Sunday July 26th

Sunday we just walked around Nice, and hit up the beach in the afternoon. I also went back to Fennochios and got some more gelato :) We had a 10:45 flight that night, but decided to head to the airport pretty early because the last bus from our hostel left at 8. We arrived around 7:45 only to find out we couldn't check in for another hour. So, when we finally checked into the flight they told us our flight got delayed until 1:30 am. But wait... it gets better. Then we were told 2 am. Then 3 am. We actually didn't take off until 3:50 am. It was crazy, but thank the Lord the Nice airport has free wifi. I actually had a ton of fun running around the airport deliriously with my friends. We laughed so hard, and I was able to Skype with one of my good friends Rachael while waiting. Up until the flight got delayed, we were concerned how we would get home because the metro only runs 5am until midnight. Well...we didn't arrive until 4:50am, so I rode the metro home to sleep while everyone else was leaving to start their day. I didn't actually make it home until 6:30 am.  Like I've said before, I've learned a lot about patience here. Turns out the delay was because of air traffic controller strikes in Spain. Overall, the trip to Nice was worth it and I am so glad that I went!

Saturday July 25th

Saturday we slept in! The hostel had AC, so we were in paradise. We left for a little town I had heard about called Eze. I didn't know a lot about it, just had a recommendation from my friend. This little town is by far my favorite place in Europe. It was the most sincere, adorable, BEAUTIFUL french town. The old fortress town is so cute, with amazing scenic views and little shops around every corner. Best part: the train was 15 minutes and cost us 3 euros roundtrip! We first went to a perfumery called Grabinard. The french riviera is famous for its perfumeries, so we went through the perfumery museum and factory. I even bought some as a special treat for myself-- surpassingly, it was cheaper than normal perfume in the states!

We also went to the exotic gardens, which is by far the most scenic view I have seen out of all of my trips. The garden was so cool, especially cause I have a special love for cactus! I loved it!

Later we took the train one more stop to Monte Carlo, Monaco. We went by the famous casino, saw yachts, yachts and more yachts. We hiked up a ways to the palace, but it was closed because some Monaco princess was getting married. The city was beautiful and the colors of all the buildings were so colorful. Suprisinly, its also where I found the cheapest food. This was quite a shock considering this is where the top 1% richest people in the world spend their vacation.

Friday July 24th

This weekend was incredible. I went to Nice, France with two other girls from my program. We had an early flight on Friday morning, so I got to the airport super early. We ended up getting to Nice around 10:30, and it was great because the bus station was right across from our hostel. We immediately went to a nice beach that I read about. I didn't have high expectations after going to Croatia. I was actually somewhat disappointed because I wasn't staying in Barcelona like everyone else for my last weekend. However, I AM SO GLAD THAT I WENT. The french riviera is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. We spent Friday afternoon floating in the waters of Plage Mala (Mala Beach) in a little town called Cap d'Ail. The water was so unbelievably clear, and the white limestone was gorgeous.

Friday evening we got free wine and snacks at the hostel, and then went to a scenic spot on castle hill. It was quite a hike up, but so worth it. We were able to explore the old city and I got the very best gelato of my life from a place called Fennochios. Almond flavor is my new favorite. Seriously, my life is forever changed.

Tuesday July 21st

Today I did some typical Barcelona tourist activities! The past two days I have woken up early, eaten breakfast and then gone on a 3 mile walk/run to the beach. It’s SO HOT HERE, but it has been nice to get some fresh air and to have some quiet time to myself at the beginning of the day. I usually come back, shower and then head off to school. After IB class I went to the la boqueria market, where I got my favorites: empanadas and pineapple. It is always so fresh and tasty. Afterwards, a few of us went to the Casa Mila house and Gaudí museum. I have to say… I have a whole new appreciation for architecture. Gaudí is a genius, and I’m obsessed with his work! I loved walking through the museum and learning about all the structural designs and meaning behind so many of the world heritage sites in Barcelona. Afterwards, we went to the olympic stadium. It was pretty cool, but a lot smaller than I originally expected. It took us a while to get there, and we probably walked a total of 5 miles just in the afternoon. We ended up wandering through a park while sweating an entire month’s worth of water. It was defiantly the hottest day yet in Barcelona. After the stadium, we went to the top of a mall that use to be an old bull fighting arena. We found a place with chips and guacamole, and cooled off with some sangria. Overall, I had a successful day, and we were able to fit so much in! I’m trying to make sure I go to all of the Barcelona touristy places before it’s time to go!