Paris Project for Travel portfolio

This is the map I created for my travel portfolio class.  I drew a scene from most of the places I went while we were in Paris and put myself in each of them.  I did them in watercolor, highlighter, pencil, and colored pencil.

Pairs Day 5- Pont des Arts Bridge, Getting lost, going back to Lacoste and an amazing Discovery!

Last day in Paris!  So much to do and not enough time to do it all!

I went out on my own today to explore.  The very first thing I did was go to the Pont des Arts bridge.  This bridge is considered the most romantic place in Paris and couples from all over the world come here to place what are called love locks on it.  Before Ken left, we made a love lock together for me to put on the bridge when I got to Paris.  The tradition is that when two people write their names on a lock and lock it to the bridge, they take the key and throw it into the Sein river and the only way that their love can ever be broken is if one of them can find their key and unlock their lock from the bridge.  A nice lady from Miami was nice enough to video tape me putting our lock on the bridge so I can send it to Ken.  I was so happy that she did that!  

Our lock <3

Palace of Justice

After the bridge I just wandered the city looking at things.  At one point I even got followed!  I realized this after I went around a block in a circle and he was still following me.  He was so surprised when I turned around and asked him if he wanted to die!  I may not look that dangerous, but I do know a lot of martial arts and I can definitely hold my own in a fight if it came down to that.  I got to see a lot of Paris that way and I'm glad I did that, although I would have loved to have some company as well.

Saint Jacque 

Guy playing accordion 

I finally made it to the train station after my walk of Paris.  The amazing thing that I just found out was that one of the other girls here and I are actually related!  We were talking and found out that we are cousins related through my great grandfather!  I think that that is amazing!  Going all the way to France to find family from the states.  I am so happy about this and I can't wait to get to know my new Cousin Perry better.  She is quite awesome.

Me and My New Cousin Perry

Notre Dame

Paris- Day 4- The Catacombs, Natural History Museum, Zoo, Sacre Cour, Moulin Rouge, and The Eiffel Tower

Today was another great day!  Jammed packed with wonderful things.  We started out by going to the Catacombes.  The bones of 6 million Parisians are buried there.  What really hit us was that that's how many Jews were murdered during the Hollocast.  These bones were collected over about 3 centuries and that's how many people the Nazi's killed in a little under 10 years.  It just really put so much into perspective for us.

Next we went to the Natural history Museum.  I wish we had more time to spend there because there were so many wonderful skeletons that I wish I could have sat down and drawn them for hours.  I took lots and lots of reference pictures though from multiple angles to draw from though and I hope that it will help me with my anatomy, I have a strong feeling that it will.


 I was so excited to find a skeleton of a Narwhal there because Ken does not believe that they are real so I now have my proof to show him that they do exist!  I can't wait to show it to him!  And to all the other people who have doubted their existence.

After we left the museum we were all feeling like we really needed to see something to cheer us up after seeing all those bones.  Luckily, right across the path from us was a zoo!  We could see all those animals that we had just seen skeletons of alive!  It was just what we needed. I had the best time there running from animal to animal in utter amazement at what I was seeing.  Most of these animals I had never seen before, except for the Guinea Pigs... which were kinda odd to find in a zoo- but they were cute so we didn't care.  My favorite though was the Red Panda.  I have always wanted to see one and now was finally my chance.  They were so cute and fluffy!  That made me so happy.

We after we rushed to meet up with our group that was heading up to Sacre Cour.  Unfortunately it was cloudy so the view from on top of the hill wasn't very good.  The church its self was beautiful, yet it did not top that of Notre Dame.
We wondered around up there for a while then we went by the Moulin Rouge to take a few pictures.  It was quite beautiful lit up and covered in neon.  We did not see a show there (thank goodness) we just wanted to see what it looked like.

Afterwards we went to dinner.  Finally we tried traditional french food and I had my first taste of escargot.  I was a little nervous about it because it's snail but it was delicious!  I'm very glad I got to try it.

Finally, we ended our day at the Eiffel tower.  We got there just in time to see it sparkle.  It was so much bigger then any of us expected it to be!  It was such a great thing to end such a wonderful day with.
I am so exhausted after today and I need to get to bed because tomorrow is our last day here and I want to make the most of it!
 Goodnight Y'all!

Paris- Day 3- Notre Dame

View from top of Notre Dame

Notre Dame

The Grand Bell- Emmanuel 

Today has probably been the best day I've had so far since coming to France.  I got out of a really bad situation, I got to see Notre Dame (one of the most beautiful churches on earth) I got to hang out with friends, and best of all: I got to talk to Ken for close to an hour!
Notre Dame de Paris.  I have always wanted to visit it since I was a little kid and saw Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."  This church is just so gorgeous!  If anyone is planing on going to Paris, it should definitely be on the top of your list!  I was just in total awe upon seeing it.  I went with our class to see it the first time, then I went back to see it again later that day because I just couldn't get enough of it.  I love stain glass so much and it really has a heavy influence on my drawing style.  The windows were so colorful and I just wish I could go back there right now!

Inside Notre Dame

We were lucky enough to be able to go up in the bell towers and see the Grand Bell Emmanuel and such a gorgeous view of Paris.  Some people in our group couldn't contain themselves from singing songs from "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame" or even from the musical "Le Miserable" a few even were whispering "Sanctuary!" We really had a great time there.  I literally spent all day there and was so sad to leave.  If I ever get to go back to Paris (I will make sure I will!) This will be one of the first places I will go again.

View from Notre Dame

Paris- Day 2- The Louvre and The Musée d'Orsay

Such. A. Bad. Migraine. That's all that was going through my head a majority of today.  We walked from our hotel this morning to the Louvre which felt like forever.
I got to see the egyptian exhibit which was HUGE!  There was so much to see.  I love egyptian art.  I'm so glad that I took pictures because, since I had a migraine, I don't really remember much of what happend today other than memories thorough the pictures.
While at the museum a security alarm came on telling us to find the nearest exit until "the situation" was under control.  We started to panic a little because although we were following the exit signs we were nowhere near any exit and we were going in circles... then we realized that we were the only ones worried about the announcement... we found a security guard and he told us that it was just an every day drill and nothing to worry about.  Boy did we feel silly!
My favorite part of the Louvre was seeing the mummies and the beautiful colors that the ancient egyptians were able to create.  They were so rich and vibrant!

At the Musée d'Orsay we saw lots of paintings that I had learned about in my art history classes.  It was so cool to see all of them in person!  My favorite was the Van Goghs.  I have always loved his work since I first learned about him in elementary school and I have always wanted to see his work in person.  They were so much more beautiful in person.  I am so grateful I had that opportunity.  While the artwork was beautiful and all, what I found so unexceptionably beautiful was the giant silhouette of the clock tower on the top on the museum.  I'm so glad I was able to quickly snap this picture because we aren't really supposed to be taking pictures inside of this museum.