Barcelona

We spent three days in Barcelona and were excited to find the weather in Spain to be considerably cooler than in Italy. Our friend Hokei from Hong Kong came to Barcelona for the three days we were there to spend time with us and take his final European vacation before moving back to Hong Kong. We went out to dinner and dancing with a group of six other girls one night which was a blast! We spent one day on the sandy beach which was very nice, although not as beautiful as Nice. We toured the Prado mueseum and saw amny famous works of art by Piccaso and Dali. On a bus tour we enjoyed hearing about much history of Barcelona and saw many buildings designed by the famous architect Gaudi.

Laura and Kelly

Avignon and Nimes

The travel day from Nice to Nimes included a few stops along the way. Avignon is famous for its half finished bridge, which was at one time the only completed bridge for miles, but has since been bombed. We enjoyed paninis and crepes for lunch, a French specialty. We then stoped at the Pont du Darg to view the famous aqueduct built 19 BC. Below the bridge in the water many people were enjoying themselves in the water and jumping off clifts. We made our way to Nimes and enjoyed walking around the city taking in the sites and seeing what the street vendors had for sale.

Kelly and Laura

Nice

We spent a much needed relaxing day on the beach in Nice, France. The pebble beach was very comfortable, the water was very refreshing, and the view was spectacular! We enjoyed some tasty chicken sandwiches on the beach which we bought from a small local restaurant. Soaking up the sun did our bodies and souls well as much of our European trip was not very relaxing!

Laura and Kelly

Rome

We spent three days in Rome in a very nice hotel in a great location. We toured the Vatican City, and took in many sites including the Roman/Imperial Forum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, Pantheon, and the prision where Peter and Paul were held. The ancient feel of the city was sureal and early AD and BC ruins were scattered throughout Rome. We felt the need to do a little shopping and bought ourselves some dresses and a purse. Rome is a beautiful city full of life and history galore.

Laura and Kelly

Florence

While only in Forence for two nights, we were able to see the famous statue of Michealangelo's David. It was an amazing, beautiful work of art! Unfortunately Kelly and I were sick from dehydration the better part of our stay in Florence. Temperatures reached a scorching 104 degrees and our room had no air conditioning! We pulled out fine thanks to our wonderful roommates, Sara and Dale. We also had an interesting encounter with a local Italian doctor who came to check on us. Ah, experiences for a lifetime!

Kelly and Laura

Venice

Ah, what a beautiful city. St. Marcs square is breathless; however, the pigeons will attack. We visited the palace, walked the streets and shopped, and we took a boat cruise to three islands: Morano, Burano, and Tercello. Morano is of course known for their glass, Burano has a population of 20, and Tercello is known for their colorful buidings and lace. The excursion was well worth it.

At night, Venice is much quieter and the lights make the city glow. We had an italian dinner, followed by a gondola ride with friends as we listened to our driver sing to us in italian.

Lucern

Weather still not in our favor, we still managed to enjoy what the city had to offer. We took a boat cruise to the bottom of Mt. Pilatus and visited the top of the mountain. The view was cloudy at first but luckily cleared up in time for us to capture the beautiful view of the other mountains and hillsides. The cable car ride down was cool because it was another great view and we could hear the cow bells from below. The city gave us a great chance to do some shopping and relax.