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.
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