A Night of Flamenco 

By Tammy Martin, Fiorella Torrejon and Christelle Hunt-Thomas

This evening started with my first taste of Cava, which is a Spanish sparkling wine similar to Italy’s Prosecco, or France’s Champagne. Both Champagne and Cava come from grapes, sometimes the same grapes. But Spain doesn’t have the same restrictions on where these grapes can be grown as France does, so you get a sparkling drink with all the flavor and none of the price tag. Salud! 

Showtime - the Flamenco setting was intimate. Plush chairs were set around a wooden stage in a darkened room with warm red lights, making everything glow. This is done so you will concentrate on the performance. Flamenco is a very emotional style of dance. The dancers, or  “bailador”, try to express their deepest emotions by using body movements and facial expressions. In a Flamenco performance, it is customary to shout your bravos during the performance, clapping while the show is going on. I enjoyed the seriousness of the dance, but I also couldn’t help thinking the singer looked like Tom Hardy and the male dancer in the blue suit looked like Charlie Day (from Sunny in Philadelphia). But what a performance! Fiery, passionate, wonderful. All that a Flamenco should be.

--TM

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I enjoyed the flamenco show very much since I have never experienced one like that one before. Since I am Spanish, I grew up singing and dancing to all types of music including flamenco, and since especially love dancing, I was always very intrigued by the amount of passion and strength that this type of dance requires. I was able to notice how every dancer has their own flow but was able to also adapt to their partner when need it. Flamenco dance has been around for hundreds and thousands of years and originated in the south of Spain, mainly in Andalucia and Mursia.

We also got an option for a drink before getting into the show (which btw was a nice starter to enjoy the show) and I chose Cava to try which later on found out that was a very similar drink to sparkling wine but originated from Spain.

--FT

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The Flamenco performance that we got to see was honestly the best part of the trip for me. I love listening to music in all different kinds of languages and in this performance, it really hit upon the kinds of things I love. The mixture of cultures stood out to me the most and I thought the dancers looked so amazing in their outfits. The entire time I was just sucked into the singing and the dancing that had so much emotion in it. It was clear that the people dancing really loved what they do and I enjoyed seeing how they all supported each other while being on stage. It was the best part about this trip by far and even though it was the first time I've ever seen that style of dancing, it won't be my last. It's something I'd love to see a lot more because there's nothing I love more than listening to music and seeing people dance. There's a lot of beauty in the two because they're a universal language and can really bring people together even if they don't understand what's being said. It was a great experience that exceeded my expectations by a long shot. 

-CHT

La Sagrada Familia

By Christelle Hunt-Thomas and Tammy Martin

La Sagrada Familia was extremely overwhelming, but in a good way. When we first got there and were standing on the outside, I couldn't stop looking up at all of the details that were on the walls. It was truly art and something that I've never seen before in my life. The amount of detail and story that was on the outside alone was enough to blow me away, but then when I got inside I definitely wasn't expecting the beautiful sight that was right in front of me. I personally love anything that's colorful and vibrant and La Sagrada Familia was exactly that. I felt like I was in more of a fantasy rather than a church and if my church looked like that, I'd be the most religious person in the world. It was just amazingly built, especially with all of the very tall pillars that look like you're standing under trees. Something that stood out to me also was where they had all of the languages and it made me feel like it's really a place for everybody.

--CHT

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The first glimpse of the La Sagrada Familia leaves me with astonishment. This imposing, mile-high church bewildered me. As we got closer, I started to see so many designs and religious figures and animals sculpted into the design. You had to look carefully because everything was about the same color, a light shade of tan - except for the green in the evergreen tree halfway up. I definitely enjoyed the inside way better than the outside. We were lucky to visit on a sunny day to see this cathedral in its full glory with the use of natural light. Because of the creative ways Gaudi designed the windows the sun streamed through the stained-glass windows in colors from golden yellow to all the colors of the rainbow. It was like cracking open a geode and discovering the glowing brilliant crystals inside, or the reveal of a freshly tie-dyed shirt. It really does take one's breath away! Every snapshot I took on my phone looks like a postcard, it’s that ornate inside.

The body of Antonio Gaudi was buried on the lover level that we did not access, the guide pointed out a glimpse of the bottom with the candles, but I could see the whole thing when I spun the Pokestop of it (see pic). Another body was buried in the building he created. It’s becoming a theme on this trip! I loved it.

--TM

Adventures in Figueres

By Fiorella Torrejon

Day 6th was the start of new adventures in Figueres and Barcelona, Spain. We woke up early on the day to enjoy our last french breakfast which consisted of savory and sweet croissants, and right after that, we took a private bus from Paris to Figueres which was about 5 hours. We were able to rest in the bus while making it to such a magical town. We learned there that Figueres was the native town of Salvador Dali which was the main artist we focused on that excursion. After exploring the Figueres streets, we finally made it to Dali’s museum, I was baffled to see such an amazing surrealistic pieces and imageries, specially in the era that it was developed, i've also learned there that Dali was a very special introvert person but due to his deficiencies in other life terms, he was able to create such empire with his mind and make it unforgettable preserving his image and ideas forever.

 The Papal Palace of Avignon

By Tammy Martin and Christelle Hunt-Thomas

Prior to this program, I had never heard about Palais des Papes before, but I am so glad we came here! This medieval gothic palace (the world's largest) looks like something right out of a fairytale book. It turns out the Popes decided to get out of dodge, aka Rome, back in the day (1300’s) when they felt Italy no longer suited them due to the increasing political turmoil, and opted for peaceful quaint Avignon, France. Why France? King Philip IV arranged for a French cardinal to be elected pope, and so French-born Pope Clement V moved in and in 20 yrs the Palais des Papes was completed.

Listening to the provided guided tour tablet, 7 French-born popes ended up using this palace as home base before they uprooted and went back to Rome. Luckily it was made into a museum for visitors to marvel at, and I am so very grateful for the opportunity to have seen it. There were a lot of crumbling stones, some steps and narrow passageways did make me a bit nervous. But the remaining frescoes and room designs were stunning. 

Speaking of rooms, the Hotel du Palais des Papes we stayed at may have been lacking in breakfast choices, but it went above and beyond with its gorgeous room decor, location, and views! It really did feel like staying in a castle. (see pic)

The Saint-Bénezet bridge nearby that we also visited is no stranger to fame either. As one of the most famous bridges in the world, it was built using the Roman arch design and lasted years until it partially collapsed not long after Louis XIV walked across it. Out of the 22 arches, only 4 remain. When our group stood out on it, it was such a breathtaking sight to look up the Rhone river and its picturesque banks. But boy, was it windy! I liked that the audio guide gave us 6 different versions of the famous song to listen to and dance to.

--TM

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When we visited Palais des Papes, there was a lot to take in around us. Before even getting to the palais, there was an enormous wall that surrounded everything in that area. Something I didn’t know before entering the palais was that it’s the largest and most important medieval gothic building in Europe. I figured that it was a fortress because of the giant wall that surrounds it, but it really amazes me that it was once a palace that was used during the 14th century. Something I also learned was that it’s actually two buildings that are combined, one old and one that’s a bit newer. There’s actually a library inside that was the biggest library in all of Europe during that time period and there were also a lot of musicians that went to where there’s a chapel inside of the Palais. For someone to start to build something that large in 1252 is so amazing to me because it’s such a large structure with incredibly tall ceilings and designs.

--CHT

 A Train Ride to the South of France

By Christelle Hunt-Thomas

On our 4th day in France, we said goodbye to the city of lights and headed south to the beautiful region of Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur.  While on the train to Avignon (our southern destination), I really loved how peaceful the ride was. I’d say the train ride, for me, was one of the most peaceful moments of our travels, because I got to sit back and relax while looking at all of the farmland that we passed by. What really caught my eye was the enormous sunflower field and other crop fields that we passed by. Unfortunately, the train was going so fast that it was hard to get a good look or even a good picture of the scenery. It almost seemed like it wasn’t real given its surreal beauty. Most of the time on the train I just imagined what it’s like to live out there and what it’s like to maintain all of that land. It’s definitely something that I can only think of but I’d never know the reality of it because I’m sure it’s a completely different lifestyle than what I’m used to. 

 

A Latina in Paris

By Fiorella Torrejon

I was born and raised in Lima, Peru until I was 12 years old which was the age that I came to America. Coming to the US most definitely created a cultural shock in me since life in Lima is very different than here, and also because I came into my adolescent years which gave me the ability to process and understand certain things with more clarity. When we got to France, I immediately felt as if I were back in Lima since, in many places, we also preserve many of the historical architecture. I was very pleased to feel that way even though France is on the other side of the world but still preserves many of the same values I believe in. 

One thing that I was able to notice about the cultural atmosphere in France was how engaging I found the people I encountered.  I am not sure if it was because they knew we were tourists but people felt very comfortable speaking and helping us with directions which I love since I've always heard all the contrary. I enjoyed the french culture very much because as a proud Hispanic, we are known for being very family-oriented and welcoming to the people around us.

The French Pedestrian

By Tammy Martin

Let’s talk about pedestrians. It’s true in big cities there are way more people wandering the streets vs the suburbs because of the walkability and space of cities. But the biggest surprise I noticed in Paris vs somewhere like New York, is that they legitimately care about those who are not in cars here, with actual thought put into the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. In America, we hear “share the road”, but in Paris they actually do. It’s not cars first and everyone else after, it's equal.  Look at the size of the crosswalks! Twice as large as the US ones. And even special cross lanes for bikes. The metal poles right in the street are visible safety barriers. There are even plentiful places to park your bikes and scooters. We here in America need to take note and hopefully make changes like this in our cities. While being injured crossing the street still happens in Paris, the numbers are lower than in other US cities. Today, the average US resident is around three times as likely to die while traveling on a street than a French resident. 

A Day in Versailles

By Tammy Martin and Fiorella Torrejon 

The  Palace

Versailles is a golden opulent palace with ornate paintings and beautiful marble structures, created by King Louis XlV, or the “Sun King”, as he called himself. He viewed himself as sovereign by divine right - the King was God's representative on earth. Therefore, he felt he needed a place befitting someone of such prestige. The sun he chose as his calling card because in heliocentrism everything revolves around the sun, and he believed all of France revolved around him. The golden colors, large windows, and Lutetian cream stone all helped create a palace of light. The construction took 40 years.

But the sun could not make him smell better! He was the stinkiest king - rumored to only have taken 3 baths in his lifetime and encouraged his court not to take them either. This is why the French took to wearing lots of perfume. Also, the halls of Versailles did not have proper restrooms, so well-to-do men and women relieved themselves in chamber pot buckets in the corners, making the palace also get the nickname of the smelliest palace. It’s a good thing the palace was built with sturdy stone materials that could handle this and stay intact. The excrement was thrown out the windows and no doubt helped fertilize the many gardens. The people prided themselves on clean clothing though. For instance, Marie-Antoinette was once hit by human waste as she walked through the inner courtyard, so her maids had to quickly run inside to get her a clean dress. King Louie changed his white shirt 3-4 times a day. That is a lot of laundry!

--TM

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The Gardens

On our visit to Versailles, we were all excited to walk through the gardens of palace which have been swaying people’s imagination for years due to their architectural grandeur and political history.

The gardens of Versailles were planned by André Le Nôtre in 1624, one of the most famous and influential landscape architect in French history. Currently, the Palace of Versailles is a museum that has been run as a public establishment supervised by the French Ministry of Culture since 1995.

One of my highlights besides walking around the Gardens was the famous hall of mirrors which was filled with the most amazing paintings I have ever seen in person. This marvelous room was due to King Louis XIV wanting a "power" room which was established by using a total of luxurious 357 mirrors, topping it with astonishing sculptures, furniture, and other works of art that make it the room that is today since back on the day was only used for special ceremonies such as weddings and balls.

After that beautiful historical tour, we had a great afternoon cooking some french appetizers and desserts such as Croque Monsieur, Tarte aux fraises, and many more while always making friends along the way 😊.

--FT

COLLAPSE

The Lutetian Limestone

By Tammy Martin

One thing that struck me when we walked the streets of Paris the 1st night, is that all the buildings were similar in height with about 4-8 stories (the skyscrapers are mostly located in the La Défense area), and they were similar in color and smoothness. They are quite lovely! I wanted to know more about why they all looked so similar. I discovered that the "City of Light" owes this glamorous look to the many buildings built with something called Lutetian Limestone, aka Paris stone. The material is a warm, cream-grey stone that has been used as a building material since Roman times. It is limestone mined north of the Paris area. The city used to be called Lutetia (before Paris) when the Celtics founded it, and that is where the stone’s name comes from. It has contributed greatly to the unique visual appeal of Paris. The stone was used in many of the grandest Paris buildings including parts of the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, and Les Invalides. The best news about it? You never need to paint it!