It's long overdue that I post my final blog on my Spain trip. I basically spent the last three days of my stay in Spain on a beautiful beach in Cadiz. I really enjoyed relaxing before my trip back. I then headed back to Seville for one (supposedly) last nite.

The night before my EXPECTED departure, I went out to dinner with two girls I had met a while back, Ana and Maria. After dinner, I stopped at Eucharistic Adoration for a bit, and then headed back to my hostal, arriving at about 2am. I set my alarm for 4am. However, when I woke, it was 7am and my flight was to leave at 7:30! I jumped up, rushed around and then gave into the fact that I would be unable to make it. I spent two hours trying to figure out a plan and my Dad finally said just to go to the airport and see what I could do. So off I went in a taxi with all my luggage and luckily they had a flight the next day about the same time. I took a bus back, which seemed to take an eternity, and lugged my luggage all the way back to the hostal.

That night I could hardly sleep for fear of sleeping in again. I had the hostal do a wake up knock on the door and I was at the airport at around 4:30am. It was the craziest site I've seen in a longtime...I get to the airport expecting it to be dead. However, there was a Seville soccer game in Glascow and it seemed like the whole city of Seville was in that airport dressed in red clothing, kilts, and blonde wigs. A very funny site to say the least, although a bit too early in the morning for my taste.

I made it on my flight with no problems although the flight did leave an hour late because of some difficulties they were having! I sat next to a older couple from Seville. They were very kind and complimented me on my Spanish! I guess they were going to Istambul for a five day tour!

At the Madrid airport, I made friends with a girl going to Pennsylvania. We kept each other company until our respective flights.

The flight from Madrid to Chicago seemed eternal! I sat next to a man from Cairo which was really interesting. He was on his first trip to the states. He even let me try one of their foods, which was similar to a fig newton!

I passed through customs without problems and was excited to see my Dad and Anna waiting for me right outside. I was exhausted from lack of sleep and the long trip and my Dad took charge of the luggage.
It was really great to see everyone and once back, I realized how quickly everything really went.
It all almost seems a blur!
I'm back to school, work and such and it's amazing how one just slips right back into the swing of things.

I feel so grateful to have been able to go and I know what I have learned and experienced across the waters will be with me in much of what I do later in life. I'm already making my next travel plans :) But for now, I'm more than content to spend time with my family and friends as they are just as much fun as enjoyable as traveling (and cost much less!)

Paris

Paris was somewhat of a last minute trip that a friend and I took this last weekend. We decided we shouldn´t leave Spain, being so close to France, without going. We squeezed in so much in so little time.

Friday May 4th
We met at 4:30am and went to take a bus to the airport. Luckily we had left early because they changed the bus pickup and we had to walk a couple blocks to the new site. Then we took the 7:45am plane out of Seville.

We found our hostal, where there was confusion in the bookings as always and then left our luggage and headed for the Eiffel Tower. We ate lunch and were bothered by some of the gypseys that ask for money. One asked if we spoke English and then once we said we didn´t have anything to give her, insulted us. The next one that asked if we spoke English we shook our heads no. Then we went up the Eiffel Tower, taking the STAIRS, and then from the second floor we took the elevator, as they didn´t have stairs from that part on.

The view from the top was amazing, although it was a little foggy that day. You could see almost every main monument from the top.

Then we went to the Catacombs. That was one of the most eerie places I´ve ever been. Six million people´s bones are compiled under ground. You walk through these damp and narrow passageways on top of gravel stone and the path just seems to go forever!

We then stopped by the Pantheon, which had lots of beautiful paintings and frescos and also had a pendulum that shows the Earth´s rotation.

It began to rain a bit that night so we ran into a cafe, MM cafe, hoping that they´d have good food. The prices were a little high, as with everything in Paris, but the food was good.

Then we stopped at a nearby crepe place and split a Nutella, Banana, and Almond Crepe. It was neat because you could take them to go also if you wanted! The crepe was excellent!

We then took the metro back to our hostal, beat tired!

Saturday May 5th
We woke up early and ate breakfast at our hostal. On our way to the Sacre Coure we passed a coffee shop and I dragged Nicole in for a quick cup of coffee and milk. (The coffee at our hostal was so watery and not up to par with the Spanish coffee we´re used to).

Then we went to Sacre Coure, a beautiful white church on a hill.

After that we headed to Notre Dame, which had some of the most beautiful stained glass I had ever seen!

We did a little window shopping on Champs-Élysées, a big street with all these brand name stores and then headed back to the same crepe shop we went to the day before. I didn´t realize how much I missed my Dad´s danish pancakes!

Then we went to Versailles, a huge palace about thirty minutes away. It was beautiful and the gardens were unbelieveable!

We then went back to our Hostal to change and then went to dinner. We stubbled upon this great place with decent prices. We each had a three course meal for only 11 euro each! The food was so tasty and we were really interested in the table next to us who had a huge wedge of cheese under a heater for some sort of dish. There were other tables that had a stone with a fire under it where they would cook the raw meat themselves!

We then checked out Moulan Rouge and then went to the Eiffel Tower again to watch it sparkle at night.

Sunday May 6th
We got up at 6am and went to Mass at the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coure). French is supposed to be somewhat close to Spanish being a romatic language but I had a hard time picking out anything!

We then spent 4 1/2 hours at the Louvre, an expansive collection of art of anything you can think of. We even saw the Mona Lisa, which I didn´t find that impressive, but it seemed everyone else did as there was a huge crowd, pushing and picture sneaking.

We had crepes by the river and mine consisted of cheese, ham, egg, and tomatoes (a crepe a day keeps the doctor away!)

Our flight left at 7pm and as always, it was a nice place to visit, but it´s nice coming back to Seville.

Pictures from Seville, Cordoba, Lisbon, Fatima, and Barcelona with Dad

http://uwp.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016734&l=34e26&id=184703838

http://uwp.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016735&l=e42e6&id=184703838

http://uwp.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016736&l=7fc06&id=184703838

http://uwp.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016825&l=7e117&id=184703838

http://uwp.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016826&l=7443f&id=184703838

http://uwp.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2016827&l=bef77&id=184703838

Hope you all enjoy...I do admit my problem of taking lots of pictures!