Paris: Part Three

I realize I went to Paris like two months ago, but I am still going through all of my pictures! Here are a couple photos from when we went to the Sacre-Cœur. This was my favorite day spent in Paris. A lot of it was spent wandering through the twisting streets of Paris, and gorging on crepes for dinner. That was the night I fell in love with Paris.

 

It's kind of funny. While in Europe, I thought I hated Paris. I thought it was too crowded, and I though it was my least favorite city. After coming home, however, I find myself wishing I could go back there the most. I don't think I got a good enough taste of it. I have really been longing for travel this week, and going through the pictures I took transport me back to those moments. The moments spent being on top of Paris, seeing it all around me, walking up the steps to the Sacre-Coeur, and stepping foot inside. Walking slowly through it, examining and taking in everything around me. My favorite was the people, kneeling in worship, and lighting candles. The quiet atmosphere as everyone took in the beauty that surrounded them, and found peace in the still air. 

Afterwards, walking through the streets with a bunch of strangers I know call my friends, looking for someplace to eat, but enjoying the buzz of a Paris weekend taking place all around us. Walking to the Moulin Rouge, and stopping at the corner to get a banana and Nutella crepe, each bite oozing hazelnut greatness onto your fingers. Taking a moment to look up and around, and realizing you were home in a city you had just become acquainted with.

Of course my first home will always be wherever my family is, and the people that mean most to me, but being in a place that just seems to get who and what I am... that is a whole different kind of home to me. Traveling to new and familiar places will always be a second home. 

I am so glad I had the opportunity to travel to such lovely places this summer. It has forever changed me, and the way I view things. I will never forget the people I met, and the experiences I had. And I will never forget the day I fell in love with Paris.

Versailles: Part One

One of my favorite places I visited in Europe was Versailles. It was like an overwhelming amount of beauty. These pictures don't do it any justice. This place is beyond words.

Unfortunately, they were in the process of cleaning the fountains, or something of that nature when I was there, so I didn't get to experience the full beauty Versailles had to offer. Not that I am complaining. It was still STUNNING! I do hope to go back one day, and experience it in all its glory aka fountains running.

Paris: Part Two

Here are just a few more pictures to add to the Paris photo collection. This is not all, but this is all I had the energy to edit at the moment. Sorry that so many of these are random snapshots, and don't really make sense. I promise these are from Paris!

London: Harry Potter Edition

So while in London, my friend and I made the wonderful choice of visiting the Warner Bros Studio to tour the real life Harry Potter set. Yes, lovelies. The REAL LIFE Harry Potter set. To say we were stoked out of our minds would be and understatement.

It was a bit of a wild ride getting to the studio complete with getting on the wrong time, missing our time spot by almost an hour, and realizing we had bought tickets for the next day. Yeah, ask if we were going to be in London the next day. Yeah, that would be a NO! However, due to a lot of positive thinking, fingers crossed, and praying on my part, we were lucky enough to get permission to go ahead and attend the FULL tour happening that day. It may or may not have had something to do with the fact that my friend almost started crying. I guess we will never know for sure. All that mattered was we were in!

I don't know if I have ever felt like I did walking through that studio. I seriously felt like a child. An excited five year old who has just gone to Disneyland for the first time. Please say you know that feeling? Or just going to Disneyland in general. I still have the same reaction. The one were you just want to skip around everywhere, can't keep a ridiculous grin off your face, and for some reason you feel like singing. Yeah... that was me. No big deal or anything.

Well I guess now is where I show you some of the pictures I took while exploring through the world of Harry Potter. These might be the most touristy picture I have EVER taken in my life, so I apologize in advance.

Basically this whole tour is self-guided. You get to just kind of wander around, and do your own thing. Nothing is really in any particular order except at the end. They save the best for last. The very last room you walk into is the one that brought tears to my eyes. I am not even joking here people. I actually got teary-eyed, and they were real life tears. The whole thing is just completely surreal. You walk into a room that is dimly lit, and the Harry Potter score is playing. There is no way to miss it. Right in front of your eyes is the real life Hogwarts. Like for real, who wouldn't get teary-eyed, ok?! It seriously was just unreal. I can't even describe it, and the picture don't do it justice.

Overall, my experience in London is one I will NEVER forget! Next up... PARIS!