Spring Break

 During our midterm break from March 7-11, some of my friends and I traveled to Paris and Barcelona. We had a blast, and it was a great travel experience because both cities were fascinating and immensely different.

We started in Paris, spending Saturday to Tuesday there. Ever since I started taking French in elementary, it has been a lifelong dream of mine to visit Paris, and the city was even more incredible than I ever imagined. The perfect gardens, beautiful fountains, luxurious mansions, and stately monuments created an air of sophistication, making me feel like I was an important aristocrat from Louis XIV's time. I don't know if it was all those years of French or just my pure excitement, but Paris immediately clicked with me, and I conquered the confusing metro system in no time, navigating us all over the city. I was really proud of all of my hard work in my French classes, because I successfully asked for directions, ordered our dinners, and understood important touristic information.  Following the quaint city streets to the Eiffel Tower, strolling along the Seine, exploring the opulent Versailles Palace, relaxing in the Versailles gardens, and window-shopping on the Champs Elysees instilled in me a constant feeling of excitement and satisfaction, since I was finally experiencing the city I have be learning about for much of my school years.

Along the Seine

After four amazing days in Paris, it was time to head to Barcelona. Although I was not ready to leave Paris, I was excited for what was to come. I knew absolutely nothing about Barcelona before going, which actually made the trip more exciting, because I had no expectations, and I came to the city with a blank slate, ready to just explore. Going from Paris to Barcelona was a dramatic change in pace. Paris is opulent, bustling, and uptight, while Barcelona has a calm, quirky and fun vibe. Barcelona was so relaxing because of its laidback atmosphere. Everyday we just walked around the city, discovering something fascinating and new. Unlike Paris, there was no itinerary and no race against the clock to see and do everything, it was all about exploring the fascinating mix of gothic and Mediterranean architecture, the flavorful Spanish food, the exciting nightlife and the beautiful beaches and landscapes. Barcelona is a filled with vibrant colors, from the bright colors of the impressive fruit market on Las Ramblas, to the bold colors of the Gaudi masterpieces in Park Guell.



On the beach in Barcelona



I had the best of both worlds on this trip. I fulfilled my dream of going to Paris where we played tourists, visiting all of the major points of interests and crossing things off our to-do lists. Switching gears in Barcelona, it was great to just grab smoothies at the fruit market everyday and lay on the beautiful, sunny beach, relaxing, talking and laughing about our great travel experiences.