Paris!

Umm.. I dont know where to start...
Paris is Amazing! definitely my type of city ! It's super rich in culture, history, arts, people from all over the world!

April 25th
Strait off the train I met up with lily, we went and dropped of my stuff and then headed strait to the Louvre ..where I lost lily not even 5 mins into our visit, but..some how after my I don't know how long.. visit I found her ! The louvre is a great museum, but as im realizing more and more.. unless you study a piece of art.. or know something about the author .. or something.. its not all that interesting.. to just look at something.. I means.. sure there's always the technique to sit back and admire but...
After the Louvre we went to "le Jardin des Tuiliere" ( beautiful.. giant park), "le champs des Elysees" ( a street filled of expensive fancy stores... ) and then the "Arc de triomphe" the next day we went to "Notre Dame" , "Le palacede Justice" , "le musee Pompidou"(we didnt go inside but its a very cool architecture building ) , "la marais" (aka the villaged, which i absolutely loved) and then we went to see a french movie called "tout qui brille" which.. was.... well..... a french movie ?? lol... every.. predictable.. simple..slow passe.. I think i could of filmed it.. but.. let me stop bashing it..
April 27th I went to Park Monceau ( which is a beautiful little park, I think they were filming an independent movie.. in it.. because I saw a lot people carrying mics and video cameras.. ) spend the morning there and then walked from there to the Eiffel Tower ( which.. how many of you guys been too ??? do you agree.. is just a metal structure.. that has.. no purpose ?? its one of the biggest touristic spot... legit.. I heard more foreign languages.. then french..but.. standing underneath it.. I honestly didn't get what it was all about.. I mean.. maybe.. its a bit negative to look at it.. but.. its just my point of veiw.. oh but dont get me wrong.. it is a very pretty design piece of metal )
Later that day I went to a different friends house in Paris, Andres who lives in Montmatre, Which is the neighborhood where the film Amelie 2001 was filmed! Its also where lots or famous artist ,like picasso, lived back in the day... its a beautiful little neighborhood with "Sacre Coeur" right in the middle of it !
I spend the afternoon of the 28th visiting it! and sitting on the steps of "Sacre Coeur" watching street theater and break dancing! it was all very pleasent!
On the 28th I went to visit the Museum D'orsay, where I saw a gorgeous collection of impressionism, realism etc.. from artist like Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Cezanne and Paul Gauguin. And let me just say.. I really adore Monet! and Impressionism.. I really think its one of my favorite form or art, all the little lines coming together.. all the different colors.. forming a beautiful picture from a far... I kind of think its a perfect symbolism for my life !.. ( well one of my philosophies.. anyways.. ) After the museum I walked around Paris.. and got myself.. perfectly lost.. I didnt get to the train station like I wanted to..but I got to one of the train station officies .. which served me just as well! Tomorow I'm off to Belgium.. yes indeed I am.
At 18h00 I met up with people from Wesleyan! It was great to see some people that finally.. knew me from.. the State.. lol I know It's kind of silly ( to be wishing to be somewhere else.. while im in places like paris, barcelona, rome... ) .. but i can't wait to be home... I miss CT and all of you guys in the QC!

Sorry if this blog is a bit grocery list style.. its just that paris.. is soo full of attraction.. that one could take.. months ( if not years ) visiting.. and ..years talking about.. so I'm keeping it simple! :) Here are some pictures of the places I mention above.. and like always the rest can be found in my photobucket under Eurotrip> Paris


Me in front of the Louvre

Parc Monceau

Eiffel Tower

Sacre Coeur

Besancon

I got to Besancon around one the train..was delayed about 20 mins.. which is not all that bad.. for the SNCF… ( which is presently. No longer on strike! I’m excited about that ! lol ) Juliane was waiting for me there with her sister ( I think its popular to have your sister visit you during your vacations.. oh yes.. did I forget to mention.. for the last two weeks.. I think.. its been.. kind of like spring break in france.. for the College students.. ) . Juliane is a fellow Rotary International veteran ! It was great to reminisce about the good ol’ past.. when ii first traveled abroad on my own… Juliane was one of the exchange students that came to Connecticut… the year I was off to Venezuela.. we met at a picnic.. while our Rotary experiences over lapped! I had a great time at Besancon over all! Even though it was a short visit.. from the 23 mid day.. to the 25th 8h00 when I caught my train to Paris.. ( which is where I’m writing you guys from by the way ! hihi ..smiles.. I’m running on 4 hours of sleep this time ! )
As soon as I got to Besancon we went directly to Juliane’s house in her cute little cat!! Fiat 500 to drop up my stuff off, and then without losing time.. we went to do some grocery shopping and then to the historical center of the city to walk around a bit .. and then back home to do some laundry.. and then to Juliane’s school.. for an even organization meeting she had to attend… then to a friends house to pick up the mattress I was going to sleep on.. Some more back in forth.. it was hilarious trying to fit a twin mattress inside a fiat 500 ! :)
then back to their place to eat some American Dominos Pizza lol.. I love the clash of culture! the rest of the evening was very college life like! .. apt hopping.. from gatherings to gatherings.. in a group of 10 people … I got an insider look… on the “quiet” ( near exam week) French college life style. It was great lol!
The 24th The same group of friends from the night before threw a BBQ in the yard behind their apartment complex. We got some sun! and ate hot dogs.. French style.. with.. real sausages.. and French baguettes.. for the buns!  it made me smile! .. Some of the guys played “baseball” and then.. juliane, her sister, and I went to “La Cintadelle” http://www.citadelle.com/ which is a fort/castle from.. the medieval period… which they turned into a zoo! We saw Kangaroos , lions, tigers, monkeys ( all types ! ) flamingos and many more

check out the pics! Eurotrip > Besancon I had a blast there! I like the fact that it wasn’t just .. an old stone fort.. like.. they actually made something out of it.. something that would attract visitors of all ages.. and not just historians :-)
Later than day we went back in to town to get out self hydrated and meet up with some other friends to go to a Chinese restaurant ! and……..yes Chinese food in France is different.. perfect example this is stir fried rice … in france Smiles! We stayed at the restaurant.. I think it must have been at least five hours… with the slow service.. and .. then us talking.. fun times. We ended the night early thought because my and Julian sister ( her names mailene (probably spelling it wrong .. but its pronounce my-lene in English.. lol )(( yes mom your with me in spirit ! )) had to catch the 8h16 train to Paris….

-Write to me guys ! I love getting feedback on what I share with you all!!!
Xox. Lorriane

Nantes part II

So I’m a bit behind Readers,my apologies .

Mercredi April 21 Donc, I ended up staying two extra days in Nantes, Clemence’s sister , Caroline took me in! which was quite nice of her!( pics ) this is a picture of the view from outside her window… gorgeous sunset! I which I took a pictures earlier on… it was even prettier! Later on that day we went downtown where there was a children’s Carnival! It was cute! We walked around for a bit and then went to a travel agencies…for college students… I’m not sure if I completely understood what it was.. but I’m pretty sure Clemence and her sister told me it was a place where they could get scholarships to go travel from the European Union … like if they wrote a report.. on there travels.. and focused on a certain aspect…of the culture.. they were all set.. and could get up to 1000€ which is pretty sweet! Free traveling anyone ?? lol
Later on that night .. we went out with some of their friends to a Chicha bar

hung out there for a bit.. It interesting .. to hang out with different types of people.. the subjects of conversations .. are all very different.. I’m not sure how to describe it.. but.. its both refreshing.. and nostalgic.. at the same time…
On the 22th Caroline and I went to an exposition inside the Lu companies old factory… ( you know Le petit écolier, les biscuit qu’on mange tout! smiles ) the Lu entreprise started in Nantes.. way back went.. it was interesting to see the old factory.. and even more interesting to see the expositions… it was art like this
and this

We spend all morning there.. and then in the afternoon.. I wondered off alone to the Cathedral of Nantes.. and an other church… called St. Catherine.. I think.. and then to a garden of the city… which I taught was absolutely beautiful! I spend the rest of the afternoon there.. day dreaming! … my camera died.. soon after I got there.. so there isn’t all that many pictures..but still go check them all like always in the photobucket under Eurotirp>Nantes
The next morning I was off on an 7h00 am train to Besancon… transferring in Paris… a 5 hour train ride.. on 3 hours of sleep…Priceless! Lol I think I’m really getting the hang of traveling around Europe by train!

Nantes part 1

And an experience it was... I went to go take the train at 9 pm.. and noticed that it was the only different one on the "Departures board" so I went into customer serviced and asked about it.. and the nice Spanish guy told me ...that they didn't know any real information about it.. and they they were still waiting on France to tell them what was going on... As time went by.. the board changed to some other thing I didn't know... SO I went in to ask again.. and this time they flat out told me the train had been cancel and they were in the process of getting us (all 150+ people) buses.. but .. to makes this story shorter.. a 12h trip by train .. turned into a 15h trip by bus.. I missed my connecting train.. (oh.. and other fun fact.. there was some Volcano or something.. that caused all this fogged.. and no air-crafts have been flying throughout .. all of France.. and.. i think some parts of Europe as well ..so everyone that was suppose to be flying .. are trying to take trains out.. )all trains were booked ( the ones that were running that is because there is still a strike going on in France) .. until Wednesday the 21th... luckaly.. I went to a different train station in Paris.. and found a local train that had still some seats..that would be me closer to nantes.. and then from there.. i'd have to find another train... lol... I did...and I finally got to Nantes at 7:15pm Clemence was waiting for me at the train station, we walked to her place.. and we made dinner with her roommate and her sister..ate and then we watch "the gladiator" it was nice. a great end of a long day.

April 19th!
Was my brothers birthday! :) I went downtown to visit the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany ( its one of the little pictures bellow.. or its in his birthday video too.. ) Its quite nice... the museum ( the inside of the castle) cost money... so I didn't go it.. but I did walk around all the little service path... around the towers, and such...

Later on that day I met back up with Clemence and we went to L'ile des Machine which is a wicked cool island , and industrial island where they have decided to built giant machines...like this one!

It moved and shoots out smoke and everything.. .you can even take a ride on it.. (see the top part .. its big enough for like.. 15 Asians to stand there!) I didn't get to see this one move... but.. just imagining it was pretty awesome!

On the rest of the island there's all these ... warehouses.. empty buildings.. and shipyards.. and then there was this rings... for .. modern art purposes ?? lol I'm not sure.. but I took this picture.. and I'm quite proud of it !


Clemence and I walked back to meet her roommate and some of her friends.. we had some coffee European style.. so in an outside "terrace" of a coffee shop.. which was pretty much just like drinking coffee in the middle of the street ;) and that night all of her friends came over.. and they had this nice little dinner party... Quite an enjoyable evening. ( althought its not always to jump into a group of friends.. and fit in...)

April 20th... I stayed "home" and did some planning for the rest of my trip ..
OH side note it turns out that I'm staying here in Nantes until the 23rd and then going to Besancon .... I'm technecly in the Loivre Valley District anyways..


Here are some pictures of Nantes.. and as always.. more can be found in the photobucket under Eurotrip > Nantes

Simon's Birthday video!

Barcelona part 2

Wednesday the 14th,
I woke up a bit later than i planned onto.. thus i missed breakfast.. but i had my own food so it was alright .. I headed towards downtown on foot to Passeig Gracia the street where Antoni Gaudí's Casa Batlló, and Casa Milo can be found.. and just around the courner his Casa Calvet stands.

I like Gaudi's style, I can't wait to visit his park.. it ought to be breath taking beautiful. :) but I think I'll save that for a sunny day.. in barcelona.. because its been very cloudy.. and rainy since so far.. but its suppose to be sunny friday and Saturday :) I spend the afternoon running around trying to figure out the train thing so that I can get to Nantes on the 18th.. it complicated.. but I think I got it. :) and then I went to industrial park and just sat and took in the moment.

April 15th was just a quiet lazy day :)

April 16th.. i had to change room in the hostel I'm staying in.. that was a fun little process..considering i had a 3 hour gap before i could check in my next room.. Once that was done, I head to Sagrada Familia

it's a beautifully deigned church (by Gaudi)... i should read up on it, because by the name I dont think it was originally a church.. but I'll do that later.

In the afternoon I went to Park Guell (also design by Gaudi)

I spent the rest of the day there , chilling listening to local street artist trying to make a buck, and walking around the park.... lots and lots of tourist...Which is kind of a shame if you ask me.. because you don't get the feel that your actually in a different country... all tourist attractions are always set up the same.. with all these booth, selling made in China souvenir at a really high price ( that are probably only worth like 2 dollars ) and all the restaurants and shops around all tourist attractions are just as over priced.. if you backpacking..you should always walk out of the cities centers.. and go to the local grocery shops.. to stock up on food... crackers, energy bars, meal bars, water and powder multivitamins (if you can find them) lol that's what I'm living off of throughout most of this trip.
but I digress Barcelona is great. I'm really fond of it.. the whole urban city feel, mixed with historical beauty and museum, and then there's the beach literally 5 mins walking from the center! ( which i didn't go to really I just walked by.. but it deffently looked like a place one could waist days at , lying in the sun.)


( check out the pics in the photobucket under Eurotrip>Barcelona )

I'm off to Nantes tonight.. taking an overnight train to Paris. and then a regular train to nantes! Should be an experience..

Leave me comments ! Thank for following me on my travels readers ! It wonderful to know that I'm not alone... in spirit.. you guys are all with me... stuffed in my L.L.Bean backpack :)

Barcelona part 1

Espana! Espana!

I left Angelica house at 5.00am to walk to the train station.. to try to catch the train that I had read left at 6.30am... but once I got to the train station.. thanks to the SNCF strike.. it no longer existed... luckily I found other traveler (5 Chinese girls who spoke no french.. and Alexandre a french guy who was on his way to go meet up with his girl friend ) that were going to Barcelona.. and they told me there was a bus that left at 7.30am I waited with time, and chatted the time away... Once the bus got there.. we all found out.. it wasn't direct to Barcelona.. that in fact it went to figueres and from there we had to take a train to Barcelona.. ah the joy of traveling.. lol And soo we did... time went by fast.. since i ended up talking with Alexandre about France, strikes, student manifestation, music.. etc.. all very interesting.. lol he was the first french i met that wasn't fond of his home land...

I was soo exhausted once I got to Barcelona ( and it didn't help that was like 20 Celsius ) I barley had the strength to find my way thought 3 subways.. and walking half a mile to the hostel(check out their website.. its really nice here http://www.barcelonaurbany.com/ ) that i finally just crashed and slept until tree of my "roommates" came in ( which woke me up ) but it ended up being alright.. they invited me out to dinner.. it was an Irish girl, an English girl, and a french girl... that were all studying at the same school and decided to go for a short vacation in Barcelona... i went home early though so that I could finally sleep

by the time I finally woke up the next day.. they had already left.. I didn't do much that day either..I was pre-occupied with having to register for my classes next semester via the internet.. lol when I finally got that done.. I took a walk around my new neighborhood, and found a mall.. that had a groceries store.. so I bought food for the week :) by the time i got back to my room.. I had 6 new roommates ... that didn't speak any of the languages i speak.. so we don't communicate much.. but.. that's all right.. one of them.. snores horrible thought.. I wish he didn't lol but that the joy of sleeping in a hostel..

On Tuesday the 13th I was more productive.. ate some complementary breakfast at the hostel.. and I was on my way .. walking to Parc de la Ciutcalella:

which is beautiful, imagine.. this is just on of its ponds.. (check out the pics in the photobucket under Europe>barcelona) and then I walked to the tourist information center, in plaza Catalenya,to get a free map and meet up with a girl i met at breakfast that same day.. we walked around El Raval, had some lunch and then went to the Picasso Museum. I found the Picasso Museum very interesting.. they had a lot of his earlier work... like when he was 15, 16 ... back when he was in art school.. and then studying underneath an other artist... Picasso back then.. actually followed social norms.. and proportions .. and techniques.. the work he did when he was only 15.. is pretty impressive.. his attention to details.. and lighting...

this is an example.. but.. the image doesn't do it justice.. its way better in person.. The museum had a bit of all the periods in his life... it was intriguing to see how he evolved.. seeing paintings for the blue period.. I could really feel his emotions.. coming thought.. and then the red period.. one can see... clearly.. how sex, can can girls.. Paris.. influenced him... the.. superficial.. happiness.. "joy of life" I don't know maybe its just me.. but i felt it.

Montpellier

Hey Reader,
So I'm a little behind schedule with the blogging... I left Montpellier yesterday.. but I didn't have the change to blog then... so I'm blogging now :)

Once I finally got to Montpellier, I asked around to know where the closest public phones were.. I had to call Angelica.. I ended up walking into some hospital looking building.. and they kindly let me use their phone... Angelica had the dates.and days confused.. so she was actually surprise to hear my voice.. ( got me a bit worried.. ) lol but it all worked out.. she came and got me.. from where I was.. and we walked to her cute little apartment... She had a friend over(karin) .. and they were about to watch a movie.. so I joined them. Relaxed little evening.

The next day we went out to try to figure out the train schedual of my departing day.. ( since everything is .. dis-organized because of the strike.. the SNCF websites are shut down... most of the local SNCF offices are shut down too...) NO luck... But i stayed optimistic...

Then Angelica and Karin invited me on a type of school trip to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Which is a cute medieval town up in the mountains. We walked around all day..It was beautiful, the sun was out..




(check out the pic. photobucket>Eurotrip>MOntpellier )

on Sunday we went to an outside market that had a nice little feel to it... I definitely loved the colors.. and then we went to the beach!

I was surprise how warm it was outside.. for early april.. And in btween our outings.. I got to know Montpellier's downtown

the tram system( a kind of like a train/bus above ground), some of its beautiful neighborhoods.. and its exchange student.. lol ( Angelica and Karin are Swedish girls currently studying in France. lol they reminded me of me.. in Perugia.)

CHANGE OF PLANS FOR SPAIN, I'm not longer going to Madrid.. I decided to stay longer in Barcelona, rest at this great hostel I found and enjoy it more.