The day started very early, but was full of some last day explorations. A group of us took a train to Versailles. Overall, Versailles was a beautiful place, but as far as the contents, I was not entertained too much. The murals on the ceilings were stunning, but there was not as much inside of the château besides typical furnishings. However, this was a fun trip with the group that went! After leaving here, I ventured back to the hotel and stopped at some places to grab gifts for people. I got some newspapers for my grandpa and cigars for my dad (which later turned out to be Cuban cigars.. so yeah, now I am a smuggler of cigars). I also found a stand that was full of old cameras, where I purchased a 1940s French camera for my mom. When I dropped all of the items back at the hotel, I decided to go to a Van Gough exhibit that I had been told about. I travelled a decent distance, an once I walked out of the metro it was very apparent that I was no longer in a touristy part of town. There were a lot of green spaces and multiple parks, so it was gorgeous and an active place to live with a family. I walked to the exhibit to see that it was sold out. I stood there for a little while, just smiling and using what French I had, and eventually they let me in to purchase a ticket. I immediately saw why the exhibit is so popular! I walked into a room that had screens over all of the walls, and as I looked around, it was like watching paintings coming to life. They had multiple videos, but the Van Gogh one was the most popular and the most intriguing one. I sat down and took in the panoramic view of the movie version of the well-known paintings. This was the best part of Paris for me. I didn’t know about this exhibit until a friend from home saw it on Facebook and told me I should try to go visit. Paris was difficult for me because I have a hard time looking at flat paintings on a wall, but this exhibit gave me a 3D version that moved and came to life. I made my way back to the hotel and went to dinner with Jess. The last meal in Paris was amazing, but going back to the hotel was definitely not. Walking back to the hotel one last time was sad, but knowing I got to experience Paris wad an amazing feeling.
Savannah,
I enjoyed reading your journal. I was glad to hear that your trip to London offered many new experiences for you, despite having visited once before. Of course, in Paris, it was evident that you were excited to experience everything for the first time. You added a lot of energy to our group this year (especially for a freshman). It seems you also made upperclass friends that seem to have been a positive influence on you. Many of the “out of the way” places you were able to visit seemed very cool, especially the 3-D art experience. It s funny how modern communication allows even those back home to impact how we travel. Of course, being there first-hand and being open to new experiences is still most important. I hope this trip is just one of many future travel adventures for you.