wanderlandgracie
Traveling Muse
travel blog ~ playlists in a masterlist somewhere below
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GIULI
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Conclusion
So the trip is over. The joys of traveling everyday with a 20 lbs hiking bag plus another backpack have ceased, and memories are cementing. This trip was challenging for me. I had never been in such uncomfortable situations as I was in on this trip. The main problems for me were generated by the language barrier, mostly in France. Something that God really taught me through that was that people are still people, no matter what culture they are in, or what language they speak. God created us in such a beautiful way that we are so vastly different but at our core, we are the same. We all search for something, something to fill us up and satisfy us. We are all people, and by extension, we all have souls. We are all broken, and happy, and silly and in love with someone. All people everywhere, though shaped by their experiences and circumstances, love and laugh and weep and shout. To be human is a common experience, and in that, we all have solidarity. Humans have always been humans, throughout the course of history. Romans were not all stoic toga-wearing men. Germans were not all gruff blood-thirsty Nazis. Cultures change, so do people, but they have always been people. The majority of history is made by the ordinary people living ordinary lives. That is my biggest takeaway from this trip.
Below are a few pictures that are important to me. The first and second are the Louvre and me in front of the Louvre respectively. If you read my Paris post then you know I adored the Louvre and would absolutely brave Paris again just to walk around the Louvre once more. The third picture, the one on the left, is of me and Lily, and Alexis is next to me just out of frame. We were eating at the same steak place in Florence my parents ate at just over five years ago for their 15th anniversary. The picture to the right of that is a picture of Khawl, Sam Nate and I doing laundry in Paris. That time was wonderfully spent and it was so fun to get to know those people. The last two pictures are pictures of most of the group that went, and as I stated before, it was a pleasure getting to know everyone, as I only knew three people going on the trip before we went. This trip was an extraordinary opportunity and experience, and I loved almost every minute of it.
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ROME
To end off our study abroad trip to Europe, we went to Rome, Italy, famous for such things as pizza, and not putting ice in drinks, and murdering prisoners for the widespread entertainment of the country. It's got fun for the whole family. Seriously though, Rome is a beautiful, elegant, history-packed city with so much to see and do, so here are my highlights.
The first thing we did in Rome was go see the the Vatican, or more formally known as Vatican City. Vatican City has been the center and seat of the Roman Catholic Church since 1929, which, you'll note, is fairly recent. The city is its own nation-state, giving the Pope the power over it without being hindered by the overall government of Italy. We initially went into the museum part of the city, and got to see cool works such as the Sistine Chapel, and The School of Athens painting, both of which were absolutely beautiful, only one of which we were allowed to take pictures of. The Vatican City is a truly iconic location in Rome simply because of its importance to the catholic faith. As a protestant Christian, I do not fully understand the importance of the Pope and the cardinals and such, but I do understand that the artwork and artifacts inside the walls of the Vatican City are beautiful, and thus is their prime value.
The place I was most excited about going in Rome was the Colosseum, a wide ovalesque amphitheater that was originally built in 72 AD by the Roman Emperor Vespasian to revitalize Rome after a tumultuous year of four emperors. While it was in its prime, it saw staggering amounts of gladiator fights, animal hunts, and mock naval battles, all for public entertainment. Despite this bloody and questionable history, the Colosseum is still a revolutionary structure for its time, and it is an iconic tourist destination. While reflecting on this I realized that we treat it like its a theme park. We go and take pictures and have fun, but a mere 2 thousand years ago so many unwilling people were thrown into the arena and they didn't have the chance to come out alive. This amphitheater has lost its significance, and is now nothing more than a tourist trap. Most of the public likely don't think to remember what happened there, myself included. But it is so important to remember the significance it had to those that lost their lives there, filled with terror and pain.
After walking around in Rome for a while, it became wildly clear to me where I was. Not just because of the big monuments and ancient ruins and such, but rather because of the small symbols of the Roman culture. For example, there was a lot of SPQR things. Those four letters were printed on just about every sewer grate, statue, door, you name it. Almost everywhere you looked, the acronym for "Senatus PopulousQue Romanus," or "The Senate and People of Rome," a saying that was used in the original empire, which is why we see it so often today. Another example of the Roman Culture being all in your face is the constant Romulus and Remus statues. They were practically everywhere. The statues are always of infant Romulus and Remus suckling the she-wolf, Lupa (which yes, literally is the feminine of wolf), who raised them. See, Romulus and Remus were the brothers that founded Rome. Well, brother that founded Rome. See they we going to found a city, and it is unclear about what exactly they disagreed about, whether it was the hill to found the city on or what to call it, but either way, Romulus killed his brother and founded Rome. This makes it wildly relevant to modern day Rome. I am unsure as to whether the brothers were actually real, or if they are pseudo historical figures based off of a real king and his brother that he killed. Either way, the brothers are important to Roman culture because it gives them a sense of identity in their founding. They have a myth about their home, that is solidarity if ever I've seen it.
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FLORENCE
Florence has widely been known for its beauty, such a concept that I did not fully understand until I arrived in Florence. We spent a mere day in Florence, but it still inspired and awed me. The quaint yet lovely architecture, the yearning for art and beauty, both hold this city as one of the higher ranking on my trip. There are two main aspects of the city I would like to expand on, and those are the Brunelleschi Dome, and the statue of David and the air of artistic beauty the city holds.
Located in the heart of Florence, the Brunelleschi Dome is an astounding and masterful innovation built between 1420 and 1436 by Filippo Brunelleschi. The significance and innovation of this dome is that something of this magnitude and curvature had never been built without wooden supports, something that Brunelleschi managed to do. The Dome itself is a symbol of renaissance culture itself. Accompanying the Dome are the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto's Tower, and the Duomo Terraces, all combined to form the beautiful and architecturally stunning building beneath the Dome.
In Florence, there seems to be an air of stunning artistic beauty, the kind that fills one with inspiration and holds the imagination captive. This is likely due to the fact that Florence was, as some claim, the birthplace of the Renaissance. All around the city there are works of art that cry out with a need and longing for beautiful things. The statue of David by Michelangelo echos this longing. As one of the most iconic sculptures in the world, it has captured the Florentian longing for beauty since its completion in roughly 1504. It was revolutionary in the way it portrayed the Biblical hero, not standing over the slain body of Goliath, but standing victoriously alone, his sling small and almost invisible. This detail is important because it gives David separation from his enemy. The statue seems simple, but it is so much more complex than it originally appears.
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BOLOGNA
The third to final place we visited was Bologna, Italy, a lovely Italian city strewn with history and gelato, like most places in Italy. We only stayed for the lesser part of a day before heading off to Florence, but it was still a memorable experience nonetheless. In the city there were two main monuments that stuck out to me, those being the Two Towers (no, not that one) and the fountain of Neptune.
The Two Towers are aptly named, as they are two towers that sit in the midst of a plaza in Bologna. Originally built between 1109 and 1119 by two feuding families, or so the story goes, the towers are an interesting sight to see, as both of them are leaning. The taller tower is named Asinelli, and the smaller yet more diagonally challenged one is named Garisenda, both after their respective families. It is worth noting that the smaller tower was featured in Dante's Inferno in Canto XXXI.
"...And as to him that under Carisend
Stands on the side it leans to, while clouds fly
Counter its slope, the tower appears to bend..."
So the tower was well known in the region, as Dante wouldn't reference it unless he knew his readers would understand his reference.
https://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/places/towers-historic-buildings/the-two-towers-garisenda-and-degli-asinelli-eng
The second main monument that stuck out to me, and this is more of a genre of monument, was the fountain of neptune in the Piazza del Nettuno, or the plaza of Neptune. Now I find the imagery of Neptune interesting in Bologna because I had assumed that Italy would be under the tight grip of the pope and the church, which naturally seems like the antithesis to the Greek and Roman pantheons. Fortunately, I am wrong. Apparently, the statue was erected between 1564-1566 by the as a gift to the Bolognesi by Pope Pius IV. So a statue of a false god was ordered to be built by a pope. Yes, this definitely makes sense. Yes, I am just as confused as you are. It was meant to symbolize the power the pope had over the people. "Just as Neptune rules the seas, the Pope rules the world." Well that sounds like a tyrannical king to me. There seems to have been an unhealthy amount of power given to the pope, which is concerning, but what is also concerning is the fact that he commission a fountain of the roman god of the ocean. Either way, the fountain has been popular as a water source since its construction, as before, the people of Bologna did not have a public fountain.
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Playlist Masterlist (thats not funny but anyways)
europe in general ~ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2BkpfMzxmUFSrLeGAWUea7?si=sMXycLZZSBugIpzBqurR4w
London ~ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Ghwp6pBIi4Mx21qCoT2sv?si=yPDLQ5foTT2PfdNuwtKQww
Paris ~ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3f4npV2A5R1cpqc61S4iX3?si=7tqXZcSMSCa8yyOF5HjwKw
Munich ~ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6CopUQWQUSfE55Bb4UQJVw?si=rbOzm4knT524UmuOeBtepg
Salzburg ~ https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2fojkAw80LB5GKvR61vxDd?si=YNLQQYt0THGag1DOhrSoXw
Bologna ~
Florence ~
Rome ~
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SALZBURG
The fourth place on our itinerary was Salzburg, Austria, a beautiful city located just a bus trip away from the foothills of the beautiful towering Alps. Aside from the birthplace and home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (yes that one), this city has a couple interesting attractions, all of which involve walking and mountains. Nonetheless, the beauty of these places make it entirely worth it.
In Salzburg, looming ominously over the city, is a medieval fortress, one that has stood since the 11th century, called Hohensalzburg. Despite this, it was not completely finished until 1500, by the Archbishop Leonard von Keutschach. It was built to protect Archbishops and the principality from hostile attacks. That is, until it was abandoned as a military fortress in 1861, soon after which it was turned into a living museum. The walk up to the fortress is steep, perhaps a factor into the lack of bustling tourists. It doesn't seem as if this place has affected the culture of the city of Salzburg like I thought it would. I mean, its a castle, right above your office. Though it just seems that the natives go about their days without acknowledging it. The culture of the Hohensalzburg seems to be entirely separate from Salzburg itself, like there is a disconnect.
The next thing we did while in Salzburg (or near it) was doing a lake tour at the base of the Alps. I am still in awe and processing this experience. The majesty of those mountains as they seemed to rise out of the ground, the tips scraping the cerulean sky in their hubristic stretch for glory. Always reaching, ever climbing to the endless crystal expanse above them. Look, the Alps are my jam okay. This being said, they have had a huge effect on the culture and people around them. Just walking through the small villages I could see how proud these people were to live here. There was an abundance of sausage and cheese artisans, and agriculture is a huge part of their way of life. It is truly beautiful to see people admiring and being inspired by their daily surroundings.
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MUNICH
The third place on our itinerary was Munich, Germany, a beautiful smorgasboard of gothic architecture and modern shopfronts. The main attractions of the city seem to be the street performers, as when we visited, there was, near the Glockenspiel, a small orchestra the was playing ABBA. Aside from the ABBA enthusiasts, there is the aforementioned Glockenspiel, a towering gothic cuckoo-clock. This was the lone highlight of Munich, as we only stayed there a night and half a day, leaving little room for sightseeing. This being said, the Glockenspiel is not boring. In fact, it is quite the opposite.
Only finished completely in 1908, the Glockenspiel is a relatively new addition to Munich's central city, also called Marienplatz, or the "Square of Mary," and the spiraling neogothic building it now inhabits. Originally, however the building it sits in was just a plain (for lack of a better word) town hall, called Neues Rathaus, literally "New Townhall." This is where the city government, city council, mayor offices, and small portions of administration are located and have been located since 1874. Despite all of this, it remains to be the most iconic building in Munich, as the cuckoo clock inside of it genuinely works. It goes off at certain times of day, none of which times we were able to see it. I was and am still upset about it. Either way, the Glockenspiel is iconic and the square it inhabits is truly beautiful. It seems Munich managed to allow other cultures to inhabit its space, hence the ABBA, while still being able to hold on to its authentic traditions and cultures, and I think that's beautiful.
On a more serious note, we also went to the Dachau concentration camp, one of the first and longest running concentration camps. I did not take any pictures because it felt disrespectful and irrelevant to take pictures where so many people suffered and died for things they believed or how they were born. This being said, it is still important to talk about about it, no matter how uncomfortable or painful it might be. So this long-standing terror camp was first opened in March 1933, and it was originally for Hitler's political rivals though it quickly grew to hold more German, Romani, Austrian, and Jewish prisoners. With this rise in prisoners it also grew a purpose, as a work camp. In its 12 year life-span, over 200,000 prisoners were held at the camp, and at least 41,500 died there due to various causes. It is important for us to remember the people that lived, suffered, and died there, because if we forget, their memories are lost. It is important to remember not only so it doesn't happen again, but also because those people were just that. People. They had mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters. Husbands, wives, sons and daughters. They cannot be forgotten because they lived and loved and hurt at some point. They had souls, souls that are so precious to God. So we cannot forget them. For their sakes, and for ours.
#munich#germany#glockenspiel#townhall#city#neogothic#architechture#study#studyabroad#student#travel#trains#Spotify
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PARIS
Ah, Paris. The city of love, the city of lights, and the city of sometimes being rude to foreigners when they don't understand your language. Being the first of many places where a language barrier was present, Paris was rough for me. Subsequently, it was the place where I started having to ask God to let me see people the way He does so I wouldn't go to jail or have a breakdown every time someone yelled or got upset at me. Despite all this, select parts of Paris were beautiful. I will be talking about said parts.
If you are human, the Eiffel Tower is the first thing you think about when you think about Paris. Its big, and metal, and is fairly pretty when it is lit up at night. On March 31st of 1889, the 1083 ft tower was finished. After two years of working on it, it was finished just in time for the 1889 World Fair, at which it received over two million visitors. Today, it is a wildly popular tourist destination, almost entirely due to its iconic nature, though I suspect some of the intrigue is to do with the small cafe underneath the tower.
Dearest reader, if one is looking for a pure, raw, emotional experience that will lead to joyful attachment to a physical place, than look no further than the Louvre. With its ever winding hallways and glorious marble staircases, all hidden underneath those iconic glass pyramids, the Louvre has been genuinely beloved since its public opening in 1793. Housed in the Louvre are over 380,000 objects and displays, and over 35,000 paintings, all of which are separated into 8 curatorial sections. That is a lot of art. This being said, one could not possibly experience it all meaningfully in one afternoon. So I chose to focus on the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquities, as they are the ones I know the most about. Growing up, I was obsessed with Greek myths, so as a result I knew almost every reference to the greek myths in the sculptures. It was truly an otherworldly experience. It felt like such a raw, emotional experience. It was like falling in love; there was such a natural attachment to it, unlike anything I had ever felt, and it was magnificent. I saw The Creator reflected in art made by human hands, His great works beautifully attempted by our best artists and sculptors in such a way that those who look can see the fingerprints of God in the art. It was truly beautiful. Also, this Museum is the most viewed museum in the world, with pre-pandemic levels at 7.8 million visitors in 2019. The Louvre is truly an iconic and ethereal experience that you cannot find anywhere else.
The final place we visited in Paris was Versailles, the luxurious gilded palace of King Louis XIV, surrounded by sprawling green and a small ocean's worth of ponds and lakes. Personally, this was a mediocre place to me, despite my initial excitement for it. I do believe that day I was either exhausted or apathetic, so my opinion at the time was not great. Going back and looking at the pictures I took, however, I am awed by the spectacular beauty of the place. While it may not be nearly as iconic as the Louvre's glass pyramid, or the Eiffel Tower, Versailles is nothing to cough at. With over 15 million visitors each year, which is certainly more than the Louvre, it is obviously a widely popular and culturally significant. It really stands out how much more people value sparkly shiny things, like the gilded Versaille estates, as opposed to the quiet, intricate beauty that the Louvre proposes. I will never be one of those people. Gold is pretty, it is not everything. Gold does not tell stories.
Overall, Paris was not my favorite place we visited, it was actually my least favorite. I did wildly enjoy the Louvre, which does not affect my rating of Paris, as I cannot possibly associate my favorite place with France. Sorry to the french, but you were rude to me and kind of ruined my whole experience.
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LONDON
Hello friends! So beginning my trip to Europe, we landed in London at 12:30ish on May 23, 2023. After the unfathomably long plane ride, which I thankfully slept through, we were all exhausted, yet hopeful for the weeks ahead of us. The rest of that day was spent resting and mingling in the hotel.
The next day, we went to Hyde Park, a beautiful expanse of green space much like Central Park in New York City, although much older and history-rich. With its sprawling green and luscious plant life, the park was originally used as a hunting reserve by King Henry VIII, yes that one. Interestingly enough though, James I opened it to the public in the early 17th century, and since then it has been a sight of great popularity in London. One location of particular interest in the park is Speakers Corner, a set apart bit of the park specifically designated, by parliament, for free speech. Since its designation in 1872 due to a forceful takeover of the park by a men's suffrage group, the corner has been used by many free speakers in an attempt to rally change amongst the masses. In the early 1900's suffragettes used the corner as their place of protest. Since its designation many orators, such as Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, and George Orwell have used the corner to speak their thoughts. This sight has such specific value because it continues to hold captive peoples attention and birth reform where it is most needed. Also an interesting place to visit in the park is the Rose Garden, a beautiful, as the name would suggest, rose garden. The garden has a wide variety of flowers and plant life, and it is absolutely stunning to look at.
Westminster Abbey is another place I had the privilege to explore when in London. With its sprawling architecture and truly astounding number of graves, Westminster Abbey is set apart as one of the most beautiful and most disturbing buildings in London. Impressively, the Abbey is the final resting place to over 3000 native britons, but despite this, the Abbey has been the location of many coronations in the country's long history. "Since William the Conqueror in 1066, every British Sovereign has been crowned in the Abbey except for Edward V and Edward VIII, who were never crowned." (Britannica) For literally just under a millenium, british kings and queens have begun their official reign here. Also cool to note, royal weddings have been held in the abbey, the most recent of which was the marriage of William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011. On an entirely different note, the Abbey is the final resting place of over 3,000 native britons, including William Shakespeare, C. S. Lewis, and Jane Austen. This fact seems super cool until you realise that the majority of the graves are part of the floor, requiring you to walk over them to get around the massive Abbey. Apart from the staggering number of graves in the Abbey, it is also home to beautiful stained-glass windows, most of which picture apostles, saints, or the Savior Himself. Westminster Abbey and its beautifully detailed architecture has been integral to the culture, society, and rulers of the United Kingdom for almost a thousand years, and it continues to have such significance in culture as well as religion. Christian worship has been held here for as long as the building has stood, and even today as people are touring the Abbey, occasionally a priest will come on the intercom and ask people to be still and silent while they pray. It is a holy place of solemn worship, even today.
The final culturally significant location I visited was Big Ben and the House of Parliament. Just from an outside look, which is all the looks we got to have, the gothic-style spires and towers of the House of Parliament are one of the more eye-catching buildings in London, as it has been since its construction in the 11th century for Edward the Confessor. It was then expanded by William the Conqueror shortly thereafter. The building had been previously used as a palace until a fire in 1834, after which the palace was rebuilt in its current gothic style. Inside, the House of Lords and the House of Commons meet and make decisions for the country, which is why when we visited these buildings, there were small yet loud groups of protestors standing outside of it. Accompanying the House of Parliament is the famous, iconic, beautiful, Elizabeth's tower. Now you might be thinking, "wait, isn't it called 'Big Ben?'" No, dear reader, you silly goose, you. Big Ben refers to the bell inside of the tower, which is well known for its accuracy and loud toll on the hour, as most bells are. Elizabeth's Tower, and subsequently Big Ben, have been iconic structures seen in British centric pop-culture for ages, such as Peter Pan, V for Vendetta, and Enola Holmes. Overall, these two iconic buildings have been amongst the most recognizable buildings in all of history, but not only that, they have been the center of political circuits for generations.
Overall, London was a beautiful whirlwind of history and awe, combined with the pure wonder of being able to walk or take public transit wherever you wanted to go. All these factors combined makes this city one of my top favorites of the trip.
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INTRODUCING ME!(but not like that one Nick Jonas song)
Hi! I’m Gracie, I’m 18, and this is the travel blog for my two-week trip to Europe! I am very excited for this trip, as it has been a very long time coming. I have always wanted to visit Europe, and one day I hope to live there. Unfortunately that day is not today, so we will focus on my trip.
In the way of itinerary, we have a couple main destinations. The first in London, where we will spend three days before taking a train to Paris, where we will spend four days. After that, we’re going to Munich, and then Salzburg. Next, we’re going to Florence, and finishing in Rome.
The below photos picture me in two very different characters. The one on the right is me, all of me, posing with the trolley at platform 9 3/4, a platform from a very popular book series that I grew up reading. I love to read, and the Harry Potter series really facilitated my love of reading, but also introduced me to the world of fantasy and wonder, one that I have never been able to escape from. Granted, I do not want to escape; I quite enjoy it here.
Moving on, the left picture is me as Mrs. White, in a previous play that I did, Clue. I thoroughly enjoyed that play, and it was truly one of my favorite experiences I’ve ever participated in. Theatre has always been a big part of life, as I’ve been doing plays for as long as I can remember. I love doing them, and the people I meet are always so lovely.
In conclusion, this trip is going to be amazing, and I’m so excited to get to know everyone thats going! I am most excited about seeing the Louvre, as I am very inspired by painting and sculpture art, and to go to the Louvre has always been a dream of mine. I am also really excited to see the Colosseum and Florence in general. ALSO! VERSAILLES!!! SO EXCITED ABOUT VERSAILLES!!!
Anyway as you can tell, I am very pumped about this trip! Catch you on the road!
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