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"There are three sides to every story: my side, your side, and the
truth.
And no one is lying. Memories shared serve each one differently."
- Robert Evans
May 20, 2002: Cannes, France
Should I begin this letter by describing my previous two morning
cappuccino sittings at the Majestic Hotel? Well, only if you want to
hear about Francis McDormand or Jack Nicholson. But hey, let's not get
ahead of ourselves. I mean, it is just too haughty to already be
limiting my Star-Spotting to Oscar winners. So here I sit, at a computer
in the American Pavilion, with buyers and sellers running around
frantically in every direction. To my right is the beach, freckled with
white tables and colorful table cloths. The Mediterranean is loaded with
yachts and beautiful people who can't help but bathe in the 70 degree
weather and reflect sun rays off their diamond-studded bodies.
It has been the most unbelievable week. We rise at 6 AM and go to sleep
at 3 or 4. Maybe you'll have time to eat one meal during the day if
you're lucky-- I say this not because the restaurants are packed,
although there are thousands of people who have come to see and be seen
at the festival, but because there is simply so much to do. I don't
exactly understand why they call it a Film Festival, because watching
movies is the LAST thing you want to be doing. All day long, there are
interviews, panel discussions, conferences, people to meet, hotel
lobbies to relax in, and narrow streets to weave through. You wouldn't
want to waste your time seeing movies except for small snipets at the
beginning with the possibility the director and/or cast is in the
theatre.
My day revolves around:
1. the feeling of a slick Invitation to the evening's premiere at the
Lumiere Theatre
2. the plush, red chairs in the Majestic Hotel bar with ears and eyes
tuned into everyone else's conversations
3. the restraint to keep from jumping up and down and screaming when I
realized I was standing amongst Sharon Stone, Cameron Diaz, Paul Thomas
Anderson, and Leonardo Dicaprio last night on the red carpet and, later,
dancing at Jack Nicholson's party at the Majestic (don't you know, my
moves were JIVIN to the techno)
4. HOLD THE PHONE. Did I just say techno? Yes, yes I did. Because
everyone listens to amazing music in Europe, and I have heard techno
being played everywhere I go since the moment I stepped off the plane.
Even the cabbies listen to techno! VIVE LA FRANCE!
But really, Cannes is one of the most unbelievable cities I've ever been
to in my life-- obviously enhanced by the enthusiasm of the festival,
but this region of France is... unexplainable. The cars are petit and
fun, the people are dripping in culture and fashion, the restaurants are
never very large but boast cutting edge venues, chefs, and patios, and
best of all, it's close to everything. By train you can get to Aix,
Marseilles, St.Tropez- anything in less than an hour. You can drive east
for 20 minutes, and Voila! Bonjour Nice! Monaco! Monte Carlo and Le
Grand Negar! Or you can drive west, and Bonjour St.Tropez, Marseilles,
Aix-en-Provence!
I could write forever about Cannes. It is an experience unlike any
other, and I am in shock that I get to be a part of the festival and
this feverish French culture. Please set up an appointment for me with a
therapist for when I return, because life simply can't get any better
than this.
I'll try to write again soon!
eleanor
June 12, 2002: Aix en Provence, France
Bonjour, bonjour!
Vive la France! Vive French soccer! Vive an apartment in the middle of Aix en Provence!
Okay, okay, I will apologize now for being completely selfish and only talking about myself for a little bit, but I must tell you all how amazing France (and my class) has been. Let's begin with 9 DAYS IN PARIS. Usually, I would think it completely impossible to go to TWO MUSEUMS A DAY, but, alas, it can be done. There are nine students (eight girls, one boy-- poor him!), and we all stayed in a BEAUTIFUL "hotel particulier" for 8 nights. A Hotel Particulier is basically an older, restored aristocratic mansion that has been turned into a hotel or apartments, etc. So there was an enormous entrance gate with a buzzer (just like those mideival movie scenes where you buzz the door man and whisper something into the speaker... the large door then creeks open and you waltz inside), yeah, JUST like that. And it opened onto an enormous courtyard, filled with white iron tables and flowers and cobblestones. All of the rooms overlooked the courtyard with enormous French windows (but of course!) as vines crawled up all the walls with enormous, blooming flowers that dangled inside your window and onto your window sill. I stayed with three other Vanderbilt girls, and we spoke French the entire week (or at least until 7 o'clock, whereupon it would be IMPOSSIBLE to even think in french because your head would be so worn out). We would meet for "le petit dejeuner" at 7:30, have a small class, and then head off for long days of waltzing, climbing stairs, seeing paintings, climbing stairs, overlooking paris from the Arc de Triomphe, climbing stairs, eating baguettes and croisantes, and, alas, climb more stairs. The days were jam packed with events, and I only used the metro a few times, just so I could become more acquainted with the city. We had one free day, so I went to the Monoprix (basically a Euro Walmart), and bought paints and some small paper, and wandered aimlessly around Paris, just painting the monuments and the cafes.
Yesterday we left Paris for Aix. And I know I've only been here for a day, but if I had the choice between spending one month in Paris or one day in Aix, I would choose the latter. AIX IS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. The parisiennes are always in a hurry, hurry, hurry-- quick here, quick there, buy this, move that, drink and go, AHHHHH! In Aix, hardly anyone drives cars, everyone walks through windy roads and small pathways that remind me of St.Paul de Vence, and the streets are filled with beautiful cafes, tables, shops, flowers, markets, fruits, creperies, ice cream stores... everything you can imagine a "typical french town" to have and be. At the end of every street there are enormous, beautiful fountains (like the ones at Versailles), and above every shop there are apartments and people on porches, and flowers that topple over the iron railings and French signs.
Yesterday we met our French family that we will be living with for six weeks. They live in a "Hotel Particulier" in the CENTER of Aix. We are within five minutes of the Vanderbilt Center, and they have an enormous house on two levels-- the third level is our petit apartment.
Our arpartment is beautiful. Couldn't ask for anything better. The Professors are organized, helpfull, and very, very nice. We have two tutors who are about our age that will help us with our work and also take us out to practice speaking and just hang out.
We are going to Marseille this weekend and Cassis, and on Saturday, a few of us are joining up with some other students (who are all from other universities, like us) to take a day trip to an Island just off the coast, for hiking and biking and, of course, speaking french.
I can't even explain how amazing France is. Not just living here or seeing neat museums, but learning the culture, the language, the way of life and views of families. All of it has been shocking, intriguing, and encouraging.
Sorry this is so long-- I have written a novel. I will have access to computers now, so I will be able to check it often.
Take care, and write soon !
elle
A map of our French travels during the Aix program:
July 29, 2002: Barcelona, Spain
After 9 psycho days in Cannes (france), 10 quick days in Paris (France), 6 relaxing weeks in Aix en Provence (France), and 4 days hiking and kyacking the Cinqueterre (Italy), we have finally arrived in Spain!!!
I am writing from Barcelona, but don´t have a ton of time as Negar and I are going to a bull fight soon. We have been in Barcelona now two days, and have had the most awesome time. A lot of our travel plans have been switching and getting changed, so I want to, first, outline a DEFINATE plan of where we´ll be (we made all reservations today so we wouldn´t have to wait in any more lines)....
Sun, 28th: Barcelona
Mon, 29th: Barcelona
Tues, 30: Barcelona to Sevilla (7:03 to 17:25)
Wed, 31: Sevilla (that night, Sevilla to Lagos, Portugal)
Thurs, 1 (negar´s birthday!): Lagos, Portugal
Fri, 2: Lagos to Lisbon (14:25-18:50)
Sat, 3: Lisbon, Portugal
Sun, 4: Lisbon for the day and overngiht train from Lisbon to Madrid (22:00-8:35)
Mon, 5: catch first train to San Sebastian (we´re not spending any time in madrid), 10:-16:23
Tues, 6: San Sebastian
Wed, 7: San Sebastian to Paris (10:58-16:20), spend the night of the 7th in Paris
THurs, 8: Paris
Fri, 9: Meet up with Craig (and I think we´re going from Paris to Brussels on the 9th, but it´s not confirmed)
So that´s my schedule! Holy moly! We´re loving Barcelona, and decided to stay another two days here! Now all of our trains are booked and we´ll begin to serach for hostels. We went to museums, a tour, and the beach yesterday. Then met up with three other girls who are doing a summer program in San Sebastian for the summer and we all went to dinner together. TOday we spent most of our time at the train station adn are rewarding ourselves with a bull fight in 30 minutes`-- YIEKS! We´re having a great time- being safe and no problems. Couldn´t be more people traveling now, though... we can´t get out of Barcelona for another TWO DAYS as EVERY SINGLE TRAIN IS BOOKED. Good thing we like this place!
Just checking in with the troops back home! Negar and I have just landed in San Sebastian, Spain. We successfully made it through Barcelona and Sevilla... then we hopped the border into Portugal and spent 5 nights between Lagos (in the south) and Lisbon (the capital). After TEN HUGE HOURS on the train back to Madrid, we caught ANOTHER 6 HOUR TRAIN to San Sebastian. We are staying in the most MARVELOUS HOSTAL! All the walls are coral and red, there are black and white pictures of people that have worked and lived here on all the walls, and there are flowers toppling over all the balconies! The people here have treated us like FAMILY (which is so nice for a change), and we are going to take showers and then go out for a walk around town! Our hostal is right next door to the town church, so we can hear the bells in our room!
Portugal was incredible. Lagos was a bit shallow in the culture department (it is a british-australian vacation get a way), but Lisbon! My oh my! Lisbon was fabulous! There was everything from the cathedral built in the 1550´s to the World Expo fair grounds from 98... Lisbon is a port, so it had an energized harbor with cafes and restaurants scattered all along the water, but it is also surprisingly hilly, with all of the 3 major neighborhoods perched vertically on the hillside. After stuffing Portugeuse pastries in my mouth and exploring this rich city, I was one very happy girl...
August 8, 2002: Paris, France
Today is the 8th of August, and is of utmost importance for many special reasons...
First, Negar and I have returned to our "quasi home" in Paris, and have been absolutely overwhelmed by the grandeur and beauty of the city (even after spending 10 days here 2 months ago...). But I find that Paris is an inescapable city- of history, of art, of culture, of beauty, of anything and everything the world has to offer. For all the reasons I love London and it's kaleidescope range of diversity and influences, I love Paris just the same. I am convincend that Paris and London were twins separated at birth...
Second, today is my dear roomate/friend/practically my sister's LAST DAY IN EUROPE! After a few fabulous dinners in Le Marais, a long walk down the Champs-Elysees, and a glass of Red wine at the new trendy Hotel Costes establishment, she will be allowed to return to her most favorite place in the world- Chicago of course!
Third, today is important because in spite of losing one irreplaceable traveling buddy, I am gaining a new one!! A certain psycho-architect-museum-loving-fun-traveling-light-spirited Craig is making the leap over the Atlantic as I type!! If you're free at 3:00, you might want to head to Notre Dame to witness the spectacle of Americans screaming and running around in excitement with backpacks and maps flying all over the place...
So I guess now is the time I can throw in my plug for how amazing my time has been here so far... A mere two ays ago, I stood in front of the masterpiece that is the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, after drooling over every heavenly inch of fish like exterior and artery-like walkways that threaded through the museum from one exhibit to the other. Only yesteray did I find myself almost in tears at the Pompidou museum here in Paris- everything from Matisse to Duchamps to Buren to Picasso to Klee to YOU NAME IT, because it was there, and it was beyond amazing. Now today, I will frolick around the Quais of the Seine, hoping to eat a Bananna Chocolate Crépe and impress some Frenchies with my Southern Provençial accent...
But for now, I bid YALL adieu and will update as soon as I find the time. Take care! BISSOUS!!
eleanor
AUGUST 10, 2002: Brussels, Belgium
Hi ho, Hi ho, it's off to Breakfast I go
because we have arrived
(after Paris, WE SURVIVED!)
and now we're revived!!
IN BRUSELLS my friends!
We're here, we're eatin' honey
We found a hotel, cause we be savin money
I got my SPF 35... but it aint sunny
That's why my nose is runny...
IN BRUSELLS my friends!
Yesterday, Negar and I did part
But today, she's on Michigan avenue filling up her cart...
So now Craig and I are being artsy and smart
Who knows, I might start reading Jean Paul Sarte...
IN BRUSSELS my friends!
HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH EVERYONE!
cheers, elle
August ?, 2002: Coppenhagen, Denmark
I am writing from Køpenhavn, as we decided to stay here an extra day rather than go onto Berlin. Køpenhavn has been incredible. Just when I thought life couldnt get any better than San Sebastian and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, we returned to Paris and I was mesmerized. After our really weird day in Bruxelles (we're still a little confused on what that whole country's all about), Amsterdam was a pleasant surprise. Of course there's prostitutes and weed smoking bums, but aside from the international fame that city carries, Amsterdam truly is a beautiful city... sliced into segments by rivers and canals, bikepaths and bridges, parks and museums. Amsterdam was old and had so much character. Just when we thought Amsterdam would be one of the most intriguing cities on our tour through Europe, we stumbled across KØPENHAVN, Danmark.
Craig and I rented old antique bikes (that everyone rides), and took off for 24 hours of freedom with our new wheels. We cruised all the way north of the city, and into the outskirts of the University and the suburbs. We came across a government social project (where you might see a Brad Pitt look-a-like from the movie Snatch), and then stopped in a typical Danmark grocery store to get some water... only to find that everything was made with PRESERVATIVES! The French would have cried in agony had they seen this hellish-un-fresh-establishment. After buying huge boxes of Nutella and Bread-cookies and peach gummies, we took off to the soccer fields and caught an energetic game between the Blues and the Bees (sure... they might have been old men playing a neighborhood game of soccer... but when you're a lowly backpacker, you have to look for free sources of amusement).
I entertained the crowds (consisting of Craig and myself) in the end zone by chasing soccer balls for the team and doing cartwheels up and down the sidelines. Needless to say, Køpenhavn has been relaxing. Actually, yesterday was the first day since CHRISTMAS that I really didn't have anything to do. It honestly felt like the first day of summer. So, if it is summer, what else to do than ride bikes all over town, get into trouble at a soccer match, and then go see some big summer Blockbuster at the local theater? Now I bet you're saying, "Oh, sad... eleanor didn't get to go see a big summer American film because she's been in eurorpe all summer..." Well, GUESS AGAIN! We marched right on up to the ticket window of the largest theater in København and demanded two tickets for About A Boy (with that oh-so-cute british boy Hugh Grant!)!! We got a huge thing of popcorn (just like home), got two huge Cokes (just like home), walked into our English speaking movie (just like home), and then realized that we were the only people who understood half the jokes since the rest of the Danish-speaking theater could only read the subtitles... (not so much like home, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway).
After a good night's sleep in our cozy hostal (it's a huge old warehouse that they've turned into a hostal, and it's filled with people from all over--we're the only Americans), we have spent the day with our bikes, and now find ourselves trapped on all four sides by VINTAGE CLOTHING STORES! My only goal today is to find a cool t-shirt with Danish print on it (they're really into design here...)
We bought some chicken (which we have marinating right now), some corn, pasta, pesto, fruit, baguette, and a small bottle of French red wine for dinner, so we're looking forward to a big feast before we head off to see the fireworks tonight-- shooting off from Tivoli which is just north of Downtown.
As I said earlier, our next stop is Berlin, then we'll head down to Prague. We'd like to camp for a week in Switzerland and make it to Interlaken for a few nights before I meet up with Maury and hit the beaches. In exactly two weeks time, I will be sitting in my new apartment with my three new roommates in Florence.
Dad was right...tempus fugit,
elle
August 25, 2002: Interlaken, Switzerland
Howdy doodie everybody! I'm sitting at one of the computers in Interlaken, sadly watching my last hours here in Paradise slowly slide away as we pull out new train schedules and pump ourselves up for another trek across another city with our same, old, heavy backpacks.
Switzerland is BEAUTIFUL, in every sense and meaning of the word. We arrived here, and immediately decided to stay for one week! We've done everything from kyack across the pristine lake that wraps around Interlaken and the base of the Swiss Alps only to cook some brotworst over a camp fire to bike up, through, and over Grindelvald towards the back side of the mountain's steep, winding trails and hurling waterfalls. We spent a day hiking through the beauty of the mountains, and would stop every 10 minutes or so just to stare at the scenery around us. Craig and I had a tough time NOT running through our film within the first hour of our hike...
Our hostal has just rocked-- AND IF YOU GUYS ARE READING THIS, SEND ME YOUR EMAILS! WE MISS YOU GUYS ALREADY! We met up with a handfull of banjo/guitar playing Americans, happy and fun loving Australians, the "other Londoners" from Candada, and Swiss Germans named Hano--LONG LIVE THE MULLET... getting ourselves into all sorts of trouble post 10 PM. We would all swap stories from our days spent frolicking in the mountains as we prepared to crash another Balmer's party... "Balmer's is just a frat party with no girls!" (thank you Larry). So, six days later, Craig and I have a list full of new friends' emails, a new Nalgene bottle (thanks Nick!), new WWF wrestling moves, and three rolls of the best film we've shot throughout all of Europe!
It was a delight to meet so many crazy fun kids who were all playing in Interlaken for the week, as well, and we are excited to stay in touch with you guys-- so write soon!
Now we are hopping a train to Florence, so i can dump this big bag in a locker and wait for Maury to come to Firenze. I start school in about two weeks, and look forward to eating heeps of gelati.
That's all from the homefront for today,
elle
August 29, 2002: Rome, Italy
Another day, another country, and another foreign keyboard to break in... Ciao da Roma! This morning I bumped my little Florentine bicycle from my hostal to the Firenze train station, locked it up, hopped on a train bound for Roma, and waved my beautiful little city goodbye until Sunday.
The summer has come and gone without me even noticing, and I now find myself overhearing the voices of many other American students who are also studying in Europe for the fall. Where did all the lazy Sunday's in Dallas go? Where is my brother to pester me? Can someone please tell me what the Blockbuster Movies of the Summer were? I mean really! I didn't even know about those fires in Colorado until a week ago... (Oh no, here comes a parental lecture about the importance of reading the paper and watching CNN. But you can't expect all of us to be as dilligent as Bradford Garvey, can you?)
I have finally transitioned from "summer" to "fall", from a "French student" to "an Italian Student", from wanting to carry a 30 pound backpack to, rather, leaving the backpack in a locker and wearing the same outfit for 5 days strait. I can still hear the voices of Negar and Craig everytime I see the famous Wooden Silverware (with user's initials carved on both sides), and it simply isn't the same to cook up a 4 course meal on the one, the only, the Camping Gas Gourmet burner when I am lacking essential travel buddies to share the best meals EVVVVVVVVEEEEERRR with ("Around here, we don't end sentences with prepositions.")
But, (there's always a disclaimer), although my immortal traveling buddies are greatly missed, I get to look forward to meeting up with my new Florentine classmates in a mere few days. We're slowly clustering in Roma, and on Sunday, we will migrate back to Firenze to fully submerge ourselves in the art of Davids, the grandeur of the Duomo and winding cobblestone streets, and the hand motions and voice inflections that is the beauty and sophistication of Firenze.
Until then, I hope all the Vandy kids have had a safe first week back. News has it Pamela and the Swinging Dores had a killer performance the other night... everyone in Rome's talkin' about it. Sadly, I will miss out on a new Commodore football season, but I leave that task to the brave and patient... So, in the meantime, I will continue to look for my new mailing address while you all take care of those new Automatic Flush toilets at the Pike house. (Negar and Craig, this is where you scream that FAMOUS Mistral phrase!!!)
Keep in touch,
elle
eleanor.e.luna@vanderbilt.edu
September 3, 2002: Florence, Italy
Ciao, ciao. I just realized my page wasn't working. But the wizard has returned to OZ and so now everything is ship shape. I just uploaded a bazillion new photos- so check them out!
We've arrived in Florence a few days ago and moved into our new place yesterday. It is absolutely FABULOUS (minus all those tacky British actresses of course). Orientation starts on Thursday, so I am thouroughly enjoying my last days of pure freedom. Estefania is cooking omlettes for everyone at our apartment tonight, so I best be going! Hope everyone enjoyed Labor Day!
elle
September 4, 2002: Florence, Italy
Finally settled into Florence with some official Italian paperwork (what an oxymoron) finalized and new crisp Italian linens on my bed. A great friend from Vandy (Mr.Troy Mashburn himself), is traveling through Europa wokring his way to St.Andrews in Scotland (yes girls, the real deal... Princes and all), so I am going to take off with him first thing tomorrow morning and head back to the beauty and magnificence of Interlaken to prove that it wasn't just a dream after all. We'll be there hiking for the weekend and then I will return to Aix en Provence to visit the new French Vanderbilt students, crash in my old apartment, speak with some much missed professors, grab all my bags, and return just in time for my cooking class on Tuesday night at 8 PM. What a life. Anyone going to be traveling around or nearby? Hope all is well,
ciao et grand bissous,
lady elle
October 7, 2002: Florence, Italy
A month has passed since I last updated my page, however in no way does that mean that nothing has been happening over here in Europa. Quite the contrary, for one of the most awaited two weeks of my entire abroad experience finally arrived! My mom flew to Florence, and we spent a fabulous 10 days together throughout Italy. Although I came down with Toncillitis when she arrived, we quickly cured it and headed south to Sienna and then off to the Italian Riviera (Mom's can cure anything!)! From beautiful train rides across the Italian country side to famous Italian espresso overlooking the banks of Portofino and the Mediterannean, our time was fabulous. We ventured to a handfull of museums, caused severe damage in several clothing stores, and even managed to squeeze in time for her to visit my cooking class and taste some Italian regional food! After 10 days, mom had officially stuffed my roommates and I with pastries and lengthy meals, all the while entertaining us with her hillarious stories from home. Now that she is safely back home with Dad, I have a bag of American food she left to hold me over until December-- you have no idea how high the bidding has risen for my VELVEETA CHEESE AND PACE PICANTE SAUCE! haha. Looks like a Tex Mex dinner is on its way!
After mom left Florence, I decided I needed to leave, too, and hopped on a plane to Madrid, Spain where two of my best girlfriends showed me around their new city! Sarah and Colleen are both absorbing the culture, the nightlife, the tapas, and sporting events- and dragged the Unable-to-Keep-Up-Italian (me) along for the ride... The last three days have been busy and filled with things to see- from the Prado museum with Goya's black paintings and Fra Angelica's Annunciation to bullfights (the matador was gored!) and futbal matches (Ronaldo- the 50 million euro player from Milan- had his opening game for Real Madrid yesterday, scoring 2 goals of 5 for Madrid's powerful win- www.realmadrid.com), Madrid has been an enchanting (and warm!) weekend getaway. With the snow and anti-war riots in Italy, it was a perfect time to escape into the land of Flamenco, Tango, Futbal, and Bullfighting. Cameron is also here for the semester, along with a handfull of other Vanderbilt students, and they were all able to show off thier great Spanish accents and fluent conversational skills. Needless to say, I was quite impressed!
Tonight I return to Firenze, anxious for this weeks dose of cooking, italian, art, and painting classes. Around the corner, there are 3 21st birthday celebrations (mine included!), one ballet performed by the national italian ballet company, some midterms, some enormous research paper deadlines, and then Fall break (Bonjour Greece)! Since the day I arrived in Europe, roughly six months ago, every day has been worth writing home about. There are endless places and things I wish I had time to explore, but, as D.Smith once said, "The only way to see a city is to see just a little bit. That way, you'll always want to come back."
Hope everyone is doing well! Keep posted for picture updates and restaurant recommendations for Florence (coming soon!). Ciao ciao,
elle
Inspiring words from a fellow traveler:
"I will have to travel a great deal more to see everything I want to see, and that to attempt to see everything there is to see is futile. Instead, just enjoy what you're lucky enough to find."
October 18, 2002: Update on Hungary and Austria
Last weekend I found myself traveling through Hungary (Budapest) and Austria (Vienna) for 4 days. I wish I had more time to write about our travels there, but seeing as how mid terms are upon us, I am busy studying for hours on end. Hopefully I will get some time to post photos or write about it soon. This next week my roommate and I celebrate our 21st birthdays, and then I am off to Prague, Norway, Sweeden, Finland, and Paris for roughly two weeks! I'll be traveling and meeting up with friends along the way, and am ready to embrace the cold arctic weather of Scandinavia! Hope all is well with everyone all over the world- safe travels to those of you going home this weekend!
Eleanor
October 28, 2002:
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC & OSLO, NORWAY
"I never ever saw the northern lights,
I never really heard of cluster flies,
I never ever saw the stars so bright.
In the farmhouse things will be alright."
-phish
I have safely arrived in Oslo (the flight was so quick), and am staying at a lovely pension called Ellingsens Pensjonat. It's in a central location, surrounded by Vigeland Park (the 80 acre park with over 200 of Gustav Vigeland's sculptures depicting each stage of the human life cyle), and is run by a mom and daughter who are very helpful and nice. I have been overwhelmed at how many people speek English here. The quality of life is incredibly high, the people are all dressed nice and are very helpful, and the city is beautifully modern and safe. After wandering around the downtown streets this morning- Karl Johans gate-, we booked train, bus, and ferry tickets for tomorrow. We will leave Oslo around 8:30, and take a 5 hour train to Myrdal. The train ride was rated one of the most beautiful railways in the world in 1999, and after we switch trains in Myrdal, we will go to Flam on the Flam railway (descending from 866 m to 2 m above sea level in 50 minutes!). All along the Flam railway, you can see the enormous waterfalls of the Noerøyfjord, and at the base, we will switch to a boat that will take us through the narrowest parts of the fjord. After a bus through the top part of Stalheimskleiva, the mountain ridge, we will finally arrive in Bergen (on the Western Coast) around 8 PM. I am so excited!!! It's going to be beautiful.
After Bergen, it looks like we're heading north. The group, including myself, is intent on seeing the northern lights (which can only be seen from November to April). Which means we have to travel north of the Arctic Cirle (hopefully reaching the Lofoten Islands) to catch a glipse of this spectacle. That is, generally, our plan of attack, but for now we will just concentrate on tomorrow's enormous day of travel as we continue to fight over whether going to TGI Friday's for dinner tonight is a cultural experience or not...
All in all, Norway is unbelievable. The weather, although a warm 1 degree celcius, is fresh, invigorating, and crisp. Stepping outside this morning I had the feeling that I was in Colorado and just about to hit the slopes for skiing. I imagine Norway is even more spectacular in the winter, but appearantly this is THE TIME to travel because of the erruption of the fall colors all throughout the country.
At first I had planned on hitting Norway, Sweeden, and Finland, but now it looks as though I'll be LUCKY to even see Sweeden! I guess it all means that I'll just have to come back...
elle
October 31, 2002 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Bergen, Norway
"Un voyage est universel et y a rien de mieux pour forger la caractere."
jonathon turban
Bergen, Norway
Yesterday we found ourselves hiking over the town of Bergen, reaching the summit of the mountain with nothing but the fjords, the ocean, and the small fishing villages below us. We trompped through sheets of snow and fields of mud; we leaned into the harsh, icy wind and leaped over loud waterfalls. Norway offers many of the same activities of Switzerland; however the land is much more rugged and the environment far more natural.
Tonight we will catch the train back to Oslo, then jet on over to Stockholm, Sweeden.
I'll check in with you all when I can!
all the best,
elle
November 1, 2002: Stockholm, Sweeden
At 6 AM this morning, over a really strong cup of coffee, I was thinking about home and what I would be doing at school to celebrate Halloween, and immediately, I remembered the time change. Thank goodness to that, it was still Halloween in Nashville! In fact, it was just before midnight in Nashville, and I thought I might catch some friends on their cell phones. After punching number after number into the phone (my fingers were frozen from the Norwegian snow), I finally got through to Kim. Of course, all the girls were out at swaps and halloween bashes, and if you girls are reading this- I wish I could have been there with you guys! Sounds like everyone had a fun time.
Now I will shift focus to half way around the world, to Stockholm, Sweeden- WHAT AN ENORMOUS CITY IT IS! Everyone rushes, rushes, rushes. I got shoved at the station and cut off when waiting in line at the bancomat. I gotta put on my BIG CITY face and show them what City girls are made of. There are a ton of neat kids staying at this hostal- it's right in the city center and is really really cool. They have a huge kitchen, internet, a tv room, an english speaking staff... all the pleasant comodities a backpacker loves. So tonight we are going to see if there is a ballet or sporting event (those two go right together, don't they!) and then tomorrow we will explore the city.
Tomorrow is All Saints Day, which has been sadly blurred with Halloween (long live the capitalists overtaking the WORLDDDD heeeee haaaaaaaa ha hahahaaaaaa evil laugh continued....) But sadly enough, I don't have any Sweedish ancestors for whom to place candles on their graves tonight at midnight, so I might just have to observe this cultural holiday from a distance.
Now that we are here for the weekend, I will have constant internet access until my plane sunday (YEAH PARIS! I AM SO EXCITED!) For now, I will don my snow boats and hat (as it is viciously snowing), and pretend to understand what it's like to be a blonde haired, blue eyed Sweede.
talk soon
eleanor
December 20, 2002: Florence to Paris
I have just left Florence, and am sitting on the train for Paris. I was so busy all day that I didn't even have time to think about leaving and saying those dredded good-bye's. I got all of my enormous bags in piles and checked all the drawers one last time before staring at my empty room, memories flooding my head, and walking up the stairs to the sun room and terrace. I stood on the orange rooftop and stared dreamily at the Duomo off in the distance. The surrounding villas and apartments were lit up with soft lights, and the Duomo and Campanile were impossible to ignore. I walked over to the edge and stared helplessly at the view, thinking about all our dinners on the rooftop when it was warm and all the conversations had beneath those stars until sunrise. Turning to the left, I faced the wall where I've been painting and hanging canvases these last few weeks. Alas, I decided to go back inside-- standing outside any longer was certainly not going to make things any easier. Leaving this apartment, this view, this city, was not going to be easy, no matter how hard I tried.
After getting on the train, my mind was churning with memories and thoughts. Thoughts of Firenze, Italia, my travels, my new friends, our beautiful apartment, our kitchen where I learned to cook, the terrace, my time in France, travels this past summer, my studies in Aix-en-Provence, and my endless attempts to hold onto every last aspect of the last eight months- with certain failure. And I know from that point on it would all become a memory, a past I could not return to again, a chapter finished, closed, and put away. And I also knew I would attempt, without ceasing, to make sense of it all- through painting, writing in my journal, listening to Italian music, cooking French and Italian meals, and reliving the experience through photos and memorobilia. And even though I know I will return soon, this experience is finished. I will never again be studying in Florence with Kathleen, Estefania, and Megan at Via dei' Ginori, n 1, studying art and italian at Lorenzo dei' Medici from Tuesday to Thursday and traveling anywhere I desire from Thursday to Monday.
At the same time, however, I must counter my argument, for going home certainly isn't a bad thing. If I were able to choose when I went home, it would be now, at Christmas time, when everyone is together in Dallas. So now, after filling eight bags with Italian clothes, paintings, photos, books, Euorpean CD's, and cappucino, espresso and pasta makers, I am bringing Italy home with me.
December 22: the flight from Paris to Dallas
Well now I am officially on my way home, and I am sure of this for after an hour and a half of flight, the stewardesses pushed their narrow little silver carts through the isles with drinks. Calmly, I asked the woman if she was serving Diet Coke or Coca Light. She replied that all they had was Diet Coke. Apologizing, she handed me an American Airlines plastic cup, WITH ice, AND a lemon, and placed it in front of me. I told her it was the most anticipated and appreciated drink she would ever serve. Confused, she laughed and continued pushing her trolly.
My Diet Coke and I examined each other from top to bottom, analyzing the other as though making scouting reports. Relentlessly, I grabbed her by the neck and gulped her down. First response: "Ewwwww, so sweet! Where is my Coca Light?" The grass is forever greener on the other side. Poor me.
Well, I figure I might as well write all of these feelings down now or else never have them in a primary sense again.
Florence feels light years away. The city, the girls, the apartment, the language-- all of it is reduced to a dream, a dream that has been the best eight months of my life. And now it is my responsibility to integrate these experiences what I have learned into my life back in the States.
It's difficult to say "home." I feel like "home" means so many things to me now. My experiences have been so spread out and varied that it's difficult to say I "belong" solely in one place. Now, given these thoughts, my purpose changes, for what I have learned, seen, and experienced in Europe must now be integrated into America. Italy is like a painting I've created: you want to show it to everyone and have them be touched by its power in the same way it has affected you, but the truth is that no one will ever have the same relationship with it as the creator does. With that said, I must be patient and understanding with those things I choose to share with other people.
There are three phrases that I have found most truthful over these past few months:
1st: "Tempus fugit" (time flies)
2nd: "The more you learn, the more you realize how much more you have yet to learn."
and 3rd, most pertinent to me now,:
"And the end of all our exploring
will be to arrive where we started,
and know the place for the first time."
T. S. Elliot
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eleanor.e.luna@vanderbilt.edu
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