually everywhere in the city!
Picturesque :)
Pistachio and hazelnut gelato- My first in Italia!
San Macro's Basilica
The flags shown are represent the European Union, Italy, and Venice.
Rome: Last stop, Roma! Any European vacation would be incomplete without a trip to Rome, especially for this Italian girl (I mean German/Italian..cough cough) The history of the city is almost unfathomable- Even when you are in the center of the ruins of the Roman Forum, it's hard to believe that you are standing where modern civilization began. During our first day, we explored the Roman Forum, which was a short walk from our bed and breakfast. The Colosseum is more massive than I ever imagined. We toured the inside of the amphitheater and learned some cool facts about its history. Just to name a few: exotic animals were a favorite for the games, so it wasn't uncommon to have elephants or hippos inside. There was even a game where hundreds of bears were put inside a wooden whale and then released into the arena. I think one of the coolest facts involves the current state of the structure. I think it's a pretty common misconception that the Colosseum's exterior is attributed to natural damage over time- this isn't completely true. The building was abandoned for some time and stone was removed from the Colosseum to construct other monuments and building in the city, like the Pantheon! The Forum itself is massive, and it's so easy to get lost amongst the rubble. We spent a good chunk of the day wandering through, discovering what is left of the Temples of Venus, Saturn, and Apollo, the Palatine hill (birthplace of the legend of Romulus and Remus, brothers nursed by "She Wolf"), and also the remains of the Theatre of Pompey, structure where Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March. We spent the majority of the next day at the Vatican. It seems that timing was our thing this trip, because we arrived the week of the beatification of Pope John Paul II! The Vatican was packed with people from all over the world, celebrating Pope John Paul II's first step towards sainthood. As we later learned, 3 miracles are necessary for an individual to become a saint, and this is the fastest beatification in modern times! It just made visiting the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica that more amazing. There were some pretty scary looking Italian security guards in the Sistine Chapel, but I was still able to sneak some shots of Michelangelo's masterpiece! We ended our vacation with a meal at L'Originale Alfredo di Roma, the famous restaurant where fettucine alfredo was invented! The restaurant is covered with pictures of celebrities, including JFK, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jimmy Stewart, all of whom are eating with the famous golden fork and spoon. Hollywood silent film stars Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford visited the restaurant during their honeymoon in 1927 and loved it so much that they gave Alfredo a goldenfork and spoon inscribed with, “To Alfredo, the King of Noodles." When my parents visited Rome 14 years ago, they dined at Alredo's and my mother was so loved by the waiters (no surprise there) that they gave her the golden silverware to eat with! During my trip, I tried to spark conversation with our waiter by telling him this story. He didn't seem very interested, but I wasn't phased, especially with the anticipation of the feast I was about to have. When our waiter brought out our cheese filled plate and began to mix the pasta and sauce, as is tradition at Alfredo's, I was a bit jealous when he hand my friend Claire her meal saying "For you, the house plate. It brings good luck." And then, all of a sudden... "But for you...." and I see him put a gold fork and spoon on my place setting. If this sounds like a scene out of movie, it's because it felt like one! I still can't believe that I ended my dream vacation eating from some of the world's most famous silverware, following some of the most famous celebrities! I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't want my photo to add to the wall, but I'll survive :)
Inside the Colosseum
Wishing a little too hard at the Trevi Fountain.
If you know me and my love for traveling, you can probably guess what I wished for :)
Illegal Sistine Chapel shot! Such a rebel.
These posters were everywhere in the city in celebration of the Beatification
Ending my vacation in the best way possible-
eating the original fettucine alfredo with the famous golden fork and spoon at Alfredo's!!
I think Susan Sontag describes my feelings best."I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list." I can't wait to pack up my backpack again!
