{Eurotrip chapter II: Rome}

Rome was an important city for me to visit because of the unbelievable history and past that the city has. The Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Forum, and even real life gladiators still wandering around ( okay, maybe they were frauds). The heat was a little unbearable, but I will take humidity to explore ruins any day!

{Piazza Novano}

{Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers}

{The Pantheon}

{Trevi Fountain}

{Trevi, detail}

{lunch}

{Room with a view}

{Colosseum}

{interior}

{tourists}

{hope, for the fighters}

{exterior}

{blue skies & ancient ruins}

{Borghese gardens}

{sunset  1}

{sunset 2}

Rome was a beautiful city. Great shopping, good food (if you ever go, find La Gallina Bianca restaurant), and excellent small family owned markets. Not to mention the wine is cheap and delicious! Overall it was a great visit. 

*My favorite part of Rome was a visit to the Vatican Museum, and the day at Vatican City...stay tuned for that post!

{Barcelona spotlight: Gaudí edition}

Antoni Gaudí is one of the most famous and prominent names linked with the city of Barcelona, and his work is on public display for everyone to enjoy. I am a huge fan of art and architecture, especially when they are combined, and Gaudí's work is incredibly complex and beautiful. His modernista style is so unique, you definitely need pictures to help describe it!
 
A mini history lesson: the non boring kind...

Gaudí began work on his masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, in 1882. It is massive. The catholic church is still under construction, with the exterior and interior no where near ready. The set date of completion is somewhere in the range of 2026, which seems like a lifetime and a half away. 

 

The brilliant artist spent all of his time and energy to this project once is began, even dedicating the last 15 straight years of his life to the planning and beginning construction of the building....(makes you wonder if he was too stubborn to stop once he knew how long it would take). 

  

Passion Façade

  weary.

 

Symbolism alert! Check out the magic square...all adds up to 33. The age of Jesus at his crucifixion.

 ceiling.

 interior wall detail. 

 

See the picture of Sagrada Familia with the four tall towers? We were sitting on the bridge the is between the two left towers, so high up. The view from the top was great! 

 After a nauseating trip spiraling down the stairs to the ground, we hopped back on the tourist bus and continued on to see Casa Batlló (pictured above), Casa Milà , and finally Park Güell. 

 

Park Güell.

 

 

 

Hurray! We love modernista & mosaics. Faux excitement via the boyfriend:)

{Eurotrip chapter I: Barcelona}

My very first time to Europe involved a study abroad program when I was 16 years old. It was the summer between my junior and senior year in high school, and with my advanced spanish class. My two best friends and I decided it was a necessity to go on this yearly school trip, and before we knew it we were on the plane to Spain, to study language & culture for a month.Ever since that trip I have felt a pull toward Spain. I loved to culture, the weather, the sandy beaches of the south, the castles and palaces, the food and the people. I fell in love with the language and decided to continue my study on into college.

 College came and I decided to minor in spanish. The plan was to become fluent, and my junior year in college I would study abroad in Barcelona for a semester. It seemed perfect, and I constantly counted down the days, fueling my urge to continue learning. 

But as they say, life has a funny way of repaying you when you make 'plans'. At the end of my sophomore year in college, I had a pulmonary embolism (I may or may not have the body/immune system of an 85 year old grandma) and was forced to withdraw from school. Away from my friends, stuck in the hospital and then bed rest at home, bored to tears, I came to the sad realization that study abroad was no longer an option. 

 With my strict four year college cutoff date looming in the future, there was no way my credits would be evened out with the loss of a whole semester. And with the additional unexpected cost of my medical bills, there was just no way. I was crushed. I managed to stick out one more semester of spanish class, when I realized my motivation was gone, dropped the minor and switched to fine arts. 

 Cut to present day. I couldn't be happier I decided to stay for that semester. Entirely too many funny stories and memories. Also, Switching to fine arts was the best decision I could have made, allowing me to re-fall in love with black & white photography, the discovery that I was actually pretty good at drawing, and the reminder that me and paint just do not mix. So everything must happen for a reason right?

Moreover, my love of Spain was the deciding factor on our first leg of the trip! Life goal, check.

{an ode to my favorite thing..}

delicious coffee.

every morning you wake me,

and keep me happy.

(oh and my boyfriend really appreciates when I drink you, so I'm less of a raging snag and can communicate properly)

Coffee in Europe is better then good, it's great. I had been looking forward to getting back to my daily cappuccinos since I had left Italy last March. And they hadn't changed a bit! They had to be documented.

A cappuccino in the rain on a stormy afternoon in Rome. People watching, laughing at our luck, pushy servers and a beautiful first day in Italy.

A cappuccino at the Vatican Museum. Early enough to beat the crowds, too much bug-drawing hairspray (don't ask), and Rick (Steves) close at hand. Kittens in the courtyard, wrong directions, arguments, and a search for nuns with ice cream cones. 

A cappuccino in Barcelona. Our first day in Europe, confused & lost, wandering in any direction. Churros con chocolate, jourmaling, people watching, and practicing rusty spanish.

A cappuccino in...well a skinny vanilla iced latte actually. CAUGHT. So guilty I can't even deny it. It was hot in Barcelona. I was tired, sweaty, and feeling the pull of familiarity.

A cappuccino in Rome on an early morning before sightseeing. Our last day, new bakery friends, hot weather, and allergies. The excitement of Paris, 70's placemats and english mugs.

A cappuccino in a big glass. New discoveries, red colored orange juice, & the smallest pasteries ever found. Feeling swindled, hotel relaxation, decision making confusion and lattice topped berry goodness.

A mini sized cappuccino in Paris. PURE TORTURE. Bitterness, burnt flavor, and over priced. But the happiness of Roland Garros, French Open 2010, and soon to be tennis stars. The Williams sisters, cold toes, alicia keys anticipation and constantly praying for clear skies.