Madrid

Our first destination for our fall break was Madrid. Just to clear up who us is, it's me, Matt, Zach, Andrew, Alex, Luke, and Jacob. We landed in Madrid Wednesday night ready to see all of Madrid within the next 38 hours before we set off for Barcelona. We didn't have any set plans for the day on Thursday which is nice to an extent but looking back at it I wish we would've done that differently. We did a lot of wondering around and time wasting in the city, but eventually we would make something out of the day. We went to visit the Santiago Bernabeu which is the famous soccer team Real Madrid's stadium. It was one of the nicest stadiums I have ever seen and I decided I would regret it if I didn't take a tour so I decided to take a tour and meet up with the guys later on. The tour was amazing and gave me chill bumps and I'm not even a fan of Real. The history of the stadium is unreal and the amount of trophies they have won over the years is ridiculous. The trophy I found most intersting was the "Team of the Century" trophy which speaks volumes about the club by itself. It hurt seeing my favorite player from Tottenham who transferred to Madrid, Gareth Bale's, locker. The rest of the day in Madrid we explored the main sites for example the Palaca Real and Plaza Mayor. Madrid was definetly an industrial city but I liked it. It was nice being in a Spanish speaking country because it's the only language other than English I feel halfway confident on so I found the basic communicating with people much easier. The hostel we stayed in was fairly nice and at no point I ever felt threatened. Although, the major downside of the hostel was the man who slept below me who snored louder than anyone I have ever heard, maybe even louder than my dad. It literally shook the whole bed and I didn't get any sleep the first night. The second night I was determined to beat him to sleep and I succeeded which lead to a much better night of sleep (however this whole struggle made me really appreciate how my mom is able to sleep each night due to the amount of snoring that takes place next to her haha.) Our meal of choice in Madrid was Mcdonald's purely because of the price and the Chicken burger they had which was basically a McChicken plus BBQ sauce already on it, and for those who know me they know how much I love my BBQ. We also had one solid local suggested meal called Paella which is basically fried rice and a choice of meat (because there's only so much McDonald's I can eat.) We went to a few parks but it literally rained off and on the whole time we were in Madrid which made it hard for us to enjoy the city. Thursday night we saw a riot take place, and our guess the motive behind it was something to do with the education system. It was a normal protest until the riot squad was released with riot shields and then people started throwing chairs and bottles at the police within five feet of us. The police started charging the people around us so naturally we ran away and went back to the hostel (don't worry none of us were injured or threw anything.) On Friday afternoon, we set off for Barcelona where we would be staying until Monday. Until next time. (Again sorry about the lack of pictures.) 

Bayeaux, France. (Beaches of Normandy)

On last Monday and Tueaday we went to Bayeaux as a group, which is a small city in northern France, to stay in a monastery and visit some of the main sites around that area (Primarily the Beaches of  Normandy.) Whenever we first pulled into the town we saw a statue of Esienhower in honor of the work he did in World War II and a French and American flag flying above him which was a welcoming site. We didn't really do much on Monday, and the town of Bayeaux as a whole was pretty dead. It was a small quiet place and it was for sure hard to adjust from the hectic life of Paris to Bayeaux's slow laid back atmosphere. We spent some time in two museums for a tapestry and a small Beaches of Normandy museum but after that we just went back to the monastery, and yes I said monastery. The monastery had 16 nuns who still currently live there however they have a decent amount of rooms they let people stay in. It was dead quiet and there was a strict no noise after 10 o'clock rule. We had a wake up bell at 7 o'clock and then went and ate some breakfast which they provided, mainly bread with a few homemade jams. Overall, they were very welcoming to us and it was for sure an interesting experience. On Tuesday we set off for the Beaches of Normandy planning to visit two landing sites with the first one being the beaches of Omaha. I was really nervous we weren't going to be able to visit the cemetery because of the governments issues back home, but it was opened about 5 days before we were scheduled to go which was a major relief. The first thing I did when we got there was I took a lap around the cementery paying my respects to the all the men who gave their life when they stormed the beach. I then took the long walk down to the actual beachand tried my best to invision the whole scene playing out. I can't even begin to imagine the feeling of terror those men felt that day, but they got the job done. I have never felt more proud to be American than I did that day. It gave me chill bumps looking at the USA flag flying above the cemetery and realizing just how lucky I am to be American. We then went to a British landing area where the floating dock was brought in from the UK and set up on the shores of France and learned about how impressive and important this really was (which I never knew about until we visted that area.)  The rest of the day we spent at an area called Mont Saint Michel's which basically was an old monastery on top of a rock island. We went back to Paris Wednesday morning and then were released for our fall break. Seven of us guys decided to travel together and our first destination was Madrid which is where I'll pick up next time. Also, I'm lacking on pictures because I don't have a way to transfer them from my camera to phone on break, so when I get back I'll put up my best pictures in a blog post. Hope all is well. 

Paris Pt. 2

On last Sunday we did a bike tour as a group and saw the major historical sites of the city. We went to the main sites of the French Revoultion and got to invision all the different scenes of it and how it all played out. Which again was awesome because we just recently studied it and I already knew most of it. We also saw the exact place princess Diana wrecked and talked about the conspiracies behind it. We of course saw Notra Dame which was impressive and then took a quick stop at the richest portion of Paris where Johny Depp and multiple other celebrities have property. After the bike tour me, Micahela, and Evan set off for Disneyland Paris. For those who don't know, my family is obsessed with Disney so naturally if I had the chance to go in Paris, I was going to take advantage of it (Emily my sister has already been before so now 2 of us Davidsons have been.) We got there and got in line to buy our tickets which were going to be about 65 euros when all of the sudden we were approached by a German man who offered us three tickets for only 10 euro a piece. At first we didn't believe it and thought it was a scam, but he said he would wait and make sure it worked for us and then we could pay, and he stayed true to his word. The amount of excitement all three of us felt after the tickets worked and we were inside the park is indescribable. We were at the happiest place on earth plus we saved near 80 American dollars! Whether it was an act of God or a true example of Disney magic it doesn't matter, regardless we were pumped. We then spent the next 7 hours riding rides and doing the typical Disney routine. The only downside of the day was that Pizza Planet was closed, but it's okay because we were too excited too care. Overall, It was a lot of fun and for sure one of the highlights of my trip. It did make me miss home and my family some due to the sentimental value of Disney, but regardless I had a blast with Evan and Micahlea and I couldn't of asked for a more blessed day. Until next time. 

Paris Part 1

We arrived in Paris last Friday via the Eurostar as a whole group for our educational field trip, which is by far the best field trip I have ever been on in my life. We had dinner as a group and then were released for free time for the rest of the night. A group of us went straight for the Eiffel Tower where we would end up spending the rest of the night there hanging out and taking pictures. As we were walking away we saw a crape stand so of course I had to stop and get one. I got a banana and Nutella crape and honestly it was all it's been cracked up to be and more. I loved it. Granted after I ate it I went on a jog because I felt way too stuffed to walk around. We then made it back and went to bed because we had a packed day set for Saturday. On Saturday we went to Versailles and The Louvre. Versailles was honestly unbelievable. The entire estate was impressive and the size of the whole area was unreal. We broke down and rented a boat for an hour and took it around the canal there, which was awesome. Also, right before we left for our field trip we just finished studying this time period in France's history so it was cool putting what I learned into real life. We then headed to the Louvre where we got a 2 hour tour which considering how big it was it wasn't near long enough of a tour. Our tour guide told us it takes 3 months to see the entire Louvre, and even she has just recently seen all of it. The Monalisa was a bit smaller than I imagined and honestly it wasn't my favorite part. I have never been a big artsy guy but I was in awe the whole time. After that some of us set out to go see the local soccer team's, PSG, stadium. Unfortunately we were about twenty minutes too late because the match that was going on had just sold out, but I was pleased to add that to the list of stadiums I've seen. Overall my first two days in Paris were awesome, and it would only get better from there. Side note, I'm currently free traveling on my fall break with some of the guys and will be until November 3rd, so the updates will be randomly done when I find time on wi-fi. Hope all is well back home. 

Switzerland: Lausanne

On Sunday we decided to just have a relaxing day in Lausanne before we were set to fly out of Geneva that night. Jordan was busy catching up on some homework so us five decided to wonder around Lausanne and see what it had to offer. We walked down to the beautiful lake Geneva and took some pictures. We ended up staying down there for about a few hours just relaxing and enjoying the boardwalk like atmosphere down by the lake. There was an olympic fair going on at that time down at the lake where people could participate in various events, with my favorite being a booth where they would time your bobsled start by using a real bobsled and about thirty yards of open area. Another cool thing about Switzerland as a whole is that they had fountains all over the cities that constantly poured fresh water out (picture below) which was very convenient to us since we enjoy being cheap and don't want to spend money on drinks.  Also, I found it cool that just across Lake Geneva we could see France, and while I was on top of the Swiss Alps I could see Italy, so technically I saw three countries in one weekend. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the nice Pepperdine house just relaxing and playing ping pong. Matt and I's flight was set to take off at 9:45 PM and land around 10:15 in London due to the time difference. We were going to have around exactly an hour and a half to get to the train station from the airport to get on a train back to Bath or we were going to be stuck in London for the night. Well of course our flight got delayed so we got stuck in London. It wasn't awful purely because Matt and I's attitude. We were determined to make the most of it so we walked about an hour or so from train station to train station since the tube's were closed and got to see some of the sights of London at two in the morning which was actually cool. We relaxed the rest of the night the best we could in the train station and hopped on the train at 5:19 getting into Bath at 7:00, just in time for our nine o'clock class. 

the fresh water fountain.

Switzerland: Zermatt

We got to Zermatt on Friday night and we could already tell a noticeable difference in the weather. We then had to look for our hostel which all we knew was that it was close to a golf course. We started walking down the road in hopes of finding the hostel stopping once or twice to attempt to ask the locals where it was. About ten minutes into the walk we started to get a bit discouraged when all of the street lamps were gone and the sidewalk had disappeared. However, we continued and eventually walked up on the only thing with lights and it happened to be our hostel. It was a small restaurant that had about five bedrooms on the top floor, and the best part of the hostel or really the hotel was that it was located in between the alps (Picture below of our view). Saturday we decided to take a ski lift up to the very top of the Alps. The unique thing about this lift is that it is the highest ski lift in all of Europe reaching the height of around 13,000 feet. When we got to the top it was around -4 degrees Fahrenheit which is by far the coldest temperature I have ever been in. My toes felt like they were going to break off at any moment, but the view was worth it. It didn't seem like I was looking out at a real mountain range. It was the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen and I honestly don't think it will ever be topped. The town of Zermatt as a whole was awesome. All the buildings had the same style of architecture and the town had an inviting vibe about. We had some time to spare so we stopped and had a cup of hot chocolate at a local pub which was the best cup of hot chocolate I have ever had (probably because of how cold I was.) Overall, my time in Zermatt was a great experience, and although it was pricey I highly suggest it to everyone. Enjoy the pictures.

Our view from the Hostel

Switzerland: Broc-Frabrique & Gruyere

Thursday night Matt, Allie, Sarah, Mary Kate, and I landed in Geneva, Switzerland. I was a bit nervous because this was my first true experience in a place where they didn't speak English fluently because I have been spoiled with England. We went to Lausanne, Switzerland on train where I had the privilege of meeting up with my long time friend Jordan who is studying there through Pepperdine. The next morning we set off for Broc-Frabrique where the chocolate factory for the famous Callier chocolate is located. We took a tour which I found interesting because it showed us the evolution of chocolate and how it spread across the world, but the best part was yet to come. At the very end of the tour they show you how it's made and then you get free samples of chocolate and you can eat as much as you want. After about 15 pieces I had to call it quits, but Matt on the other hand was smart enough to bring a plastic bag in which he filled up for later, discreetly of course, and we snacked on it the rest of the trip. We then got on the train for another thirty minutes and went to a small town called Gruyere for the sole reason of having some Swiss fondue. I have never had fondue before so I can't be the judge when it comes to comparing it to others, but I can tell you my first experience with it was a good one. We then spent the rest of the afternoon looking at the beautiful Swiss country side and taking in the smaller side of the Alps. At the time we thought the mountains we were looking at were the big, but little did we know what we were about to see the next day in Zermatt. More to come tomorrow, enjoy the pictures.

London on Sunday

Sunday, right when I landed in Bristol I hopped on a train to London in transit to my third Tottenham match. I met Matt in London and we started heading to White Hart Lane. On the way, I stopped and visited Arsenal's stadium, another team in London, and took a quick walk around. After that we went to the stadium. Tottenham was playing West Ham this time, a team they should have easily beaten yet little did I know I was about to watch one of the worst performances from them I have ever seen. The final score was 3-0  West Ham, and honestly the whole game was miserable. We just never showed up. I'm determined to come back though because I don't my last game at that stadium to be a 3-0 loss. There's a chance I can make it back, but I won't get my hopes up. I'm heading to Switzerland tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited. I'm meeting up with my friend, Jordan Mastalerz, who is studying there through Pepperdine so it's going to be a great time. I'll update it on Monday. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Galway

During our time in Ireland we went to a city on the east coast of Ireland called Galway. It is primarily known for the tourist attraction called the Cliffs of Moher, but I was pleasantly surprised at what else the city had to offer. We got there Friday night by bus and started to walk around the small town. On our way to the hostel we probably walked by about 30 pubs during the five minute walk, and the thing is they were all packed with people. The thing about the pubs is they had one for literally all ages. There was a pub of all old people, young people, adults, a mix of adults and young people, etc. My favorite we walked by was the older person pub because of what I heard. Traditional Irish music was just blaring out of the pub and inside everyone is just enjoying each others company. The town had such a great community appeal to it that I have never experienced before and I loved it. It made me a want to carry that atmosphere and sense of community back over to Nashville. On Saturday we took a bus tour to the cliffs I mentioned earlier as well as other historic sites along the way. The Cliffs of Moher were beyond beautiful and I am thankful I got to see them in person. For those who care here's a fun fact about the cliffs: one of the last big scenes in the six Harry Potter movie was filmed there so that was cool to see. We eventually made it back to Dublin late Saturday night where we spent the night listening to the second half of the UT Georgia game and causing a scene of celebration and anger in the hostel common room. Also, I forgot to mention I had my first ever shepherd's pie during my time in Dublin and I loved it. But to wrap this up I had a great time in Ireland, and I loved the country as a whole. From its community aspect, friendliness, and beautiful landscape, it exceeded my expectations plus more. I hope to come back to Ireland one day and I highly suggest it. Until next time.

 

Dublin

This past weekend some of us went to Ireland starting on Thursday night. We didn't really know what to expect about Dublin and Ireland as a whole other than what we have heard about it such as Guinness, nice people, and beautiful country sides. Well within the first five minutes we found out two of these stereotypes weren't just stereotypes but we're dead on accurate. Our taxi driver was an extremely friendly person and of course mentioned Guinness during one of his first statements. We got to the hostel and then walked around and took in the night life scene in Dublin. It was awesome getting to walk through the streets and here traditional Irish music playing in all the pubs around. Dublin as a whole just gave off an extremely positive and happy vibe by the night life atmosphere and we all loved walking around in it. All day Friday we explored the city of Dublin and hit all the main tourist attractions such as "The Book of Kells", Christ Church, Dublin Castle, Guinness Factory, and the Kilmannan Gaol jail. The jail was my favorite part due to the history lesson of Ireland I got from it. We learned about the original prisoners and their stories, and how they affected Ireland during their fight for independence and Civil war. It was an educational experience I am thankful for and I don't regret spending a lot of time there. We went to Galway on Saturday, but I will make a separate blog post about it tomorrow. Dublin is now a close second to London in the early race for my favorite city in Europe, and I would love to go back again one day. Until next time.

Quick Update

The last few days we have had a lot of good bonding time with everyone on the trip. The fellowship aspect of this trip has been one of my favorite parts and this group of people are feeling more and more like family every day. We have a house church that meets every Tuesday in one of the apartments to just talk about our spiritual experiences, read, and praise together. I have never been more out of routine church wise but it has been a nice change of pace. I enjoy the more intimate service time we have together and look forward to it growing more and more as time goes on. Also, a few of us guys go to a park about a mile walk away and play soccer about two times a week. Normally it is just us playing against each other but last week we met a group of swiss teenager girls and boys who wanted to play with us. It was an awesome experience bonding over something as simple as soccer and I hope we can play with them again. We are heading to Dublin Thursday night, so I will try to post something this weekend about my Ireland experience. I hope all is well.