Oui, Oui, Je Vais À Paris!

Mes amies!

Dèsolè for my absence for the past month. I have been focusing on the school part of this study abroad part of this whole amazing experience. In between having my head in a book and my body in a classroom, I did manage to go to the one place that you can't leave France without visiting: PARIS!

Thanks to Armistice Day, I had a nice little 4 day weekend, and I decided to spend that time in the City of Love: the mecca of all things that make a Francophile swoon. I tried to make the most of my time there since four days is not nearly enough to envelope yourself all that Paris has to offer. This was also my first time taking the train in Europe, and my experience has quelled any doubts as to why it is the preferred method of transportation among the chic.

We wasted no time and braved the wind and rain to visit as many famous landmarks as possible, indulging the inner cheesy tourist in all of us.

The Lourve was magnificent. The sheer size overwhelms the biggest of art buffs, but nonetheless, it is a necessary stop on any trip to Paris, be it the first or the 100th. Since it is so incredibly large, here are only a few of my favorite things up for display.

Oh what a fun weekend with some of the people that have made my time here so memorable and what better city to celebrate the European lifestyle than in the cosmopolitan hub of old, historic, fun, lively city of lights.

À tout a l'heure!

Krystyne

Where the Horses and Flamingos Play

Bonsoir mes amis,

Just decided to take a little break from the life of a hectic pre-med student (aka - studying for an organic chem test) to let you know about my weekend trip to Arles. It was another adventure to the south of France where the air is drenched in sweet smell of lavender and soap is the main export. Leaving Grenoble at 7:00 was tough, but the 4 hour drive was worth it. As with any French weekend voyage, it would be incomplete without a trip to the local marché to pick up the freshest ingredients to the most delectable of meals.

The Colors of the Marché

Lunch

The charm of Arles doesn't only lie in its expansive market but also the history seeped into its cobblestone allies - traces of the more glorious times in the Roman Empire.

Ancient theatre of Arles

The French version of the Colosseum

Gustavo and I enjoying history

Doors to the Roman Catholic Church

If that wasn't a large enough claim to fame, the beauty of Arles also inspired one of the greatest artistic minds in history: Vincent Van Gogh.

Art...

Reality!

After we said au revoir to Arles, we said Salut! to Sainte-Maries-de-la-Mer. It is a cozy little costal town where wild horse and the occasional flamingo may pop by to say hello. It is gypsy haven where preppy costal wares meet bohemian flare. 

Too bad it was too cold to swim.

Candles in the church of St. Sarah

Our last destination on the way back to Grenoble was quite the suprise! We payed a visit to the best preserved outdoor amphitheatre in Europe. It would make the greatest of history buff and theatre aficionados swoon.

"Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears..."

Epic

The south of France never disappoints.

Á plus tard,

Krystyne

To Catch a Mediterranean Prince

Oh the Côte d'Azur, how you have captured my heart.

Hello all,
Just thought that I would share with you my first little trip in Europe, and it was quite the trip! Almost the entire group came down to Nice for the long weekend. It was filled with sun, rocks, and luxury cars. Nice is positively gorgeous. With macaroon colored buildings playfully dipping their toes in the cool Mediterranean sea, what's not to love in this city? It was a six hour bus ride through the winding roads passing through the Alps, but it was worth the slight nausea and exhaustion.

We were in Nice from Thrusday night to Sunday morning. The real fun was had during Friday and Saturday. Friday morning was spent at the Marché du Fleurs where the créme de la créme of French flora was ripe for the picking.

The Marché du Fleurs is a fantastic outdoor market for those looking to eat in Nice for cheap. My lunch for that day was fresh framboises (raspberries), Socca (delish chickpea crêpe special to the region), une boutille d'eau (water bottle), and tois petit cannoli (I know that this one isn't really French, but Italy is right there). All of this was had at about 7 euro which is quite the deal in this highly touristy town. After strolling though the market and having the freshest of lunches. The siren call of the beach only a stone's throw away lured me to Nice's famous rocks.

Here they are!

However, I couldn't just sit on the rocky (at times uncomfortable) beach ALL day. So what did I do?

PARASAILING!!

After the relaxation/exhilaration of the beach, we decided to see the sights and ran into the chateau. The hike up gave the most beautiful views of the city, and a cascading waterfall welcomed us at the top.

le chateau

Of course as members of the female gender, a photoshoot was obligatory!

What a wonderful day in Nice. The fun, however, did not stop there. The next morning promised glitz, glamour, and luxury: Monaco here I come!

If you are ever in Nice, do NOT miss going to Monaco. Only a 45 min (1 euro!!!) bus ride away, it is your way of living like the top 1% for a day. Plus, it's mecca for any Grace Kelly fans out there. 

                            

In the land where the taxis are Audis and a person's first car is a Lamborghini, Monaco is definitely the land of milk and honey for those rich and famous. The only thing that we could afford was taking pictures of all the famous landmarks. Here are a few of my favorite pictures to motivate me to become successful in life:

This is what I call Batmobile with Child.

My other car is a 50ft yacht.

Other than reveling in things that I will never be able to afford we did some historical sightseeing as well! 

Le Musée Oceanographique

Prince's Palace

Cathedral where Princess Grace was married

What a perfect 3-day weekend! I wish that every long weekend could be like this. The Côte d'Azur is definitely a place I will return to one day. Oh how Europe is spoiling me so!

Á plus tard,

Krystyne