July 14, 2009 -Paris

Ballroom at Opera House

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It sure was quite the busy day. Today we were all free to do what we wanted so we filled up our schedule since there are so many things to see on our own while here in Paris. I first tried to find the Bastille Day parade with Josie and Laura. We never found it, which ended up being okay because those who went said it was kind of boring and very crowded. So we decided to make our way to Notre Dame. On the way we passed by a cool contemporary looking museum that has plants growing on the buildings walls. The closest metro ended up being more like a train metro and we weren’t too sure of how it worked. It was a double decker metro train. It ended up working out great and took us straight to Notre Dame. Today we went inside of it. It is very dark and has a more gothic feel. Then we made our way to the church of the Sacred Heart. The streets on the way up to it reminded me of San Francisco. Then when we got to the base of the church we had to climb up probably 200 stairs. I’m definitely getting tired of going up stairs. As we went down from the hill we found Moulin Rouge for Josie and then got onto the metro. On the metro we made our way to the Opera House. This by far was one of my most favorite places we have gone. It was used to film parts of the Phantom of the Opera movie. This made it fun to see all the different details that were used in the movie. The interior is made of mostly marble in all different colors. The stair case was beautiful. Then we found a ballroom that was just exquisite. I took my breath away as I walked around the corner to the room and saw my first glance of the room. There is gold everywhere, crystal chandeliers, paintings and huge fireplaces at each end. It would be so much fun to dress in period dresses and go to a ball there. After the Opera House we all made our way back to the hotel by walking. It was quite the walk but it was fun to see the city and not be in a hole underground. At the hotel I ate some food, talked to my family, and took a nap. Then about 9:30 I went with Allie, Erica, Scott, and Courtney to the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. It was the most amazing firework show I have ever been to. They projected images onto the Tower to change its color and make it look like it was twisting, pulsing, being built, and much more.

Effiel Tower Fireworks

Church of the Sacred Heart


Effiel Tower Fireworks

Light at Opera House

Sparkling Effiel Tower

Plant Wall at Musee Du Quai Branly

July 13,2009 -Paris

Eiffel Tower

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I arrived this morning in Paris. The train ride was awful I probably woke up every half hour stiff and uncomfortable. Our rooms were not ready so I had to stay in my clothes a little while longer. While waiting I went with the group over to the Eiffel Tower. On the way we stopped at a sandwich and pastry shop. I got a chicken, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Finally food that was enjoyable to eat. I actually want to go back and get another one some other day. The Eiffel Tower is amazing and huge. It seems like every new thing I see is a lot bigger than I expected to be. While we were there we spent some time sketching it. Then I went back to my room and got checked in. I first did some laundry and got ready for the day. Then I took some time to relax and work on homework. For dinner I went with Allie and Erica to a Chinese place and had some rice and pork. It also was very good. Then we went and finished up our sketches of the Eiffel Tower. After sketching we made our way back to the hotel to meet up with the group. We all got on the metro and went over by Notre Dame. It too is amazing. It definitely is one of my favorite churches we’ve seen. Then we walked awhile down by the river to the boat tour area. At about 10:30 we got on our boat. It was so pretty to see the city at night. The buildings all have such unique lights, especially the Eiffel Tower. It even started to sparkle as we went by.

Entrance to the Metro

Paris Train Station

Boat along the river

Me at Notre Dame

July 12, 2009 -Venice

A Hotel that I sketched

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Today was the last day in Venice. We took it pretty easy today. I slept in, enjoying my last day in the beautiful hotel room. I finally went down and ate breakfast. Later I got some work done on my blog. Then I went around and sketched some architectural elements throughout the city. Next I got all my belongings and luggage together and hauled my luggage over five or six bridges and down cobble stone roads to the train station. When the train arrived I got with my group of girls and we packed our luggage into our tiny sleeping courter’s that somehow fits six girls. It was kind like how Harry Potter travels to Hogwarts. I worked on my sketches for awhile until it was time to go to bed. Then we pulled down the other beds creating six beds in the smallest space that I’ve ever seen six beds fit in. Now it is time for bed but I know already that I’m not going to sleep. There is no place to get ready for bed so I’m going to sleep my clothes and get ready in the morning. They gave us these little sheet things that was like a cocoon and a nasty wool blankets to sleep with.

A buildling that I sketched

Sketch of a Hotel

Sketch of a Building

July 11,2009 -Venice

Sunflower Blown Glass Chandelier

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This morning we all got picked up in a nice boat taxi that took us over to the Mazzega Glass Factory. There they blow glass making chandeliers, vases, sculpture, and much more. We watched a vase and a horse be blown out of glass. It was amazing to see what went in to just making one little vase. I can’t imagine making a whole chandelier. I bought a small orange vase that will be fun to use at home. I also found a little frog and monkey around the town. I spent some time sketching and then we went on water taxi to St. Marks. This cathedral by far had the most amazing mosaics. After walking back to the hotel I took a short nap and worked on my blogging. Later I went out and sketched some windows on a building. Then I went with a group on a gondola ride. It was just lovely. It cost 20 euro but it was all worth it. We went kind of later at night so it was very peaceful smooth ride. I got some cool night pictures of the lights reflecting on the water.

St. Marks

View from Gondola Ride

Canal

Blown Glass Sculpture

July 10, 2009 -Venice

View of Venice

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This morning I went to Rubellis. Rubellis is a textile company here is Venice. They have a few different collections of fabric. The business was bought by Lorenzo Rubelli in 1889 and has been going strong since. Rubelli has been through five generations so far and continues to create “fabrics that are a fusion of past and present, and of craft and industry, with total respect for the company’s history.” After lunch we took a water taxi over to Fortuny’s textiles. Fortuny first started producing in the early 1990s. Their fabric has a unique and secret quality to it. The colors go from light to dark within the fabric. All their fabric is printed giving its unique quality. It has been interesting to see so many different fabrics. There are almost endless possibilities when deciding what fabric to use. Later I found some fun masks and glass rings to add to my souvenir collection.

Rialto Bridge

Window

Fortuny Fabric

Building along the Water

July 9, 2009 -Venice

A Canal

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This morning I did some more shopping. Then later I meet up with everyone at the hotel to go to the train station to depart to Venice. To get to our hotel we took a water taxi. This is what Venice uses as a metro. There are buildings lining the water in all different sizes and colors casting beautiful reflections in the water. So far I have only seen boats used as transportation within the city. It would be so different to go out of your door and drive your boat to work. Our hotel here is very nice. My roommate and I ended up with one of the suites and it is quite the awesome room. It has a green theme with a king size bed, sofa, sitting area, upholstered walls, and 15ft ceilings. After checking in we walked over to the Rialto Bridge. It is on the grand canal and has one of the best views of Venice. Tonight I tried a calzone for dinner, it was not good at all and was a waste of money. I am very much ready for American food again.

View from Rialto Bridge

Hotel Room

Clock Tower

Building

July 8,2009 -Florence

Ponte Vecchio

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I decided that today would be a good day to take it easy. So I slept in and got ready and got some homework done. Then I went out and sketched a dome of a church. Then I went shopping and found some black beads, a purse, wallet, and some scarfs. There are so many different unique buildings, doors, and light fixtures throughout the town. Later I went with a small group up to the lookout point again and sketched the Duomo. I tried on some fun masks on the way. Today we actually watched the sun set completely. The whole city was a glow and the reflections on the water were amazing. Then we got some gelato at Grom again. I tried milk mint and extraordinary chocolate. Again it was very yummy.

Mask

Unique Rings


Dome of a church

House Bridge

July 7, 2009 -Florence

Baptistry Ceiling

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Today we started off at the Uffizi Gallery. It is full of paintings done by Michelangelo, Giotto, Da Vinci, Rueben, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Botticelli, and much more. It is so inspiring to see the actual paintings after studying them in my art history class. Looking in a textbook at those paintings is just not the same and doesn’t give them justice. Then we headed over to the Academia. This also houses many paintings but is famous for housing Michelangelo’s statue of David. We stayed a sketched the statue of David which gave me a better appreciation of sculpting. It was hard enough to just draw him on paper; I can’t imagine carving him out of marble. Then we made our way over to the Baptistery. It is full of golden mosaics. After the Baptistery we all went into the Duomo. It was quite plain compared to the outside and other cathedrals that I’ve seen. Then with the group we went on a sketching adventure. We started off at a bridge and did a perspective sketch of the Ponte Vechico. Then we had some sketching classes and sketched some different architectural details. Then we went on a hike up a bunch of stairs to a lookout point to see all of Florence. The view was beautiful, I just had to stand still for a moment and take it all in. The sun was starting to set which helped make some great modeling pictures. For dinner we went to Adqua Al 2. I had the pasta sampler which consisted of five different pastas. The spinach ended up being my favorite. Then I got a sample of cheesecake, fruit pie, and chocolate cake for dessert.

View of Florence

Duomo


Interior Dome in Duomo

Statue

July 6, 2009 -Florence

Duomo Bell Tower

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Today we headed to the train station again. Fortunately the instructors knew how to figure out the train system and we made our way to Florence. We are right in the main city of Florence which will be much more convenient when traveling to different sites within Florence. We have quite the quaint little hotel room with shuddered windows looking right out onto the streets of Florence, and four twin beds squeezed into a room only meant for a queen. After getting settled into our room we met with our new guide to show us around Florence. It is such a lovely city with fun colors and lots of flower boxes, and hanging laundry. We made our way across the Ponte Vecchio that is full of little gold shops. We had dinner at a pizza place and then we went to the best gelato shop in town called Grom. I tried the peach and raspberry this time and wasn’t disappointed, it was so good. The shop is right next to the Duomo down an adjoining street. We did a bit of shopping around and then made our way back to the hotel.

Ponte Vecchio



Door Knob Brancacci Chapel Ceiling

Duomo Bell Tower

July 5, 2009 -Rome

Colosseum

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This day sure did not work out as planned. This morning I went with Allie and Erica and sketched the coliseum. That part of the day worked out great but when we made our way to the train station our smooth day didn’t continue. A group of us tried to make our way to the beach and never made it. After missing two trains because we didn’t understand Italian we made our way back to the hotel swimming pool. Swimming in pool ended up being really fun and lifted the spirits of the day.

The train that ended up notbeing ours :(

Sketch of a Fountain at St. Peter's

Sketch of Arch