Florence (The Last Day)

It was sadly out last day of travel...well, at least in Europe.  On behalf of all the sponsors, I'd like to thank the parents and families who sent 35 amazing young people on this trip.  They were truly an exceptional bunch, full of personality and eager for adventure.  We can't wait to see them back at school in the fall to hear about the rest of their summers.  It has truly been a privilege for us to show them these beautiful places!

Izzy E.:

The last day was a fitting reflection of the first one. Everyone was a little disoriented and there was a sort of general funk over the group. Except unlike the first day, when the funk was a result of everyone being absolutely weary from the journey there, today the funk could be attributed to how little we wanted to admit to ourselves that it was the last day. Unlike the first day, where we barely knew each other, today everyone was constantly coming up to one another and saying how they couldn't believe that our time together was over. The day started out as it always did, with a hotel breakfast that people picked at with little enthusiasm, and soon we boarded the bus for our first, last, and only day in Florence. The Academia, where we were planning to view the magnificent David by Michelangelo, opened late and closed early, due to 'staff meetings', so we were unable to actually go in and take a look. Instead, we went to climb the Duomo which was a much more harrowing experience than many of us expected. If you've never been in a claustrophobic staircase with over thirty teenagers, all of whom are panicking, let me tell you that it isn't an experience that I recommend. After a particularly frightening climb up and down (which was totally worth it for the views and the bragging rights) we exited and moved on. At a different point, we tried to enter the actual cathedral and a horde of the girls in the group, including me, were rejected because the dresses we were wearing revealed our knees (apparently much too scandalous for the church), forcing us to sit on the curb like the town rejects. Our free time was the best of all side we all knew it would be the last we had in Europe for at least a little while, and I walked in and out of shops, sat down to eat, and even had Block try to bargain for a bag I was buying (he failed miserably, but tried hard, I ended up paying full price). Upon return to the hotel, we all went out for one last group gelato, courtesy of the chaps (THANK YOU) and all of us experienced a mix of lethargy and excitement about our last night. If I had to quickly sum up the whole trip i would say there was a lot of excitement and a lot of jokes about selfie sticks.

Ryan B.:

After our descent, we joined our guide, Katerina, for a guided tour of Florence's greatest hits. Following this, we took an interesting tour of Leonardo's leather store. After this, we took a long lunch break. We went to the Gucci Museum for pasta and Italian overpriced water, which tasted good despite the hole in our pockets. After a quick gelato break, we joined up with the rest of the group to not tour the Academia, which was still on strike. After healing our shattered hearts, we split up with half climbing a bell tour and the rest heading to the spot at which Michelangelo painted Florence. After a few hours of fun, we met up once again to head to dinner and then the Hotel. Florence is truly amazing and beautiful, which makes for a good end to a wonderful trip.

Kevin T.:

The last day of our trip started with waking up at the early hour of 6, we went downstairs to breakfast which consisted of bread, ham and cheese. We then boarded the bus and drove the hour length to Florence. The drive consisted of mostly sleeping, but the Tuscan landscape sure is gorgeous. When we arrived in Florence, we took the quick walk to Academia where Michelangelo's David is located, and we soon found out the workers of the Academia were on strike. After settling on seeing David in the afternoon, we took a short walk to the Duomo and the octagonal dome. We climbed narrow steps to a dizzying 86 meter view of Florence. The view of Florence was wonderful from the top of the dome, we could see the entire city from the highest point. 

Allie K.:

Where to even begin? 10 days later and it's officially our last night on the AP European History summer trip and I couldn't be more sad it's over.  These days spent here in Europe have been easily some of the best of my life. I've met great people, done incredible things, and have made memories that will last a lifetime. Today we spent time in Florence, in my dream country of Italy. It was incredible: two hikes up towers and a look at some beautiful churches, and it's a melancholy feeling to be leaving so soon. Not to be overly sentimental, but I'll truly miss everyone. I've made friends with people I never knew existed. I've checked numerous items off my extensive bucket list. And so so much more. I could write for hours about how great the trip was, and all the great things it did for me, but that would bore people to tears. To sum it all up, it couldn't have been a better way to kick off my summer, and the fact that it's ending so soon, when I have gotten to close to so many people I once called strangers, is a tough fact to wrap my head around. I'll miss the laughs. My chaperones were incredible, my classmates so fun, and my experiences were unforgettable. But I miss everyone back home, so maybe it's time to go. I'll never forget this trip, and it couldn't have been a better way to kick off summer. Presently in the process of planning a reunion trip, details to come! 

Nice & Montecatini

Today we arrived in Italy after spending the morning at the beach in Nice.  We are all in denial that tomorrow is our last day!

Lucas L.:

Today was arguably the best day of the trip. In no rush, we left our hotel and went down the mountains of the French Rivera and were accompanied with the beautiful scenery of the Mediterranean. First, we stopped at a sweets factory, where I bought some crystallized tangerines for my Dad. Afterwards, we had the option to shop in the town square or go to the beach. Most of us decided to go swimming in the Mediterranean, and it was beautiful! After we got lunch and went on our way to Italy. After we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and had our best dinner yet, we went into the town square and had gelatos--because you just can't go to Italy without getting them. In all, today was chill and relaxing, and I would love to come back here later (and longer!).

Zhulien D.:

Today in the morning we went to the center of Nice where we first went to the chocolate factory where they made all sorts of sweets, these sweets were very good. After that, we went into a market and we had a lot of free time to do many things. We first went through the market and I bought some radishes which were very cheap. After that, me and my friends went to the beach, but I only dipped my feet in because I didn't bring a swimsuit. After that, we had lunch and after lunch, we went to the bus, where we took a big trip, about 5 hours to the hotel near florence. After we arrived at the hotel, we had dinner, and after that, we went out and had some gelato. The best part was in Nice when we went to the beach.

Jake M.:

We started our day today with breakfast in the morning and then a trip to the beautiful town of Nice. First, I went to the beach which was rocky but also very nice. Then we went to lunch at a restaurant near the beach and had beef stew which was very good. We then took a 5 hour bus ride to Florence which was surprisingly enjoyable. The ride did not seem as long as expected and was a nice rest from our usually active days. Then we arrived at our hotel at around 7:30 and went to dinner in the hotel a bit later. We had noodles with meat sauce but then realized that the noodles were not actually our main course and were somewhat full by the time we received our entrée. After dinner we had a great night in the town of Florence in which we had gelato and enjoyed the culture of Florence. One of our group members even received a crowd when he was solving his Rubix cube blindfolded. Although some may argue our day was uneventful compared to others it was a great day with both activity and a nice day of rest on the bus. 

Provence: Arles & Aix-en-Provence

Today was our second day bouncing around Provence.  Read all about it from the guest bloggers!

Lindsey W.:

Today we had a more relaxing day because there was a lot of driving. We first drove to Arles were we saw the cafe that Van Gogh based his painting of the yellow cafe after and learned that the cafe wasn't originally yellow. We also had an opportunity to go inside and see a Roman Amphitheater. There was a small tower that we could go up and see a nice view of the city. We then hopped back on the bus to drive to Aix. In Aix we had about 3 hours to have lunch and explore the city. In both cities we had a lot of opportunities to shop for our families and friends. The shops had a lot of soaps and lavender so there were a lot of gifts bought for our female family and friends. 

Mallory K.:

After waking up to my roommates blaring alarm of Amigas Cheetahs at 5:30 p, my four roommates and I rushed to get ready for our busy day ahead. We ate a modest breakfast of croissants, and cereal, we headed out for the hour long bus ride to Arles. Surprisingly, I slept peacefully the entire ride. Arles was beautiful. We were able to explore an ancient Roman amphitheater that was once used for gladiator fights and is still used today for bull fights. Afterwords, we got to explore the winding streets, do some shopping, and see Van Gouges famous yellow cafe. Afterwords, I napped on another one hour bus trip while we headed to Aix. Aix was another beautiful French city filled with tons of options for shopping, eating, and exploring. While some fellow travelers decided to go to a local impressionist museum, my friend and I explored the city and bought things. Although the skill level of my French is still dismally low, I have mastered the basics for shopping, as well as looking like I understand what some locals say to me. On our three hour bus ride home we stopped to pick up dinner, and later ate it at the hotel, which is on a beautiful hilltop that overlooks Niece. We ended the night playing a trivia game that my team unfortunately lost, but was still fun. I can't believe that we only have a couple days left here and I'm looking forward to taking in every moment we have left. See everyone soon! Love you mom and dad!

Ben L.:

I woke up from a great night's rest to prepare for a long day of driving and exciting adventure.  Driving wasn't ever longer than three hours, but we made multiple embarkments.  My favorite stop was the free time for almost three hours in a cute little shopping city called Aix.  My lunch was easily the best meal of the trip, with the best desert as well; tiramisu.  After, we made the drive over to a super market where I bought kinder eggs!!!!!!

Alex B.:

We woke up in Orange, where we had a French breakfast of croissants and coffee, and drove an hour to Arles. In Arles, we toured a Roman amphitheater, getting a beautiful view of the quaint city. The city contained Van Gogh's yellow cafe and several wonderful shoppes, in which I acquired a stuffed lavender bear and a lavender tart. Once again we got on the bus and drove to Aix, where we took a long break and split up into little groups. My group got a bite to eat while a man played his violin, and roamed around the small town acquiring fruit and delicious smelling lavender and rose tea, later meeting up with the larger group and driving for another three hours. We got down to a supermarket, where everyone else bought dinner, but where I bought 30 kinder eggs, and walked to a nearby McDonald's, buying the infamous 'Royale Cheese'. We arrived at the hotel in Nice, but not before driving up a mountain and glancing at the beautiful town. And after playing a trivia game, which my group unfortunately lost, we are sitting in the hotel blogging, reminiscing about the wonderful day.

Provence: Avignon, Pont du Gard, & Orange

Today we arrived in the south of France, and it was a magnificent day...

Emmie H.:

I woke up this morning in a deep melancholy for I knew I was saying Au' voir Paris, but boy was I in for a treat. We took a train to the beautiful medieval city of Avignon where we spent lunch. We were taken back in time as we wandered around the streets of this stone fortress.  But once again we said goodbye to a fabulous city and were on to another. Point tu Gard is a magical place that must be something out of a dream, a river with a Roman aqueduct. As in the Romans, like ancient Romans, built the aqueduct. As I swam through the deep river with my friends and looked up at the ancient stones that were forged into a structure by  pure brilliance and man power, I realized how small I was in this world. But, at the same time it seems as all my insignificant problems were washed away in the river as my mind focused in on older, more meaningful things. After we drove to our hotel in Orange and had a nice dinner and then walked to another astounding Ancient Roman accomplishment. A Roman amphitheater in the middle of this quaint French town. We ended the night swaying to a Jazz concert in the middle of the streets, mesmerized by the universal language of rhythm and sound. The older things get around you, the smaller your problems seem. 

Matt G.:

Leaving Paris today on the TGV in the morning had made me sad because of what we were leaving behind. However what was to come had made me even more excited because we were going to Avignon. Once we had arrived, we went to the markets in Avignon to grab some lunch(Which in reality was just chocolate ice cream for me). While we were there we also went to see the palace of the popes which was very big in order to show the popes might in the area. Then a short drive out of Avignon, we arrived at the Roman aqueducts. Since the aqueducts went over a river, we were able to swim under them to see some pretty interesting sights.these aqueducts stretched hundreds of feet into the sky, which makes you wonder, how did the Romans build these?. There were also some rocks around the aqueducts,which to me was the perfect opportunity to jump off of into the river below. After swimming we went to our hotel to eat and have desert, however we decided it would be best to go out and get gelato to eat instead. Walking back we encountered a French jazz band that I had no idea what they were saying when singing but I really didn't care it was good music. Now we retreated back to our hotel to be prepared for another busy but fun day in Provence. 

Alyssa P.:

We woke up early today in Paris to get onto a train to Avignon. Once in Avignon we visited The Palace of the Popes where we spent about two hours just walking around the little squares, shops, and cafes. While these were really cute and much different from those in which you would ever see in the U.S., I personally enjoyed Point tu Gard with the Roman aqueduct the most. We drove through more of a hilly countryside with little grape plants dotting the sides of the roads until we finally arrived. I am not exactly sure how to describe the aqueduct, but it is almost as though you are walking through a simple forest and randomly come across the Golden Gate bridge or something. My reaction must have been something similar to the way that novelist Henry James describes how one stands gazing at the aqueduct with the simple, "feel that it is noble and perfect, that it has the quality of greatness..." The whole thing sort of glows in the sunlight as if there is a spotlight always on it, drawing your attention and demanding to be admired. I know that we have seen Versailles, the Louvre, Westminster Abbey, and countless other pieces of perfection, but none of them quite caught me like the aqueduct did. Later, when a group of us were swimming, it was amazing to look up to actually see this structure that the Romans had built hundreds and hundreds of years before any of us were alive. At home our roads barely last a few years in the snow before getting cracked and patched back up, but this is still standing.

Alana L.:

This morning we woke up and sadly left Paris but went to beautiful Avignon. Once we arrived and got off the train we were able to have free time for lunch. There were immediate differences between the busy streets in Paris to the quiet streets in Avignon. There were many shops and cafés to go to but first I went into the palace of the popes and saw where they stayed during the great schism which was very interesting. After having lunch and waking through the many shops we left to go to the Roman aqueduct. This was my favorite part of the day and it was so amazing to be able to walk across and swim under the the huge display of Roman achievement. Many people swam, explored, and tanned by the river underneath for hours. The weather was great and it was so nice to relax and cool off in the river. Finally we walked around the small city, got ice cream, and watched a jazz performance before returning to the hotel. It was a great way to end our first day in Provence.

Last Day in Paris (updated)

Today was our last day in Paris, and we are sad to go.  But many adventures await in the south!  Read about our last day below (still one more about this day to come!):

Anastasia G.:

This morning we took the coach bus to Giverny, which is where Monet lived and painted his famous water lily paintings. We visited the gardens outside Monet's house, which were filled with bamboo and colorful flowers. We also stood on a very famous bridge in one of the many famous paintings Monet is known for. After we visited the gardens we went inside Monet's house where we saw his kitchen, his art studio, and some bedrooms. After we went through Monet's house and gardens, we drove back to Paris on the coach bus. Once we got to Paris, we ate lunch rue montorgueil, a beautiful street filled with many shops and markets. After lunch, the group split up into three groups and went on separate activities. I went to musée d'orsay. This museum was filled with impressionist painting and post impressionist painting such as Monet and Van Gogh. We saw the original painting of Monet in the museum that we saw at Giverny. The musée d'orsay showed is the process of how modern art was found through transitioning through classicism to Impressionism to post-Impressionism. Afterwards, we headed to diner and ate Alscacien pizza. After dinner we visited Montmarte where we went all the way up the hill that has the Sacre Couer, a big and beautiful church. There was an amazing view from the top. Behind the church there were many shops and artists painting and drawing in the street. I watched my two friends get their portraits done by some local artists while I ate a delicious Nutella and banana crêpe. On our way back to the hotel from the Sacre Couer, we stopped at a little store to get snacks for the train tomorrow to Avignon, southern France. 

Zanub H.:

Today we began our morning in Giverny. Monet's Gardens were beautiful and had many different species of flowers. I preferred his gardens over his house. During my time at the gardens I took so many pictures that I ran out of room which was sad. For lunch, my group of friends and I had lunch in a sit in cafe. The creme brûlée I had was the best and the employees there were really nice. After that I went to Saint Chapel which had the most beautiful stained glass I have ever seen. It doesn't look like much when you walk in but, when you walk upstairs, you can tell why it's stained glass is famous. The lines were too long to climb the bell towers of Notre Dame so instead we went souvenir shopping and to Ponte Neuf. The river and the breeze there were wonderful. It truly was a beautiful historic site of the original Paris despite being such a small stretch of land. I wish we could have stayed there longer but we had to meet the other groups who went to the military or art museums. During dinner we had so much pizza and it kept being dished out to us. I ate two whole veggie pizzas by myself. It was delicious. I preferred the actual pizza over the dessert pizza though. At the end of the day we went to Monmartre and the view from the church steps were truly a sight to behold. We were allowed some free time and I was able to successfully bargain a purse and some magnets with the shop owner so that was fun. This was an amazing day and incredible experience in Paris.

Hilary S.:

Today we started our day off with a tour of Monet's Garden in Giverny. Giverny was quite the contrast to the bustling streets of Paris. The area was surrounded by farm fields and plenty of cows. Our tour guide, Juan, described how Monet had plants from all around the world planted in his gardens which were influenced by the Japanese gardens. We saw bamboo, waterlilies, and plenty of colorful flowers in the gardens. It's amazing to think that Monet not only managed to make beautiful art, but a beautiful garden as well. Afterwards, we toured his house which housed many Japanese prints and artwork. Each room had a different color hue: blue for the kitchen, yellow for the dining room, and pastel green for one of the bedrooms. Juan commented that Monet liked to paint his rooms in vivid colors and painted his works in the instant, depending on the light. We then headed off to the Paris markets, where there was plenty of sit-in cafes, cheese stores, bakeries, and fruit stores. We had some time to roam around and explore the mart. Afterwords, I headed off with one of the groups to view Monet's, Van Gogh's, and Dega's works. I particularly enjoyed Dega's works of the ballerinas. Unfortunately, we had limited time in the museum and didn't get to explore many works of art. We met up as a group in the center of the Louvre and headed off for dinner: pizza in France. We then headed to Montmarte, an art market and spent some time enjoying desserts and admiring the scenery and artwork. It was a nice end to the day, and a great end of our time in Paris. 

Brandon Y.:

On our last day in Paris I'm sure all of us feel a little sadness  about leaving this wonderful city but we can still remain excited for the continuation of our journey to Southern France and Florence. Today began with a scenic walk around Monet's gardens, which he created specifically for his many paintings. next I was able to feel absolutely clueless as I tried to shop in a Parisian market. And for some of us, what a contrast from the simple gardens of Monet to the extravagant tomb of Napoleon. Despite my personal dislike of him I must admit he knows how to leave an impression. Finally, an end to our stay in Paris at the Montmartre and a stunning view of the city. Au revoir Paris, Bonjour Avignon.

Versailles & Paris

It was another day full of iconic sights in Paris.  Read all about it!

Megan W.:

Much to my dismay I woke up VERY early (mainly because my roommate likes to take her sweet time in the morning) and headed to breakfast which consisted of croissants, ham, cheese... Ect. Even though I woke up early and was tired, I was in Paris and I mean how bad can it really be. After breakfast we went on a bus tour and toured the city which was really cool because we got to see some famous monuments and learn a bit more about the French culture. It was very relaxing and well, being overly tired teenagers and all, a few of us fell asleep on the bus (I may or May not be included). After the tour we went to Versailles!!! I WAS SO EXCITED FOR THIS. And honestly did it live up to my expectations???? YES. We got lunch first and then split up in to groups which I then proceeded to the Versailles gardens. It was so beautiful I can't even sum up how amazing the view was. Versailles was fabulous, as expected. The rooms were painted top to bottom, even in including the ceiling, and it was absolutely amazing. Maybe when I'm older I could buy a house that would literally fit in just a single one of those rooms. We went to the Eiffel Tower later on (after shopping :):):)) and it was quite a workout to hike to the top, I know Mr.Block was huffing, but we made it. The view of Paris from high up was beautiful. When we got down I got some ice cream and others got crepes (the food from Paris just overall rocks) and I have to say it was a perfect end to the busy day. Finally, we were navigated by Mr.Block to get back to the hotel and I was surprised that we made it before sun rise but I guess my expectations were kind of low. The day was amazing. IM SO HAPPY HERE:) 

Ellie A.:

We woke up abruptly to get ready for the day full of sightseeing. One of my bucket list item's was checked of today. We went to Versailles which was magical, the gardens were extraordinary and ornate, even though everything about Versailles was truly beautiful. While cruising through the gardens I decided to indulge myself with macaroons which let me tell you it was an experience. I felt like a French aristocrat who was thrown into the 21st century and let me tell you that is something everyone should experience. Later on during the day we went to the Effiel tower  it was packed! It was beautiful even though I'm afraid of heights.  But I powered through and got to see another view of this beautiful city of light, which I can honestly say is one of the best places in the world and mean it.

Hannah A.:

Today we all enjoyed a very relaxing yet very enjoyable bus tour around Paris. After the bus tour, we made our way to Versailles. It was very beautiful and ostentatious. It was a spot I want to go back to at some point in my life. I feel as if I didn't have enough time in the gardens. After we toured Versailles and the garden, we took the bus back to Paris for dinner. Shortly after dinner, we went to the Seine River and took a cruise. The views were unreal. We all then had the option of going up to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. I have a huge fear heights so making it to the first floor was a huge accomplishment for me. Transportation on the way home was an adventure following Block. Following him, I managed to nearly get stuck on a train the rest of the group was not going on, but it's okay I forgive him, I made it back just fine. 

Chris F.:

Today we got on a bus tour around Paris for three hours and saw all what there is to see.  The guide that we had was very good and was a native Parisian who told us quirks and a brief history of all of the landmarks. We also went to Versailles and the gardens which was spectacular because it was large and very grandiose. Then we went to the galleries which was a five story mall full of shops that ranged from all price ranges.  Finally we went to the Seine river cruise which was great because we got to see all of the important land marks on the river and it was very fun.  Something interesting that happened to me was during the metro ride back to the hotel and one of the train cars had two sides to open so when it was our time to stop another group of American tourists got off and in the confusion I was on the wrong side of the platform and was cut off from the rest of the group all by myself but the bright side was that I was on the right side of the metro the whole time making it a very good way to end the day.

Arrival in Paris

It was an early start getting from London to Paris, but it was worth it!  Here are some reflections on a jam-packed Parisian day:

Ruhee S.:

Bonjour! Aujourd'hui est le premiere jour dans au Paris! We started the day up a little earlier than normal. (OK, a lot earlier than usual. My roommate and I were up at 3:30 AM to be exact.) We arrived at King's Cross and generally most kids might be tired at this hour, but a few kids along with Mr.Hannigan and Emelia visited Platform 9 and 3/4!!! I'm a huge Harry Potter fan by the way. We arrived in London and went to a cafe for a quick lunch, then headed around the Latin Quarter. Soon enough we reached the glorious Notre Dame and it was extremely breathtaking. After this we chose to split into two groups, one going to the Arc de Triomphe and the other going to a French Revolution museum. I chose the Arc lead by Ms.Gerber and Ms.Barret, and we ended up just walking around the entire area which was incredible! Dinner was at a local bistro and then our Louvre treasure hunt began. Although I was quite opposed to the treasure hunt because I think people should just look around rather than scramble in our already limited time, I found it to be quite fun. After an exhausting walk back to the hotel, I know I'll sleep soundlessly tonight.

Scott G.:

Today we woke up super early to catch the Eurostar. We spent 2 and a half hours on the train. It was very exciting going through the Chunnel on the Eurostar. When we arrived we got right onto the streets of Paris. We spent some free time getting lunch and looking at the cool things on the streets. My group went to Shakespeare and company which is a very interesting book store. After lunch we got to go into Norte Dame. We had a choice of what  to do after Norte Dame and I chose to go to the prison in which Mary Antoinette and Louis the 16th. After that we did A LOT of walking and made our way to the Louvre. We did a fun scavenger hunt in the Louvre and saw some amazing art. We finally got onto the metro and then walked a mile to our hotel. We had a very exciting and exhausting day. We all will be going to sleep early tonight!

Daniel A.:

Today we had to wake up EXTRA, EXTRA early so we could catch the train for the Chunnel. After the 2 hour long high speed train ride, all of us got off to unload our luggage on a bus headed to the hotel. Then we went on the underground metro and had lunch and visited Notre Dame. We ended the long day with the biggest scavenger hunt I've ever done in my life, which was in the louvre museum (biggest museum in the world). Me and my friends trudged along tiredly as we tried to find artworks in the huge building. But every time we found a painting, we had a blast trying to mimic what was happening in the painting (View Young's phone for comedy gold). Finally we get on the subway and travel to our hotel, once we got off, it felt like we were in Steven King's book "The Long Walk" (kudos to those who read it), and walked like zombies toward our final destination for the day.

Young L.:

Today, as our Eurostar coach passed through the English countryside and into France, my memorized list of all stations on the District Line of the London Underground became useless, as we were beginning a new journey into a new nation. Becontree, Blackfriars and Glaucester Road became La Défense, Louis Blanc, and Stalingrad (crazy names, huh?), and we (the students) became disoriented once more. But we feared not! For we had hands to follow (AKA our esteemed guides and chaperones), maps, and our wit. And it turns out that's just about enough.

We got off the Eurostar at about 10:20, Parisian time, and took the metro into the Latin Quarter where I had a crêpe (cooked by a terribly kind man who kindly reminded me to repay food with cash when I stupidly walked away from his stand with his food sans payment) and a Croque-Madame (short story: French waiters are somewhat brazen and intimidating, but at least they give you food). We then walked to the illustrious Notre Dame Cathedral, where we discovered the genius that is the architecture behind flying buttresses and the technology to support domes as huge as Notre Dame. Also: We visited the Jardin de Luxembourg and watched mini sailing ships named after nations fight in a pond. It was very entertaining.

And finally, after a dinner of beef and fries/chips (who knows at this point?) we found ourselves in the Louvre, chasing down a grocery list of museum items to win a scavenger hunt. A peer of mine has compared it to a Stephen King book where adolescents walk until only one is alive. I am not so disposed to be so bleak, but I do see his point. We were split into groups, and my particular group walked in a circle three times to find an engravement of Assyrian hunting lions, which we never ended up finding. Our feet fell like jelly by the time we walked to see the Mona Lisa several miles (and floors) later. It turns out that Mr. Hannigan is correct in stating that The Madonna of the Rocks is, indeed, the superior Leonardo Da Vinci work. But that is merely an opinion, or so I am told.

I have been told that we walked ~10 miles today, and it seems believable. But at the same time, it doesn't quite seem like we could have walked that much in one day. It seems we have truly accomplished a lot… In any case, it is time for another day of even more. Good night!