France | A Birdseye View of Paris

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BY SARAH BRANDENBURG

When I was in Paris I lived in the 14th Arrondissement, where the Montparnasse tower finds her home. I could see the large edifice from my apartment window and wondered what it would be like to climb to the top.

The full fee to enter the observation deck is 18 euros and 15 euros for students. It is a big cost to pay to be surrounded by tourists vying for a glance. I recommend traveling to the top of the tower, and I have a few suggestions.

My roommate Andrea

If you want to relax from the heat at the same time, instead of going to the observation deck, make your way inside the lobby of the Montparnasse Tower and take the left elevator to the restaurant. The restaurant is pretty pricey but they have a tiny café/bar with a gorgeous view.

The refreshments are pricey but I ordered a glass of freshly pressed Pamplemousse (grapefruit) juice for 9 euros (less than the cost of a ticket to the observation deck) and relaxed in the air conditioning with a refreshing break.

If you go to Paris in the summer, be prepared for a strong heat and no air conditioning. Most of the establishments in Paris are not retrofitted for air conditioning, so finding a cool place like the café at the top of the tower is a welcome break from the hot city.

The view from my apartment: the large tower on the left is the Montparnasse

Sarah Brandenburg studied abroad in Paris, France in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/French-Paris/

Spain | The Party’s Just Begun

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BY PAULINA HERNANDEZ

What do you know, another Cheetah Girls reference for ya.

But really, this is how I would express my thoughts the moment I got settled into my new residence for the next 3 ½ weeks. I got a corner room, so my roommate and I lucked out with a larger room than normal. It had 2 twin-sized beds, lots of desk space and windows, a small kitchen and a bathroom. The evening I landed Barcelona, we had a short orientation with the professor and TA going over the unique layout of the course — which included a guided tour of the city the following afternoon!

One of the coolest parts of this program is that half the time, our classroom is the city and country itself via tours. Luckily, this city tour included all the major ‘touristy’ attractions Barcelona has to offer, so we easily got to check them off our list right at the beginning. It was great because the I didn’t feel pressured to go see these all the remaining of the trip on my own time. Here are some of the places we got to visit ?

Montjuic

Montjuic is a mountain that stands over the city. It literally translates to “Jewish Mountain” because that is where the Jews were thought to settle in the late 1400s. It was the first time I got a good look at the skyline as our tour guide was pointing out particular buildings and areas I would soon come to know on my own.

There were people selling souvenirs, which was common to find in this tourist attractions. Others were just picnicking on the hill or set out blankets to relax and enjoy the view among good company. Our tour guide continued to tell us about the Olympic Stadium that was reconstructed for the 1992 Olympics that were held in Barcelona and practically reshaped the image of the city to the world. It is now currently used for concerts, sporting events, or music festivals.

Park Güell

This place was the one I was most excited to see for various iconic Cheetah Girls 2 reasons (y’all thought I was kidding huh?). It was created by Antoni Gaudi, whose work I soon began to recognize and fall in love with. He has this style of organic architecture that was inspired by the idea that nature was a creation of God.

Park Güell was originally built for residential housing, hoping that the wealthy families would want to live up on the hill with one of the best views of Barcelona. Unfortunately only a couple of families bought into this idea, so the remaining space was decided to be used as a public park. The beautiful arches and artwork of Gaudi, including the fairytale-looking houses and mosaic dragon, can all be seen here!

Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia is probably one of the most iconic landmarks of Barcelona today, and Gaudi’s most well-known masterwork — it just so happens to not be finished yet. It has remained an active church, except for during the Spanish Civil War period. The construction of this beautiful monument began in 1882 until Gaudi took over in 1883 and worked on it until the end of his life. It is still a continued project and is now projected to be completed in 2026!

From a birds-eye view, the finished shape of the church is supposed to be the cross. There are going to be 3 facades once it is finished representing The Nativity, The Passion and The Glory. Staring at the Sagrada Familia, you can see the endless details all around. One of the clearest views of the church is from the Plaza de Gaudi.

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Paulina Hernandez studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/span-barcelona/

France | Step Inside a Painting

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BY SARAH BRANDENBURG

A short train-ride outside of Paris there is a tiny town called Giverny. This village is where Claude Monet lived, and he created some of his most iconic paintings in these gardens.

The gardens in Giverny, where Claude Monet used to paint, are still cared for splendidly by talented gardeners. The little pond he used in his paintings still exists and there was a certain nostalgia in visiting a place I had only seen in impressionistic paintings.

Monet’s impression of the gardens is what catapulted a simple pretty and calming place into an iconic landmark. The place is beautiful, but Monet made it so.

My classmate enjoying the gardens at Giverny

The pond that Monet famously painted

I tried to capture an impressionist style photograph

Another classmate standing on the famous green bridge

The famous lily pads

A photograph trying to be a painting

Sarah Brandenburg studied abroad in Paris, France in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/French-Paris/

Ireland | The Southwestern Wild Atlantic Way

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BY ALEXIS HARMON

We finally rented a car and were able to explore parts of rural Ireland. This trip we focused on the southwestern coast and we found some incredible spots. Plus, they’re all free since we avoided the major tourist sites in favor of lesser visited but equally beautiful spots! We saw a lot of beautiful nature, but also encountered old churches, ancient ruins, and a castle.

Cliffs of Kilkee

These cliffs rival the Cliffs of Moher, but they’re free, don’t have any ugly barriers, and virtually no one is there to impede the view so in my opinion they’re definitely superior. There’s a nice scenic drive along the Kilkee coast with incredible views that will make you want to pull over every other minute to just revel in the beauty. This is probably the most beautiful place I’ve been in Ireland and the town of Kilkee is a great place to stop for lunch besides.

Dingle Peninsula

There are two major scenic peninsulas in southwestern Ireland, the smaller Dingle Peninsula and the vast Ring of Kerry. We only had time to drive the Dingle since that drive alone (with plenty of stops) took a full day. First, we went through Conor Pass, the highest drivable mountain pass in Ireland. You can see the foundations of some ancient town down below.

It was freezing and windy out, but even so the beaches just looked so inviting. The color of the water everywhere was just unreal and the cliffs were stunning.

We stopped by at a cool exhibit called the Famine Houses that overlooked the ocean. It’s an abandoned rural homestead full of information on the famine that I highly recommend going to see. They also have lots of sheep in the area and they give you free food to treat them with.

Churches

We encountered lots of old churches, especially around Lough Gur, many of which were between 400-600 years old. Many conveniently had placards with information on site. These had fascinating graveyards with really old graves and the remaining detail on the crumbling structures was really interesting.

This church had something in the graveyard called a marriage stone which looks like a plain gravestone with a small hole in the middle. If you and your sweetheart touch index fingers through the hole, you’re married for a year, according to tradition.

We didn’t have time to go farther, but if you hike two miles from this Lough Gur church you’ll find the ruins of a whole prehistoric village. Even without time for this, driving around you’ll come across prehistoric beehive houses and slab tombs.

Legend has it that if you squeeze through this tiny church window you’ll make it to heaven- a reference to the “eye of the needle” scripture- so we did it just in case.

In addition to churches, you’ll encounter random beautiful shrines like this one we saw right before hitting the westernmost point in all of Ireland.

Rock of Dunamase

The Rock of Dunamase is a ruined castle with truly fascinating history that’s too lengthy to go into depth here so read about it here instead. Briefly, it has been a defensive fortress since the 9th century, although this structure was built around 1200. The pictures don’t capture the grandeur of this ruined fort set atop a huge hill with commanding views of the countryside so just go see for yourself and climb around the 800 year old castle!

Alexis Harmon studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland during Spring 2019: http://eap.ucop.edu/OurPrograms/ireland/Pages/immersion_ireland_universities.aspx

Spain | Eat. Pray. Love.

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BY PAULINA HERNANDEZ

I just saw Eat, Pray, Love for the first time on this plane ride to Barcelona. I am flying by myself across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. I accidentally mixed creamer and sugar into tea because I thought it was coffee for the first time. Lots of first here on this July 5.

I am a believer in everything happening for a reason.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a 21 year old college gal who is used to being away from my family for long periods of time because, you know — schoolwork, organizations, friends, mental health, social life, church — it catches up to you. But being home for 2 1/2 weeks before my trip made me feel like I was a high schooler again, in the best way. I was really going to miss my parents and the crazy kiddos I call my siblings. When I hugged my mom goodbye as I went up the escalator, I tried so hard not to cry. I have been so excited for this trip for months, I didn’t anticipate the nerves to come as much as they did. But that was okay, too.

So was my flight being delayed almost 2 hours.

It was one of those very hot days in LA and even though I was nervous to board, I was ready to leave — but our plane wasn’t. We had already pulled away from the terminal when the pilot says an engineer needs to double check something on the plane. But hey, better that than something going wrong on your first flight across the Atlantic right?

I was lucky enough to get the window seat, even though this dude was sitting in it hoping no one showed up (sorry I need the window seat lol). But the real lucky part was that the two guys sitting next to me are locals from Barcelona, Spain who came to travel the coast of California to surf! They speak Spanish and Catalan (which I was trying to learn via DuoLingo as I tried out the 10ish words I knew). It’s cool to speak Spanish with them because even though it sounds a little different (and faster) we are able to communicate, which is the super cool thing about learning multiple languages. A friend once described to me that once the language barrier is broken, the personality can soar. I want to show my personality to Spain, who I am.

I journaled this a little before I boarded, but without having my expectations or hopes too high, I am ready for this life-changing experience everyone keeps telling me I am about to have. I don’t need to rediscover who I am because I already love who I’ve become, BUT I am excited to see the ways in which I grow, the only way God can teach me in the place I am about to explore. Vengo por ti Espana.

Hasta luego,

Paulina

Paulina Hernandez studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/span-barcelona/

Spain | Studying Abroad in Spain

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BY PAULINA HERNANDEZ

If you’re new to my little corner of the internet, hey there and thanks for visiting! I’m Paulina and am blessed to be able to study abroad THIS SUMMER to my dream destination: Barcelona, Spain. I am participating in the University of California (UC) Summer Travel Study program “Barcelona: The Story of a City, Its Art and Cultures” all of July. I will be completing two upper division Spanish courses going towards my Spanish minor, though any major or minor is welcomed to the program. This program is particularly exciting because part of my classroom will be the beautiful city of Barcelona!

A little bit about myself: I am a proud Latina and UCLA Bruin majoring in Statistics and double minoring in Spanish and Chicano Studies. I am SoCal born and raised (and yes, I freeze below 70 degrees). I love to dance all kinds, experience new cultures, am obsessed with Disney and mini marshmallows, love Jesus and my family dearly, and am probably the only Mexican-American girl who listens to country while eating spicy chips. If you decide to stick around, you’ll quickly realize how much of a dork I really am. I’m excited to document and share my travels in Barcelona with y’all + keep an online journal for reminiscing and inspiration, or just for fun!

It all started when…

I was a baby freshman who knew two things: I wanted to major in STEM and study abroad in Spain. I cannot tell you how many times I came to Murphy Hall to schedule an appointment with a study abroad counselor since my first quarter. I came into UCLA with all of my general education classes and foreign language requirements completed, so it was not as easy to find a study abroad program in Spain that would count towards my major. For Bachelor of Science majors, it can sometimes seem impossible to find a program that: 1) won’t be a waste of time or money or 2) won’t take up 100% of your time abroad because the experience is just as valuable as the education. It was not until the beginning of my junior year when a specific counselor, Sergio, helped me realize I could pick up a Spanish minor so the classes I would be paying for would transfer for some credit. It was honestly the best thing I could have done; I do not know why I didn’t think of that before! So if you’re in the same boat as I was (south campus major that didn’t want to take math/science classes abroad), I highly recommend adding a language minor.

Truthfully, the sole reason I wanted to travel to Spain was inspired by The Cheetah Girls 2 movie (and if you have not watched it, you are either below the age of 12 or have not checked Netflix yet). But in reality, this city and its country are full of immense history, culture and beautiful people that I CANNOT wait to witness and experience with my own two eyes and feet!  

Paulina Hernandez studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/span-barcelona/

France | Edible Art: Food in Paris

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BY SARAH BRANDENBURG

I have one slice of cake, I mean, one slice of advice for you, be adventurous with food in Paris! I recommend trying the classic french staples, that everyone in the world knows about, but then I challenge you to move forward and try new things. Ethnic food, unique bakeries, unfrench like food! I say this because Paris is a diverse and multicultural city, and as much as trying french food is almost a requirement, I want to push you to press those boundaries and go further than the classic french.

A chocolate and salted caramel crêpe at a family establishment

One of my favorite meals was a falafel wrap in Le Marais (the Jewish quarter). Every establishment claims to be the best, but I found every place there delicious. (L’as du Fallafel is a good place to try.)

I also tried a Persian restaurant in the 14th Arrondissement where I lived called Le Chalizar. It was delicious.

Push yourself to try new things. Discover the diversity within Paris by experimenting with food.

A juicy burger and pomme frites

Profiteroles – A classic french dessert which is a “must taste”

A Falafel from the Marais

A pizza from the Italian square

The best hot chocolate in Paris is not at the tourist filled Ladurée. I found my favorite cup at Café Laurent.

Above were my two favorite desserts in Paris and must visits. First is a meringue cake from Le Merveilleux de Fred. These bakeries are scattered around Paris and the famous Merveilleux is a must-try, perfected by Frédéric Vaucamps.

Second is a chocolate St. Honoré from the oldest bakery in Paris, Stohrer. I recommend trying anything from this bakery. St. Honoré aux Chocolat was my favorite, and I had the best chocolate éclair here.

Persian food from Le Chalizar

Decadent homemade icecream and sorbet from La Crème de Paris

Crème brûlée

Sarah Brandenburg studied abroad in Paris, France in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/French-Paris/

France| Want to Relax in Paris?

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BY SARAH BRANDENBURG

After a long day in Paris, hop onto metro 1 line and take it to the last stop, Chateau de Vincennes. The quiet and peacefulness of this park is a beautiful place to unwind. Perfect for reading, writing, photography, or just to experience a live painting.

The park is filled with activities for people of all ages. Carousel rides, a zoo, rowboats, and pathways for bike riding are only a few of the activities offered. My favorite part of the park was a “Weeping Willow” tree we found at the edge of the lake. It was a beautiful addition to a peaceful place.

The next time you are in Paris, I recommend taking a boat ride here or having a picnic on the green grass surrounded by the shade of trees.

Sarah Brandenburg studied abroad in Paris, France in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/French-Paris/

France | A Historic Ballroom in the Musée d’Orsay?

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BY SARAH BRANDENBURG

I spent a cloudy morning in Paris exploring the famous Musée D’Orsay. The sculptures and paintings inside the museum are breathtaking, but the building itself is a piece of history and a work of art. This museum used to be a railway station called Gare D’Orsay, and the main hall of the station is now lined with sculptures from the past. This extraordinary building adds to the grandeur of the museum.

I made my way through the creative workings of humans from the past. What depth of expression can be communicated without a word being spoken. What emotion that transcends space and time is revealed in a simple painting or sculpture.

After exploring the museum with a guided tour, my friends and I stumbled upon a ballroom covered in gold and embellished with crystal chandeliers. It was exquisite. I felt as though I had walked into a time machine and was visiting Paris at her prime. This ballroom, La Salle des Fetes, is where general de Gaulle hosted a press conference in the year 1958.

The ballroom is rented out for events and parties now. I wonder who the people are that rent out this palace.

Sarah Brandenburg studied abroad in Paris, France in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/French-Paris/

France | France won the world cup (when I was in Paris)

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BY SARAH BRANDENBURG

History was made. France won the World Cup for the second time in history. And I was in Paris. The streets were crowded, noisy and loud, and being in the heart of France during this historic event was an experience I could never create.

Here are photographs to give you a glimpse into Paris at this time.

Sarah Brandenburg studied abroad in Paris, France in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/French-Paris/