Two Months Down and a Weekend in Paris

The longest I had ever been away from home before now was at summer camp for two weeks. The longest I had ever been away from my family was 10 days. Now I've been gone from both for two months. We have a poster hanging up in our house that says "What I love most about my home is who I share it with". Being away for this long has made me realize how true that is. Of course I love my city. Pittsburgh has been an amazing place to grow up in, and I know there's nowhere quite like it. There are certain special places that I've grown up with and that mean so much to me. But I probably could have found other "special" places if I had grown up in Chicago, or Boston, or Miami. What those places don't have are my people. The same goes for where I am now. I have absolutely fallen in love with Barcelona. But I probably would have fallen in love with Madrid, or Rome, or Paris. What makes this place special are my host family and the friends I have made here.

That's what I love most about traveling and trying new things. The connections you make with people from all over the world, the way you're able to get a glimpse into another culture completely different from your own. My favorite place to people watch is the airport for that exact reason. Thousands of people flying from one place to another. People from all over the world, from every background. You never know if someone is starting a year long solo trip around the world or flying home for the first time in years to reunite with family. Airports make me feel small and peaceful at the same time. They make me realize how singular my experience is yet how interconnected we all are.

I was able to do some airport people watching this past weekend as I made a quick trip to Paris, France. I woke up at 4 a.m. on Saturday, the 6th to drive to the airport where my flight was departing at 6:30. This was my second time departing from the international terminal at the Barcelona airport, and I was pleasantly surprised once again at the fact that I didn't have to wait in line at all at security. The flight was quick and painless (crazy that I can fly to Paris in an hour an a half), and I landed at Paris Beauvais Airport at around 8 o'clock. I then took the shuttle to the city center, one metro ride to the city center, and another to the apartment of my grandma's friend who I stayed with during my trip. My grandma also so generously bought my a Paris Pass as an early birthday present. With the Paris Pass you get access to dozens of museums, monuments, tours, and public transportation. After a quick rest and lunch at the apartment, I headed straight for Paris's most famous tourist attraction - the Eiffel Tower. I departed there for my river cruise of the Seine, and returned for a crepe under the Tower. Trying to make my way back to the apartment, I accidentally ended up on The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, probably the most notable street in Paris. The metros had stopped running in most of the center of the city due to yellow vest protests, so I ended up walking a bit more than I planned, which I didn't mind. I had dinner at a corner restaurant near the apartment and fell asleep quite easily after a long day of travel.

Saturday began with a trip to the Louvre, making sure to get a glimpse at works such as the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo (that statue without arms). I was amazed to find myself at times as the only person in some of the galleries tucked away from the more famous works. After touring the inside, I made sure to see the glass pyramids outside, and hopped on a bus tour to head for the Notre Dame (but not before enjoying another crepe). After walking around inside and wandering through the beautiful gardens outside, I returned to the apartment for lunch and headed back out for the Musée d'Orsay which houses works by Monet and van Gogh, among others. Boarding the bus again, I went to the Arc de Triomphe and climbed up the many, many stairs to the top. A panoramic view of Paris is definitely worth the slight burn in the quads. I had a reservation for dinner at a restaurant in the Latin Quarter of Paris, enjoying duck breast, a champagne cocktail, and a waffle topped with Crème brûlée. I can't say I was ever very hungry during my stay in Paris.

As my flight left late Monday night, I still had most of the day on Monday to continue to explore the city. After a real Parisian croissant for breakfast and packing my things, I left the apartment Monday morning and took the metro to the Sacré-Cœur, a famous basilica that stands at the highest point in the city. After climbing up to the church and enjoying the amazing views of Paris, I wandered inside to see the amazing architecture and artwork. When I finished my wandering, I found myself in a park nearby and continued to walk around the neighborhood behind the church. Stumbling upon a metro station, I went next to the The Centre Pompidou, a contemporary art museum. I started in an exhibit that consisted of a room full of fuzzy "rocks" that whispered things in French, and then made my way through the rest of the galleries. Next, I knew I couldn't leave Paris without some macarons, so I stopped by Ladurée and picked out eight delicious macarons (I finished them by the time I flew home). With my macarons in hand (or stomach), I took another bus tour that went on a route a bit outside the city. I love driving though new places and observing the city. When we returned, I had about an hour to kill, so I wandered through the streets of Paris until it was time to take my shuttle back to the airport.

Traveling is exhausting. And touring a big city like London or Pairs in only two or three days is quite draining. But I gladly except the exhaustion in exchange for being able to explore new places and meet new people. As I have seen a bit more of Europe now, it has made it easier to understand Spanish culture. Living with a host family really immerses you in the culture, but I'm not always sure if some things are specific to my family, Barcelona, or Spain. Going to other countries in Europe has given me some insight on some of those things (yes, they have peanut butter in other parts of Europe).

It's crazy to think that the next flight I board will be bringing me back to the States. I only have one month here, and I can only imagine how quickly it will go. Thanks for reading, and I love hearing from you! Check out this quick video I made of my time in Paris!

Much love,

Hannah