June 22, 2011 Sacre Coeur

The stairs in Paris are great workouts, especially when you climb lots of them. 

The exterior of Sacre Coeur in the Byzantine style of architecture. 

The view made the climb completely worth it! I was standing at the highest point in Paris when I took this photo.

We got to watch portraits evolve in front of our eyes. 

My dinner being prepared right in front of me. Yummy!

Sweet delights! Makes my mouth water if I stare at it for too long. 

Today involved working on patterns that are a requirement of this grand European adventure. The inspiration for patterns is everywhere you look in the places that we have visited but a little different once you put pen to paper. I am excited to be able to work on them once I get home and refine my skills in photoshop and illustrator. We visited a church called Sacre Coeur, which is at the highest part of France. The views surrounding the building were incredible and showed the entire city of Paris.  Every building has a history and so much more detail than buidings back home.  The inside of the Sacre Coeur was majestic and I enjoyed seeing the dome stretch high above me while I craned my neck to see the very top. While inside, photos were not allowed but I took plenty of the exterior. After touring the church, we ventured out to the nearby streets. I did what I like to do best- shopping! I found a lot of souvenirs and ended with a delicious crepe filled with ham, egg, and cheese. I have really enjoyed eating them but still need to try a dessert crepe instead of just a savory one. After shopping and visiting the Sacre Coeur we made our way back to the hotel on the metro. I felt like a true American tourist with my map and all out in the open, but we made it to our stop "Dupleix". Later that night after admiring my purchases I made my way to the nearest grocery store or as they call them "Super Marche". The one I have been to in the past was closed, so I ended up walking down the other direction to the end of the street. I entered the store and found clothes and beauty products on the lower floor. Next, I rode the escalator up hoping that was where the food was. I was right and found the food. I couldn't read the signs so I walked down the aisles hoping to find what I needed. Over time, I found my items and made my way to the checkstand. I had grabbed some fruit but for some reason the checker wouldn't allow me to get it. I think that I had to buy it in a different area of the store. Whoops! I tried to be healthy but was unsuccessful. Made my way back home and tried to catch up on blogging.  Tomorrow we are going to... VERSAILLES! I am so excited and thrilled to have this opportunity.

June 20, 2011 Free Day in Paris

My finds at the flea market-too bad my suitcase isn't bigger.

KEYS!!!!

Can you find the giant key?!

Zaha Hadid's moving exhibit.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Incredible detail on the exterior.

The Eiffel Tower

Photo shoot on the top of the Eiffel Tower. 

Super excited to be on the top level of the Eiffel!!!

Incredible views.

This was taken after going all the way to the top. I was up so high!!!

Today was another free day in the city of Paris. I got to see and do many fun things. First, it involved visiting the flee market. I got to see antiques, modern pieces of furniture, art, jewelry, and the people of Paris. Getting there involved traveling on the metro. The more I use it the more comfortable I feel, but still am used to the Britain way of doing things on the underground. Some differences include: the labeling of the stations, having to open the door yourself when you need to exit the car, and to find your stop you have to find the end location first and then get on that route, having a new ticket for every time you enter the metro. But we made it there and began our journey through the flea market by first encountering men trying to sell handbags and sunglasses. They had booths set up with leather jackets and bags, jewelry, one vendor was selling hair products like shampoo and conditioner and hair color. We walked up a street and found the antiques and furniture. I saw many Eames chairs, chandeliers, artwork, and odd objects. Later we found our way to Zaha Hadid, ate a quick lunch, walked by Notre Dame, and made a quick visit to the grocery store, went to the eiffel tower and rode all the way to the very top.Yes that is right! I went to the very top of the Eiffel Tower! What a life experience!!! The views of Paris were incredible and the experience was everything I could have hoped for and more. I  LOVED IT SO MUCH!

June 17, 2011 Musee de Orsay & Villa Savoy

A different view of the Eiffel Tower. 

A living building- plants are growing on the entire surface. Crazy!

Musee de Orsay

Villa Savoye

The sexy staircase at Villa Savoye.

My entire life in France all on a bed smaller than a twin size. 

A yummy chocolate eclair. 

Today was a jam packed day of walking, seeing, and enjoying what Paris had to offer. We began at Musee de Orsay. This once was an old train station, but is now converted into a museum. This was one of my favorite museum's that we got to tour. They had a huge section of impressionistic art, which I really like. I saw many of the famous pieces by Degas and Monet. It was truly a moment for me to stand in front of pieces of artwork that I studied for many years and now got to stand right in front of the original. The museum also displayed many pieces from the Art Nouveau movement. The pieces of furniture were amazing to see close up and made me appreciate them even more. After being at the museum later that same day we got to see the famous Villa Savoy by Le Corbusier. The house was a lot smaller than I expected but was still a great thrill to see. The house is nestled away behind lots of trees and you walk on a gravel path to see it. While you are walking on the path, it feels like you are in the woods, and then the wow moment happens. Your eyes catch a white house that is incredible and you are seeing Villa Savoy. CRAZY! It was a little rainy but we got a few minutes of rain free sketching in and were back to the train station. Off to Fontainebleau and Vaux Le Vicomte tomorrow....

June 18, 2011 Fontainebleau & Vaux Le Vicomte

The Chateau of Fontainebleau.

Interior of Fontainebleau.

Vaux Le Vicomte

Posing for a photo on the steps at Vaux.

Time for candlelight!

A great fireworks show while in the gardens of Vaux le Vicomte. 

Today involved seeing the Chateau of Fontainbleau south of Paris. We got on a tour bus and were off. The palace is known for its horse shoe shaped staircase. Some facts about the palace is that it has three gorgeous chapels (which i loved the detailed ceiling work). The palace also featured some long galleries that held wonderful pieces of furniture and artwork. After touring Fontainbleau, we made a quick stop at the grocery store and gathered supplies for a picnic before going to Vaux Le Vicomte. We had a huge feast and filled our stomachs way too full. Next, we crossed the street and saw the sight of Vaux le Vicomte. This palace was once owned by a man named Fouquet. He was a minister who suffered at the hands of King XIV. Fouquet made Vaux a place that exuded with lavishness. To summarize the story, the King became jealous of what Fouquet had and sentenced him to a life in prison. One quote that sums up Fouquet's life is, "On 17 August, at six in the evening Fouquet was the King of France, at two in the morning he was nobody." While at Vaux Le Vicomte one special thing that happens when it gets dark is that they use candles to light up the house and gardens. It is truly something magical to witness. When it is completely dark outside you can hear a huge bang and the fireworks show begins. It was a fabulous end to a very fun day!!

June 19, 2011 Free day in Paris

Sunday in France.... I got to see the Arc de Triomphe. What a beautiful monument! It was commissioned by Napolean in 1806 to commemorate his victories. It is engraved with French general names that commanded during Napolean's reign. The design of the monument is based upon the Arc of Titius in Rome. The french arc is higher but has the same proportions. It is located at the end of Champs Elysee and in the middle of "Place Charles de Gaulle". This is a circular road where twelve other streets all meet. Another interesting fact is that all of the streets leading to the arc are named after French military leaders. For future reference, their are underpasses that take you right to the arc without having to cross the streets. Crossing a multi lane french road is a little scary. We all gave a huge sigh of relief after we crossed. Once to the arc, we made our to line and used our museum pass that made the visit free for us. We admired the details on the exterior and made the climb to the top. With a little research, I found out that I climbed 234 stairs. Not sure if that includes both ways- but a very good workout for the calf muscles.  Looking forward to another free day in Paris tomorrow!

June 15, 2011 Bonjour to France!

Today I write this post in the city of Paris! I can't believe that I am in the city of Paris or even in the country of France. But I am and love it. We rode the Metrostar or the Chunnel to get here. I was able to shrink my luggage to all fit inside my big monster of a suitcase. I was feeling very proud of myself after i zipped it shut and looked down at it. I mailed home two boxes of things that I didn't need and souvenir's from London, Scotland, and Ireland. I am not happy with how much it cost to send it, but hopefully in the grand scheme of things it was worth it. We made it to France at around five in the evening and made the journey on the metro. Maneuvering the stairs with a heavy suitcase was a challenge and made me just want to walk away and leave it behind. But once again I found a way to make it work. Our first night involved making our way to our hotel, eating dinner, and ending the evening with a walk to the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is in a convenient area to shops and places to find food. The room I am in has four small beds, bathroom, and a small fridge. The view is of the street outside but of nothing too exciting. We had dinner at a place called Pizza Amalfi, they are very friendly and speak English (which is very helpful when you are ordering food). They also wave to us from the streets and say hello to us when we walk past their restaurant. After dinner, we got to go for an evening stroll on the street of Paris to the Eiffel Tower. The walk was shorter than I expected and saw the top of the tower over the trees. The closer we got I would see more and more of the tower, and then I SAW THE ENTIRE EIFFEL TOWER in all its glory. It was beautiful and such a sight to see. I took so many pictures and later noticed that most of them were slightly higher and lower of each other. We got to sit on the grass and enjoy the scene in front of us for awhile. The tower started to twinkle and sparkle with lights. It was a magical experience. More to look forward to tomorrow...

June 16, 2011 St. Chapelle, Pompidou, & The Louvre

Saint Chapelle

Stained glass and ceiling detail of St. Chapelle.

The Centre Pompidou

My lunch after touring the Pompidou.

The view of Paris from the top floor of the Pompidou.

The Louvre

More of the Louvre. 

Today involved visiting three hot spots in the city of Paris. The first was Sainte Chapelle. This chapel was built during the thirteenth century and has a gothic style of architecture. The chapel is most know for its huge expanses of stained glass. After a little research, I found that there is 6458 square feet of stained glass. Next, we continued onward to the Pompidou. I loved this museum and enjoyed seeing the modern art and exhibits inside. The exterior is also a fun sight to see. I never fully understood what the structures on the outside were, but now after being inside I understand. The outside has a zig zaging pattern of structures. These represent the escalators that take you from floor to floor. The Pompidou was designed by Renzo Piano from Italy and Richard Rogers from England. It contrasts highly with the older style of architecture of Paris that surrounds the building. After having a baguette with some cheese and veggies on it, we all made our way to the famous Louvre. The Louvre is currently the French's national museum. It was once the royal palace to the Sun King or Louis XIV.  It is so big that it is impossible to truly admire everything inside. I got to see some of the must sees including: Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the David, and Venus de Milo. The Mona Lisa was in a room that was crowded with so many people. I felt like a football player charging for the touchdown but in my case a glimpse of the famous painting. Eventually, I was able to make it to the front and see the mysterious women. I had always imagined it being a lot bigger, so seeing it in person made me realize how small it really was. This day was amazing, tiring, and made my feet hurt. But once again completely worth it and I am so lucky and fortunate to have seen the things that I saw today!