Hello Everyone!
I just got back from a 10 day excursion around Europe. I visited Athens, Rome, and Barcelona during my fall break from school, and I have rested up enough to finally tell you all about it!
The first stop on our whirlwind European tour was Athens. The land of greek god and gyros! Going through the sites in Athens really made me wish that I had brought Hercules with me to Europe. The Acropolis, Zeus's Temple, and the Olympic Stadium were breathtaking. It's hard to fathom the age of these ruins and the how they have seen the world shift and change throughout the centuries. We also watched the changing of the guards. The greek way of doing things definitely has more flair and pizzaz than the stuff British version. The food was amazing too. Moussaka and gyros are a greek staple for a reason!
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| Zeus's Temple |
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| Ancient Theatre |
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| Parthenon |
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| Parliament |
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| 1st modern Olympic Stadium |
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| Gustavo and I doing an Aladdin picture over Athens |
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| The Guards |
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| Les Garçons |
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| Les Filles |
After our Grecian adventures, we sped through time to the Roman Empire. The Eternal City has not lost any of its charm since the centuries of its founding. While some of the most important and influential buildings during the height of the Roman Empire are now but remnants of their pervious glory, you cannot help but stand in awe over the rich history coating every crevice of the city. The Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Forum, and the list goes on and on. Rome was not built in a day and it certainly cannot be done in a day. Vatican City itself can take up an entire days events. The mammoth Vatican Museum has corridor after corridor of art, history, and religious relics. We were lucky enough to go on a day that the pope was giving mass, so thousands of people made the pilgrimage to San Pietro (Saint Peter's) Square. Rome is soaked in history, but it has not lost its relevance in the modern world. Examples of a bustling city are everywhere (especially during peak rush hour in one of the cities roundabouts). There is one thing that the Romans seems to preserve even more than their famous landmarks: the FOOD! When in Rome, there is not a single way to go wrong with your meals. Italians food is amazing back home, but it is simply divine in Roma!
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| Castel Saint Angelo |
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| St. Peter's at Dawn |
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| The Vatican |
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| The Trevi |
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| The Colosseum |
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| Trevi at Night |
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| Spanish Steps |
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| Cannoli |
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| Pantheon |
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| Santi's Tomb |
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| The Pope |
After Rome, we traveled to 20th century Europe and made our way to Barcelona, Spain! Barcelona is a vibrant city with tons of backpackers and traveler passing though its gates each day. While our time there was cut short (due to protests in France nonetheless), we managed to do a bit of sightseeing and appreciating the artistic genius that is Gaudi. Las Ramblas was the place to see and be seen. This street has an array of store and markets ready to appease the pickiest of shoppers. The Sagrada Familia really is as interesting as you think. The "melting" rock captures your attention until you look closer to see the story embedded into its folds. Barcelona is really a visual city, so I'm going to let the pictures do all of the talking.
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Casa Batilo |
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| Plaçe de Catalunya |
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| Spanish HOT CHOCOLATE!!!! |
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| Las Ramblas |
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| Christopher Columbus |
Well now off to the real world and all of its responsibilities.
Á plus mes amis!
Krystyne
