My remaining time in Europe has been amazing. I never thought I would have the chance of visiting Spain, or even Portugal and France. My trips to Portugal and France were nothing like I expected it to be but everything I hoped it to be.
I first went to Lisbon, Portugal. I had to take a ten-hour bus trip from Cadiz, Spain to get there. Ten hours by myself. It was one of the best trips I have ever made in my life. Despite the long hours, the time it took to get there was worth it in the end. Lisbon is a beautiful city rich in culture and sceneries. For those of you reading this and plan on visiting, make sure to do research on the public transportation and places to visit. My trip was very spontaneous, so I did not know what I wanted to see, and it was hard for me to figure out the transportation. DON’T make the mistake of thinking you can walk everywhere like I did. Lisbon is filled with very steep hills and a lot of people. However, walking from place to place can also be very adventurous here. You can be walking on one route and find yourself at a hill top overlooking the city and riverside. While I was there I stayed in a small hostel in Rossio square. The location was perfect for me because it was in the center of the city, near buses, the train station and the market. I got to visit many places like St. Jorges Castle, Jerónimos monastery, and Alfama. My two favorite things to do in Portugal was going on the Santa Justa Lift and visiting Christ the King. I have a fear of heights, yet I did not want that to get in the way of me fully enjoying myself. I went on the famous life at night. It was an amazing view at the center of Lisbon. I visited the famous statue of Christ the King on my last day in Lisbon. It was beautiful. I highly recommend visiting both of these sites.
Soon after Lisbon I visited Paris, France. I loved it. The city is everything people make it out to be. The people are friendly and fun, the food is good, and the city itself is enriched in history. I got to visit the Eiffel tower, the louvre and the Notre Dame. I loved the louvre because I did not expect it to be as big as it is. I also loved it because I finally got to see the paintings and sculptures I had learned about in my previous art history/history classes. My favorite experience while in Paris was meeting up with a friend I made back when I was in Burgos, Spain. He was also studying abroad in Spain and lives in Paris. He took me out with his girlfriend and group of friends one night and it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed my time the most by the Seine River. At night, its filled with groups of people drinking and dancing along the river to different types of music. I truly enjoyed Paris and the people I met there and cannot wait to go back someday.