Post 8: Hyde Park

Just the other day, my friends and I took a stroll through Hyde Park, one of the capital's eight Royal Parks. Covering 350 acres of land, Hyde Park is home to a number of famous landmarks including the Serpentine Lake, Speakers' Corner and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. The park offers a number of recreational activities too like open water swimming, boating, cycling, tennis and horse riding.

This park is, by far, my favorite place in all of London. There were people enjoying themselves everywhere you looked, throwing a Frisbee or playing with their dog. There were a number of absolutely gorgeous fountains and statues that literally took my breath away. A sense of true peace came to me as we walked through, passing swans and geese in the ponds, dogs romping around in the grass, and children squealing nervously as pigeons landed just a little too near them. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the same peaceful state of mind and appreciated the beauty in both nature and in art.

Post 7: Paris!

This past weekend was amazing. I never thought I would be spending time in Paris, going to the Louvre and going to the top of the Eiffel Tower!

The first night we arrived in time for dinner so we checked into our hotel and almost immediately went out to see the Eiffel Tower lit up against the night sky. It was absolutely beautiful. We found the perfect viewing spot then waited about 20 minutes to see it sparkle, as it does every hour on the hour when it's dark.

Afterwards we went to a quaint little restaurant down the street and indulged in DELICIOUS Parisian food. I must say, it was quite the nice change from England, haha.




On Saturday, we got up early to go on a bus tour. Our tour guide was very friendly and informative, I learned a lot. We got off the bus at the Eiffel Tower for a while to take pictures and buy little souvenirs. We passed the Arc Du Triumphe, the Lock Bridge, as well as many famous statues and fountains. The bus dropped us off at the Louvre, where we were given entry tickets and maps. Among many other beautiful works of art, I saw the Mona Lisa! Even writing it now, it seems unreal.



After we left the Louvre, Jenna suggested we go to Sacre-Coeur, the highest point in Paris, located on the hill of Montmartr. This was the most amazing and surreal experience I've ever had. We climbed hundreds of steps to reach the top where an ancient Basilica stands. Looking down, you could see almost all of Paris. There were hundreds of people everywhere, speaking all different languages, all enjoying the beautiful weather and the beautiful view. I felt truly at peace and extraordinarily lucky to be there.



On Sunday, we took the ride up the Eiffel Tower all the way to the top! It was snowing and bitterly cold, especially with the wind whipping around us, but it was worth it. You could see absolutely EVERYTHING. It was like being on top of the world.


I am so incredibly thankful to have had this opportunity. I will never forget it.