CAPE COD // To Do: Cape Cod Rail Trail

A few weeks ago, I went to Cape Cod and took a bike ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The CCRT is a 22 mile path that begins in Dennis and ends in Wellfleet. It passes through Harwich, Brewster, Orleans and Eastham as well. My mom and I started at mile 1 in Dennis and went to mile 9 before biking back home. I hadn't biked in years, but the trail is almost entirely flat and though there are many well-marked road crossings, it's mostly off-road and really easy to navigate.

By the end of the bike ride, when we had finished the trail and were biking the two miles home, there was a traffic light at the end of the road. We were going to be turning right at the light, which was green at the time. I was trying not to think about how much my butt hurt and how tired I was and how much I wanted to be home. I saw the green light and felt a sudden, certain kinship with Jay Gatsby looking at Daisy's green light on her dock: the impossible dream so far away.

“…he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away…”

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

(Eventually I did make it to the green light and home, and I look forward to someday soon biking the entire trail!)

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More information about the CCRT here

PARIS // To Do: The Louvre

I took an art history class in high school. Not only did it make me feel super cool because I learned how to talk about art, but it gave me a deep appreciation for the different types of art and how scattered across the globe the world's greatest pieces are. So it was a privilege for have free access to a whole new set of them for five full months.

I should start by mentioning that my living situation in Paris, though it came with some challenges, was the most centrally located place I could've ever hoped for. Let's take a look:

Google says it takes twelve minutes to get to the Louvre, but I promise that it was more like seven. And what a great seven minutes those were, since they were all that separated me from entrance to the world's most visited museum and all the art I could ever want. I would go every week or two, whenever I felt like seeing something new. Nocturne Louvre, when the museum is open for four extra hours on Wednesday and Friday evenings, was like a dream. 

The night that all my friends left Paris, I grabbed my headphones and wandered around the museum for the final time of my study abroad trip. I meandered, going wherever looked interesting and taking as much time as I wanted, visiting pieces I'd never seen before and rooms I'd never stepped foot in. I haven't even come close to seeing as much of the museum as I want to - but there's plenty of time to go back and see it all.

I'm not here to convince you to visit the Louvre. I assume if you're going to Paris for the first time, you probably will, even if it's just to visit the Mona Lisa, a painting so popular that there are whole signs in the museum directing you to her location.

Instead, I ask that after you visit Mona, stay awhile. Look at all the other paintings and sculptures and art pieces that are just as cool. Visit the Napoleonic Apartments. Visit the sculpture garden. Hang out for a while and people watch. There's some pretty crazy things to see if you're willing to look for them.

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The Louvre is closed Tuesdays. More information here.

PARIS // To Eat: Crêpes!

I 100% didn't intend this, but as I was writing I realized that these were my first and last crêpes in Paris! 

It's no secret that crêpes are one of the things most associated with France. I couldn't tell you how frequently Parisians eat them, but I can attest to the fact that there are crêpe stands all. over. the. city. And I took full advantage of this. A ham and cheese crêpe served as my dinner when I didn't want to cook, a Nutella crêpe would be mine when I was looking for a dessert, and sometimes I would grab a butter and sugar crêpe when I was feeling peckish.

Crêpes tend to be fairly affordable. As a general rule, if you're paying more than €2.50 for a straight up Nutella crêpe, you're paying more than you should and will be able to find somewhere cheaper. You might not care. I was poor, so I cared.

Moving on. Here is my roundup of the best crêpes in Paris.

Nicest Crêpe Maker... Chocolat Rouge (50 rue Rambuteau 75004)

This is one of the first places I went in Paris. It's around the corner from my school in the Marais. This place wins for nicest crêpe maker because the man got to know us. He waved one morning as I walked by, calling out "Bonjour!" and then never really stopped every morning after that. He was willing to chat either in French or English. After a while he even started to give us discounts. They also sell paninis, drinks, etc, as many crêpe places in Paris do. Plus they have heaters on when it's chilly! It's across the street from the Centre Pompidou.

Cheapest Crêpes... Crêperie Genia (15 Rue de la Harpe 75005)

This place doesn't necessarily have the greatest crêpes I've ever tasted, but if you're on a budget, you can't beat their deal. You get a savory crêpe and a dessert crêpe plus a drink for only €5. It's around the corner from St. Michel metro stop. They prefer that everyone in your group is ordering something there if you're going to take advantage of their decently sized (for Paris!) seating area upstairs.

Coolest Location...Oh! Regalade de la Tour Eiffel. (75007, facing the Eiffel Tower between the tower and the Seine)

This is the only place I was able to find a strawberry and Nutella crêpe, though I'm sure there are others. Because it's facing the tower, it's expensive for a student budget (€7.50 for the crêpe I had), but it's worth it for the experience to eat crêpes in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

Great Crêpes after a Night Out... Unknown name (4 rue de l'Ancienne Comedie)

I'm not sure of the name of this place, but I street viewed it on Google Maps (click for link) and it's the place where the man is sticking out his arms. I went here for dinner on my 21st birthday just because I could. It's nothing particularly special, but I mention it because it's in the Odeon area, where there are a lot of bars, so this might be useful to know! There is a seating area upstairs too.

Overall Best Crêpe.... Creparis, located near the Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement. I desperately wished I had lived closer to here because I would have gone all the time! Unfortunately I checked their Facebook page and it looks like they've closed. Which is really sad. If you're going to Paris, research to see if they've reopened, because they were truly delicious.

This is only a handful of the crêpe stands I sampled while I lived in Paris. I'm sure there are other wonderful ones, but these are the ones that stand out in my memory. Wherever you get your crêpe fix, I hope you cherish each and every bite.

STUDY ABROAD // Diary Excerpts

An unedited peek at what my life was like all those months ago!

15th February, 2014

Paris, what a place. Life here is full of good food and crazy metro rides and lots of wine and a million photographs. 6 weeks later it's hard to believe this experience is actually happening, that what I dreamed about is really my life. Do I ever have to go home?

This evening I met up with Cole, Lacye, Sabrina and Aya at Aya's metro stop so we could go to Sacre Coeur. It's at the highest point of the city but somehow we managed to walk the exact opposite way. The area seemed kind of sketchy but miraculously we managed to avoid all creepers all evening. The church is gorgeous. When we'd been there about 15 minutes took a bunch of photos, and then walked inside we went back out and it started to POUR! Like, heavy, heavy rain. No Sacre Coeur at sunset for us! We went back inside and waited until Magda got there. Then we went to the Pink Flamingo, which has a location in the Marais as well. It a little more expensive at this location, but that makes sense. I got a Dante pizza and a Corona.

Being able to drink here seems so... normal. I guess it is better to get used to the culture of it here and then nothing will change. It's just much more relaxed here, and I honestly prefer it this way - it's a casual part of the culture but people don't spend hours talking about it. I guess with my birthday coming up in less than 3 weeks I'll be legal to drink in the States and alcohol won't be much of a thought anymore. Weird.