It's not adios, it's hasta luego

Since my last blog, I’ve been to Grenada, Paris, Prague and Vienna. (Still can’t believe that those words are true; writing it seems surreal.)  

Let’s give it the run down:

Grenada was our last trip together as a group and we had a great time. I loved the flamenco show, the view from the Alhambra (a palace/fortress used by the Moorish rulers in the mid 14^th century), and having a fancy dinner with my friends to celebrate our last trip as a group. 

Mr. Fancypants could do some serious damage if he stepped on your foot. 

Gardens at La Alhambra

That's the Alhambra in the background, but we are cuter!

View from La Alhambra

Don Quixote windmills on the way back to Madrid

The weekend was dampened slightly by rain, but the clouds parted on Sunday night when I arrived at a hotel in Madrid to meet up with my mom and Hannah!

In a nutshell, the joy of seeing them could only be matched by the joy of eating Goldfish and peanut butter M&M’s at the same time. Which I did also. Basically, the reunion was blissful. Even though I’ve spent two and a half years away from home, being in Madrid has somehow felt much farther away from my family. I got a little sense of the comfort of home while we walked around Madrid, looked at La Catedral Nacional and El Palacio Real, or sat in a restaurant talking. I have to admit I felt guilty for missing so many big moments of Hannah’s senior year – homecoming, her last football game, her acceptance to UGA. Luckily I won’t be missing her graduation in the spring! (Oh dear, I’m getting emotional and I haven’t even gotten to the part about leaving Europe! I’ll hold off… momentarily.)

Finally.

View from El Palacio de Comunicaciones

In front of the National Cathedral 

One of the best nights in Madrid was when Cuca invited us to her house for dinner. My mom and Hannah got to meet my entire family and it was fun to hear them (try to) speak English! Alberto and Luis didn’t speak in English very much but Cuca, María and Ana really communicated well! 

It was so kind of Cuca to prepare some Spanish tapas for my mom and Hannah!

One of my favorite moments in Europe

After a few days showing them around Madrid, we were off to my favorite trip of the semester: Paris. Cliché, cliché, cliché (ooh, serendipitous, that’s French!) but I absolutely loved it. If I could choose one city to go back to in Europe, it would be Paris. The lights, the cafes, the macaroons, the museums, the language… have I mentioned that I loved it?

We had an incredible time taking in the sights of Paris on Thursday and Friday: Musee D’Orsay, the Lourve, Champs Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and a personal nighttime tour in a little old….We headed to Versailles for the day on Saturday. Besides the beheading, which we swept under the hand stitched Persian rug, Hannah and I immediately decided that we are destined to become the next Marie Antoinettes, or at least the Kristen Dunst version.

Thanks instagram for the cool photo effect! 

Champs Elysees Christmas markets

At Versailles! 

I suppose it will do as a summer home. 

Our girl Marie Antoinette's fantasy land

Not only did we visit the main palace, but we got the tickets that gave us access to the Gran Trianon, Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s Dominion – SO worth it. I’d love to go back during the spring to see the grounds lush and green (not to mention the fountains that Louis XIV rerouted a river to supply), but the grandeur was undeniable. Again, besides the whole beheading thing, it seemed like the French royalty had it goin’ on.

Ultimately, the only bad thing I have to say about Paris was that we didn’t have enough time there. Next time I’ll just have to make a more extended stay!

The goodbye to my mom and sister was tearful to be sure, but I powered through knowing that it would only be a few more weeks until I saw them again. Prague and Vienna flew by (yes, two more cities to go…) but Madrid has dragged a bit.

But back to Prague – Paris’ charming kid brother. After coming back from Paris and being so crazy about it, it was hard to let another city into my heart, but Prague was a close second for my favorite city, especially with the cozy Christmas vibe the city emanated and the company of the four Florence girls joining us!

View from the Astronomical Clock Tower

Breathtaking! 

Friendship takes Prague! 

The best sites were by far the Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the view from the Astronomical Clock Tower, the John Lennon Wall and the Christmas markets in the city center. Additionally, our dinner at fabulous Sansho was a site in and of itself. Things to skip next time: the castle. I don’t know if we bought the wrong tickets but I was underwhelmed, with the exception of the panoramic view of the city. (Wow, there’s an indication that I have come a long way from Sandy Springs… “The castle was underwhelming.” I supposed with a newly refreshed self-perspective come whiny comments after a three-month European vacation. Take the good, the bad and the spoiled!)

This looks important! 

McCallen at the John Lennon Wall

At the Christmas markets! 

 Our nights in Prague consisted of an 80s dance party at Club Lucerna and drinking mulled wine in the square, but I was unfortunately not destined to find my distant Czech relatives, the Hejliks (my grandmother’s maiden name). I was on the lookout, though, I swear! Maybe on my next trip back I’ll do a little more research into my family tree.

It's no Versailles, but Austria knows how to build a summer home too.

The Florence girls headed back to papers they had to write in Italy, but Mary Jordan and I hopped to a bus to Vienna! Vienna was like Prague but smaller and on Christmas methamphetamines. The markets were lovely and Mary Jordan and I did quite a bit of Christmas shopping! We also went to the Belvedere Palace, the summer residence of the Hofbergs. To use an old SAT analogy Belvedere was to Versailles as Prague was to Paris – great, but there was no comparison. The best part about Belvedere was seeing the Gustav Flimt works, particularly The Kiss. It was one of my favorite works of art I’ve seen in Europe, which is saying something, because there were a few times that I thought about lying down in the middle of a museum because I was so exhausted from the endless ART. Some people have a talent for museums, but I don’t think I have that skill set. (My mom, Hannah and I were in and out of the Lourve in 2 hours; it runs in the family.) 

Shopping is more fun with chandeliers

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 

So unassuming, so delicious 

Christmas!!!!! 

After a night of playing beer pong with some new friends from our hostel and some boys from Vienna, we bid auf widenshien to Austria and it was back to Spain. We wrote our final papers, did some last minute gift buying, took three exams and had two wonderful farewell dinners – one with just us on Tuesday night and one with all of our professors on Wednesday. On Tuesday we went to one of our favorite cafes and played Scattergories until 2:30 am and on Wednesday, we went to Pool and Beer for our last drinks in Spain as a group. Summy was sweet enough to make us all bracelets with our favorite colors. I was truly touched by her gesture – it’s a testament to how close we really are. We’re already planning our first reunion back in Nashville, to be hosted at Jennifer and Sara’s dorm, complete with tortilla Española and sangria.

When I wrote my first blog, I thought that my European trip would be about me. I was ready for a change, I wanted to have new experiences, I was going to learn about myself, I, I, I, me, me, me. I absolutely have done all those things, and I wouldn’t trade the personal growth I’ve experienced for anything. But I guess I didn’t realize at the time that the growth of relationships is one of the biggest catalysts of self-discovery. Eight seemingly random Vanderbilt sophomores applied to go to Madrid last spring for a reason, and I think that our friendship and the moments only we shared will not easily be forgotten. And even if the individual instances fade, the new pieces of us that we took from Madrid won’t go anywhere. The “what” of my trip was incredible, but I think the core of my experiences will always come back to the “who.” That feeling of being almost utterly alone the night before I left for Madrid has disappeared entirely. As I await take off at Heathrow after my layover, I’m happy to say, instead declaring anything about my own personal perspective of my trip, I simply say, “Somos ocho.” The truest joy of living comes with sharing it with people you care about.  As I go back to Atlanta, Nashville, and wherever next summer takes me, I can only hope to continue to be surrounded by such tremendous people.

Familia 

As for Spain, I may be incredibly relieved to be going home, but I don’t think I’ve said adios completely – it’s more of an hasta luego. I think the same can be said for my experience with blogging! Until the next adventure, un beso.

 - Court 

Whirling Dervish

In the past three weeks, I’ve been to six European cities and the Madrid group is leaving Friday morning for Grenada, Spain. I’ve starting drinking coffee like a real person, not just Starbucks Java Chip Frappucinos. I’d imagine that my sleep schedule is akin to someone with a newborn, and I have the circles under my eyes to prove it. I’m exhausted – and I’m having the time of my life.

Let’s start with Amsterdam.

It was one of my favorite cities to visit thus far. The weekend we chose was sunny and crisp; the reflection of the quaint houses in the canals was breathtaking. Taking in the views of the city from a Ferris wheel and then a bicycle helped me appreciate the antiquated charm of the layout and architecture of the city, but walking by Woody Harrelson and friends smoking pot outside a coffee shop lent itself to the progressive culture that they enjoy. The highlights of the trip were giving big hugs to McCallen, Hannah, Kara and Betsy when they arrived, then spending quality time with them and some other Vanderbilt boys while exploring the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House and the Heineken Factory.

 

Feeling quite Dutch at this point

WeAreSterdam?

With Hannah, outside the Anne Frank Museum

Can you see why it was one of my favorites? 

It was back to Spain for a few days of class, then I was off again with my coat and boots to Copenhagen, Denmark! Betsy and Carlyn study there at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad, and they were great tour guides! Copenhagen is just as beautiful as Amsterdam, filled to the brim with bikes and blondes. I particularly loved the Stroget, the world’s longest pedestrian street with tons of stores and people. On Friday night, we went to an apartment packed with Vandy kids then a bar that was packed with Vandy kids. It was incredibly refreshing to see so many familiar faces! We spent Saturday shopping for supplies for Sensation White, a huge concert/dance party that tours around Europe. The eye makeup was definitely the highlight of the night.

Captivating Copenhagen

Ready for Sensation White!

Photo cred and makeup cred: McCallen

Sensational

With my four best girlfriends in tow, I was happy as a clam when we boarded the plane to Barcelona on Sunday afternoon after a delicious meal at a market in Copenhagen! We arrived in Barca just in time for paella and drinks at George Payne, an Irish bar. Monday morning found us having brunch, strolling along the docks, walking through the winding streets and taking a “break” for sangria. We signed up for classes that afternoon (which I did on my iPhone – success) and headed back out to the Mercat Boqueria where we assembled a mouthwatering picnic that we took to the Park Güell, the famous park designed by Gaudi. Despite the fact that we were in one of the most beautiful, original parks in the word, with a panoramic view of Barcelona, eating dates, figs and chocolate truffles, the part that brought me the most joy was laughing with my friends. Even though I haven’t seen them here as much I as I do at Vanderbilt (which is every day), I still feel that the time we have spent together in Europe has made us that much closer. Sharing the experience of travel with someone encapsulates more than just the picture that you took somewhere – it saves who you were in that moment, what your friendship was like and everything that you had to be thankful for and look forward to. Traveling, for me, has been about sharing moments of uncertainty with people that make your relationship more certain. When you say, “I don’t know how to speak Dutch” or “Are we being ripped off by this cab driver?” and someone else says, “I don’t really know either”, your bond is instantly strengthened. But I digress… back to Barca!

Monday night in Barcelona was filled with more friendship, as five of our guy friends at Vanderbilt are living in an apartment in Barcelona. After dinner at delicious Balthazar, we went to a hole-in-the-wall bar called Chupitos with outrageous shots. I’ve never seen so much alcohol on fire before. My favorite was the one where we “roasted” marshmallows! We did it up style at a Barcelona club called Opera later that night.

Boats in Barca!

Park Guell

Tri Delt - Beta swap?

On Tuesday, I flew back to Madrid, did my homework and slept for as long as I could. The next morning I went to class and the girls flew in from Barcelona right as I finished! We had a late Spanish lunch then went back to our hostel for a nap. I decided to have a little stay-cation in my own city so I checked into the hostel with them for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday night we were joined by Kara, Annie and Taylor who are studying in Florence. We took on rainy Madrid by going to Lateral, Cave Bar, Gabana AND (for McCallen, Betsy, Carlyn and I), Pacha. I went to class the next morning (decidedly exhausted) while the girls slept in. We met up at El Mercado San Miguel for lunch then I was delighted to take them back to my house to meet my family. Cuca, Ana, Maria and Alberto were all there to confuse McCallen with rapid-fire Spanish (Just kidding. But seriously, she was really confused.) That night, we took on the rain yet again with a showing at Udon, El Tigre, Fontina de Oro, Dubliners and Kapital. Saturday started with (surprise) another trip to Mercado San Miguel then we sauntered to the Prado. Shopping and chocolate con churros took up the afternoon, then Carlyn met up with some friends while McCallen, Betsy and I went to see Contagion. It was the first movie I’ve seen in English since this summer and McCallen used the perfect word to describe our emotion for our relatively average activity: giddy.

Friendship in Plaza Mayor!

Out and about

Museo de Prado

I was sad to see my friends go on Saturday morning, but I spent the rest of the weekend doing homework, lounging around and catching up on sleep. We had three midterms this past week. In Nashville, that would mean days of wringing my hands and going from library to library in search of the perfect study spot, but here, I reviewed my notes at a café down the street and instantly felt prepared. Here’s hoping that my grades reflect that! Besides the midterms, we had a few cultural experiences this week – going out with a big group of international students on Tuesday night and seeing El Perro de Hortelano, a play by Lope de Vega.

On Friday morning at 6 am, the tornado that is my life picked up again and headed for Brussels, Belgium. Sara, Mary Jordan and I spent Friday wandering around the gorgeous city, sampling waffles, chocolate, mussels, fries and fruit beers along the way. On Saturday, we took an hour-long train ride to Bruges, “the Venice of the North.” It’s absolutely charming, complete with canals, cathedrals, churches, a monastery, a bell tower and all the chocolate you could ever want. The highlights of the day were the views from our canal tour and dinner at a cozy little restaurant near the canal. We went back to Brussels, bought chocolates at Leonidas and wine at the grocery store, then had a girls’ night in the hotel while watching Pretty Woman in French. I'm getting school credit for this? 

First of several Belgian waffles

Not sure what these gardens were,
but there was something picturesque around every corner! 

Grand Place at night

Mussels in Brussels! (Complete with fries)

Gorgeous Bruges

The city center

More gorgeous buildings... not sure how else to caption these

On our canal tour. Yes, that's a hot air balloon

Incredible

Perfect ending to the weekend! 

Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Madrid, Brussels and Bruges, all in less than a month. Yes, I’m worn out; yes, I am burning the candle at both ends; no, I am probably not getting enough sleep. But I am living with such a carpe diem attitude that I don’t even really notice the down side. Taking every opportunity to see how someone else lives is what brings out the whirling dervish and the jet lag and the calendar crunch, but sharing those resulting moments in incredible cities with people that I care about is the deep breath and the prayer of gratitude. Sigh. Real life may be just around the corner, but knowing that I went all out while I had the chance will make it a bit more bearable.