Can't believe it. I fly home in 17 days!
I went to Paris last weekend and had such a wonderful time. If I could study abroad again, I would probably choose to study in Paris. It was beautiful and the trip was fantastic. We saw the big things (Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the love lock bridge, The Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, Luxembourg Gardens) but also spent time just walking around, visiting bakeries and checking out the city. We had dinner on Saturday night at a restaurant super close to our hostel -- I got a salad with mozzarella, pesto, carrots, eggplant, and tomatoes -- 'twas amazing.
Paris felt like such a refreshing trip because the city is much more modern than Florence is. It was so weird seeing an Office Depot, Chipotle, and Starbucks because none of those are found in Florence. But, when we ate at Chipotle, it was actually so nice to sit inside a restaurant (without getting charged for service), drink free water (FREE WATER AT A RESTAURANT?! WHAT?!), and use public bathrooms (again, for free). The metro was so convenient, and I feel like we experienced more of the city (and spent less time walking from place to place), and were able to see a whole lot more. I love Paris and hope to return again someday. Going into the trip, I wasn't really sure what to think but everything surpassed my expectations. Thank you, Parigi!!
This weekend we are headed to Spain! Madrid for Friday and Saturday and then Barcelona for Sunday and Monday. This is my last trip of the quarter, sadly, but I think I've seen the top places in Europe that I wanted to visit while I was here.
The last weekend (December 13-14), I will be staying in Florence and absorbing every last possible bit. We have finals that week and then I will be traveling to Rome on Friday the 19th to fly home on the 20th.
The weather here has been still warm but pretty rainy! I am grateful that this is Florence's warmest year on record…..
I think my first meal back in the States will be a peanut butter and jelly with a salad. I have been missing both of those here in Italy!!
