My time in Europe was quickly coming to a close, but not before one last adventure. This time, my wonderful mother was able to come along. After some last minute hectic packing (and gelato), I cleared my room, boarded a train with all of my belongings, and left Torino for one last time. My train arrived in Paris, France only a few short hours before my mother’s flight landed and we spent the evening with a brief stroll through the city.
The first full day we spent in Paris began with, you guessed it, a free walking tour. Our guide Jake did a phenomenal job leading us around the city and explaining its history and culture. Once the tour concluded, we tipped our well-deserving guide and began making our way towards one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, the Eiffel Tower. Due to the long lines and poor weather, we decided to forgo the elevator ride to the top and settled for some touristy photos in front of the massive network of steel.
That evening, we purchased tickets to see a classical music concert in one of the most beautiful chapels I have ever witnessed, Sainte-Chapelle. The light inside the chapel constantly changed as the sun set behind the magnificent stained glasswork. After the concert, we concluded the evening with dinner and champagne at a nearby restaurant.
The following morning, we returned to the Louvre museum and began our tour through the largest art gallery in the world. If you were to spend just 30 seconds at each work of art in the museum, it would still take nearly 13 full 24-hour days to see every work. Luckily, our guide was able to show and explain to us the more notable pieces within the museum, a task which still took several hours to accomplish.
After the Louvre, my mother and I ventured to find Ladurée, a French bakery that had been previously recommended to us. I must say, the macaroons we purchased there were some of the best cookies I have ever consumed. There is a great difference between cheap macaroons and good macaroons. Ladurée’s macaroons are absolutely phenomenal. After a quick snack, we then headed towards the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral where I was disappointed to learn a hunchback named Quasimodo does not actually live in the attic. Recovering from the disappointment, I was still able to appreciate the beauty of the cathedral both inside and out.
While not originally on our itinerary for the trip, it just so happened that the final stage of Le Tour de France was passing through Paris on our last full day. Not entirely sure of what to expect, we waited out in the freezing cold and rain (odd for a July day) for several hours until the cyclists entered the city. We were stationed around the Tuileries Garden loop so we were able to see the cyclists several times as they made their laps.
The following day, we boarded another train and headed towards Brussels, Belgium. Unfortunately we encountered some circumstances while there which limited the amount of Belgium we were able to explore. However, we made up for it by consuming copious amounts of waffles and chocolates so the trip was certainly not wasted.
After nearly 6 months in Europe, it was finally time to return to the United States. As amazing as the experience was, I truly missed some aspects of the states. Family, friends, the english language, air conditioning, etc. Anyways, this post concludes the recap of my Study Abroad experience. Europe, you have been an adventure. I hope to see you again soon.
*I still have plans for at least one more post regarding my time abroad, so this technically isn’t the true end. Check back soon for some panoramic photographs I’m currently working on.
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