PARIS # 2
(The last two weeks of school are the hardest to blog)
To put it in the shortest version I can cause I got things to do !!!
....................
When our train pulled into the station my heart was racing. We jumped off the train and looked around and found we were in the middle of no where. We went to the nearest information booth and all got maps only to find we were on the outskirts of paris. So we looked outside and found pictures of the metro and followed them. We get down into the metro station and buy a three day metro pass and jump on the metro that would take us closest to the downtown of Paris. We get to that station and walk up the stairs. And just like a movie we walked right into the middle of Paris, french buildings, french people, fashion, music, overcast lighting, it was all there. We gave ourselves a little time of dancing in the streets before we found a tourists information center and found enough brochures to last the trip. We got a hostel guide book, went to a Tabbacci and got a phone card, and then off to a pay phone. We set up the perfect system. Becca was on the Phone, I was holding the hostel book, and Anastasia was holding a metro map. I went from cheapest to most expensive hostel in the book. I would shout out the number and then the address and by the time we got word it was full we would have found out how to get there on the map. We must have called 15 hostels before we got a referred to a hostel that was not full. We called and got a reservation for two days. We jumped on another metro walked about 20 minutes and got to our gorgeous hostel. There was free breakfast, a lock on the door, and a balcony overlooking paris. It was more then I could have asked for.
So we dropped off all of our stuff, made some PB&J sandwiches and headed for the Louve. We jumped on the metros like we knew how and got to the museum. We just stood in awe at the largest museum I have ever seen. We got in and ran right for all the signs on the mona lisa. We walked and walked and then finally I walked past a room and saw it on the wall out of the corner of my eye. I turned my back to it immediately. I grabbed Becca's arm, "Becca Becca it is right there, behind us, oh my god". She did the same thing, she saw, and then turned right around. We were there holding arms, and we said " Ok are you ready to go see the Mona Lisa, ahh here we go". Then we turned and walked into the room. It was as beautiful as always. I loved it.
Then we walked around seeing countless masterpieces for four hours, and I literally got sick, thought I was going to throw up in the Louve, and it was getting late so we left. It was already about seven o'clock with our long day we sent out to no longer eat peanut butter and actually get some real food in us, so we walked to find a really cheap chinese place and had a delicious dinner. We went back to the hostel and had a quick nap. Anastasia wanted to stay in, but me and Becca were determined to see the Eiffel tower. So we got all dressed up, and went out about 10:30. We bought a bottle of wine and hoped on the metro. Then we figured out they only ran till 2 am, which was something to think about. All the metros were running so late and slow that it ended up getting to late and at 12:30 and two metros still to go we decided to just back track and go back. It was sadly uneventful.
Saturday we got up early, ate breakfast, and was off to the Orsay museum. We were there for almost longer then four hours. We saw all the famous Monet's, Van Goghs, and everything in between. It was one of the best days of my life. We then went off to see the famous arch, and to see the eiffel tower from a far. We walked along the river taking pictures and just taking in Paris. We went back early to the hostel to rest and get all dressed up. We went to a fancy restaurant and pulled out all the stops. Pretty much the whole trip besides this dinner, we ate fruit from fruit stands and PB&J sandwiches. We ordered appetizers, drinks, and had a wonderful evening. Then it was off to the Eiffel tower at night. We hoped again on the Metros and got close to the Tower. After seeing the tip forever and walking and walking.... we were there. We got to the outskirts of the park and literally like little girls we ran giggling all the way to the bottom of the tower. Then with about ten feet to the bottom we all stopped and looked up and said " wooooooowwwww". It was awesome. We stayed there for hours just taking in the moment. Then later we went back and rested for the next day ahead.
Sunday we again got up early and went right to Notre Dame. We waited in such a long line and then climbed all these stairs to what we had no idea what. We had gotten ourselves in the line to go up to the top. We arrive at the top of the stairs through is tiny tiny little stairway winding around and around. I again almost got sick, but the top was worth it. You could see all of Paris. It was of course breath taking. We also stood inline to go in, but it was so crowded it was hard to see anything. Then we decided to just take in Paris the rest of the day, because at around six we were off to the train station to catch our train back. We just walked around and found this little jazz band playing on one of the bridges and watched and talked with them all afternoon. Then after grabbing a last minute pastry we went back to the Eiffel tower for a nap in the afternoon and a few more pictures. We said our goodbyes and made it to the train station with an hour to spare, just enough time to grab a cheap hot sandwich. We got on the train and said goodbye to France.
It was exhausting to arrive on Monday and have to go right back to classes, but we did it, and it was one of the best weekends of my life. Little did I know the weekend after I would be seeing Jason Mraz face to face. At a concert of only fifty or so people, in a CASTLE! But that is another story.
I have decided to pack my camera away today, the Sunday before Venice. I want the rest of the time to have nothing to do but relax in Italy, spend that last few days in Venice, and say goodbye. To study abroad for any length of time is mind blowing and emotional. There is allot to think about. And while I can't wait to go back home and see my family and friends, it is going to be hard to leave this beautiful place.
To all my blog readers few and proud, I will hopefully write a follow up about Venice, but most likely this is Dena signing off and goodbye from my tour around Italy.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
" Getting To Paris "
Getting to Paris is not an easy task, even when you are only 12 hours away by train. The stress of the trip started when a week earlier we had found out that we had bought the wrong eurail passes and were not able to get on the train as planned to paris. So adding the stress and excitement Becca and I had a painting open house in the cathedral the night before leaving for Paris. So we had to set up all day, finish painting, get food, and work all day with no time to even think about Paris. We relaxed at the exhibition with some wine and good times with friends. And it was really nice to show off my work to the school who had not even really known i was a painter. I felt that when everyone saw my work many thing about me clicked and I could see it in there eyes.
One thing that let me unwind and really relax before Paris was one special conversation. Chubby my friend in the adjoining room grabbed my arm and lead me to the side of the room. She asked if she could talk to me a minute with this serious undertone. This was a little off for her, so I listening with open ears. Giving a little background information first, Jim my new painting teacher from University of Georgia is awesome. He only deals with graduate master of fine art students. And I have much respect for the man and his abstract work. Back to Chubby, she had said:
"Dena I have something to say to you, that I think you will be very pleased
to hear. Dena I walked in the cathedral early and I saw Jim leading his
colleges across the room to your paintings. He went through each piece
and explained my process and thinking of each piece. And how my
idea of process was something he admired"
I stopped in awe and shoved her just like Elaine on Seinfeild, she went on...
"Jim said that you were on a steady path of finding your style and you work
hard for it, and you were one of the most naturally gifted artists he knows.
And he was excited for what is to come for me."
I pretty much got teary eyed and had to stay in the corner of the room and finish my wine before I could be released back into common conversation. I sat there in a haze and everyone whirled by in the room. I thought of how tomorrow at that time I would be on a train for Paris. I thought about how my summer had been spent everyday creating art for hours a day, then learning the history of art before me, then seeing the art I had learned about for years. Even the down time of each day is spent bouncing ideas other artists, attending gallery talks weekly of professors, and sketching sketching sketching. I thought that it might be too much before I left to be dropped into this sort of world. And not until that moment had I even thought of consumption I found myself in. And I was beginning to see the side effects. And they were amazing. I tried not to let it get to my head, but I did think about all the people I was over here in Italy for, and how comments like that were a little for me and a lot for them. After that the drunken kids and mostly boys coming up to me saying I was best in show didn't really mean a thing.
So after that we had a nice dinner and I went to bed excited for the day to come. I had a critique at eight in the morning with extra work because I was missing class. After that was over I had a few hours to bounce around the dorm. I had of course already packed the day before and I had nothing to do but think. Ow and how I thought. I got myself so excited I just made sure my girls were going to be ready as well, and then I headed to town early to relax. Just before one o'clock as planned I saw the girls walking down the hill and my stomach dropped. We were about to start the journey.
The bus to the train station was the first of many tasks. We got to the station around 1:15 and of course our train was late my twenty minutes. So this got us to the main station in Florence around 3 o'clock. Now our train to Paris that we wanted didn't leave until nine that night, but we had unfortunately bought the wrong tickets so he had lots of work to do. Long long story short and many italians later, it took us three hours to change our Eurail Italy tickets to international, pay the difference, validate the new tickets, then get seat reservations for the night train there, AND then cause the train back was full... we had to plan a new route back from Paris through Milan to Florence. It was exhausting. But that the women helping us seeming like she did not give a shit if we were nervous she had been working there her whole life and she would fix it. She was flipping through take out menus the whole time. It only added to the comedy.
So with time to spare we grabbed some food and jumped on a train to the next closest Florence station, where our night train would be leaving from. After everything we only had about an hour to wait. We played some cards and danced around like freaking idiots. Then at 8:53 P.M on July 19th 2007, my train to Paris arrived. I remember I said goodbye to Italy and we all jumped from Italian soil onto the train that would take us to France. We scurried into our section couchettes numbers 71, 72, and 73. We got in and no one else followed. In a six person cabin we were the only ones, the train starting moving. Before getting too excited, I put a fifteen minute timer on my watch. Fifteen minutes which was spent dancing fingers crosses to our song entitled "We on our way to Paris, were on our way to Paris, and we might get our on room, We believe we believe!" Then my timer went off and we flipped out even more. We did not have to share with smelly old men, it was just us. After a brief talk of what we were about to get ourselves into, we knew that in order to have a full day tomorrow we needed to get to bed. So we brushed our teeth in the hall sink while about falling over with every rinse, and washed our faces with water that was clearly marked no drinking for some reason. Then after a brief fight with the packaged sheets and pillows I wrote in my journal my thoughts of the past days and the days to come. I put my Ipod on and slept with a smile.
In the morning we awoke to find we were running an hour late and due to arrive in Paris at 10:30. So with an hour to go, I went and got some tea from the restaurant cart, sat down, and said good morning to France alone. It had rained the night before while we slept. Which made it all the real. Everything was different to me once again. I smiled and was ready for the next precious hours of my life to unfold.
To be continued..
The End Paris Paris One
One thing that let me unwind and really relax before Paris was one special conversation. Chubby my friend in the adjoining room grabbed my arm and lead me to the side of the room. She asked if she could talk to me a minute with this serious undertone. This was a little off for her, so I listening with open ears. Giving a little background information first, Jim my new painting teacher from University of Georgia is awesome. He only deals with graduate master of fine art students. And I have much respect for the man and his abstract work. Back to Chubby, she had said:
"Dena I have something to say to you, that I think you will be very pleased
to hear. Dena I walked in the cathedral early and I saw Jim leading his
colleges across the room to your paintings. He went through each piece
and explained my process and thinking of each piece. And how my
idea of process was something he admired"
I stopped in awe and shoved her just like Elaine on Seinfeild, she went on...
"Jim said that you were on a steady path of finding your style and you work
hard for it, and you were one of the most naturally gifted artists he knows.
And he was excited for what is to come for me."
I pretty much got teary eyed and had to stay in the corner of the room and finish my wine before I could be released back into common conversation. I sat there in a haze and everyone whirled by in the room. I thought of how tomorrow at that time I would be on a train for Paris. I thought about how my summer had been spent everyday creating art for hours a day, then learning the history of art before me, then seeing the art I had learned about for years. Even the down time of each day is spent bouncing ideas other artists, attending gallery talks weekly of professors, and sketching sketching sketching. I thought that it might be too much before I left to be dropped into this sort of world. And not until that moment had I even thought of consumption I found myself in. And I was beginning to see the side effects. And they were amazing. I tried not to let it get to my head, but I did think about all the people I was over here in Italy for, and how comments like that were a little for me and a lot for them. After that the drunken kids and mostly boys coming up to me saying I was best in show didn't really mean a thing.
So after that we had a nice dinner and I went to bed excited for the day to come. I had a critique at eight in the morning with extra work because I was missing class. After that was over I had a few hours to bounce around the dorm. I had of course already packed the day before and I had nothing to do but think. Ow and how I thought. I got myself so excited I just made sure my girls were going to be ready as well, and then I headed to town early to relax. Just before one o'clock as planned I saw the girls walking down the hill and my stomach dropped. We were about to start the journey.
The bus to the train station was the first of many tasks. We got to the station around 1:15 and of course our train was late my twenty minutes. So this got us to the main station in Florence around 3 o'clock. Now our train to Paris that we wanted didn't leave until nine that night, but we had unfortunately bought the wrong tickets so he had lots of work to do. Long long story short and many italians later, it took us three hours to change our Eurail Italy tickets to international, pay the difference, validate the new tickets, then get seat reservations for the night train there, AND then cause the train back was full... we had to plan a new route back from Paris through Milan to Florence. It was exhausting. But that the women helping us seeming like she did not give a shit if we were nervous she had been working there her whole life and she would fix it. She was flipping through take out menus the whole time. It only added to the comedy.
So with time to spare we grabbed some food and jumped on a train to the next closest Florence station, where our night train would be leaving from. After everything we only had about an hour to wait. We played some cards and danced around like freaking idiots. Then at 8:53 P.M on July 19th 2007, my train to Paris arrived. I remember I said goodbye to Italy and we all jumped from Italian soil onto the train that would take us to France. We scurried into our section couchettes numbers 71, 72, and 73. We got in and no one else followed. In a six person cabin we were the only ones, the train starting moving. Before getting too excited, I put a fifteen minute timer on my watch. Fifteen minutes which was spent dancing fingers crosses to our song entitled "We on our way to Paris, were on our way to Paris, and we might get our on room, We believe we believe!" Then my timer went off and we flipped out even more. We did not have to share with smelly old men, it was just us. After a brief talk of what we were about to get ourselves into, we knew that in order to have a full day tomorrow we needed to get to bed. So we brushed our teeth in the hall sink while about falling over with every rinse, and washed our faces with water that was clearly marked no drinking for some reason. Then after a brief fight with the packaged sheets and pillows I wrote in my journal my thoughts of the past days and the days to come. I put my Ipod on and slept with a smile.
In the morning we awoke to find we were running an hour late and due to arrive in Paris at 10:30. So with an hour to go, I went and got some tea from the restaurant cart, sat down, and said good morning to France alone. It had rained the night before while we slept. Which made it all the real. Everything was different to me once again. I smiled and was ready for the next precious hours of my life to unfold.
To be continued..
The End Paris Paris One
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
FLORENCE and PISA
Last weekend was the weekend of Florence part two.
Last Friday my classes my classes ended early due to cancellations and I spent the rest of the day getting packed and ready for the long weekend ahead. I took a well-deserved nap, and got up and headed down to the bus around 4 o'clock and got to the Camucia train station by 4:15. That gave me time to jump on the 4:30 train to Florence. On the train I thought about how great it was going to be to see a familiar face. Unlike most of my peers from Cortona, I was luckily going to stay with my friend Kathryn at her apartment in Florence, compared to paying for a hotel or hostel. I got to Florence around 6 and Kathryn was not expected to be back in Florence till 6:30, so I wandered around all the vendors and took in a little bit of the city that I left just a week ago. Not to long after, I went to our meeting spot of McDonalds, and waited for my friends. A couple minutes pass and Kathryn and I saw each other from across the station; seeing a familiar face was just what I needed. We walked to apartment right next to Gucci. Kathryn was literally living in the hart of Florence, much different from what I am experiencing in Cortona. The whole time during my time with Kathryn I was, reflecting upon my decision of choosing UGA over Milwaukee’s program.
Kathryn’s apartment was beautiful. She was living with five other girls in a three-bedroom apartment complete with a living room and kitchen. In my head I was comparing it to my tiny dorm room complete with bunk beds. I admit I was a little jealous at their magnificent palace. After dropping my things off and getting settled we all went out to dinner around the corner at a close little restaurant. After meeting all of Kathryn’s new friends we went back to her apartment to get ready for a night on the town. We got all dolled up and went to a bar right across the street from the Florence Duomo built in the early 1300’s. It was mind blowing. We had our fun and left early for the long day we all had tomorrow. I went to bed on a huge fantastic couch to myself and slept in a little till 8:30. I was ready and out the door by five after nine to take a nice stroll and even stop and get a coffee on my solo walk to met the Cortona program. After a brief description of the day I was forced to make the decision of either going to a scientifically museum of experiments from the 1800’s, going to a drawing museum, or going to the Bargello sculpture museum for art history. At the last minute I jumped on the tour to the Bargello for Lilliana the art history teacher was so knowledgeable I could not miss this opportunity.
We got the museum at ten and walked in as a group. I was not ready for the amazing works in this museum. There were so many bronze and marble sculptures that I had been learning about for years! It was all most overwhelming at ten in the morning. After an hour of gawking we went to the place that changed my life. The Uffitzi.
At 11 we had tickets to go to the Uffitzi. Painters were first. I again was not mentally prepared for the museum. We were given a list of art to see in each room, a quick look over the list instantly gave me goose bumps. I entered and walked straight to Botticelli’s “birth of Venus” and started there. I can’t even right about all the work that one by one was checked off my list. But more than once I was unexpectedly overcome with emotion and had to collect my thoughts. Lets just say I put my Ipod on for four hours and walked around a palace that now housed some of the most famous painting in the world. I will never forget it.
After the Uffitzi I ran cross Florence to the other side of the river only stopping for a on the go piece of pizza and a drink. I met my painting teacher at the Burchelli chapel to see some frescos that also blew my mind. After that I was exhausted and me and some girls decided to just go relax in the Florence gardens for the rest of the afternoon. After resting I met up with Kathryn once again at her apartment for tea with Allison my old painting teacher. We discussed both of our trips and got caught up. Afterwards Kathryn and me got some quick dinner, came back, and watched a movie because we were exhausted. Then went to bed early.
We got up late and well rested and walked to the train station once again. This time were taking a day trip to Pisa. The only goal in mind was to take the classic tourist picture that millions have done. Basically we got off the train walked a half-hour to the tower, took pictures for an hour and walked back. It was fantastic. This gave us time to hop on the four something train back to Florence.
We got to Florence around six, this gave me an hour to go back to Kathryn’s grab my stuff get another quick bit to eat, and be back for the seven train. There were some problems getting home as mother found out, but I was home safe late Sunday night.
It was a long long weekend, but one I will remember forever.
The end.
Ciao
P.S. I don't know why my pictures are up here multiple times.....
Last Friday my classes my classes ended early due to cancellations and I spent the rest of the day getting packed and ready for the long weekend ahead. I took a well-deserved nap, and got up and headed down to the bus around 4 o'clock and got to the Camucia train station by 4:15. That gave me time to jump on the 4:30 train to Florence. On the train I thought about how great it was going to be to see a familiar face. Unlike most of my peers from Cortona, I was luckily going to stay with my friend Kathryn at her apartment in Florence, compared to paying for a hotel or hostel. I got to Florence around 6 and Kathryn was not expected to be back in Florence till 6:30, so I wandered around all the vendors and took in a little bit of the city that I left just a week ago. Not to long after, I went to our meeting spot of McDonalds, and waited for my friends. A couple minutes pass and Kathryn and I saw each other from across the station; seeing a familiar face was just what I needed. We walked to apartment right next to Gucci. Kathryn was literally living in the hart of Florence, much different from what I am experiencing in Cortona. The whole time during my time with Kathryn I was, reflecting upon my decision of choosing UGA over Milwaukee’s program.
Kathryn’s apartment was beautiful. She was living with five other girls in a three-bedroom apartment complete with a living room and kitchen. In my head I was comparing it to my tiny dorm room complete with bunk beds. I admit I was a little jealous at their magnificent palace. After dropping my things off and getting settled we all went out to dinner around the corner at a close little restaurant. After meeting all of Kathryn’s new friends we went back to her apartment to get ready for a night on the town. We got all dolled up and went to a bar right across the street from the Florence Duomo built in the early 1300’s. It was mind blowing. We had our fun and left early for the long day we all had tomorrow. I went to bed on a huge fantastic couch to myself and slept in a little till 8:30. I was ready and out the door by five after nine to take a nice stroll and even stop and get a coffee on my solo walk to met the Cortona program. After a brief description of the day I was forced to make the decision of either going to a scientifically museum of experiments from the 1800’s, going to a drawing museum, or going to the Bargello sculpture museum for art history. At the last minute I jumped on the tour to the Bargello for Lilliana the art history teacher was so knowledgeable I could not miss this opportunity.
We got the museum at ten and walked in as a group. I was not ready for the amazing works in this museum. There were so many bronze and marble sculptures that I had been learning about for years! It was all most overwhelming at ten in the morning. After an hour of gawking we went to the place that changed my life. The Uffitzi.
At 11 we had tickets to go to the Uffitzi. Painters were first. I again was not mentally prepared for the museum. We were given a list of art to see in each room, a quick look over the list instantly gave me goose bumps. I entered and walked straight to Botticelli’s “birth of Venus” and started there. I can’t even right about all the work that one by one was checked off my list. But more than once I was unexpectedly overcome with emotion and had to collect my thoughts. Lets just say I put my Ipod on for four hours and walked around a palace that now housed some of the most famous painting in the world. I will never forget it.
After the Uffitzi I ran cross Florence to the other side of the river only stopping for a on the go piece of pizza and a drink. I met my painting teacher at the Burchelli chapel to see some frescos that also blew my mind. After that I was exhausted and me and some girls decided to just go relax in the Florence gardens for the rest of the afternoon. After resting I met up with Kathryn once again at her apartment for tea with Allison my old painting teacher. We discussed both of our trips and got caught up. Afterwards Kathryn and me got some quick dinner, came back, and watched a movie because we were exhausted. Then went to bed early.
We got up late and well rested and walked to the train station once again. This time were taking a day trip to Pisa. The only goal in mind was to take the classic tourist picture that millions have done. Basically we got off the train walked a half-hour to the tower, took pictures for an hour and walked back. It was fantastic. This gave us time to hop on the four something train back to Florence.
We got to Florence around six, this gave me an hour to go back to Kathryn’s grab my stuff get another quick bit to eat, and be back for the seven train. There were some problems getting home as mother found out, but I was home safe late Sunday night.
It was a long long weekend, but one I will remember forever.
The end.
Ciao
P.S. I don't know why my pictures are up here multiple times.....
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