Fall Break

With a day off for All Saints Day, I decided today was definitely the day to update my blog with some pictures from fall break! It was so nice to have a week off to explore, something I usually don't even get in the U.S.

Seville:

The first two days of fall break I spent in Seville, Spain. I have a friend who is studying there for the semester. I had visited Seville before, and actually will be going back in a couple weeks. Seville is easily my favorite city in Spain thus far. It is beautiful and so Spanish. We just spent two days wandering around, seeing the sights. It was fun to see how another person studying abroad in Spain could still have a completely different life style than me. It was great to see her and a perfect, relaxing start to break!

Tower on the Cathedral.

Plaza de Espana.

Representing Alicante, even in Seville!

Beautiful day in the Plaza de Espana.

Paris:

After, I hopped on a plane to Paris. What can I say about Paris? I was before what you might call a Paris-Skeptic. I was sure that it was an amazing city, but I couldn't exactly understand what everyone was so obsessed with. And now I know. Spending 5 days there was absolutely amazing, but my mother said I probably don't need to post all 758 photos I have from my time there. So I thought I would just give a quick day by day synopsis with a few photos.

Day 1- 

Started with a beautiful morning walk through the Montmartre neighborhood in Paris:

Sacre Coeur, famous church on the Montmartre Butte.

View from the highest hill in Pairs.

Montmartre neighborhood. 

Then to the Arc de Triomphe and a walk down the famous Champ-Elysees:

Finally, a walk around the Rue Clear neighborhood at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower at night:

Most amazing pastries in the world!

Day 2-

Another morning walk, this time around historic Paris:

Notre Dame- my favorite thing in Paris!

Service in Notre Dame.

Gargoyles!

Put a lock with your true love on this bridge and you will always be together.

Paris Metro.

Flower market, a bird market on Sundays.

Then around the Left Bank and the Luxembourg Gardens:

Walks along the Seine. 

Book sellers along the Left Bank of the Seine.

Institute of French (the language).

Saint Sulpice- of Da Vinci Code fame.

Rose line?

Luxembourg Gardens.

Finally around the Louvre, one of my top five favorite places in Paris:

Day 3-


Wednesday was the start of my two day Museum Pass- an awesome investment that allowed me to see so many great museums in Paris. But all Wednesday morning was spent at Versailles- an amazingly easy trip out of the city to see this incredible palace, another of my favorite places in Paris:

The big man himself.

Chapel, from the King's Balcony.

Hall of Mirrors.

Marie Antoinette's bed room.

Family dining room, so people could watch them eat.

One-third of the building, could only fit one part into the shot.

Fall walk through the Gardens of Versailles.

Ok, so in addition to the main palace, their are a collection of smaller houses that the royals would use when they needed to escape the busy court life of Versailles (which was built the busy court life of Paris.) I can't remember all the names, but this is the biggest of the baby palaces.

The smallest, mostly used by Marie Antoinette. 

The medium sized one.

Marie Antoinette also had a small, picturesque village built of around 20 people, so she could hang out and play in somewhere less royal. It was beautiful!

Marie Antoinette, inside the medium house.

Medium one from the road.

Finishing up with another fall walk.

Finally, the evening ended with the first of three evening trips to the Louvre:

Grand Gallery.

There she is! So incredible.

Through the pyramid at night.

Day 4-

Thursday was the second day of my Museum Pass, and I got the most out of it! Starting with a visit to the Pantheon. Built as a monument to the cities patron saint, after the revolution it was turned into a monument to Paris' revolutionary thinkers, many of who are buried here:

Rousseau.

Then the Musée de l'Orangerie, home to Monet's Waterlilies, one of my favorite things ever, and Tuileries Garden:

Gardens.

Fall!

One of the two circular waterlily rooms, incredible!

Next, a good walk to Napoleon's Tomb and the Military Museum, I was interested to see how they entombed this controversial figure in history:

Dome over Napoleon's Tomb.

Oh look, another view of the Eiffel Tower.

Inside the military museum.

Inside the dome.

Napoleon's Tomb.

Look at the funny French military outfits....

Then to Sainte Chapelle, across the street from Notre Dame, it is famous for its amazing stain glass windows:

Back to the Louvre and finally the Musee d'Orsay, no pictures inside the Orsay, which was fine as I was slightly disappointed that all their impressionist work as not on display:

I love this building!

Orsay.

Day 5-


Friday was all about hanging out with friends, just relaxing and enjoying my last day in Paris. Went back to Montmartre and Notre Dame. Had a relaxing lunch of bread and cheese, very French. 

Photo credit to Lara!

I absolutely loved Paris! I definitely had so many amazing adventures while I was there, and many of these pictures can not fully capture all the beauty that I saw everywhere, from the art to the buildings. I honestly can't wait to go back to Paris some day, it was the perfect fall break!