Wednesday 24 March 2010
Monday 22 March 2010
Paris
Paris
Overall I enjoyed Paris. It is beautiful and clean. I think I found some of my most favorite architecture in Paris as well. I don' t think I would live here though. It is too much like an American city for me, that is definitely the difference between Rome and Paris. Rome is so different it is easy to feel in a totally different place but Paris feels a little too much like DC. I also love that this city is well lit and happy. The french are actually nicer than I thought.
Day 1: Monday
Spent all day in the airport after out that our plan was delayed for 2 hours. We got to Paris in one piece though, took cabs to the hotel and then met Stanley. Then it was off to explore, we saw Notre dame first. It wasn't as big as I had expected it to be. We took some photos of the front then walked around the back where we made a human buttressing system. It was fun and funny. Finally we went inside, walked around and sketched a bit. After that we went to see another church near by.
Day 2: Tuesday
We started Tuesday as an incredibly long day. First we went to a formal park or garden. We drew and took lots of pictures there. Then we went to this place called the pavilion arsenal. It was basically a museum dedicated to the history of building up Paris. It was pretty neat. We had a friend of Marina’s give us a quick history of everything. Then we got to see all the models they had all of buildings in the city. That part was pretty cool. After that we went to another garden that was in a museum. After that we walked some more and saw the pompidu center. It was near, but not a building I thought was spectacular. I just don't like the idea. I did find out however that it was design almost as joke because no one thought it would win. There was also a renzo piano building next to it that we saw too. We also got to see a church which was a gothic cathedral and it is now probably one of my most favorite. Did some “window” looking. Oh I totally forgot we got fallafels that day too! They were so good. It is like all these veggie things in a pita wrap. We got them in the Jewish ghetto of Paris. It was wonderful. And they also had the most amazing bakery around there too! With holla beard and amazing chocolate pastries. We also say a near design store.
Day 3: Wednesday
Went to the Louvre to see the inverted pyramid and sketched. After the pyramid we explored the public part of the museum. It was alright nothing special, a few under ground old foundations. Then we went under the grand pyramid, took more pictures. Afterwards we went outside around it. Kind of sat outside and wandered slowly. The boys made a human pyramid in front of the other pyramids. Then we went to the park in front of the Louvre and the arc there. Afterwards we went to get some lunch, which was some of the best baguette sandwiches I have ever tried. I had this scrambled egg one with Swiss cheese. Then we went to the Orangrie to see some of Claude Monet’s paintings. They were absolutely wonderful. I never knew that the paintings were meant to be the full length of the wall. After all of that we still had a lot to do. We went to the grande arche at la defense. We sketched outside for a bit and then we got to go up the elevator to the top. The elevator was a little sketchy though. We also got to see a video of how the building was built. Then back to the metro. We got to see the arc du trimophe. Saw the Eiffel tower that night.
Day 4: Thursday
Saw the institute for the Arabic world. The window shading devices were wonderful. Then the rest of the day was free! St. Saint Chappelle. The stain glass was amazing and it got sunny when we went, so it was even nicer. After that it was to the Parc du la vilatte, which had the geode that I really wanted to see. I am glad I got to see it even though I was sick.
Day 5: Friday
We started off going to a school of fashion. It was this awesome building that had all this green on it. Then we went to the museum of natural history. After that we walked a lot more.. We visited the National Library. Later that night we got a lecture with Architecture Studio. We got to see some of there projects. It was pretty awesome, but very long. After the lecture we got to check out the models they had made. That was probably the most interesting part of the day.
Day 6: Saturday
Pretty uneventful day. Spent it at an architecture museum. We sketched there. The museum was still pretty cool. It had plaster mock up of architecture it was just fascinating. Then in the upstairs they had little modern/ commentary models of buildings in paris. But the coolest thing about was the full scale mock up of Le Corbusier’s Unite. It was just one unit though. It was pretty awesome. You could walk in it though. We checked out another museum, it had a green wall. It had these cool light things in the garden. It also had a lot of layers to it.
Back to Rome after that.
Overall I enjoyed Paris. It is beautiful and clean. I think I found some of my most favorite architecture in Paris as well. I don' t think I would live here though. It is too much like an American city for me, that is definitely the difference between Rome and Paris. Rome is so different it is easy to feel in a totally different place but Paris feels a little too much like DC. I also love that this city is well lit and happy. The french are actually nicer than I thought.
Day 1: Monday
Spent all day in the airport after out that our plan was delayed for 2 hours. We got to Paris in one piece though, took cabs to the hotel and then met Stanley. Then it was off to explore, we saw Notre dame first. It wasn't as big as I had expected it to be. We took some photos of the front then walked around the back where we made a human buttressing system. It was fun and funny. Finally we went inside, walked around and sketched a bit. After that we went to see another church near by.
Day 2: Tuesday
We started Tuesday as an incredibly long day. First we went to a formal park or garden. We drew and took lots of pictures there. Then we went to this place called the pavilion arsenal. It was basically a museum dedicated to the history of building up Paris. It was pretty neat. We had a friend of Marina’s give us a quick history of everything. Then we got to see all the models they had all of buildings in the city. That part was pretty cool. After that we went to another garden that was in a museum. After that we walked some more and saw the pompidu center. It was near, but not a building I thought was spectacular. I just don't like the idea. I did find out however that it was design almost as joke because no one thought it would win. There was also a renzo piano building next to it that we saw too. We also got to see a church which was a gothic cathedral and it is now probably one of my most favorite. Did some “window” looking. Oh I totally forgot we got fallafels that day too! They were so good. It is like all these veggie things in a pita wrap. We got them in the Jewish ghetto of Paris. It was wonderful. And they also had the most amazing bakery around there too! With holla beard and amazing chocolate pastries. We also say a near design store.
Day 3: Wednesday
Went to the Louvre to see the inverted pyramid and sketched. After the pyramid we explored the public part of the museum. It was alright nothing special, a few under ground old foundations. Then we went under the grand pyramid, took more pictures. Afterwards we went outside around it. Kind of sat outside and wandered slowly. The boys made a human pyramid in front of the other pyramids. Then we went to the park in front of the Louvre and the arc there. Afterwards we went to get some lunch, which was some of the best baguette sandwiches I have ever tried. I had this scrambled egg one with Swiss cheese. Then we went to the Orangrie to see some of Claude Monet’s paintings. They were absolutely wonderful. I never knew that the paintings were meant to be the full length of the wall. After all of that we still had a lot to do. We went to the grande arche at la defense. We sketched outside for a bit and then we got to go up the elevator to the top. The elevator was a little sketchy though. We also got to see a video of how the building was built. Then back to the metro. We got to see the arc du trimophe. Saw the Eiffel tower that night.
Day 4: Thursday
Saw the institute for the Arabic world. The window shading devices were wonderful. Then the rest of the day was free! St. Saint Chappelle. The stain glass was amazing and it got sunny when we went, so it was even nicer. After that it was to the Parc du la vilatte, which had the geode that I really wanted to see. I am glad I got to see it even though I was sick.
Day 5: Friday
We started off going to a school of fashion. It was this awesome building that had all this green on it. Then we went to the museum of natural history. After that we walked a lot more.. We visited the National Library. Later that night we got a lecture with Architecture Studio. We got to see some of there projects. It was pretty awesome, but very long. After the lecture we got to check out the models they had made. That was probably the most interesting part of the day.
Day 6: Saturday
Pretty uneventful day. Spent it at an architecture museum. We sketched there. The museum was still pretty cool. It had plaster mock up of architecture it was just fascinating. Then in the upstairs they had little modern/ commentary models of buildings in paris. But the coolest thing about was the full scale mock up of Le Corbusier’s Unite. It was just one unit though. It was pretty awesome. You could walk in it though. We checked out another museum, it had a green wall. It had these cool light things in the garden. It also had a lot of layers to it.
Back to Rome after that.
Thursday 11 March 2010
Dubrovnik
More of Spring break in Croatia.
We spent the last 2 days in Dubrovnik, which is farther down the coast from Split. It was equally as beautiful. Old City was were most of the activity is. We spent the 1st day in the city walking around Old City. We walked around the fort and then stopped in a church and some of the shops. It was also really nice there. Later we saw the sunset from a near by park. We had been exhausted from traveling, so we walked back to the hostel and watched a movie, then to bed.
The next it was beautiful and sunny. A few us us slept in a little. Then we met up in Old City, to walk on the wall of the fort. The views were amazing. It was great. It took us most of the day, so after we had great gelato, then stopped at a pub. Later we returned back to the hostel.
The trip was overall pretty great. Croatia was beautiful and i would love to return when it is sunny and warm all the time! The food was delicious and it was overall pretty cheap. All of our hostel owners were so sweet too! I hope to go back some day.
Split, Croatia
Croatia
Spring Break to Croatia!!
We went to Split first. It was so beautiful. The first day we walked around the city, we saw Diocletian's place, and had the best pastries ever!! Then we hiked on a mountain that is 10 minutes from where we were staying. We saw some pretty great views and lots of tiny churches that are on top of the hill. Later we saw monastery and an art gallery. At night we walked the beaches. It was nice.
The next day we explored a near by island. The island was pretty deserted, because it was mostly a resort island and it was not tourist season, so it was almost empty. We did get some pretty good cappuccinos on the island though. The ocean was really blue there as well. We visited a mausoleum there as well. It was very peaceful. Had the world's best piazza later that night, and it was delicious!
That night we left Split to go to Dubvornik.
Monday 1 March 2010
Weekend Pictures: Part 2
Walking around the city. In the Baths of Diocletian, Piazza Barberini, and San Carlo.
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