On my way to budapest from Vienna I stopped in Bratislava, Slovakia for a couple hours (yay for 1$ bus rides!)
It’s a gorgeous city where the old town looks picture perfect at every angle. The Bratislava castle sweeps over the city with its white and red decor. From the top I saw incredible views that to the right were new steel bridges and to the left were the old red roofs of the old town.
Afterwards I continued to walk around and admire the buildings all of which contained different colors, shapes and looked quite quaint.
There was a Christmas market with wonderful food including sausages, sandwiches and much more! It was in the shadow of a magnificent church which created a very authentic vibe.
While Bratislava was adorable I would say that an afternoon here is enough!
Tips:
– Do as a stopover onto another place
– Public transport system here is great so it’s easy to slip into old town
My main goal for visiting Vienna was to see lovely friends who are on exchange here (oh hey Charlotte and Liam). I didn’t know what to expect from Vienna but what I found was a vibrant and historic city filled with energy, milled wine and historic buildings.
Night one was a traditional Viennese American thanksgiving with Charlottes friends (I didn’t get any turkey for Canadian thanksgiving as I was in Milan so this was a great treat.) Afterwards was perhaps the best apfelstrudel I have had to date with a great hot chocolate at a cafe called Elies which is apparently a Vienna institution.
Next day was spent exploring the city. The buildings here are so intricately carved and huge. It’s like they are meant to strike fear and awe into those that look at them – as it is impossible not to feel small and insignificant next to them. I started out walking at Volkstheater and walked to look at Stephensplatz which held a cathedral with a gorgeous mosaic roof. I worked my way through the luxurious shops to end up at michaelsplatz which houses a grand semicircle building with imposing gates. Afterwards I met up to liam and we lurked around Christmas markets admiring Christmas ornaments, wood carvings and the food (and enjoying the mulled wine which comes with a mug you can keep! Yay free mug!)
We went to a castle called Schonbrunn Palace which is a humongous complex rivaling Versailles that housed the Austrian emperor. The palace consists of intricately landscaped grounds, fountains, a zoo, labyrinth like paths, a butterfly atrium and so much more. Very cool place where I could have spent hours exploring. We passed by the Vienna state opera which was just as impressive as I had imagined it- with statues guarding the top and columns opening the entrance. Afterwards we enjoyed a traditional Viennese chocolate cake at a cafe called hotel srocher.
In the evening Charlotte and I, being the example of grace and class went to see an opera. We saw marriage of figaro and even though it was in German so I understood less than half of the words it was brilliant.
Right now I am at the bus station in Vienna waiting to catch a bus to Bratislava.
Tips:
– Walk around – Vienna, while large, has a great downtown area that is easily walkable
– If you need to take transit buy 24hour pass (or however long you are there) it will save time and money
– Want to go to an opera? You can get standing room tickets from 3€ and get discount tickets as well for the seated
– Go at Christmas – all the Christmas markets were absolutely wonderful
Oh Prague – I had heard so many stories about Prague (most of them not appropriate to share on this Prague) so I was curious what the city had to offer.
When I arrived to Prague at 7 am straight off a 7 hour night bus from Poland I was weirdly ready to hit the ground running. I dropped my stuff at my hostel and went out to explore where my first stop was Starbucks for free wifi to carve out a plan (yes super authentic – but no judgement). Afterwards I went on a free walking tour of the old town and Jewish quarter with a company called Prague extravaganza (would definitely recommend as our guide was fantastic!) the old town has gorgeous buildings in different shades of pastel – from green to orange to blue with curving stone edges and carvings that in some cases are hundreds of years old . The history is incredible- with city gates with gates where only a king could ride through, an alleged hand of a thief in a gorgeous church that from the outside looked like nothing and carvings on the walls that hole a story about who used to reside there. The city is filled with curving alleys to provide shortcuts from a to b which look sketchy on first approach but actually held really cool cafes with locals and intricate buildings. The Jewish quarter held so much history with the oldest synagogue in Europe and stories about the neighborhood as it developed over time.
The next day I was ready again to hit the ground running and started with walking over the Charles bridge which is a gorgeous bridge with a sweeping entrance. On the river below ducks and swans hang out waiting for bread to drop down. After crossing the bridge I made my way to the Prague castle which is a compound with a church, castle and galleries (among other things) with views over the city below. Afterwards I walked up to Petrin Park where you can go into the Prague version of the Eiffel Tower (appearance only) and walk up 300+ stairs or take an elevator for gorgeous panoramic views of the city. (Well worth the cost!)
Prague is a wonderful city with so much history – from kings to communism to cafes it tells so many stories and I will for sure return to learn more.
Tips:
– Do a free walking tour with Prague extravaganza!
– Stay in the Old Town (close to everything)
– Eat the Kurtos kalacs which are absolutely delicious
– I found credit card was accepted most places but if you want to go to markets/buy street food you will probably need around 150 Franks per day (conservatively)
My main purpose for visiting Krakow was not to see the city itself but I was pleasantly surprised. My hostel was centrally located in the old city which is surrounded by a wall dating back to the 14th century. The old city consists of an array of buildings – different cookies, styles and histories that could take days to explore. The history in the city is incredible and walking through the twisting and turning streets with the assistance of Wikipedia /google maps I felt I was only beginning to grasp it.
My main purpose for coming to krakow was to see auschwitz. After seeing the genocide memorials in Rwanda and Cambodian and the holocaust museum in Jerusalem I felt that it was important to see it in order to figer cement how horrific events like that can happen. I won’t speak much to this as I believe the history is well known – but after seeing auschwitz I am more than ever before simply shocked at the sheer brutality and planning that was instrumental in carrying out the holocaust. Learning about the history is one thing but seeing in person how the site was designed to kill, dehumanizes and abuse those who entered was both eye opening and horrific.
What visiting reminded me was that all times, but especially now with the political and social situation we live in it is so important to seek understanding instead of misunderstanding and compassion instead of hatred.
Tips:
– Stay in the old town
– Eat pirogies (so cheap, so delicious)
– If you do an auschwitz tour as a student the most you should pay is 99PLN. You can also take the train but there are specific times guided tours start and for most parts the specific auschwitz guide is required so I recommend the tour as most convenient
Iceland –
Iceland – the first word that comes to mind is wow. I had arrived not knowing what to expect, hoping to see nature and the gorgeous country I had seen in photos and heard about from friends. I was not to be disappointed.
I stayed at a hostel called Loft which was right downtown, had great amenities and after research the place where I thought I could get the most bang for my buck.
On my first day I went on a Golden Circle tour. At this point in Iceland the sun rises around 10 and sets around 4/430- so while the tour started at 9 it felt like it was the middle of the night. The tour started off at a greenhouse where they grow the most delicious tomatoes. They use geothermal energy, bumble bees and an electronic system for their process and it worked.
Next up was the geysers which were very cool. By now it had started to snow and walking amongst the geysers with snow falling down, surrounded by the steam coming up from the ground below and watching the active geysers spray up water every few minutes was an almost magical experience. After this the tour went to Gulfoss waterfall. Despite the below zero temperature the water fall was flowing powerfully (both the upper and lower) and was a sight to behold as it wound its way through a rocky cavern after the drop. Last stop of this tour was Þingvellir national park which is where the euro and North American tectonic plates meet and also where they are pulling apart at a rate of 1cm per year. Here the landscape was jagged and rocky with the rocks covered in varying shades of green moss. In this national park is a lake that at first I thought was an ocean as it seemed to go on infinitely, and had waves crashing around. However, it is a lake called lake Þingvellir with a small river leading to it. This whole landscape was bordered on all sides by jagged mountains capped with snow. Upon returning to Reykjavik I enjoyed a gourmet meal of subway, because although Iceland is lovely the prices are very expensive (like 20$ for an appetizer expensive) so subway was the most nutrient filled option I could find.
The next couple days were filled with exploring Reykjavik through free walking tours, wandering aimlessly and feeling wonderful about being back in a city with both ocean and mountains (incredibly beautiful, although slightly colder than the mild temperature of the ocean and mountain combo I have been used to in Vancouver.) the harbor of the city has a glass paneled concert hall with jagged lines and reflections that is an architectural masterpiece and lies in contrast to the natural rocky shore line, crashing waves and mountains across the way.
The next day I did a tour to the southern part of Iceland. The tour started looking at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall which was on a hill falling down into a river below. It was so windy that the waterfall was blowing and spraying mist on me. It was also so windy that me (even as a tough and weather seasoned Canadian) was freezing. After this we stopped at another waterfall called Skógafoss Waterfall where I got quite warm when I walked the 400 steps to the top. The view was incredible – the waterfall fell in between snow and brown grass dotted hills and from this point I was offered views of the ocean to my left and endless rolling mountains to my right. At the top it was extremely windy so I risked life and life (well more accurately scarf and phone) to get pictures. After climbing down I walked down to the base of the waterfall which was pure ice but misty and had a rainbow reflecting off the thundering water.
This then leads me to the highlight of my time in Iceland which is climbing a glacier. Before the climb each person was harnessed up, given crampons (which I believe to potentially be the best ever invention as they allowed me to walk on ice without slipping), a helmet and an pick axe (yes I was entrusted with a pick axe, no I did not accidentally stab anyone.)
The climb began on the side of the glacier where I carefully followed the guide because if you should fall into the many, many crevices lining the glaciers surface it will not bode well for you. Finally we reached the top and I was struck by an absolutely stunning view. Mountains bordered a glacier lake and the light reflecting on the mountains, lake and the glacier gave the scene a very ethereal quality. On the climb down we crawled through an ice cave part of the glacier which was a glorious light bubbly blue and was surprisingly not cold but rather gritty and lifeless to the touch.
After the glacier the day ended with standing on a black sand beach, volcanic rock formations to my left, watching the sun set. The incredible array of orange, gold and pink in the setting sun as it disappeared and only the Ivey water was left is not something I will soon forget.
On my last day I stopped at the blue lagoon which was thoroughly relaxing and due to the minerals, steam room and showers I probably left the blue lagoon the cleanest I had been in months.
Iceland Tips:
– Rent a car! It can save you time and money (I wasn’t too confident in my winter driving – but when I go back next time in summer I will for sure!)
– If you do a glacier hike, book a guide/tour- our guide was telling us horror stories of people venturing alone and better to be safe than sorry
– Be ready to spend $$. Iceland is expensive from food to tours to beverages you will have to fork over more cash than you are used to – but the experiences are well worth it
– Stay at Loft! If you are travelling with a group see if a centrally located airbnb or hotel is cheaper – but if not go with Loft
– Be prepared for changing weather. On my first day it rained, snowed, was sunny and had a sleet wind storm all in the span of a few hours
– Go to Iceland. It’s one of the most incredible places I have visited to date and I will for sure be back.
As Samuel Johnson said: when one is tired of London, one is tired of life. I am definitely not tired of life and even though this was my third trip to London I was definitely not tired of it.
Since on my previous two trips I had been at a very touristy pace I decided to be more laid back with the trip this time.
On the first day I went to the Tate modern which is a wonderful (mostly free) modern art museum. I say mostly free as while there general collection is free you can pay for specialty exhibitions. I only saw that free part and spent a wonderful four hours there.
On this same day I also went to see Book of Mormon. I bought tickets the day of at one of the many discount outlets at Leicester square. I was happy I did this because the price I received was not available online (everything online was much more expensive) and the seats were decent. Book of Mormon was amazing and if you are in London I would definitely recommend seeing it.
For lunch I checked out Chinatown and had congee (cheap, filling and delicious.)
And for dinner I had Whole Foods from the hot bar (cheap, wonderful and again wonderful). In Vancouver I have a slight dependence on the Whole Foods hot bar so it was nice to indulge again.
Next day I had a lazy day at the flat of my friend before heading out late afternoon to check out second hand bookshops before ending up around Buckingham palace.
Dinner was xiao long bao buns at a cute place in Chinatown.
In the evening I went to a show that was part of the London Jazz festival with some friends. We saw a group called The Bad Plus who I would for sure recommend!
Monday left London and I am typing this on the plane to Iceland.
A whirl and trip in one of the most wonderful, energetic cities in the world. Until next time London.
General Tips:
– Get an Oyster card! (It’s cheaper than buying a ticket each time and when you leave you get back the balance of the card and the deposit).
– Walk! On my first day I walked along the themes and then to Leicester square and around (23km in total) but when you are touring around it doesn’t feel like it. (Make sure you have good shoes and an umbrella)
– Saturday Morning Market: Broadway Market. Cute shops, cool ambience
– Flying into Gatwick? Take the Gatwick express train. Yes there are cheaper busses, but the train gets you there faster; is easy and you can spread out a bit more.
A couple weekends ago I went to Milan to visit Tessa, one of my friends from UBC. The plan was to stay in Milan for the weekend… but that didn’t happen.
After exploring Milan on Friday- including the duomo which is a gorgeous gothic inspired cathedral, springing around on a bull that is supposed to bring good luck and seeing castles, restaurants and arches we decided to head out that night on a mini vacation.
Duomo in Milano
We took a night bus to Rome- which means we left Milan at 11:30pm and arrived to Rome at 6am. From Rome we took another bus that took three hours and dropped us in Salerno which is a city at the tip of the Amalfi Coast.
In Salerno we checked into our hostel which used to be a convent so was old style with brick and a courtyard and connected to a church. Very cool.
After checking in we took the bus to Amalfi where cliff hugging skinny roads the edge of which was a drop to the ocean below and which were meant for one car made the mountainous drive to Vancouver seem a tame walk in the park. It was nothing short of a miracle that two busses could pass each other at the same time.
Amalfi
When we arrived in Amalfi I was struck by how beautiful the town was. Colorful homes dotted down the cliffs with grass terraces used to grow lemons and rocky slopes that fell to the ocean below. We spent the day walking through the winding streets, exploring a gorgeous 13th century church with an open courtyard and incredible ceiling Frescos and eating some of the freshest and most delicious sea bass I have had before getting on a small ferry (basically a boat for 30 people) back to Salerno.
Speeding over the waves, looking at Amalfi with the sun setting and reflecting on the ocean and mountains bringing forth colors of purple, orange and gold is not a memory I will soon forget.
Sunset over Amalfi
The next day we took the bus to Rome and spent the day in Rome. I had always been fascinated by Roman history – gods, fights, myths- how could I not! But I never thought on this trip I would be visiting Rome or the colosseum- so it was unexpected and I for sure know I will return to the city. We took the train to the colosseum, spent a fun one hour in line for the colosseum and yes it was worth it. The arches were highlighted by sun and the trap door floor was on full display.
Colosseum
Later on we had dinner at a pizzeria overlooking the cafe where a half litre of wine was 4$ and a pizza was 7$ (and still delicious!) I also had an absolute amazing tiramisu that I will have to find something equal of in Canada.
Pizza
After dinner we walked through the city – passing by ruins, fountains and street artists- before we arrived at the Trevi fountain. The Trevi fountain, although surrounded by tourists, was incredible. The detail and complexity of the design paired with the play of light and shadows and the history created a very ethereal atmosphere.
Trevi Fountain – Make a Wish!
After the fountain we walked to the pantheon which was larger than life- I hadn’t expected the stone supporting columns and doors to be for for a giant rather than a person.
After this we waited for a city bus that never came but locally Rome has a pretty good transport system and we were able to just barely catch our night bus headed back to Milan.
Sooo I would say the biggest difference between UBC and KEDGE is that this Friday which marks the fourth week of classes so I have my final exam.
The way that classes work here is that instead of 2 semesters there are cycles and each cycle is a month long. In each cycle you take 1-2 classes and for each class there is either 10 classes, 3 hours each for a total of 30 in class hours or 15 classes, 3 hours each for a total of 45 in class hours.
I have been taking a supply chain course which had 30 hours of in-class time. It was from 5-8 on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. I had never taken summer classes before so for me having such a rapid pace, but small number of other classes to focus on was an interesting experience. On one hand I liked being able to focus and devote my time to one class, but on the other hand I felt that the rapid pace and moving to three topics in one week made it hard to retain information even with reviewing. Luckily in our last formal class our prof did a review which tied everything nicely together and now I feel more ready for the exam.
In cycle 3 the structure changes again and each class is a week long. So one class, one week, 30 hours. I am curious how that super focussed environment will affect my learning – stay tuned.
Besides the class structure difference the other main difference is that you find out which classes you were allocated for the next two cycles the week before they begin. So this cycle ends on October 14, the next begins October 17 and I only found out my course schedule October 10. In addition, when you register for courses you choose a first and second option. For cycle two I received my second option course – but still looking forward to it. And while this method has gave me a new appreciation for ambiguity, I realized I prefer the UBC method of course registration where you know what courses you are taking instantly and well in advance of the start.
That’s all for now – please think positive thoughts for Friday’s final.
I had some time off before school started so I took time to visit Madrid and my friends Leni and Diego from Shanghai who relocated there (and who have an adorable human child and equally adorable fur child).
I had exactly 72 hours in Madrid and felt that was ample time for a first visit to get a feel of the city. Here is my recommendation for how to spend 72 hours in this beautiful city based on what I did. Full disclosure, Madrid has amazing food so a good portion of the 72 hours will be spent eating. #noshame
Day One
Start off at Plaza Callao (thanks Diego) which reminded me of Times Square and Nanjing pedestrian street – people everywhere, billboards and tons of shops.
Walk down the pedestrian street of Calle del Carmen. Stop at El Corte Inglés Callao and take the elevator to the ninth floor. There is a gourmet food court here and a patio with incredible panoramic views of the city. I recommend you to skip the food here and go for a glass (or pitcher) of sangria, while sitting on the patio and enjoy seeing the streets, historic buildings and views of mountains in the distance. (check at the bottom for a pic!)
Continue down Calle del Carmen and you will arrive at Puerta del Sol which is the centre of Spanish roads and a bustling environment with statues, tourists and locals!
From Puerta del Sol it is a quick walk to Plaza Mayor. Plaza Mayor is a semi-enclosed plaza where you enter through sweeping grey arches into the plaza which is framed by 17th/18th century architecture and made me feel like I was on the set of a period film.
Now I would say it’s time for something to eat – good thing the renowned Chocolateria San Gines is a 2min walk across Calle Mayor. Here I tried the specialty of churros con chocolate which is as sounds, several churros that you dip into a hot chocolate like substance. For 4,60€ you can get 6 churros and the chocolate which is sufficiently delicious to put you into a satisfied food coma. I ate outside and as there were not many seats I got to sit with strangers and practice my minimal Spanish. (<<hola future amigos>>)
Dessert then dinner is the best order – right? Further on Calle Mayor is the Mercado de San Miguel. I was expecting a more open air style market but instead was pleasantly surprised with a bustling stall style market with each stall selling variations on tapas, meat, drinks and desserts! There are tables scattered about so it’s a type of get food and sangria (sangria seems to be a common theme) then sit/stand where ever there is a place. I tried a goat cheese tapas with onions, a ham on bread (local specialty) and a macaron for dessert along with a white sangria that resembled a spritz with fresh fruit – delicious- and all this came to a total of less than 10€.
Sufficiently stuffed and content I then ventured out to check out some sites that were not on a plate. This area seemed to have quite a few signs pointing towards tourist sites and I decided to head towards Catedral de la Almudena which is one of the most visually impactful churches I have seen in Europe. Perched slightly on a hill with several levels, turrets and columns it seems to resemble a storybook castle rather than a church. The inside does not disappoint with towering gothic arches and a magnificent alter framed by paintings. Also inside is a neo-gothic inspired crypt similar to that of Westminster Abby but with high sloped ceilings.
Continuing down the street I ended up at the Royal Palace of Madrid. I chose not to go inside as there was a long line. But the outside was quite spectacular with a gilded gate housing a grey plaza and an ornate building that fits the description of stately.
From here I walked past Jardines De Lepanto, Plaza de Oriente, Jardines Del Cabo Noval and Jardines De Sabatini. The first three are easily viewed from the street but I recommend taking a quick walk through Jardines De Sabatini to view the ponds and hedges which resemble an english manor.
Finally just before sunset I headed towards Parque del Oeste (West park) which houses Temple de Debod. This Temple is an actual 2nd century Egyptian temple that was rebuilt in Madrid. Despite the crowds, the temple and the brilliant sunset behind both reflected in the water and provide almost an otherworldly environment.
Day Two
Full Day Tour to Toledo Spain (I decided to do an organized tour 25euros which you can buy tickets for around the city, but you can also buy a regular bus ticket and go yourself
Toledo Old City is perched on a hill with the more modern village below where the busses arrive. Instead of climbing or walking to the old city (ugh who even walks anymore) there are a set of 6 escalators that carry you to the old city. No need to exert oneself! (I was actually stoked to walk up so at the end of the day I decided to walk down rather than take the escalators.)
Toledo is an city in Spain dating back to 193BC (so basically quite ancient). The city boasts a history with Jewish, Christian and Muslim people and the architecture and monuments in the city reflect this sometimes tumultuous relationship
Now, while beautiful, it seems like Banff or Whistler which is to say a very touristy town – so one day is enough to get a taste
In terms of the city itself think hilly narrow winding roads that could get you lost, beautiful stone buildings, gorgeous churches such as the Catedral de Toledo which hides masterpieces in its gothic inspired walls, and 13th century monuments such as the Puente de Alcantara
The city is also said to have been the birthplace of Marzipan when some industrious nuns realized the potential of the natural materials surrounding them – so definitely try marzipan while in the city
I also went on one of those quant little tourist trains (5euros) which was well worth it. The train snaked around the town and also outside the old city walls which allowed for incredible views of the old city from before and see the beautiful stone buildings perched on the hill surrounded by the river that makes up old Toledo. It looked like something out of a fairytale (see photo below)
After Toledo I came back to Madrid and Diego took me on a motorbike tour of the city. Recommendation: Find a friend with a motorbike it is an incredible way to see a city. We did most of downtown Madrid and admiring city hall, the old train station and the war monument from stoplights bathed in the glow of the moon and city lights before weaving through traffic onto the next was quite a way to experience Madrid
Our journey continued when we stopped for dinner at <<Mercado de San Ildefonso>> which is one of the many food court style markets that are currently popular in Madrid. Basically it is three levels which each level selling food of one type – so one stall with Mexican, another with meat and bread and another with western Spanish delicacies. You then sit communally at wooden tables in an environment that is similar to the trendy bars with buzz and music of Gastown in Vancouver
Most food here seemed to range in price from 5 euros to 10 euros so definitely one of the more affordable options in Madrid
Day Three
Today I could have gone to Segovia which is a cool town about 90 minutes from Madrid known for aqueducts and eating baby pig. Again for this tickets could be bought in city centre through tour or buy an individual bus/train ticket
Instead I decided to see more of Madrid so Leni and I set out to Retiro Park which is a gorgeous 350 acre park in the centre of Madrid
The park not only has greenery, flowers and peacocks but also has gorgeous buildings such as the crystal palace which is built of glass and when we went was showing a free art exhibit.
We of course didn’t have time to see the whole park but the other notable feature we saw was the Monument to Alfonso XII which is on the side of a midsize lake in the park (See photos below). This monument is incredibly grand with white stone columns framing a statue. On the lake below people row boats and play with tours. A very picturesque setting,
After working up an appetite at the park we went for lunch at 100 Montaditos which is a chain across Spain and amazing. You basically choose small breads with toppings (Eg. goat cheese, chorizo, brie, and many more) and each bread is 1euro (!!!), I would also recommend getting a 1euro mug of red summer wine (more like amazing juice) for an amazingly cheap and delicious meal! (yay cheap food!) We had around 5 breads each and that was more than filling – and enough for a mild food coma!
Afterwards I checked out the Prado Museum (free for students!!) which has European art from the 12th to 20th centuries. Here I saw gorgeous Reubens, Raphaels and El Grecos – to name a few. I spent 3 hours here and saw most of the museum.
There are many other museums close by to Retiro Park so do your research and choose wisely!
Tips (AKA TL;DR)
Madrid’s main attractions are very walkable so staying in the centre or close by will allow you to walk from attraction to attraction
Most Museums seemed to offer free admission for students – you still have to wait in line, but FREE!!
Eat at Markets rather than restaurants – same high quality food but the prices seem to be cheaper
Don’t worry if you don’t speak Spanish – I speak minimal Spanish which mostly consists of Hola, Lo Siento, and didn’t have any problems
Wifi: Many monuments have restaurants/cafes nearby where you can pilfer wifi but for guaranteed there are Starbucks all over the city with their wonderful free wifi
Find friends as amazing as Diego/Leni to stay with!! (Thank you both!!)
Go to Madrid!! It’s a gorgeous city with a great history and vibrancy and tons to do. 72 hours is a great introduction but I definitely know I could spend way way more time there!
Park Retiro and the monumentViews of ToledoTemple de DebodTemple de DebodAt the gates of the Royal PalaceView of Madrid from El Corte InglesToledo
First off, Happy One Week Bordeaux Anniversary to me!
Amazing how it has taken only one week for me to fall in love with this city. Before I came I had done absolutely no research on Bordeaux, had not looked at photos beyond that of my apartment and had not looked into restaurants. This was odd because normally when I arrive to a new place I love having a safety net of places to visit and things to do. But this summer I think I was too busy working and then when summer was over I was in Holland and then somehow was in Bordeaux – everything happening in the blink of an eye. But here I am now, living in a city in France, living in Bordeaux, my home for the next 3 months.
First things first I LOVE MY APARTMENT. Finding a place to live was the only prepping I did for exchange (well beyond actually registering for courses and the important stuff). Finding an apartment proved to be difficult so I decided to go with Air BnB and am so happy I did. My place is right downtown, within 5-10 minute walk to some of Bordeaux’s most beautiful sights, close to grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants, bars and so much else.
Second.. why do I love Bordeaux. Well the buildings are incredible – think old style European with stone, curving alleys and every building seeming to have a story. Some like the Opera and museums are wonderfully grand and seem to have come from a fairytale story. And other central places like Place de la Bourse which is a mirror pool by the river that reflects the surrounding buildings is nothing short of magical.
I have spent time walking (according to my Iphone on average 10km a day) through the city with no destination in mind – simply getting wonderfully lost in Bordeaux and waiting to see what I discover. Outside of buildings and monuments one thing I have found is the culture of the city is vibrant – mixing nomads who hang out on the street with dogs, people hanging out at cafes eating dinner or drinking with friends at 11pm on a Tuesday and a cultural mosaic of languages, dress and habits. One thing in common is there is an air of freedom, authenticity and a joy of life – all of which is infectious.
So perhaps you are wondering why in the midst of all this walking, and exploring why I have not Instagrammed a photo nor posted a photo to this blog and my snapchat has been bare of city sites. Well I realized that in many of my travels I have a habit of shooting first and perceiving later – that is, I arrive to a monument, take a picture, look at monument and leave. Now not to say that is good or bad but I have realized that by doing that I am not fully enjoying the wonderfulness of the moment I am in and not fully experiencing that moment. Think of it like when you go to a concert and snapchat half or more of the concert without listening and enjoying the songs with everyone around you. I believe that this can create a diluted experience. So on this exchange (when I have the opportunity to visit sites multiple times) I am challenging myself to on the first visit only perceive the moment with my 5 senses and no technology. I hope that by doing this – by having my first views be uninterrupted – that I can achieve a more authentic, vibrant memory of the city, beyond that of a few hastily snapped photos.
I challenge you to do the same with the new moments in your life.
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