ROMA

For Easter, my host-family brought me to ROMA. We were more there to see their family for Easter, but I still got the chance of visiting Rome

      

Since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to visit Italy, more precisely: Rome. And there I was, in a car, with people I have known for less than a month. Their relatives didn’t really live near the city center, so I think that’s the reason we didn’t see all we could of in 4 days.

On my first day, after we ate diner, we decided that we should go visit the city. It was about 11 pm. We toured the city by car for a while before making our first strop. It was really creepy, because it was really dark outside, there were no street lights and I didn’t really know where I was. So there’s this door up on a hill. When we look in a hole, you can see the dome of San Pietro’s church.  Then, we went to see the Coliseum! WOW. I had brought by Canadian Flag because I really wanted to take a photo with the Coliseum. So it’s midnight passed, I’m hopping everywhere to try to find the best place to take a photo. I pass in front of a bar while hopping with my flag as a cape. It was so funny. Then, when I saw a really good place for my photo, there were two people kissing. A proof that I’m in Europe! After a stop for a coffee, we were heading back. Other than that, I visited the city center of Rome another time. I went to the fountain of Trevi :) I saw a lot more than that, but the fountain was a must! I even saw the Pope in the Vatican City!!! One evening, as were doing nothing, I started to look at was playing on TV! There was the last regular season game of the FLYERS. So for the first time after more than 7 months, I watched an HD Live hockey game!

You may not really see it, but the Pope is on this photo! :)

I had the amazing chance to celebrate Easter like Italians. If I could say one word to describe it, it would have to be: FOOD. I have never eaten that much in all my life! IT IS CRAZY! At lunch, I was already full after the soup, but that was only the beginning! I think we sat at the table for about 2 hours. For diner, I only ate an apple!

I hope that I will have the opportunity to come back at least once in my life!

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

PARIGI

So my friend Maren and I wrote this to resume our trip to Paris! And I have to add, Paris is a BEAUTIFUL city! Personally, because I'm from Quebec, I thought that Parisians would be mean with me because we don't have the same accent and we have a lot of cultural differences! But at the end, they were really nice! I was even said by a Parisian that we, Quebecers, are the brothers of Parisians!

Primo Giorno:

• Stuck on bus in Treviso for an hour or so due to an accident very near to station…Stephanie agrees to watching a stranger’s bag upon arrival-giving Maren a heart attack

• Stephanie and Fabiana lose belts going through security….Fabiana’s-never to be seen again

• Stuffy and hot plane ride….

• Met Parigian woman and daughter on bus….first realization of false stereotypes!

• Fancy Taxi to the wrong address…..driver gives us small tour (Sacosi? President’s house) saves our lives along with Fernando by calling apartment owner BECAUSE WE HAD THE WRONG ADDRESS. (Carlos loses all phone credit …)

• Arrive at apartment….courtyard, red doors, smell of cigar, old fashioned elevator, insane locks

• Search for restaurant…ate extremely well (omelets and duck/potato/goodness) ITALIAN waiter?

• Bought cookies and milk...store under apartment building!

• Ignore luxurious second bedroom…5 sleeping in the living room. ♥

Secondo Giorno: 

(Where the adventure begins….)

• Breakfast of cookies, coffee, milk
• Short lived motivation of cleaning up beds before exiting for the day….
• Bought metro passes….”Photo obligatoire” ?
• TORRE EIFFEL…photos,photos…photos. Tourist mode: ON
• Walking to the Arc…Self-made tour of Hotel…free lotion!
• ARC DE TRIOMPHE- travel under roundabout….bought museum passes…STAIRS, STAIRS, stairs? Panorama view of entire city despite smog
• Already tired…take bus to “Museum”…get lost at “Library Marmottan” instead of arriving at “Marmottan”
• Take bus….get off a few stops early and eat our first baguette sandwiches (ham and butter?) with deserts-meringue and white chocolate pie type thing…Carlos’s camera is stolen*
• Carousel with game…(put the stick in the ring…) Park full of kids. Che coccola. 
• Museum Marmottan and Monet...first “Where’s Gillian”
• Beautiful walk along shops back to Eiffel Tower…take pictures…cute ones. 
• Supermarket…
• Return to apartment….make amazing crepes with ham, cheese, apples, ruccola, wine (juice for maren and Stephanie!) Cute supper table (half of us eating on the couch!)
• What sleep we could achieve…

Terzo Giorno: 

(Gillian sets alarm 55 minutes earlier)

• Wake up early…cookies, coffee, lady fingers, milk….
• Metro to Louvre….
• Cooked alive in the Pyramid…soooo hot!
• Italian renaissance paintings…french paintings…egyptian archaics..(old stuff)..foundations of Louvre/CASTLEEEEE!
• “UFFFFFFFFFFFF”
• Paul’s Sandwiches with drinks and desert-Picnic on the gardens of the Louvre in the sun….
• Maren mistakenly whistles at ILLEGAL keychain seller….  
• Fell asleep in the gardens…
• Witnessed gypsy wedding party walking on the street
• Pompidou!!! Crazy impressionist paintings… Andy Warhol…Picasso…Braque..Delaunay…floating ribbon fan thing…weird black and white cave?....first view of Notre-Dame!
• Buy rings outside of museum…Maren obviously loses hers within two days… 
• STARBUCKS fuel up…Vanilla bean frap, Frapp…..
• Dinner at apartment...steaks made by Carlos! 

Quarto Giorno:

• Metro and Train to Versailles… First E’clair!!!!
• Annoying school groups! Except for the ones dressed in princess costumes… Hall of Mirrors….king and queen chambers…”Ufff”….
• Lunch on the steps of the estate of Versailles (kayaker on lake?)
• Stephanie and Maren initiate fighting in gardens…Carlos our personal pack mule!
• Train station to Versaille –HUGE????
• Walk to Orsay…Monet…Van Gogh…Gaugan…Amazing sleeping flower shaped couch…small nap
• Bought drawings of animals/Eiffel tower… saw people changing under a bridge…
• Vendors onside of the river
• BRIDGE OF LOCKS…
• Beautiful house boats…boat houses?
• Notre-Dame….Unequal door frames…
• “Stephanie is wrong about us!” “Stephanie’s nose is long and wears a dress!”  
• Souvenir shopping…
• FONDUE. 
• The American/Italian/Canadian/Haitian version of Moulin Rouge (Metro Station) Dancing guy, clapping guy….juggling guy…rasta guy(“Meta, meta!”)….creepy dancing guy…hot black guys (Can I follow you?)…singing…overall-we started the party. 
• Take last metro home…

Quinto Giorno:

• Metro ride only to look at Moulin Rouge…Carlos pimpin’ ….”Marilyn Monroe” photos…
• Montmarte…illegal vendors…really pushy bracelet makers!…largest bell in all of Europe…helped people escape the 300 steps to the tower…LES PRESTEEJ Christian music street performers…
• Small art market
• Dali? Nope, too expensive for us students
• Hard rock café….Boulevard Montemart…no where near Montmarte!
• Day of American Food (pulled pork…burgers…(bacon))
• Return to Notre-Dame to view inside…crazy windows…vending machine for coins inside of the church…
• Lafayette shopping…”How to shop when you’re rich”….down right ugly shoes.
• SUBWAY for dinner! (Stephanie and maren sprite gelly-ball/salmon eggs)

Sesto Giorno:

• Market in latin quarter…CILANTRO, FORMAGGGGIO, CHOCOLATE, CREPES, HEADMASSAGER. (sharpie pen….)
• Pantheon…older and wiser stayed outside in the rain… 
• Kebabs for lunch..crazy lighted bathrooms…man praying in basement…
• Traveled over bridge to Eiffel tower…
• Champs Elyses…Disney…H&M….2 euro bathrooms…misshapen statues
• L’ultima cena…. Onion soup, pork pate, salads….salmon pasta, chicken with mushroom sauce, beef bourgeon…ESCARCOTT! Chocolate mousse and crème brulee…Free glass of wine…

• Park across from metro station…cardboard car… 

 
 
 

L’ultimo Giorno:

• Slept in…for the most part! (alarm of owner calling…)
• Cilantro, tomatos, cookies, coffee, milk….(sprite and salmon eggs)
• Cleaned apartment… Pastry runs..
• Last metro ride to the shuttle….circled roundabout….shuttle through the countryside to the airport…
• 10 kilos. 
• Patted down in security…(boob pat-down!)
• Lovely naps on plane. (advertisements interrupting every 5 minutes…)
• Host nonno provides ride for Gillian, Maren and Stephanie to station.