Exploring Said World

I know I have not been diligent in posting about what I have seen and done this past year. This post, however, should hopefully makeup for all the lost time I have caused y'all.

This past spring break I had the marvelous opportunity to travel Europe and visit Paris, Nice, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Pisa, Florence, Assisi, and Rome; all in the span of 10 days. 

I traveled with a group of people from my school along with my TOK and HoA teachers, Chambers and Clayton. A group of seniors went as well, and we had the best time together. 

These are the seniors that went; standing outside the gates of the Versailles palace! I myself am crouching in the middle.

Day 1: We landed in Paris at 7 am and walked what seemed like the entire De-Gualle airport. For starters let me just say that the hot chocolate there sucks and shows not even the slightest hint of American obesity; meaning it's lack for sugar and sweetness. 

Once we retrieved our bags we joined the other 2 school groups, Arkansas and Canada, and borded our bus to the hotel which was located just outside of Paris in Crétel de Université, basically a "college" town for Parisians. Our hotel was called the "Novotel" similar to middle class hotels in the states but smaller rooms and separate rooms for the toilet and shower which was actually a saving grave for a few. 

We showered, which relieved some of the jetlag we were experiencing, and started our walk to the metro; that's what they call the subway. Although we were tired the view on our walk was beautiful. It had just finished raining, so the clouds were beginning to separate.

As we entered the metro station we were given little "temporary" metro tickets that our tour guide purchased for us. 

We rode the metro all the way to Notre Dame and spent most of the day there. We walked along the Seine River, ate at a traditional Paris restaurant where I snuck a sip of Red Wine, explored Le Cathédrale de Notre Dame, and granted the freedom to explore the rest of the Latin Quarter on our own.

Just a short little side note to explain this picture: The entire trip I was walking on a torn ACL which I tore on February 21st. My surgery was schedule for April 8th, so I had to wear the big brace my whole time in Europe. It wasn't awful. You could say it added some flare to my "American style."

The next 2 days we went to The Louvre; which was magnificent by the way. The size was spectacular. I wish we had more than just a few hours to explore the museum, because you couldn't see everything you wanted in just one day. 

After The Louvre and possibly getting lost in the Latin Quarter we hopped on a train and headed to Nice. Over the 5 hour ride my friends and I met a soldier who was on his way home from working in the city. His name was Nicolas Biq.

He wasn't very good in English, so we practiced our French while he practiced his English.

Nice: 

        "Nice is nice." 

We traveled Nice and Monaco before crossing the border to Florence, Italy. 

We first took the bus to Monaco and toured that tiny little country whose capitol is Monte Carlo.

         "Fun fact: gambling is illegal in Monaco, so you have to travel outside the border if you want to bet your life away." 

 

    All of the yachts in the harbor are Russian and Israeli. None of them are French. 

After the day trip to Monaco we headed to the beeches of Nice. Just on the border of Monaco, the beach is made of black and grey rocks. There is no sand and the water, unsurprisingly, was incredibly cold. 

Next stop: (after a 6 hour bus ride) Pissa, Italy.

Of course we had to visit the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" and the baptistery.

    You can't go to Pissa and NOT do this!

   The baptistery was a full dome with very narrow stairs in the gut of the building. Every half hour or so a man would come in and sing and chant a few octaves to show how cool the acoustics were. 

Next stop: Florence!!

Out of all the places in Italy, Florence was by far my favorite. It had a "more chill" vibe during the day, but it was open to fun and partying at night. 

 

Everywhere you went the views of the city were breathtaking, and you could never go wrong with the food. 

In the US we eat pasta and pizza all the time, thinking it's the best stuff ever. NO! Once you have had a pizza from Italy, it's like they say, "you can never go back," to the old stuff! 

 And a little FYI to non-foreign travelers: when you are finished eating and ready to leave, ask the waitor/waitress for your ticket. Don't wait around for them to bring it to you, cause they won't! 

 And of course you can't go to Italy and NOT have gelato! 

Literally the best thing I have ever tasted. I had pecan and vanilla mixed together. 

Our tour guide took us to a corner gelato shop that was very small but had "the best gelato in all of Florence," our tour guide would say. 

We stayed 2 nights in Florence, and let's just say this hotel had some rooms that weren't on the map! 

I said earlier that two of my teachers came on the trip; this is the room of my HOA teacher. His room wasn't even on the map of the hotel. We had to go through an "emergency" exit to find his room nudged in the side of the hotel. His room had "2" floors, but the stairs leading up to his bed had a weight limit. Keeping him from bringing his suitcase up! Hence, why we only stayed 2 days in Florence. 

Last stop: ROME

I love Rome. I do, but Florence still had me dreaming. Florence had the fun and relaxation, where as Rome had the culture and history. 

"All roads [in Italy] lead to Rome."

We naturally had to take a tour of the Coliseum and a walking your of Rome.

 

And the trees in this picture were called "Umbrella trees" to make shade for te soldiers while they walked to Rome or to wherever they were marching to.

Another fun fact: all of the water in Rome was so clean (according to our tour guide) that we could drink it anywhere.

Our last night we went to the Trevi Fountain. 

The next day we took our bus to Rome airport and flew from Rome > Philadelphia > Charlotte > Birmingham!!!

Needless to say I was sad to leave, but I was excited to be back home, in my own bed, and to wash my hair in a normal shower! 

Southern Hospitality

Many who have heard about the South create the idea that the weather is constantly warm. They, whoever "they" are, however, are wrong.

Living in the small town of Irondale, just 10 minutes outside of Birmingham, for 18 years, I have seen most of what Alabama weather is capable of. Throughout the first day pictures swarmed in throughout the state showing the effects of the snow.

    Starting the year of 2014 Alabama experienced a great "snowpocalypse." This, however, was not the first time the South had their run in with snow. In 1982 Alabama was disturbed with a massive fall of snow. It was a full on crisis. Cars were abandoned everywhere, and that's how it was during the snowpocalypse of 2014. Without snowplows, snow tires, or snow chains, most of us were helpless. A lot of my friends hunkered down at my house for 2 days and my parents stayed in a hotel and a family friend's home. The house to ourself was nice, and we all kept it decent. 

      The first night of the crisis my friends and I bundles up and walked about 2 miles down the road to the SAMs, McDonalds, and eventually the BP gas station. I was hesitant to walk on the freshly fallen snow. The sparkle it emanated from the street lights was quite pretty. 

      As we walked we sang and people we passed on our way joined in. When we got closer to our destination a hunting cart road up next to us offering crackers, coffee, and a ride. Knowing all of us wouldn't have been able to fit, we politely declined. The Southern hospitality they offered and heard about the rest of the 2 days we were all together was truely amazing. It was inspiring to see how kind the people of the South can be when disaster strikes. 

      The South isn't always full of negative stereotypes. You just have to look beyond the every day actions and into the history the South has experienced to see the good in the people here.

    (From left to right) Morgan, Alex, Me, and Gibson