Paris

This past weekend and week here have been so much fun. Last Friday, Corrine, Brittany, David, Ricky, and I traveled to Paris! It was a great to see another major European city and see the similarities and differences they have. You start to ask yourself why and how each city developed. Like Rome is a city of Layers where most places are in proximity, where Paris was spread out more and full of modern structures among the icons of the city like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. Our first day there, we visited Musee Orsay, the Triumphal Arc, and the Eiffel Tower. It was an amazing experience being elevated over the city. The Tower has the highest vantage point of the city. Also, We did alot of walking that day. If you are looking for food past 11pm, its going to be tough. Most places are closed, not like Rome where you find a place to eat late into the night, weekday or weekend. On Day 2, we went to the most amazing museum I have ever been, and the biggest one too, the Louvre. There is a vast collection of art pieces and sculptures and artifacts from around the world. I got to see the Mona Lisa. Enough said. There collection of Egyptian artifacts is the greatest one in the world besides the one in Cairo, Egypt. It was an impressive collection. Next we went to the contemporary building by Renzo Piano, the Pompidou Center. The exposed vertical circulation was neat, but really hot being on that escalator in a plexiglass tube. The modern art was intriguing and confusing, thats all I got to say. Finally, we made it to Notre Dame. A beautiful church, both inside and Out. On our last day there, we had a later start than usual, we were pretty tired from getting up early ad going to bed late, so we had a rather chill day. I revisited Notre Dame, went to the French version of the Pantheon, and did some shopping. We used a taxi a few times in Paris, and thats what we used to get to the bus station, Porte Maillot. Then a bus took us to the Beauvais Airport. Once we were backin Ciampino, we took a bus to Termini, and unfortunately had to walk home because the buses stop running at midnight. Overall, it was an amazing trip with good friends along for the good times. The week has just flown by. With one history critic yesterday, and working towards our final presentation next thursday, things are wrapping up fast! I wish for a my time and everyone else' s time here in Rome to be an Awesome!