So the days we spent at sea went by smoothly as we relaxed by the pool or saw comedy shows and whatnot. (P.S. I did ask my parents about pictures from this trip, but they said they don't have any readily available either since this was so long ago. My future travel blogs will include pictures!) Our next destination was the island of Cyprus. We spent majority of the day there at the beach. I do not remember too many details, but I do recall thinking of how beautiful everything was!
After our day at the island we headed back west and stopped in Rome, Italy! I remember walking the cobblestone streets of Rome as people sped past in tiny cars and Vespas. We also visited the Colosseum! It was so cool to explore inside this huge and beautiful architecture. I remember picking up a rock and putting it in my pocket to remember it by. (Don't do this - I was a child who didn't know any better. I can also say I no longer have the rock, and if I found it I would think it was from my backyard and not the other side of the world.)
We also had the opportunity to visit the Trevi Fountain. This was definitely a must-see! There were tourists everywhere so getting an 'artsy' picture is tough, but the entire structure was beautiful to look at! The following day we also got to explore Vatican City and go inside the Vatican itself. I remember that pictures/videos were not allowed to be taken here, but it was enormous inside the building and very pretty all around!
After our explorations in Italy, our cruise ship arrived at its final destination of Paris, France. Our trip was not done here, though! My parents booked a hotel for us to stay in Paris for three whole days before we were to fly home.
Of the several days we stayed in Paris, I definitely remember our visit to the Arc de Triomphe. We had to walk in an underground tunnel to get to it, and when we climbed to the top of the structure it was sundown. This was coincidentally great timing, because we looked to the Eiffel Tower to see it light up in sparkling white lights. I did not know that this happened at all, so it was truly magical to see such a spectacle. If you are ever in Paris, please look to the Eiffel Tower when the sun sets over the horizon so that you can witness this for yourself!
Speaking of the Eiffel Tower, have you ever been to the top? Or at least seen the lines in order to get up there? I remember that there was a HUGE line for some sort of elevator, but no wait in order to use the stairs. So, that's just what we did. For my dad and I, both VERY afraid of heights, this was not easy whatsoever. I remember it took quiet awhile for us to reach the middle level of the tower. Once there, there are no longer any stairs and you have to wait in line for an elevator to go to the very top. Unfortunately for us, they were just closing the elevator for the day. So, we had to climb all the way back down. Even though we only made it halfway up, the views from the tower were still beautiful! If you have ever been to the top, please send me pictures as I'd love to see!
The last major attraction we visited was the Louvre. Yeah, that one with the glass pyramid on the outside! It did house hundreds of beautiful art pieces, including the Mona Lisa. If you plan to see this artwork, however, prepare to enter a room full of people surrounding the single painting. We were not able to see it close up due to the crowd, but I would recommend that you go and try to see it for yourself or at least still visit the museum for the experience!
After Paris, we flew home. Again, apologies for the lack of photos here. I will have photos in future blogs! Those posts will also have more specifics the closer we get to the present as I am able to remember more details. All tips I have included here please take with a grain of salt as I have not visited these countries in over ten years. If you have any questions, let me know! Please also free feel to send me your own experiences or photos! My contact information can be found on the Contact Me page!
"It feels good to be lost in the right direction."
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