Paris

So we spent last weekend in Paris! We did pretty much everything. We went to Notre Dame and St. Chappelle. We climbed the tower at Notre Dame and hung out with the gargoyles. The bells play to the tune of Ave Maria. We went to the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal and saw an incorrupt saint! We went to the happiest place on earth, otherwise known as the LOUVRE (best part is that we got in for free!). We spent Saturday at the Hotel des Invalides and saw Napoleon's Tomb. We also climbed the Eiffel Tower at night! It was freezing but incredibly beautiful as well! On Sunday we went to Mass at Sacre Coeur and spent the day in Montmatre until it was time to leave. My camera ran out of batteries half way through so these are all the pictures I have until I can steal the others from my friend's camera. This next 10 days is my vacation and we're headed to Barcelona, Madrid, Dublin, Galway, and London!!

Eiffel Tower
Seine River
Stained glass windows at Sainte Chappelle
Painting in the Louvre by Portuguese painter, Douglas SEQUEIRA
Chateaux in Luxembourg Gardens
Rose Window in Notre Dame (we were there while it was really gloomy outside so the Gothic architecture in the church was amazing! it was lit only by candle and natural light so it was a bit eerie)
Gargoyle on tower

Notre Dame
Plaque on our first stop, the plaza where Marie Antoinette was publicly executed

Greece!

So I got back from Greece last night. It was amazing but around day seven I did get home sick for Rome, cause well Athens is by far the shadiest city I've ever been to! The landscape is unlike anything I've ever seen and the coastal country is beyond beautiful. The best story comes from Delphi, where our entire class got kicked off of the archaeological site by one of the security guards for "being disrespectful." Our academic dean, Dr. Hatlie, fought for us and became our hero! My favorite place was Itea, outside of Delphi. These are a couple of pictures and when everyone is off the internet I can put more up.
The platform that St. Paul preached from in Corinth

The best preserved Greek theater in Epidaurous

Mycenae (finally getting to see the place we read about in all the epics)

The Theater of Dionysus from the acropolis in Athens

The Parthenon (Temple of Athena) on the acropolis in Athens

Athens from the areopagus

Delphi
An example of class time in Greece (in Delphi)

The Temple of Apollo in Delphi and our fearless leader, Dr. Hatlie

Itea
Itea
In Olympia we ran in the original stadium and our relay team won second, so we brought our winnings to the temple

Hermes of Praxiltes in Olympia

Helmets in Olympian Museum

Museum in Olympia (from the pediment on the Temple of Zeus)


Reliquary in Basilica of St. Nicholas in Bari (included are a thorn from the Crown of Thorns, part of St. Laurence's arm, and the tooth of St. Mary Magdalen)

Awesome!

These are awesome, Victoria! While you were seeing the Pope, did you ask him about the little red beanie hat? What about the Popemobile? And don't forget Wayne's habit!

Love

~k.

So since Pompeii I spent a weekend on retreat. The next two weeks were midterms and papers. We spent this past weekend in Cinque Terre and we saw the Pope!! I'm leaving for Greece tomorrow so I'll have pictures of that once I come back!

In the courtyard of the Papal palace waiting

The Pope!
Where we all want to live

Cinque Terre
Yes, at UD we build the Theater of Pompey instead of sand castles

Cinque Terre
St. Peter's Chains he was held in while imprisoned before his crucifixion

Inside the Colosseum
Inside the Colosseum