and we are in love...

"That was the end of the first part of Paris. Paris was never to be the same again although it was always Paris and you changed as it changed...There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease, it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it. But this is Paris in the early days when we were very poor and very happy" -Hemingway

The Louvre:


Venus de Milo:


The Mona Lisa:


Notre Dame:


Dinner at Napolean's. YES, I ordered the escargot and ate all of it...:


...except the one I fed Matt:


At the Eiffel Tour...half-way up! We took the stairs to the second level and watched the sunset:


View from the second level:


We treated ourselves to chocolate crepes after that hike:


Soooooooooooo good:


The Pantheon (Rousseau is buried there...we read his Discourse on Inequality for our theories class on the trip):


Picnicing in the Luxemberg gardens:


My favorite part:


More gardens:


Metro Station!!:


Hard Rock Cafe Paris:


I can't believe the trip is coming to an end. Only a few more hours left until I get on a plane and come home to all of you. I can't wait to share my experiences and stories with you more intimately though the blog has been helpful in getting a head start.

Currently listening to: Can't Take My Eyes Off You by Lauryn Hill
Au Revoir!

xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com

paris

Bonjour all! I apologize for the lengthy silence on my part, but I finally have internet again!

Currently, our group has relocated to a youth hostel in Paris to spend the next few nights before our flight out. The hostel is near Notre Dame and is one of the nicest in the world. I'm not sure if you've heard about hostel reputations, but this one is more like a hotel. Thank you Dr. Davis!! Although we've only been here for a few hours, I'm falling in love with the city all over again. My first visit to Paris (only a month ago!) was not only jet-lagged, but was definitely a sprint to see all the tourist spots we could in a short amount of time. This time is much more relaxed and I'm so excited for the exploring we'll be up to!

Today was pretty simple. We took the train up from Avignon and then spent the day on Champs-Elysees Avenue. I found a dress I'll be buying tomorrow and we just enjoyed all the sights. Not to mention, I had my first CHAI TEA LATTE which was absolute heaven. We also stopped by the Shakespeare and Company bookstore and I picked up A Moveable Feast by Hemingway. Perfect book for the city :)

Half of our hostel room:


Park by the Louvre:




Waiting for the train:


Currently listening to: Paint It Golden by Jason Reeves and Colbie Callait
Au Revoir!

xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com

arles

Bonjour!

To begin with, last night the neighborhood had a street party right outside the villa; complete with french appetizers and dancing to the Mamma Mia soundtrack (I was so excited and our hostess Amanda offered a movie night for us girls when I told her it was one of my favorites) :)

There were a few dishes there I'd never seen before...like watermelon and cheese skewers, fish cookies, and cantaloupe mush. It was pretty funny to watch other SPU kids bite into them without being fully aware of what was inside. Jordan, I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures of all the platters; I know you love seeing that stuff! The night was a blast overall! I love chatting with Saint Maximin's residents...there's Hester from New Zealand who is just gorgeous and Karen who is from Germany and speaks 5 languages, just to name a couple.

My loves:


Brittany and I with April, one of the Davis' family friends who came along to cook and hang out with us:


Today's adventure was in the town of Arles. We visited a Roman colosseum still used for bull fighting today and one of Van Gough's painting spots. Also, we got to visit an old ampitheatre which has obviously crumbled a lot, but still holds 3,000 people. It was a pretty toasty day so we were all a little quiet, but our gelato stop was refreshing and the shop was blasting Shakira :)

A close up of the colosseum wall:


The inside ring:



Photo shoot at the Ampitheatre:


GELATO! I had Orange Sanguine and Ananas today:



Van Gough's square:



Feeling a little grumpy at the end of the day:


Currently listening to: You and I by Ingrid Michaelson
Au Revoir!

xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com

st. maximin

Bonjour All!
Our move to the south was successful...and not as hectic as I expected. There's not much to highlight from the trip itself BUT I did buy Vogue Paris in the train station with Brittany and it just so happened the Roloffs from Little People, Big World on TLC were there.

I wasn't sure what differences to expect between here and Normandy, but there are some pretty extreme ones:
-The temperature is always over 80.
-There are lizards and scorpions running around. [David, I'll do my best to bring one home for you, but the thought of that creeps me out so you may just have to settle for another souvenir]
-We're in a village so there's not much night life.
-AND the villa we're staying in now is about 3 times bigger so we're not living on top of one another which is kind of refreshing.

The woman we're staying with is named Amanda, originally from New Zealand, and has been living in Southern France for about ten years now. She's quite a character! Matt is currently her favorite because he lived in NZ for about 6 months and the two of them are always chatting it up about Auckland. The house is beautiful and of course the pool is our common area, which I'm enjoying :)

A staircase down to the pool:


Our patio:


The kitchen:


My 'Buddha Bed' down in the basement:


The view from the upstairs balcony:



After spending Sunday relaxing and settling in, we went kayaking yesterday under the Roman aqueducts. It was a lot of fun and I was surprisingly not very sore this morning even though the rafting trip was about 3 hours long. There were so many people out on the river; it was definitely the party spot!!

My ladies on the river:


I can't believe my time in France is already half-way done! No worries, I'm enjoying every minute and I know these next two weeks will be just as full and exciting as the last. I'd love to hear from you!

Currently listening to: The Lighthouses Tale by Nickel Creek
Au Revoir!

xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com

bayeux and d-day

I have two days to fill you in on!!
The first was our excursion yesterday to Bayeux to see France's famous tapestries! Now, I was pretty skeptical about this trip and thought about staying behind because tapestries just don't sound too exciting, but it was short and I feel more educated at least.

The tapestry is basically like one long tablecloth (about a football field long) which has been put behind glass and each scene is numbered so you can follow along with your walkie talkie. Pictures weren't allowed so I won't be posting any, but you can google them. It chronicled William the Conquerer and the Norman invasion of England and was quite interesting...especially the random naked figures on the bottom border.

Also in Bayeux we toured the cathedral and had eclairs. The church was probably my favorite one I've been inside on the trip. There was even a 'lost crypt' featured in the sanctuary. Brittany and I are still trying to figure out how it got lost since it's been under the cathedral since it was originally built. The architecture is mind-blowing since it's so intricate and tall and symmetrical. I actually read the cathedrals were built to mirror a 'well-ordered' soul. I'm still working on that part...

The Cathedral:


An awkward self-timer shot...a french man was not happy he had to stand and wait for 10 seconds:


My first french eclair!! SO GOOD:


Today's last big trip in Normandy was to the American Memorial Cemetary and Pointe du Hoc. We have our mid-terms tomorrow morning and then are moving to the south on Saturday. I am SO excited for hot weather and the Mediterranean, but I know I'm going to miss this little town and the beach.

Anyway, the beaches today were beautiful. There were definitely two different moods at the two memorials. Our first stop was the cemetary so of course everyone was silent and very reverent. It was kind of eerie to be there and to enjoy walking on a beach where so many people died, but it was also cool to see how our veterans are well remembered even in another country.

The beach:


The cemetary:


Sweeeeeeet lily pool:


Our second stop at Pointe du Hoc was much more family-friendly and there were kids everywhere screaming and playing in the craters. Morbid, I know...
The cliffs were an attack point for the Army Ranger Assault Group and looking at those cliffs I was amazed at how they could be so successful and persistent in scaling them with just ropes.

The cliffs:


A crazy child:


Max as 'the bomb':


I'm not sure when my next post will be since I'm expecting our move to be CRAZY, but I'll try not to miss too many days. The 28 of us will be taking a bus to Deauville, a bus to Paris, and then a train to Avignon and another car ride to our villa. Oh boy...another embarassing parade.

Mom, Dad, Tina, Carly, and Jordan: I miss you and love you all :)

Currently listening to: I Want You by Kings of Leon
Au Revoir!

xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com

mont saint michel

Mont Saint Michel is amazing!! It looks like a floating castle/abbey in the middle of farmland...which it basically is. There is only one road through the whole 'village' and when the tide comes in, the building becomes an island. It's built with gates and restaurants at the bottom, then a few stores and houses which lead up to a museum and the abbey itself. You'll have to google it for a fuller picture, but I felt like I was in Disneyland or a Hollywood set. All of these outings we've had seem unreal and larger than life...they feel like a dream.



Michel himself...slaying a demon. Legit:




View from a distance:


10 things I love about France:
-The architecture, the cobblestone, the history that oozes out of every cathedral and house and street.
-Seeing french romance everywhere haha.
-Care free attitudes...exhibited in the slow cafe bustle, the topless beaches, and the art galleries.
-Nutella bagettes for breakfast every morning. And nutella crepes for lunch. And spoonfuls of nutella every night.
-Loooooooong days
-Reading Pascal's Pensees and contemplating my own life and future.
-Spending every waking moment with my dream team :)
-Being the crazy Americans on the patio with an amazing playlist.
-Pear Cidre and Rose Wine.
-The wide third story window sills where I can sit and write endlessly.

5 things I miss about the US:
-Chai tea and iced drinks...I love the coffee here, but there's no such thing as a mocha, no chai tea lattes, and no ice to be found to add some flair. Oh Cafe Ladro how I miss thee.
-Intersections...I'm so tired of roundabouts on the freeway.
-A boy named David Wayne Moore.
-Not feeling helpless when I have a question or need directions or don't know how to order anything other than nutella crepes.
-Thai food, Greek food, Mexican food, etc.

Currently listening to: Hello Seattle by Owl City
Au Revoir!

xoxo
Caitlin
caitlinboyd72@gmail.com