gaudi master of weird architecture

roof from the apartment building

Gaudi gaudi gaudi!

This city is full of architecture of gaudi and its all so crazy. I thought that the holy family church was cool but his apartment building is amazing- I would love to live in a place like that. Function,form , and aesthetics was what he was all about. Every little detail like the doorknobs were designed so well and very unique. My favorite part was going up to the roof. It reminded me of a dr. Seuss book. There were stir cases all around that twisted and turned to lead up to weird smoke stacks that looked like artichokes. From the roof we were able to see the holy family church and the ocean. Hopefully I ll be able to see more Gaudi stuff because its the real dr seuss to me.

apartment building

I showed my parents the prints that I made in print making this past semester. Now I'm worried that my dad is going to try and frame one to put in his office- ill somehow have to stop that before it happens. I have realized that I forgot my computer charger in pairs which really sucks but there's nothing to be done. I really hope it is the only thing I forgot...

barcelona!

Barcelona is so nice.
It is warm and there are palm trees and people speaking spanish and everyone is happy. The main street in barcelona is la rambla its a big open walking street with the best street performers I've ever seen! The costumes that these people had to try and make some money were totally over the top. There were people even selling rabbits and all kinds of birds.
As soon as I got in my parents and I set out for the Gaudi's Cathedral of the Holy Family. Wow. this cathedral is unlike anything I've ever seen. Construction started for this in 1883 and is still being built, completion isn't until 2030! Granted there was a 30 year break during Franco. There is only a small section you can actually go into because of all the construction. We took the elevator all the way to the top and had an amazing view of Barcelona. The weird towers on the Cathedral had different fruits on them and weird animals. It such a bizarre place, it reminded me of a big sand castle. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't see more of the cathedral but I guess ill have to come back in 2030!

We went to the Picasso museum which is on a small side street. I was excited to go but being there I realized that all of Picasso famous pieces are at big museums and most of them I've seen. So the picasso museum wasn't as exciting as I thought it might be. It was still great to see all of his early portraits and drawings.

Also, I have no idea what I'm saying or trying to say... I'm some how combining french and spanish to form some weird language, but they speak catalonian here so I'm really not getting anywhere with communication.

My god are people in barcelona obsessed with football! There was a huge game between Barcelona and italy. Every single person was wearing a Barcelona shirt and just so excited for the game. All the bars were packed and full of excitement. My parents and I were walking to the beach and would peek in at each bar to see a piece of the game. The beach was amazing though it was full moon so it was just beautiful! We walked around a bit and then went to dinner where we could see the match. My dad and I were really into it but we had no idea what was going on. Barcelona ended up winning but loosing... I don't know, I just know that I don't know anything about football.

12 hours and I´m in another country.

After spending all day tuesday packing and repacking I finally headed off for the train station. I was a mess though. 4 bags and little me trying to carrying them through two metro stations, up stairs, in elevators, trying to get through the gates of the metro- it was very difficult. I really realized how Paris is not very hanicap acessible. I finally get to the train station and get all my stuff on the train which was another impossible task because the train isle way is extremely small. I had to make two trips with my stuff. I finally reach my room where I am to share with three other women and it´s so small. My bags barely fit I couldn´t imageine three other pepole and their stuff! It was crazy I put my stuff in the oddest places around the cabain, just to try and make it work somehow. The three other women that were in my cabin were all older spanish women who really didnt´speak any english. They were really funny and I´m sure they all thought I was a mess but they were so nice to me and tried to help me. I felt like I was at summer camp with these women. At 10:30 the lady on the train came by and put our beds down and it was time to go to bed. All the women said goodnight to me in spanish and went off to sleep. I was so afraid that one of them would snore and keep me up all night so I took two sleeping pills and was out. Since I was sleeping on one of the top beds I was worried that I would fall out all night. It was a long way up and the train was really bumpy. At 7.30am the same lady came by, woke us up and gave us back our passports (they took our passports which really feaked me out at first but I guess it´s what they do...). The women all looked at me and said ¨buenos dias!¨ I just smiled at them and said ¨goodmorning¨. I looked out the window and saw a palm tree which made me so happy! I´m finally in a place again that has palm trees! I tried to wash my face and get dressed and orgainze my stuff in some sort of way, but everything was pretty much impossible in that small space. Fianlly the train stopped and we were in Barcelona! I had more trouble getting off the train with my stuff then I did comming on. I just tossed my luggage off the train and then re-organized once I got on the ground. The plan was that my parents were to meet me at the train station but... I wasn´t quite sure they would actually come. I walked into the main area of the train station and saw this little man running around looking confused and lost and of course that was my father. I was so happy that he was there after aperently going to the wrong train station on the opposite side of town... but he made it. We got a cab to our hotel where I was reunited with my mother.

Barcelona!!!

Goodbye Paris

My last day!

I've packed up everything in my small suitcase and my huge backpack. I'm going to look crazy trying to get to the train station with all my luggage. I've left behind some socks, two shirts, a hair dryer and and 4 pairs of shoes and somehow my bags are still overflowing. I've realized that I have really bad luggage so I'm excited to give my parents everything- get my new backpack and travel from there!

This morning after much frustration trying to pack I went to the D'Orsay one last time.

I really love that museum I'm disappointed that I didn't spend more time there. My favorite part of the museum are the Van Goghs. I forget how much I like him until I'm standing in from of his work. I remember the first time I saw Starry Night at MOMA and how much I was captivated by it, being in the D'Orsay looking at so many Van Goghs is that feeling times 10.

I spent a lot of time looking at all the Dagas' as well. Being a dancer Degas has always been an artist I've known about and now on my final day in Paris to see his painting, sculptures, pastels of dancers was really special to me. I came to Paris to study dance and art and I couldn't imagine a more perfect ending than looking at Degas dancers.

I'm off to buy macrons for my parents who didn't quite make it here. I can't wait to start my other adventures in Spain, Israel, Jordan and so-forth but I'm really really going to miss Paris.

The end is here.

I can't believe it. Tomorrow I leave Paris.

It is such a beautiful city and I just started to feel like I was really living here and now I'm leaving. I know that one day I'll be back but I'll probably never live in Paris again and it's not that easy just to come to Paris. I'm going to miss it so much.

This past weekend has been so odd. After the final show on Fri. people started to pack up and leave for the US. Saturday we took down our art works and traded prints which was really nice. That night I sat by the Eiffel Tower and drank wine and by the time I woke up on Sunday morning most everyone was gone already. It's weird to share such a life changing experience with a group of people and then say good bye to them and know that you probably won't ever see them again. Sunday I felt lost all day not really knowing what to do with myself. I didn't want to start packing and couldn't really do anything else.

And now it's Monday and tomorrow I'm leaving- how the hell did that happen?

I took ballet class today which was a great way for me to calm my nerves and it felt really good to dance. Then I was off to get things done. It's hard to pack because I'm not just throwing everything in a suitcase and going back to the states, I'm traveling for a long time. I had to get an ipod charger and boxes to ship some stuff home and all this random crap that I know will make my life easier in a week or two. Of course everything is harder in France because #1 I dont' speak the language very well and #2 the french just like to make things difficult. I did accomplish a lot today and was able to ship a very overpriced box back to the states, which has helped my packing a lot. I went to dinner at my favorite cafe' Les Philosophes in the Marias with Mere and I could have sat there forever outside by the flowers in the perfect weather eating really good food. I'm excited for what's to come but still going to miss Paris very very much.

The countdown begins

My program now is officially over. It's so bizarre. I just can't believe that my study abroad term is over now. I have a train ride to Barcelona on Tues so now it's the final countdown of when I'm leaving Paris- and I don't want to leave. I hear myself say "well it's probably the last time I'll do--" a lot now. After I got over the fact that my parents aren't coming to Paris I was able to really enjoy my last week.

On Wednesday I had the final (really my only final) of my "Intro Into the Louvre" class. For the final we had to write two essays that compared a Ruben to a Rembrandt and then a Da Vinci to a Raphael. The Louvre is huge, I can't describe how big it is and how easy it is to get lost. Therefore timed test running around the Louvre in tourist season can be pretty exhausting. I literally was running across the Louvre from the Rubens to the Italian wing, taking the stair to the winged victory two at at time and then had to push tour groups out of the way by "Madonna on the Rocks". It's actually quite amazing that I was standing in front of these amazing works of art writing about them for my class. After the exam we were all done but our teacher was so adamant of showing us this special Russian exhibit, I have no idea what I saw I was so out of it.

Thursday after dance I went to my favorite salad place that is run by these french hipster boys who are obsessed with New York and MGMT and blues music. Their funny and they always laugh at me trying to order in french. I got lunch and took it to Jardin du Luxembourg. The garden is big and there are always a lot of people in there but it is very peaceful. I sat in a chair looking at the grass, in front of the palace to eat my lunch. It odd because the grass has small gates around it so you can't actually sit in the grass just look at it from the chairs. There was this man renting small sailboats to the kids. These kids were so adorable with their sailboats floating in the palace fountain. They had these long sticks, that were twice their size that they would poke the sailboats with. Sometimes a duck would come by and nudge the boat and the kid would get all excited. oh it was just so cute! Then I had to go to the Wells studio to hang my printmaking work. It is probably the only art show that I do. It was hard for me to pick out the prints that I wanted to put up but I had a nice wall space that I ended up being very happy with.

Friday- the day of the big show. April 23. It seemed so far off into the distance but now it is over with. There has been such a big buildup to this date as well that it was a very surreal day.

Of course I somehow found myself walking around the Marais again, my favorite area. I finally figured out what I wanted to get as a nice gift from Paris. I mean, I've spent so much money just living here but I really wanted to get something that I"ll have for a long time from Paris. It took me long time to finally figure out what I wanted but I finally did. There is this Parisian company Alexandre de Paris that makes the most beautiful hair accessories in the world. It took me a long time to figure out what hair things to get but I finally decided on a hair comb and a barrette. It might seem a little crazy to spend a lot of money on hair things but they are gorgeous and I love them and to me they are my jewelry. I put my hair up with my other french barrettes all the time and now that I have a real Alexandre barrette I'm so happy. The only place to get these hair things in the states is in one small store in Manhattan. So I have a real Paris special gift that I am so happy about! Then it was time for the big show. Everyone dressed up and was so happy to be there and experience the show with everyone. There ended up being a lot of people there more than any of us expected. But it was great for the first two hours we all ate and looked at everyones art work. The Wells studio is really small so we were all jammed packed in there with art work being hung from every piece of wall possible. Then it was time for the performance part of the night. I danced, and I really didn't work on it or choreograph it- I just put on some music and danced for a min. Looking back I should have really choreographed something but it was fine and I think I did alright. It was just a nice evening to share with everyone before we all go in different directions. Then a group of us went to the Seine to hang out and start our night.

I'm goign to miss Paris!

-- my wall at the show

-- by the river