Paris, Part Deux

Out of all the cities that I've visited in Europe, I think that Paris will always have a special nook in my heart.

The last time I visited, I didn't have the chance to visit the Rodin museum. And, Rodin being my favorite artist of all time, I made the extra trip to go see some of his greatest works. It is probably my favorite museum I've ever visited in Europe. Outside, there is a sculpture garden lined with trees and a huge fountain in the center. It was weird, pairing the serenity of these natural elements with the disturbed and highly emotionally charged sculptures. Just to see his stuff and hang out in the garden was worth the Chunnel ride.

While I was in Paris, there was a short laundry list of things that I really wanted to see/experience. Shakespeare and Co. was definitely up there. It's almost cliché to want to make a mini pilgrimage to this little independent bookstore where greats including Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, and James Joyce stayed in the attic and found inspiration in this beautiful city. But, even with its induction into popular culture and all, it was darling.

Everything from the writer upstairs typing away at his laptop, the old typewriter cubby, the notes on the wall, and of course, the shelves upon shelves of great literature, was beautiful to me. So I ventured there twice during this trip and came away with What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver.

One of the most incredible pastry experiences I've had was at Ladurée with Alanna. We had an assortment of macarons, which was apparently invented by this shop, and it was incredible. From the perfume-y rose flavored one to the rich caramel, every bite was unique and delicious.

What was funny was that everyone in the little square we were sitting in was eating a box of pastries too. It's still a mystery to me how the French manage to produce and consume some of the best pastries and food in the world, and yet manage to stay so fashionably thin.

At the risk of sounding like a complete pig, I must pause here to discuss the best ice cream I've ever had, Berthillon. I had three scoops: pear, chocolate, and raspberry. It was luxurious, subtle, and really tasted like the flavor it was trying to replicate. I've been on many eating adventures with Alanna, especially since touching down in Europe, and this was certainly a major highlight after hearing so much about it from her.

There were so many more memorable moments from Paris, but I will end my account of them here. I hope that Paris will become a regular part of my life as I move on from college and start 'real life.' It's so beautiful, and any time that I spent alone there did not feel lonely, because as cheesy as it sounds the city is vibrant and rich in history and culture, and was as good a companion as I could ask for.

Estrella, Sand, and Gaudi

Even though I have returned from my 9-month stay in beautiful Europe and by now no one is reading this blog, I think I owe it to my experience to write a few more posts to finish up.

On I went to Barcelona, a city that made the most lasting impression on me. Throughout the trip, my skin started to brown from the warm sunlight so unfamiliar to London. My hair was constantly in relaxed disarray from the beach breeze and smelled of salty ocean air. We ate and had incredibly pleasant and involved conversations late into the evenings. And at night...it was surely an adventure if I'd ever had one. We soaked in the Spanish culture and relaxed, completely confusing our internal clocks and necessitating naps before dinner.

It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

Food: Walking along La Rambla, a main central street in Barcelona, we were drawn to this food market which I consider to have been an attraction all on its own. Stalls upon stalls of fish, vegetables, candies, meat, hot foods, coffee, bread, and on and on filled this enormous covered market. Whether it was a quick empanada lunch or an incredible chorizo and cheese pairing we picked up for dinner, this market hosted many delicious and special memories during our stay in Barcelona.
The tiny, inconspicuous local restaurant across the street from our hostel deserves a special mention here. Upon an assured recommendation from our hosts at the hostel, we headed across the street for the food highlight of the entire trip. We were served an enormous seafood paella that personified abundance. There were piles of shrimp, mussels, octopus, vegetables, and everything else you could ask for of a single dish. It was served hot, went right to the soul, and nourished us after another amazing day of wandering in the Spanish sun.

Drink: One of my favorite 'going out' experiences abroad has to be in Barcelona, where we were led by some American friends to Taverna Rustica, an unmarked, plain-looking, German-style beer hall. It felt relaxed, the theme of our vacation. Eight pitchers of sangria later, we were making loads of new friends as we all headed to the beach to the strip of nightclubs positioned right on the sand.

On our last night, we stumbled upon a local bar where we were witness to an impromptu salsa lesson on the dance floor as we sipped our mojitos. The 'class instructor,' an extremely attractive man whose hips moved like I could never even hope for mine to, led a mesmerizing 20 minutes of salsa which made me regret ever buying a return ticket out of Barcelona.

Art: The great thing about Europe is that it is an art-lover's paradise. Without even stepping into a museum, the time-tested buildings scattered throughout the historic cities are incredible in themselves. This is especially true of Barcelona, a city with Gaudi written all over it.

It was a surreal experience, from the perplexing Sagrada Familia to the wonderland that is Park Guell. Gaudi's architecture made me feel like liquid, like I was melting into the world that he created. It was confusing, magical, awe-inspiring, and absolutely amazing as I'm sure most people who visit will tell you.

There are so many things that I loved about Barcelona. By the end, I felt addicted to the simple pleasures and childlike joy and wonder I was able to experience throughout my time there. I would love to sit here and list every meaningful bite, drink, and moment that I had there (and there were many) but to spare any scarce readers I will leave it at that. And maybe in the not-so-distant future I'll be back to enjoy it all over again.