The last few days have been… wow. Between our day trip to Italy, our goodbye dinner, and now finally arriving in Paris for the extension… I am seriously not sure where to begin so i'll break everything down as best as possible!

Italia: the day started early to ensure maximum beach time. We arrived in a small town just on the boarder of France and Italy and were treated to a day at a private beach. The sand, and atmosphere, was very relaxing. Lunch was offered at the beach club, some friends and I ventured more towards town to test the local cuisine. We found a small restaurant just a few minutes walk from the beach and were immediately impressed. Even the bottled water tasted better. Seriously, I wish I could ship home European water. Ive heard on many occasions that the reason for the better quality bread is actually because of the water being used… something about the minerals…anyway, the lunch was amazing. I ordered a spagetti dish. It was absolutely, 100%, perfectly al dente. We returned to the beach for a full afternoon of laziness. Dinner was served around 7 pm. I probably should have ordered something different from pasta for lunch, we also had a pasta pesto dish that evening; however, this too was irresistible and delicious. We finally made it back on the bus and arrived at the residence at around 10 pm.

Goodbye: The group was given free time for most of the morning on the 29th and was able to pack and have brunch at 11 am. We convened at 6 to head to our chef, Pearla's, apartment for a special home cooked meal and performance time by the staff and some of own. The night consisted of good food, dancing, music, and some laughs. I really liked Pearla's dish tonight. It was something that I may consider having for my last meal or maybe on my wedding menu. It was a potato but there was really nicely seasoned beef cooked underneath it and burnt just at the perfect amount. The night ended with a giant group hang out at the residence. It was a very tiring day all in all. But especially because of the packing. The process of fitting everything back in my suitcases basically consisted of sweating, sweating, and cursing at my ridiculous amount of clothing that I once felt obliged to bring.

First Day in Paris: Sad goodbyes at the airport were followed by a rush to the gate! Paris was reached in no time, just an hour and a half flight. Immediately, I showered as soon as I got to my room at the Mercure Hotel which is seated right next to the Eiffel Tower! Tonight, the group headed over to the infamous Moulin Rouge for an impromptu tour of the even more infamous red light district. Next was a classic French dinner at a classic French restaurant which was about a 30 minute metro ride away. The dinner was actually some of the best food I've eaten so far on the trip. I think i'll definitely eat well here! I am very tired from today and the last few as well. A demain!