Another week gone already? I don't think I like it. They are going by faster and faster. :/
But on a happier note, it was another successful one! Even though we are starting to have a lot more work in class, we also did a few things to make it another very awesome week. On Monday, our professors invited us to a friendly competition that they were having at Barcelona's Chocolate Museum. The competition was where a team (architect and baker) had to construct a bridge made of chocolate. It had to be high enough that a soccer ball could fit under it, and strong enough to hold a toy train that was run through or across it. I thought they were all pretty cool...plus they let us eat some when it was over. :)
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| Clemson professor's bridge |
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| A chocolate arch |
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| Our professor's (he won!) |
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| This one looked like a real bridge |
The rest of the week went fairly smoothly with a couple of days of hard work in class. When Thursday came around, we were all real excited, because that meant it was time to head to Paris! I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, because most of the French people I had ever met were sort of pompous. But looking back, I have to say that I really enjoyed it and most the people we met were fairly nice.
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| Pantheon |
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| Fountain in Place Monge with a daily market |
The first full day in Paris, we decided to go to Versailles. The shear size of everything there made it something spectacular. Add in all the decoration, the gold leaf, thrones, and manicured gardens, and you truly have what can be considered a Palace.
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| Walking up to Versailles |
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| Statue in front |
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| Looking back down the boulevard |
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| The Royal Palace |
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| Golden gates |
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| Royal Chapel |
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| HUGE fireplace |
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| Marble, huge paintings and gold leaf were everywhere |
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| A lot of rooms |
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| Just some of the thrones we saw |
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| Every room had so much to take in |
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| Ceiling paintings |
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| Chandelier and a few other details |
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| View from a back window, no big deal...haha |
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| Hall of Mirrors! |
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| Another throne |
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| View of a side garden from the Palace |
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| Mobile throne |
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| Oh hey Napoleon Bonaparte. |
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| Ceiling and walls carved out of stone |
After checking out most of the inside of the palace, we left and went to the most famous part of Versailles, the gardens. Wow...
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| View from the top patio |
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| One of the fountains at the top |
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| View from the center of the gardens looking back at the palace |
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| Horse sculpture |
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| One of the pathways in the garden |
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| Even though not much was blooming it was still beautiful |
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| The trees were cut in block shapes in order to emphasize the axes |
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| The coolest part of the gardens |
Later that night, we went to the Champs Elysees for dinner and to walk around. It is full of shops restaurants and a ton of other things to distract you. Not to mention, the Arc de Triomphe is on one end!
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| Arc de Triomphe |
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| Modern building on the Champs Elysees, it had about 50 TVs in it... |
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| Very cool car in the Toyota dealership |
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| Another cool car in the Toyota dealership |
The next day, we did a few things in the morning and finally ended up at Notre Dame! The gothic cathedral is obviously a place you have to go while in Paris, and it was definitely worth it.
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| Front facade of Notre Dame |
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| The gothic style carved in stone |
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| Nave |
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| Candelabras gave off very cool lighting |
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| Iron detail with nave in the background |
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| Ambulatory |
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| Nave, with mass in progress |
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| Huge rose windows with stained glass |
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| Gargoyles and flying buttresses (thank you Vivian Paul) |
After Notre Dame we walked around the streets of Paris for awhile and headed towards the Lourve. I was actually surprised at how clean Paris felt, but I did expect it to beautiful, and it was. Plus, we got lucky, because it was sunny all weekend which apparently is rare for this time of year.
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| The Seine River |
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| Paris City Hall |
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| The Louvre! |
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| Pyramid (main entrance) by I.M. Pei |
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| Gardens and plaza of the Lourve |
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| The pyramids were surrounded by reflecting pools |
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| The whole Paris group (Italy + Barcelona)...minus Troy. |
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| We went in for a little bit |
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| Victory of Samothrace |
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| A viewing hall in the Lourve |
This next part was interesting to me. Obviously, we headed straight for the Mona Lisa, because that is what you do at the Louvre. But it was crazy, because you walk into the room that the Mona Lisa is in, and on one wall is a HUGE painting, that takes up the entire wall...
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| Huge painting with small crowd |
And on the other is the Mona Lisa, which is no bigger than 3' X 5'....
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| Oh hey Mona.. |
With so many people around it, that it is difficult to get a good picture. I don't know that I quite understand why it is so famous. I guess it is that mysterious grin...
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| Throng of people around the Mona Lisa |
Next we quickly glanced at some other art and headed straight for the Venus d' Milo statue...very cool.
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| Venus D' Milo |
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| Other sculpture throughout the Lourve |
Next, we took a train down the river to the most famous site in Paris. The Eiffel Tower designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World's Fair. It was very cool, and a lot taller than I thought...haha
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| Eiffel Tower |
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| Walking under the Eiffel |
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| View of the Eiffel Tower from the park |
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| WHOOP! |
We decided not to go up to the top until later that night, because we wanted a better view. That turn out to be somewhat of an adventure, but we made it, and it was so amazing.
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| Night view of the Eiffel Tower |
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| View from half way up... |
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| View from the top with the Eiffel spotlight in the frame |
We didn't want to waste any time in Paris, so the last day, even though our flight left at 1:00pm, we woke up early and went to the modern business area of Paris, La Defense. The most iconic part being the Grande Arch office building. It is the opposite end of the axis with the Arc de Triomphe.
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| Grande Arch |
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| So many steps |
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| It was so tall! |
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| Glass panels to prevent a wind tunnel forming |
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| Interesting pavilion roofs |
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| Refection on the outside |
Next we stopped by the Pompidou Centre very quickly to see it, although we didn't get to go inside. This building was designed so that all the mechanical/electrical and other systems of the building are exposed on the outside so that you get one continuous space for use on the inside. Pretty insane, but also cool.
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| Pompidou Centre |
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| Airport train station, goodbye Paris! |
I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but seeing all these famous sites is so surreal. Especially since we are just going on weekend trips to see them. It's also difficult fitting everything in, but I guess that just means I have to go back someday. ;)
This week will be mostly school work except for the Arsenal v. Barca game which will be amazing!
Until next time...
Un abrazo,
Seth
Micah 6:8
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