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Darcy, I’m Home!

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Sunday morning, Helen, Abi and I set out on a day trip to visit Chatsworth Estate. It’s more affectionately known by Pride and Prejudice fans as “Pemberly Estate”- home of the original dream boat, Mr. Darcy. For those of you who are not Jane Austen aficionados, the Chatsworth house was featured in the 2006 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice as Mr. Darcy’s estate.

This house has played host to a lot of history over the years. A famous occupant of this house was Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. Another film reference, Keira Knightly portrayed Georgiana in the 2008 film “The Duchess,” part of which was filmed here at the estate.

I really enjoyed touring this house. It’s a great mix of different architectural styles, from the elegant 17th century state chambers to the smaller, turn of the century guest rooms. The great thing about English estates is their preservation. Having been passed down over generations, the families have done an excellent job of maintaining the historic beauty of the vast estates. It really is such a treat to see.

After touring the house, we finished our day with an afternoon tea in the stables tea room. I was having some serious house envy and was very sad to leave the estate at the end of the day.

Think the family would mind if I moved in? Adopt me, please? (Sorry mom and dad)

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Exploring England

Thursday, April 21- Tuesday, April 26

There’s a lot more to England than London. It’s a great city that I have a lot of love for, but the English countryside is unparalleled. My spring break experience in the Midlands was a very lucky one, as I am fortunate enough to have friends who generously hosted me during my time in England. What I hadn’t realized was how much I missed being in a home environment. It’s small things like enjoying family dinners and sitting on the couch watching Mary Berry turning her nose up at a pastry that isn’t quite up to snuff... I missed the comforts of home. This is why I am so grateful for my spring break experience with our family friends. I stayed four nights at Helen and Dave’s house. This was a great experience because they have two children, Abi and Jon, who are roughly the same age as me.

My first day with them, Helen, Dave and I took a road trip to the town of Chester which was once occupied by the Romans. There we walked around the ancient city wall and enjoyed some nice views onto the river. The high street of Chester was filled with magnificent old buildings, plenty of shops and pubs. After enjoying some lunch we went to the Chester cathedral. It was there that we took a “tower tour” and were guided through the behind the scenes parts of the cathedral, looking down from small galleries onto the vast expanse of the church below. Along with climbing to the top of the bell tower, we hunched through the small attic-like spaces of the cathedral where we saw some of the structural supports. It was remarkable to see how so much heavy stone is held up simply by a system of wooden beams.

Back in Stafford, we ventured up to the ancient Stafford Castle. Situated on top of a hill overlooking the town, this castle, which is now in ruins, was a fun site to explore. Having been recently made “tourist friendly,” you can venture inside the remaining structure to see what’s left of the castle and imagine what it was like at the time it played host to people such as Queen Elizabeth I.

Another great feature of the town of Stafford is one of their nature reserves. The Cannock Chase is a beautiful expanse of untouched countryside with winding trails and beautiful views. It was a great place for a long walk with the dog and the weather was absolutely beautiful.

Up next... a Pride & Prejudice themed day trip!

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London Take Two: Spring Break 2016

Wednesday April 20- Thursday April 21

My plan for spring break was a simple one: United Kingdom or bust. About a month ago, I haphazardly searched to see if one of my favorite British bands would be playing anywhere around Europe during my time abroad. Lo and behold, right in the middle of my spring break The Vaccines would be playing Royal Albert Hall in London. It all seemed too good to be true... a favorite band and a dream venue all tied up in a nice little package. After hemming and hawing over the practicality of going to London for a second time, I quickly came to the decision that I had to do it. So here I found myself not but a month and a half after my visit to London with my parents on the Eurostar making my way back to England once again, giddy and ready for some tea and scones.

London is expensive, so I had to plan my time there strategically. I’d do one night there to see the concert then head up north to spend time with some family friends after, a cheaper option that allows for some time away from the city spent with friends. My train arrived in London just in time for lunch so after settling into my hotel I was off and exploring as much as I could. A quick lunch at a traditional pub and I headed over to the Victoria & Albert Museum, which is best described as a museum for the masses. This museum holds everything from ancient history, textiles, oil paintings, ironwork, architecture and design. I spent hours meandering up and down the galleries stocked full of a wide variety of curiosities. It’s worth mentioning that they serve an excellent cup of tea at the V&A as well...

Spending more time at the museum than I had bargained for, I took a quick stroll over to Hyde Park and the Kensington Gardens before getting ready for the concert. I had booked a hotel putting me within walking distance of the RAH which ultimately saved me a lot of commute time. The historic venue was beautiful and the concert was incredible. I could hardly hear after leaving, but it was well worth it.

If you’re at all interested, here’s a decent clip of the two opening songs of The Vaccines set from their performance at RAH- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cZxNQu4fX4

Even after a night of ear splitting rock and roll, I had no time to waste and I was on a mission. The past two times I’ve been to London I’ve missed out on visiting Westminster Abbey and was dead set on getting there this time. So before my afternoon train up north I finally crossed another historic sight off my list. Unfortunately I could not take any pictures inside the abbey, but it was truly impressive. There I saw the tombs of ancient kings and queens of England as well as some famous patrons of science and literature. I was also pleasantly surprised by the audio guide, affectionately narrated by Jeremy Irons. I managed to grab a quick bite to eat and some tea at The Orangery in Kensington before heading to the train station to catch a train north where the adventure would continue...

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Monet’s Giverny

Sunday, April 10

Just a few pictures from our day trip up to Giverny on Sunday. This beautiful property situated on the banks of the Seine is where we find Claude Monet’s greatest inspiration- his gardens. The beautiful scenery was in full bloom during our visit which made it very easy to understand the artist’s love for the serene gardens and ponds. Between the warm weather, colorful blooms, and overwhelming scent of the flowers, this was definitely one of our more relaxing and enjoyable trips.

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Rome Has Ruined Me For Life

Friday, April 1- Sunday, April 3

Friday morning at 5:00 AM I was barely awake and functioning poorly as I made my way through the still dark streets of Paris to the bus station. The only thing keeping me from laying down in the street and going back to sleep was the fact that I was headed to Rome. An hour bus ride out of Paris, through most of which I slept, and we were on a plane to Italy. We knew we were in for a treat as our amazing Paris program coordinator, Nicoletta, grew up just outside of Rome and was acting as our own personal tour guide for the weekend.

By 11:30, we arrived to the airport on the outskirts of Rome. Nicoletta’s sister, a coordinator for the Rome study abroad programs, picked us up at the airport and drove us up to Castel Gandolfo. This cute little mountainside town located on a volcanic lake is home to the pope’s summer residence. The charming town is quintessentially Italian with shops and plentiful restaurants filled to the brim with all the pasta you can imagine. After a quick tour through the papal residence, we started our journey off right...with an enormous Italian lunch. We sampled all kinds of traditional Italian antipasti, appetizers, and several kinds of pasta. It was easily one of the best meals of my life.

In the late afternoon, after wandering around the picturesque lake of Castel Gandolfo we took a train down into Rome. After settling into our apartment, we headed into the center of Rome to find more food (because we were, of course, starving from our lack of food for the past 2 hours). We walked around the Trastavere area for a while before stopping for dinner at a popular pizza joint. While enjoying some fried artichoke, pizza, and a Peroni, we felt like spectators to a theatrical show. Just in front of us was a brick oven where pizzas were being packed in at least 30 at a time. Flour, sauce, pizza dough, and oven hot pizzas were flying everywhere! The process was well-oiled with four chefs each doing their part to craft a pizza that spent in total about only 3 minutes actually in the oven. This hectic yet meticulous process was hypnotizing to watch and spoke volumes to the popularity of the pizza joint.

After a good night’s sleep from a very long day, we were up and at it early the next morning. In true Italian form, our day started with a quick pastry and delicious espresso. We spent nearly half the day exploring The Forum and The Colosseum. This was, for me, the most memorable and breathtaking part of the trip. Being the history nerd that I am, I simply could not get enough from the beautiful historical sights. The Forum is a treasure trove of Roman history, so much so it’s overwhelming. It seems impossible to absorb all the information and history laid out in front of you. Tack on the fact that spring is in full swing and the scenery is breathtaking, and it’s all almost too much to handle! We spent nearly 3 hours at The Forum and I felt like I had hardly scratched the surface. From there, we went next door to visit the Colosseum, a much shorter visit. A short, sweet, and to the point audio guide takes you around the interior giving you an excellent overview of the structure, utilization, history, and deterioration of the grand monument. A really fascinating and non-time consuming tour that I would highly recommend.

Our late afternoon consisted of a visit to the Trevi Fountain, complete with a coin toss into the water and a wish to go along with it. We explored a few more picturesque sights in Rome and stopped afterwards for an afternoon beverage in a cute little bar. After this much needed break, we headed to dinner at one of Rome’s best pasta restaurants. There we gained about 50 pounds from more antipasti, pasta, and wine. Let me tell you, Romans know how to EAT. After rolling home, fat and happy, we slept off our carbs intake to do it all over again the next day.

Up bright and early, my roommate and I had free time for the most of the day, so we hit the city to make the most of it. We took breakfast at a cute cafe overlooking the Pantheon after having toured the monument. After purchasing some Italian coffee beans from a great coffee stop, we took a bit of a hike over to Vatican City. The Basilica and the Sistine Chapel were closed, but there was some sort of ceremony going on in the square which was neat to see. After checking out the square for a bit, we stopped to have one last lunch before we had to leave Rome. Overstuffed from days of eating, a good old fashioned prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich sufficed. Besides, I had to save room for one last gelato...

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Koehler Family Takes Paris, Orléans, and Disneyland Paris

Monday, March 14- Friday, March 18

After arriving back home to Paris from our weekend in London, I unfortunately had to revert back to reality. While my parents had time to explore Paris, I still had to be the responsible student and actually go to class. However, school didn’t stop me from participating in fun activities with them!

Monday morning I took my parents to breakfast at my favorite spot in Paris- Shakespeare and Co. Booksellers. This English literature bookstore that overlooks Notre Dame has a nice, small cafe attached to it where I spend a good amount of time. I thought showing my parents one of my frequently visited spots would be a nice way to start our time in Paris. I was able to wander around and have lunch with them before class, but alas, I had to slip away eventually.

Tuesday, after my morning class we took a train down to Orléans to spend time with Marie-Madeleine and Gerard, my mom’s host family from her time studying abroad in college. This was a really excellent opportunity for our whole family. Most importantly, it was a chance for my mom to catch up with her beloved “french parents”. As I was the only member of the family who hadn’t yet made their acquaintance, it was particularly special for me. After hearing so many stories about my mom’s time with them during college, I felt like I was meeting my grandparents for the first time. It was an excellent afternoon that had emotions running high and bellies full of too much delicious French food.

Wednesday and Thursday were, again, school days for me, but I insisted on having afternoon tea at Mariage Freres on Thursday as soon as I was free! I felt it was an adequate way to celebrate the start of the weekend. This favorite tea salon of mine was a great cultural experience, as we each enjoyed some of the most delicious tea Paris has to offer.

Friday morning, we were up early and heading to the outskirts of Paris to spend a day at Disneyland. I could hardly keep from skipping with excitement when we arrived at the park and we were in for quite the experience. However, Disneyland Paris is extremely difficult to describe. On one hand, it is exactly the same as Disney World, only on a slightly smaller scale. On the other hand, it’s completely different and almost alien feeling. The decorations, the aesthetic and the themes of the park can momentarily almost trick you into believing that you are in Orlando, Florida. Then you look around, notice all the personal space you have, the lack of screaming children, and the fact that wait times for rides are all less than 10 minutes, and you are snapped back to reality. It’s really the population of Disneyland Paris that is so different. You aren’t shoving shoulders with 40,000 other people and kids aren’t being dragged on leashes everywhere you look. It’s quiet, calm, and collected, even as a character parade loudly and proudly zooms its way down Main Street USA. It was certainly a different way to experience Disney, but was nonetheless extremely fun.

I’ll be continuing with one final post about our last weekend together soon!

This blog post is dedicated to Emily Karcher because homegirl needs some recognition. :)

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Koehler Family Takes London

Friday March 11- Sunday March 13

Quote of the weekend- “I HATE this song. This is the WORST song EVER.”- Small adorable British child in response to “Pomp and Circumstance” playing on the bus.

So the lack of blog posts was largely in part that all my time was spent with very special visitors! Friday morning I took the EuroStar from Paris into London St. Pancras to meet up with my parents, who flew into London Friday morning. After a happy reunion at our hotel, we bought tickets for the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. 0/10 would suggest. Literally hated it. I absolutely prefer the Tube! After sitting in traffic for nearly two hours, we FINALLY arrived at the Tower of London. However, before we toured the historic landmark, we had a good old fashioned British pub lunch complete with fish and chips, and cider.

Next, we ventured through the Tower alongside one of the “Beefeater” guides. This informational guided tour was an amazing way to see the Tower and we certainly learned a lot. We saw the crown jewels as well as the site where Anne Boelyn’s body was laid to rest after her beheading (yet another wise and calculated choice by King Henry VIII...). We hopped back on the bus to head back to the hotel and to dinner at “The Swan.” Dealing with two very jetlagged parents, our day had to be relatively low-key and short.

Saturday morning, we got up and ventured over to Riding House Cafe, a lovely breakfast spot recommended by a friend. (Shout-out to EmBell <3 ) After breakfast we headed over to the British Museum to see a large collection of human history artifacts. We then took a long walk down the ever-bustling Oxford Street to make a quick pilgrimage to Selfridge’s department store, home to one of our favorite Masterpiece Theatre shows :)

Our afternoon was spent over near Westminster at the Cabinet War Rooms of Winston Churchill, an excellent history museum for any World War II history buff. After winding through some of the most important rooms in war history, we strolled through St. James park to Buckingham Palace. There we had an elegant and lavish royal dinner with our close, personal friends Kate, Bill, Queen Liz, and Harry, after which Harry and I announced our imminent engagement. (Ha-ha, I wish.)

Our day ended with some wandering in search of some peasant food and dinner at an oh-so-common British pub. I do love me some fish and chips with a pint though...

The last day in London commenced with a lovely breakfast at the Orangery in Hyde Park, one of my favorite places in London. Situated just next to Kensington Palace, we enjoyed the food, the tea, and of course the adorable atmosphere. Our last stop of the trip was a visit through Kensington Palace in which explored the history of the Kings and Queens of England along with a history of 20th century royal fashion.

As our trip in London came to an end, we headed to the train station to make our way to our next destination... home to Paris, of course! (To be continued...)

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A Spur of the Moment Trip to Strasbourg

 Friday March 4 and Saturday March 5

About 15 hours after scouring for last minute train tickets and hotel reservations, I was off on a morning train to Strasbourg. After dropping off my things at my very cute hotel, I hit the city. I began my adventure by wandering in search of food. A quick lunch at a boulangerie gave me the energy I needed to start exploring the city.

I spent my first afternoon doing an independent walking tour route I mapped out to familiarize myself with the area and see some sights. Strasbourg is simply beautiful to look at. The main attraction of the city is “Petite France,” the oldest part of the city with a slew of adorable buildings.  Falling victim to the excitement of the moment, I purchased a few souvenirs including some traditional Alsacian wine glasses and a square of the local spiced bread.

My afternoon of wandering of course rendered me hungry, so it was off to dinner I went. Per the suggestion of a few family members (shout-out to mom, Uncle Ed, and Aunt Judy!), I made reservations for dinner Friday night at “L’Ami Schutz,” a very cute traditional Alsacian restaurant. Here I ate enough sausage and sauerkraut to feed about five people. Top it all off with some eastern French wine and a mystery dessert (that I’m not entirely sure I actually ordered) and you’ve got yourself an Alsacian feast. It was easily one of the best meals I’ve eaten so far in France and the service was excellent.

After rolling back to the hotel and getting a good night’s sleep, I used my time Saturday to explore the plentiful historical sights of Strasbourg. I started my day at the Alsacian Museum. This cute little museum housed in three medieval Strasbourg homes is a wonderful depiction of medieval Alsacian life. I thoroughly enjoyed winding through the traditional rooms and catching a glimpse of this ancient lifestyle.

Fast forward a few hundred years in history and you’ll find yourself at my next stop: The Palais Rohan, an 18th century castle built for the Bishops of Strasbourg. This very Parisian castle is home to three different museums: The Museum of Decorative Arts, The Museum of Beaux Arts, and the Archaeological Museum. Here you can experience three facets of Strasbourg history. The Decorative Arts museum takes you on a tour of the most important chambers of the palace that have served host to King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and Napoleon I. The Beaux Arts Museum houses an impressive collection of art and the Archaeological Museum depicts the ancient Roman history of the town.

All the history was making me hungry, so I subjected myself to yet another Alsacian feast. As it was my last real meal in Strasbourg, I felt the need to “go big” before I went home. A glass of pinot gris, chicken in Riesling sauce with spaetzel, and apfel streusel and I was a fat, happy camper.

After lunch I went to a museum that depicted medieval religious life in Strasbourg. Then I made a stupid decision and decided to climb the stairs to the bell tower of the Strasbourg cathedral. It’s worth mentioning that this cathedral was the tallest building in the modern world for about four centuries in the middle ages. The climb was tedious, but the view was worth it.

A few more hours of wandering around trough winding streets and open-air markets and I found myself back at the train station heading back to Paris. The trip may have been quick, but it was still more than enough time for me to fall in love with Strasbourg.  

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Avid Fans of Agriculture Who Eat Ice Cream on Waffles

Saturday Feb. 27 & Sunday Feb. 28

Saturday I found myself in a most unusual place. Standing in the middle of the largest convention center in Paris surrounded by cows, sheep, goats, and all manner of livestock. Why, you ask, was I inclined to spend my Saturday afternoon in the midst of foul-smelling food that will more than likely end up on my dining room table?

Because the Paris International Agriculture Convention= FREE SAMPLES

Free food is, of course, the best food.

This annual convention brings together farmers, agriculture specialists, shop, and restaurant owners from all over the world. We spent most of our time in the French National and International Cuisine Expos. Here we sampled foods from all over the world and brought home a treasure trove of delicious international cuisine. A somewhat strange choice for a weekend activity turned into a fun adventure complete with good food and fuzzy animals, and really what more could I want?

Sunday was a day of wandering. We set out for a promenade through the Marais, the historically Jewish district of Paris. Here we found many excellent chocolate, patisserie, and specialty food shops. In true European fashion, we wandered in a few churches here and there as well. Unlike the rest of Paris on a Sunday, most of the shops were open and filled to the brim with customers. We weaved our way in and out of shops picking up the occasional fun treat, including a Belgian waffle topped with ice cream.

The gem of the Marais is the Place des Vosges, a beautiful square of buildings encircling a nice park. Although it is still very much winter here, the park is still enjoyable and visually appealing.

Then we had the misfortune of running into the ugliest building in Paris- the Centre Pompidou. Nothing to say on the subject other than this building is straight up gross. Ugh.

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I Get Bitter When I Can’t Take Photos in Museums

Saturday, Feb. 20

This is the Musée Galliera. It’s a beautiful museum with beautiful gardens and beautiful exhibitions that I can’t share with you because NO PICTURES ALLOWED. Ugh.

This cool lil’ shrimp of a museum is constantly circulating fashion collections. The one we happened to stumble upon was that of a French socialite from the turn of the century. Her clothes were extremely elegant and I was in heaven. This is the portion of the blog post where I would maybe reference a picture of an elegant Worth tea dress, or a Lanvin evening gown. But alas, I cannot.

At least the building is pretty?

In an attempt to redeem my lack of pictures from the museum, look at that cool Eiffel Tower thing.

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Yesterday Was No Tra(jeudi)

(French puns, woo!)

Thursday, Feb. 18 - Friday, Feb. 19

We survived our first week of school! Cause for celebration! As we do not have classes on Friday, Thursday night was the perfect opportunity to hit the town and celebrate.

After class, Melanie and I visited Musee d’Orangerie. This little museum tucked in the Tuileries houses a small yet impressive collection of impressionist art including eight of Monet’s large waterlily canvases. A second small gallery is filled with some Degas, Picasso, and a few other impressionist paintings. Small but mighty, this museum was a good choice for a chilly and rainy day.

Needing to celebrate our academic success, Melanie and I decided we needed a good old fashioned French dinner. Our big “first week survival” celebration was a crazy experience, to say the least. We ended up at “Heureux Comme Alexandre,” a teeny little fondue restaurant in the Latin quarter. This three hour dinner consisted of waaayyyy too much food and booze, but was 100% worth it. The service was beyond excellent and the food was to die for. Along with food and drinks we never actually ordered, we were gifted with a small pot of take-home chocolate fondue for being “the fun Americans.” :D

After sleeping in from our night of overindulgence, we took it slow this morning and decided to go to Montmartre to visit Sacre Coeur Cathedral and the cute surrounding village. What we thought would be relaxing turned into a strenuous hike up never-ending staircases to get to the top of the hill upon which the church sits. We figured it was karma for eating so much last night, and begrudgingly took the exercise. We wandered around aimlessly, enjoying the art galleries and quaint streets.

Our day ended by crossing to the other end of town to get ice cream from the famed “Berthillon.” It may have been chilly and windy, but it didn’t stop us from properly enjoying it at the edge of Ile St-Louis looking out over the Seine.

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Musée Jacquemart-André

Sunday, Feb. 14

Today reminded me why I am so lucky to be living in Paris. Unlike my previous time spent here, I now have the opportunity to discover some of the better kept secrets and less touristy spots. Today’s adventure was exactly that; an off-the-beaten-path gem with a delightful lack of tourists. And what better way to spend Valentine’s day than in a museum??

The Musée Jacquemart-André is unlike any museum I’ve ever visited. This elegant villa, nestled just north of the Champs-Élysées, is a showcase of art collected from all over the world by the previous occupants, Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart. These two were an art-crazy, culture lovin’, powerhouse of a couple. They spent their time traveling all over the world collecting priceless works of art and sculpture to install in their glamorous Parisian villa. During their 13-year marriage, these two curated their own private in-home museum that became quite popular with the Parisian upper-class. Their home was a cultural epicenter for socialites. An invitation to dinner at the Villa meant a night of excellent food, a showcase of classical music, and (if you were lucky) a trip upstairs to see Nélie’s prized “national collection” of Italian art.

It was in the late 19th century when André decided to bequeath his and Nélie’s collection to L’Institut de France. Having no children, the two had no one to pass their priceless art down to and didn’t want it to be scattered to different museums. André died in 1894, leaving his entire fortune, house, and art collection to Nélie. In her remaining years she continued to expand the collection, taking trips in the early 1900′s to India and Burma. In 1913, one year after her death, the Parisian villa was opened up to the public as a museum showcasing the beauty of the house and the exquisite collection of art.

Our tour through the house was completed with afternoon tea in the formal dining room which has been converted into a restaurant. If you squint your eyes and ignore reality, you can almost imagine yourself a guest at one of the Jacquemart-André’s enchanted dinner parties...

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Our First Non-Parisian Adventure

Wednesday, Feb. 10

The hustle and bustle of Parisian life is exactly the reason why chateaux exist- to take a break from the whirlwind of activity (and to avoid the peasantry, duh). Our day trip, a 40 minute train ride out of Paris, took us to the Chateau of Fontainebleau, the perfect retreat from the crowded and busy streets of Paris.

This castle, whose first components were constructed in 1137, is a myriad of decorative tastes and architectural styles. After all, it was home to royalty for over 800 years and the progression of trends is extremely evident. This castle is like a trip through three-hundred years worth of design all crammed into one neat  (yet excessively large) package. Each wing of the castle comes equipped with it’s own personality and let me tell you... it’s overwhelmingly awesome.

King François I started additions to the medieval castle in 1528. Much of his Renaissance renovations were inspired by the work of popular Italian architects of the time. Much of the castle in its current altered state reflects this beautiful Italian style. The grand ballroom and long formal gallery are testaments to the skill of the woodworkers of the era, lavishly crafted with intricate wood designs, colorful ceilings, and ornate frescoes on every wall.

The 17th century came with many additions to the castle. These changes, mostly instigated by King Henry IV, focused on adding to the castle rather than redecorating. The same can be said for the 18th century changes brought on by Louis XV. The wings protruding from the main castle show a very obvious change in style and the rooms within reflect the more typical French chateaux architecture; long galleries of rooms all connected by a continuous string of double-doors. Louis XV was consistent in his taste though, as this style can also be seen in the remaining apartments at the Louvre and most prominently at Versailles.

The final royal tenants of this castle came during the Napoleonic era of the 19th century. During the French revolution, Fontainebleau was ransacked of all it’s furniture and decorations. Luckily, the building itself survived. Napoleon I sought out Fontainebleau as his imperial residence, and thereby restored the building to it’s former glory. It was under the reign of Napoleon III that most of the interior decoration was completed.

This castle, the biggest royal residence in France, is the most complete collection of original structures and furniture of any chateau in the country. It is as beautiful as it is full of history. It is also a prime tourist-trap for people like me who will definitely pay good money to take those extra tours that go deep into the less glamorous parts of the castle. (10/10 would suggest. The tour guides are bomb.) There is still so much left to discover here and I am confident that I will return soon.

So, until next time, Fontainebleau.

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A Trip to the Louvre

Monday, Feb. 8, 2016

Apparently I was in the mood to take pictures of statues? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Our trek through this palatial museum took us from the middle ages all the way up to the mid 1800′s. We shoved our way through the hoards of tourists to see Mona Lisa, we explored the gilded Napoleon III Apartments, saw beautiful Greek and Roman statues, and of course stopped at Cafe Angelina for overpriced pastries.

This trek took us deep into winding halls of the castle, allowing us to enjoy the many less-populated, hidden treasures the Louvre has to offer. Yet at the end of the day, I’m very confident that there are still many things I’ve yet to see. Another adventure for another day!

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A Trip to Musée D’Orsay

Sunday, Feb. 7

Just a few pictures from my favorite museum in Paris!

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Roomie Adventures- Day 1

Saturday, Feb. 6

We walked nine miles today. NINE MILES.

Today’s agenda featured a lot of sights around Ile de la Cite, the cute little island in the middle of Paris home to some of the greatest tourist sights in the world. First on the list, none other than Notre Dame (not the large Jesuit university in Indiana). It’s one of those sights where no matter how many times you see it, the amazement never fades. The stained glass windows are always breathtaking and the intricacies of the stone work inside and outside are awe-inspiring.

The second stop, another Gothic landmark, was Saint-Chapelle. Although significantly smaller than Notre Dame, Saint-Chapelle is a whole other level of breathtaking beauty. Built in the 13th century by King Louis IX (St. Louis’ namesake king!!!) the chapel was meant to be an ornate destination to house the King’s passion relics. The relics, including a supposed piece of the holy cross and the crown of thorns, cost more to purchase than to construct the building. This spot is one of my absolute favorite sights in Paris. There is no way for me to accurately describe the breathtaking beauty of chapel. The huge stained glass windows flood the space with such vibrant color and light that no picture can adequately capture. It’s a must-see for anyone who ever steps foot into Paris.

Our third stop was slightly more morbid than the colorful and tranquil Saint-Chapelle. We headed a few doors down to the Conciergerie, AKA French Revolutionary Headquarters. This infamous building, once home to King Clovis, is most notoriously remembered as the final destination of many French aristocrats on their way to the guillotine. This prison of the rich and famous housed Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI before their execution as well as around 2000 others. But this was no ordinary prison... people who were wealthy enough could buy better quality lodgings. The poor slept in small, sparse cells, whereas the aristocrats could buy their way into a room with a bed, desk, and if they were lucky, maybe a window. Being the nerd for history that I am, this stop was a very enjoyable one.

After a quick look at the Hotel de Ville and a stop in BHV (an overwhelmingly large department store) we needed a little rest before dinner. A quick stop at our apartment and then out on the town once more! Our exciting Saturday night plans included a spontaneous piano concert at Saint Julien le Pauvre, a very small 12th century gothic church in the Latin quarter. The acoustics of the church beautifully amplified the Chopin and Liszt, filling the entire space with wonderful music. It was perfectly non-touristy and the spontaneity of the situation made it that much more enjoyable. Our day ended with a traditional French dinner in the Latin quarter and a much needed Metro ride home.

My feet are sore but my heart is happy.