Barcelona Day 2... June 26th

Day 32...

Today was pretty awesome!!! Well until my legs started hurting, but it was still awesome!

We started the day by getting on the bus and driving around town. Same tour guide as yesterday took us around, but this time it was more planned instead of the extreme spontaneity. The morning was for more of the classical, older architecture, this afternoon was for the modern, contemporary stuff.

Gaudi was a bit of a theme this morning.  We saw a little of everything, from his church that’s been being built for almost 100 years, to a hotel he designed, all the way to a park which had the house he lived in towards the end of his life. Gaudi’s designs for architecture are by far some of the most unique, because of all the mathematical effort that was done and figured in order to make his buildings stand and hold roofs the way they do.

We then headed to the coast and had lunch. This started the contemporary half of the day today, because of the very abstract designs around the dock. The bus took us down into the business district of Spain, most of the buildings were closed because it is Sunday, but that made for amazing pictures with almost no people in them.  I don’t think I have ever seen buildings like some of these! My favorite was the buildings that looked like they were completely flat, almost like they were just a piece of paper, an illusion! We also walked through very modernized parks, around a university campus, and just along the street to see various buildings and architectural pieces.

Sadly my day ended a bit sooner then everyone else’s, the architecture was totally worth it!

~Dia de Locos~

Elyse

Barcelona Day 1... June 25th

Day 31...

Finally leaving Paris and heading to Barcelona! Don’t get me wrong, I really liked France, but I need my summer to start already!

We got up quite early this morning for our plane ride. We left the hotel at about 7. Saying goodbye to Paris was only sad because I don’t feel like I got to do everything on my agenda. So I will be returning, soon I hope J

Plane ride was Fantastic! I slept from about the time I sat down on the plane, even before it took off, til we landed in Spain! But then it was go go go!!! Our tour guide met us at the airport, with a sign and everything, and had us get on to our bus, because our tour started then! He spoke about everything in the city from the place the Olympics were in 1992, to the Market, old town and new town, you name it and I feel like we saw it today. The bus mostly just drove us around from place to place; we got off and took some pictures, then drove for another like 10 minutes and did it all over again.

Most people weren’t in a summer outfit, so we headed to the hotel to drop off our luggage and for them to change clothes, and sadly, that was the last we saw of the bus today! We did a walking tour from there on out. I tried to stay up close to the tour guide because I wanted to be sure and here everything could about the city. We walked into side streets that I most definitely wouldn’t have gone down without someone that knew the city well, but the shops looked amazing! After touring with him for a while, he left us so we could shop. Barcelona by far has the Best shopping and prices!

~Hola Espana~

Elyse

Paris Day 10... June 24th

Day 30...
Today was a strange start... Multiple times were given to everyone in order to meet this morning, and of course being a bigger group we had a few show up at the last minute possible.
Th professors didn't tell us what or where we were going this morning, or today for that matter, just said to follow them... I am sure everyone knows I'm not good at spontaneity, so this slightly killed me!
The surprise was the Paris Cemetery... OK, so not as bad as I was expecting because of their last surprise, but we went there to fet pattern inspiration, which is slightly strange because i did get some, but now i will always remember that it's from someone randoms tomb.
Next on the surprise list was the Luxemburg Park. When we first walked in to the park, there was some sort of movie/TV shoot going on. I'm not sure exacly who it was, but with all of us standing round with our cameras out, i am sure we looked like paparazzi. We didn't stay to long, but the gardens were beautiful. They are green lined with color along the pathways and pebbles to walk on, statues in the centers of grass fountains, the house exterior is simply detailed at the bottom and gets more eccentric toward the top. The weather was so nice, I even had time to bask in the sun.
The rest of my day consisted of packing, sketching, blogging, more sketching, and mailing home my souvenirs/gifts... oh and having a really fabulous last meal in Paris :)
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 ~Au Revoir~

Elyse

Paris Day 9... June 23rd

Day 29...

Today we hit up Versailles... At 8 am we left for our train, and fortunately it was enough time for a quick nap. When we arrived it was so much bigger then I imagined!

We went to the gardens first. Following a big group, I have found, gets pretty difficult because everyone tends to get on each other’s last nerve, so I just followed behind them about 30 steps. I think the group finds it amusing that I hate walking in circles or zigzags so of course that's what we do. Fortunately I did get to see a lot of the gardens because of it, so I'm slightly less irritated about it.

We went over to Marie Antoinette’s House and because it was not open yet we sat and sketched for about an hour... Everyone sketched her house; I however wanted to be different and sketched the guard tower that is until it started raining. Walking through the house, it was a lot smaller then I originally thought. I think there are only 10 rooms and I feel like I walked through it in 30 minutes, but it has some of the most amazing paneling I've ever seen. That part was exactly how I imagined! The damask fabric or wall paper on the walls, the simplistic yet ornate gilding and simple ceilings all was very well portrayed in both books I have read and the movie did a very good job with the sets and scenery.

When I was finished inside, I wondered around the back garden a bit on my own, right before the whole group got together to walk around more of the gardens, so I thought. We actually walked over to where a bunch of little cottage type houses were built, all different, and by far my most favorite! I think I walked around and explored these little cottages like it was Ireland. Our professors had us sit and sketch for a while, and we would have people walking by us and looking over some shoulders while we were drawing. Some people were so impressed by some of my group’s drawings that they stood next to them while they were doing it, instead of just walking by.

We walked around the grounds of Versailles and in a few other buildings before we actually went into the palace. This palace had more security then another one I have been in, it felt a lot like an airport, but once I was inside, I was in awe! The hall of mirrors is extremely elaborate, and is a lot bigger than I expected. The detail work on the ceiling and between the mirrors is incredible. Overall, Versailles is right up there with Vogh and the Alnwick Castle (aka, Hogwarts)

~Belles Maisons~

Elyse