25: Paris

So I went to Paris last weekend. That comes off cavalier sounding, but I really don't have the adequate adjectives to describe how FREAKING AMAZING PARIS IS.

My mom essentially said to me countless times that I wasn't allowed to come home unless I went to Paris, which wasn't really on my list before I left. I called her, or rather she called me, while I was in the city waiting to meet up with a friend from high school by Notre-Dame. "Aren't you glad you took my advice and went?" She asked.

Yes, mom. I am glad I took your advice (Mom-1, Peter-0).

In the way that London felt so globally-connected, Paris did too. But what London lacked in a sense of culture, Paris had. This is, Paris feels like a cosmopolitan metropolis that is distinctively French. I ate crepes and drank a dark and tangy Bordeaux red. I walked through the city without hesitation by the little French I know. I ate macaroons...well I devoured them. Haesung took me to the best falafel place in the city. I spent a solid 6 hours at the Louvre (Dear Mona Lisa, you are not that great...). Haesung and I went to the touristy places, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysee, etc.

Then I went to Versailles. Despite the crowds of people in the chateau, I got some excellent views of all the royal and incredibly lavish bits from French history. I walked all around the gardens. My favorite place, though, was Le Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's escape from the court. The style is more French countryside and there is more consideration to motifs of natural elements like flowers and leaves. The farm area is very cool to be in, although I thought I was in a mini-golf course for a hot-second. I also fed a goat...and then was yelled at in French by someone who works there.

And all the while in my head I was playing scenes from Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, which kind of lessens the historical significance of one of the most important political locations in Europe, but entertained me immensely.

Paris, I will definitely come back.

24: Cortona

Dear Frances Mayes,

If you are reading this, hello, I'm Peter. Your book, Under the Tuscan Sun, (and movie...) drove me to place Cortona on the top of my list of places to visit in Italy. I was not disappointed. So, thanks.

P.S. Sorry for the angry shout out in Post 22...or 21, I forget.

Cortona is a little jewel nestled into a typical Tuscan hillside. It's much smaller than Siena, but still has that same feeling that if you wander down the winding small streets you're probably going to end up finding something magical, like a great view or a perfect restaurant (both things Carolyn and I found). There's a lot of quiet-living that happens in Cortona that I loved instantly; nothing like in Florence where there's a clear city-sense.

Cortona's main attraction is a steep walk up the hill that takes you past 15 futurism mosaics by Servini that depict something about Jesus (I don't really know what it is though, I'm jewish). Oh, by the way, Happy Passover! So after Carolyn and I dragged ourselves up the walk to find a beautiful church (and a nun. I love nuns), we took in the view.

Cortona shouldn't be missed! Also, I took a photograph of a bunch of the places they filmed Under the Tuscan Sun so I was a pretty happy camper even without the amazing lunch, spectacular views, and iced coffee.

23: So Dramatic

I apologize for the semi-melodramatic previous post; I was in one of those moods. A good friend of mine reminded me the other day of what I had initially planned to accomplish with this semester abroad, and she did this by showing me the description of this blog. I am but one person trying to figure out who I am, what I want to do, who I want to be, where I'm supposed to go. Who's to say I wouldn't feel this way back at school in the States? Who's to say that this is all part of the bigger picture, that this semester is the very thing I needed. And yes, I do still feel homesick (and I say that as somebody who has never been fully one to be homesick), but that's part of this, too.

I've tried to figure this out in my head for some time now, and I think I may have come to some sort of sense. Last semester I think I lost myself, or I lost my drive as a student who prides himself on being on top of his game; I lost that entirely and I stumbled through all of my academics trying to get back on track, to find my footing again. Coming to Italy, while I initially would thought would inspire me to snap back into the usual driven me, has actually opened my eyes to a greater understanding of how I function and how I work best. To say that I've found my footing fully is jumping the gun; to say that I've found that spark that made me that driven person is just (although, I've yet to implement said spark...watch out for an explosive me next semester, though).

So, my apologies for that and for being a generally bad blogger. Be forewarned of the onslaught of new posts...

P.S. Mom and Dad, if you're reading this I might have to ship some stuff home...hope that's okay :)