Hello, everyone! We are still in France and are finally at our next hotel for the night. There were a few changes in plans, which kept us in France today, but we will most definitely be in Belgium bright and early in the morning before traveling the night by train to Berlin. We left Paris around 8 in the morning, the lot of us filling up in our new bus and equally falling back asleep there after.

Not too much was really on the itinerary for today, except for leaving Paris and driving directly to the hotel that we have here on the border of France. This town does have a name, but I don’t know it. There is really nothing in this town, except for a grocery store, a wine store, and this hotel. However, to avoid a full day of doing nothing in this little French town, our lovely tour guide Margaret scheduled a few things for us to do today while on the road towards the hotel.

Of course, it was a huge surprise to us when Margaret announced that we were on our way to a Champagne factory! It was the factory of Mumm’s to be exact, the only champagne making factory that can legally use the word ‘champagne’ on their bottles. That’s right folks, Mumm’s has the copyright of champagne and they know how to make it right! First we got a small tour around the factory, going down in the cellar where they store the aging bottles. This cellar was approximately 40 meters beneath the ground, and it was definitely a little chilly down there. Our guide at Mumm’s also explained to us how champagne is made and exactly what processes it goes through step by step in order to become the champagne we know and love today. Some bottles of champagne age about six or seven years underground to become the ‘premium’ of champagnes, while others can take shorter times such as one to two years. After the tour that we took, we were then able to sample taste the champagnes that we learned about, the group able to choose from dry champagne to sweet Pinot Noir champagne. Needless to say, the men of the group opted for the dry champagne while the ladies quickly went around to the sweet champagne. Properly learning how to taste the champagne, we enjoyed the glasses that were given to us and we went along to the gift store where some students thought of parents and bought them a bottle or two. See, the children are thinking of you, moms and dads!

Once we were finished with Mumm’s, we went back to the bus where we then found ourselves on the road to our destination of who-knows-where France. A few naps were taken once again, and it was lovely to watch the countryside pass us by through the bus windows. We made another stop not too long afterwards at an old World War I battlefield, where craters covered the surface of the earth. Just like Pointe du Hoc a few days previously, the sight left a lot of us speechless. It was extraordinary, and at the same time sad of what went on here those many years ago. Staying on the topic of World War I, we also visited a memorial dedicated to all of those who were killed for the defense of freedom of France. Among the thousands of crosses were Americans, and the thought of the Normandy American Cemetery immediately came to mind. After the two days of being in Paris and wanting to shop and see sights as the Eiffel Tower and Pantheon, the topic of what we came to learn about on this trip was back on our minds, and it was just an honor to walk on those grounds where those many men gave up their lives for others.

Being at the hotel now, we are now relaxing and enjoying our last night in France. Tomorrow is a very early day, where we spend a half-day in Belgium and finally reach the city of Berlin. But that will be discussed in the next couple of days. Good night!

Bon soir! Tonight is our last night in Paris. We are all pretty sad to leave, considering just how much fun we had here. It was a great experience to finally reach a country where there is a language barrier between us, but we all managed extremely well and got along great with the locals extremely well. Heading back to the hotel this evening, I met a very kind Parisian named Louie, where we talked about America, which States you shouldn’t visit, and what exactly was the difference between Disney World and Disneyland Paris.

With another jam-packed itinerary for today, the group woke up for a very early breakfast, mostly consisting of delicious French baguettes, and coffee. Thirty minutes later, we were off to take a bus tour of the city of Paris. The tour took us all over the place, we saw famous landmarks such as the Arch de Triumph, and an old Opera House, where the Bastille once stood during the French Revolution, and the Latin district where some of the best French Universities are located. We took many pictures, and found the bus tour to be extremely helpful for later on when we were to have free time to roam the city on our own.

After the bus tour, we then embarked on a journey to Versailles. I remember for a week straight in Art History II, we talked nothing but Versailles, so naturally I was beyond excited to see the real thing up close and personal. For those viewers who aren’t familiar with Versailles, it was the palace that was built by Louie XIV for, well…. Louie XIV. The palace itself is nothing but a commemoration to him – portraits on the walls and statues symbolizing just how ‘great’ he thought he was. To give everyone an idea of just how amazing this palace is, here are some statistics: Versailles contains a floor space of 51,210 m2 (m-squared), 2,153 windows, 700 rooms, 67 staircases, 6,123 paintings, 1,500 drawings, 15,034 engravings, 2,102 sculptures, and 5,210 pieces of furniture. Though it is hard to determine just how much the cost of Versailles is today, it is easy to say that the amount comes close to USD $2 billion. So in simple words, Louie XIV enjoyed the time to have a palace built especially for him, and his family (though mostly him), and didn’t care just how much in debt it would put the country of France. Of course, Louie XVI was the one who would have to worry about that when the time came!

We walked all through the palace of Versailles, finding it to be absolutely stunning and gorgeous in each and every room. The Hall of Mirrors was nothing less than to be expected – boasting and spectacular in each and every way. The famous paintings on the wall and ceilings were still rich in color, and really brought out the beauty of the room along with the golden boarders and hanging chandeliers. The gardens were also a part of our tour, the plants designed and organized so beautifully and ‘in control’ as Louie XIV had wanted it to be. After all, he wanted it to be known that he controlled the people, the sun, and of course nature as well. Versailles was definitely the highlight of the day, a building that everyone should go and visit at least once in their lifetime. Its an opportunity that shouldn’t be given up, and even though some of the students opted out of the trip to do things on their own in Paris…. well, I believe they really missed out.

Once we returned from the Versailles, we ate dinner and pretty much had free time for the rest of the night. Since it was our last day, we all broke into small groups and went our separate ways, ready to see every last location we could before we left it for Bastogne in the morning. While some students walked towards the shops and the famous Louvre, I made it a priority to see the Arc de Triumph up close and personal. This location is very special to me, considering my grandfather (with his unit) marched underneath of it in victory during World War II. I couldn’t stop imagining how amazing it would be to step under it just as he did those many years ago. Needless to say, the building was stunning up close, and the view from the top was even more glorious. This may be my opinion, but it was a much better view than what we saw from atop the Eiffel Tower. Arc de Triumph wins in my book!

After all that walking, its definitely been a long day, which is why I know I am cutting this entry a bit shorter than the rest. But tomorrow will be another day with fun and excitement when we leave France and enter into our third country on the tour – Belgium! The students are all looking forward to the bus ride (yeah, right!), the waffles, and most importantly the chocolate. Come back tomorrow for the next set of adventures!

Good evening, viewers! Today is our fifth day on the World War II tour, and each day it just gets more and more exciting! We left Bayeux this morning, however making sure to stop to view the real and original Bayeux tapestry! As the only art major on the trip, I believe I was the most excited; ‘fangirling’ by the simple fact that I was standing in front of the actual 230 foot, 1400s tapestry. While the Bayeux tapestry didn’t impress some of the students, it simply amazed me by how long the piece of artwork was, and the fact that it was all completely hand-stitched. Not much is known about the tapestry, but all I know is that it is brilliant, and breathtaking.

We didn’t take too much time to explore Bayeux, afterwards, the whole gang then venturing back to the bus so we could travel on to the most exciting part of France: Paris, of course! Though, not before making a quick stop in the city of Rouen, which was equally fascinating. Rouen is the location of where Joan of Arc was buried, the townspeople believing she was a witch at the time for having ‘visions’ from God. We were directed to the exact spot to where she was burned at the stake, the spot now a church and memorial garden to her. After visiting the spot, we were free to roam the town square, which was filled with nothing but food shops for us to choose from for lunch. It was such a hard decision, but most of us went with our choice of a panini. Everyone knows that Europe has perfected the sandwich press! And needless to say, my Tomato and Mozzarella Panini was amazing! During more of our free time, we were able to walk through the Rouen Cathedral, the well known cathedral that famous impressionist painter Monet would paint over and over each day to perfect the sense of texture and value. See, there is some art related on this trip that goes along with my major!

Finally after a good two hours in the city of Rouen, we gathered back on the bus to continue on our journey to Paris. Some sang songs (rather poorly), while others watched the ‘Saving Private Ryan’ movie that was placed in the bus’s DVD player. The majority of everyone else, as well as myself, passed out. Waking up, we were suddenly in Paris. With cameras in hand, all of us were keeping a look out for the Eiffel Tower, those cameras clicking as soon as it came into sight. Our first stop in Paris was at our hotel, a fancy business-based hotel that has free wifi, an Xbox 360 in the lounge, and large iMac screens. It was pretty impressive and from where I am laying now in bed, they are also extremely comfortable. As for all the hotels we have stayed in so far on this trip, France is definitely taking the cake with their cozy beds and limitless, free Internet service. What more could anyone want? Leaving the hotel, we went towards dinner where we had one of the best meals ever, and then went for some touristy pictures beside the original Pantheon, another artsy piece of architecture that brought the art nerd out of me. Unfortunately it was closed, so the group had to swarm the front and pose for the cameras.

Indeed, you couldn’t possibly guess what the last location on our itinerary was for today. I’ll give you a few seconds to guess. ….Right, ready? Eiffel Tower! Leaving straight from the Pantheon, we walked (past Notre Dame, might I add) to the underground metro station, which then took us directly to the Eiffel Tower, saving us from a rather long walk across the city. From the moment we saw the famous Eiffel Tower in person, we were all stunned. Were we really standing in front of this amazing monument; the very landmark and icon of Paris? We wasted no time to pay for our tickets to go up the Tower, the windy weather permitting us only to use the elevators to go up and down instead of the stairs. Maybe people didn’t argue on that bit of information. The view from the top was absolutely gorgeous; the whole city was visible and we were able to point out landmarks such as Arch de Triumph, Notre Dame, and the famous bridges. Despite trying not to think of how high up we were from the ground, the sight made it all worthwhile. Once the clock struck 10 PM, the Tower then lit up brightly, sparking with white lights for five minutes before dimming down once again. It was truly a sight to see.

We have an early day tomorrow, where we will be making our way to the Palace of Versailles as well as getting more free time to ourselves to explore. Tune in tomorrow to hear of what adventures we chose…

Bonjour! We have safely made it across the English Channel by ferry and graced the country of France with our presence! Today has been a day that many of us in the group have been eagerly awaiting for; the day when we walk through Pointe du Hoc, and even onto the Normandy Beaches where the historic D-Day occurred.

We began our day early – an arrival time into Caen around 6AM. We quickly jumped onto our coach not long after and hooked up with our tour guide, a very nice French woman who bought us the most delicious pastries ever. On our way to the Coast, we stopped for a little bite to eat, all forty some of us crowding into a small bread shop so we could munch of legitimate baguettes and croissants. Needless to say, they were amazing! But everyone knows that the original is always better – those French sure do know how to make some good bread! This also gave us a taste and experience of being in a country where English isn’t the primary language. I have already used the few French words that I know, including “Pardon”, “Merci”, “Bonjour” and “Oui.” Luckily for myself and others who aren’t very French savvy, there happens to be a few students on board who have taken French for a few plus years, giving us saves whenever we found ourselves in trouble.

After the pit stop for breakfast, we then found ourselves stumbling through Pointe du Hoc, a cliff top that overlooks the sea, which was a point of attack during D-Day. While walking to the location, I wasn’t prepared for what my eyes laid upon. Craters. Tons and tons of craters where bombs from overhead were dropped. Some of these craters were large, while other ones were gigantic. Rusted up wires and beams stuck from out of the ground where buildings and bunkers used to stand, but were ripped apart and blown up during the fight. I never saw such a sight as Pointe du Hoc, where the view of the sea was open and beautiful. Trying to picture back and imagine being there the day of June 6^th, and experiencing bomb after bomb that was released over top of you… it was all just too surreal. We spent at least a half an hour exploring the land, entering through bunkers that seemed to survive after the assault that they took on during D-Day. Walking past craters, having to watch for your next step into another one was a constant way of getting through the field. While asking questions, Dr Butler had asked whether the French ever thought of digging through the land and renovating it. The answer came to a “no,” the tour guide explaining that it wasn’t allowed because of all the bodies that were buried beneath our very feet. Not only was this battered land a war field, it was also a graveyard for those who had fallen.

Leaving earlier than we really wanted to from Pointe du Hoc, we then trailed off to another mind-blowing section of our tour: The Normandy American Cemetery. This location was probably the most heavy and emotional spots we have stopped, the countless number of marble crosses showing us the exact aftermath of World War II. When we think of D-Day, we immediately think of the soldiers who trekked through a mile of ocean to the sandy beaches of Normandy for victory. What seems to be forgotten sometimes are the causalities who lost their lives for this cause; this cause to bring protection to the people of the United States and for the rest of the world for peace. Some of the dates on the gravestones brought these soldiers to be eighteen and nineteen years old; those who hardly got a chance to live their lives.  Half of these graves were unmarked even, the phrase written on the tombstone read, “Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms known but to God.” The sights of so many graves, leaving a couple to even break down, impacted many of the students in our group. While we were present in the cemetery, a ceremony was being presented where the National Anthem, as well as Taps was played to honor those who gave up their lives. It was a solemn moment and while walking back to the coach, I couldn’t hear a single word spoken. It left everyone speechless in the end. Quickly following up, we then went to Omaha Beach, given five minutes to take quick pictures and get back on the bus. The students were also excited for this moment to walk on the historic beach, touching the sand with their fingers and reflecting on what happened here those many years ago. Today was one of our more productive days, the students agreeing that it was also the best day that we have had on the tour so far. It’s something to read about the stories of World War II and D-Day, but its far more something else to be able to walk the grounds of where it happened. It only brings you to a whole different level.

Paris is tomorrow. Bonne nuit!

Today is the 66^th anniversary of D-Day. What better way to pay homage to it than to be in Portsmouth, England, a city by the Channel, which docked many of the ships that sailed to the shores of Normandy. Waking up early in the morning, we quickly packed all of our belongings and bid adieu to our London hotel. We all piled into a bus, which then took us two and half hours south, reaching the very bottom of beautiful England. To say the least, Portsmouth is both stunning and gorgeous, one of my personal favorites spots so far on tour.

Once getting off of the bus, the gang and myself excitedly entered into the D-Day museum. Considering it was D-Day, admissions were free, and many different activities were taking place at the time. British veterans were among the best parts, who gladly answered our questions on what it was like in be in war and what their experiences and post-thoughts were on the subject. The museum itself was interesting and thought provoking, the exhibits displaying maps and photographs, and other information that explained D-Day and what happened on the spot. Learning that the soldiers never knew exactly where they were the entire time of the fight is beyond mind-blowing, one Veteran explaining that there was no time to worry about what was to the left and right of you. There was also no time to think about what was behind you. The most important bit of it all was for you to continue advancing forward; no matter what. With a grandfather who fought at Normandy, the subject is extremely interesting and remarkable.

After leaving the D-Day museum, the group found themselves with free time to roam the city before we were to meet up again for dinner. This gave everyone the opportunity to explore the city, something that I found was awesome considering I have never been to Portsmouth before. The Marina City was beyond unbelievably gorgeous, the waters a crystal turquoise and the building both historic and modern. One church stands in the middle of the city, bearing a very peculiar characteristic: it had no roof. This church had been bombed during the war, Portsmouth being one of the main hotspots during the war considering they were very navy centric, porting many ships that the Allied forces used. Another interesting spot which myself and few students decided to explore was the Historic Docklands, which had many historic ships docked for us to tour. One ship was King Henry VII’s Mary Rose ship, which unfortunately was under renovation. Another was Nelson’s HMR Victory. This ship was absolutely huge, taking the six of us at least an hour to go through each floor, including the top deck and the brig.

While going through the large ship, I began to think of just how difficult it must’ve been to live on a ship day after day, despite the large size. The stairs were extremely steep, making it nearly impossible for myself to go down them at a normal stepping speed. Each step took two seconds, a hesitation, a gulp, and then another step. The ceilings were extremely low, something that didn’t necessarily bother me considering I myself am a bit short. What was most exciting about the ship was on the top deck, which bared a plaque in which showed exactly where the legendary Nelson was shot down. Needless to say, Dr. Riggs was like a kid in a candy store.

Currently, we are on a ferry that is taking us across the English Channel and into France! We are all so excited to be going to France, especially at Normandy the day after the historic D-Day. We are sure that we are going to have a blast, minus the early wake up time and arrival that is set for 6 AM. With that being said, it is time to depart, and to get some sleep so I can be mentally prepared for tomorrow. We have a full schedule and I cant wait to blog about it tomorrow. Hope you’re all jealous!