SPECTRUM 2007-2008

The sun gleamed warm and bright as I lay in the white sand by the Mediterranean Sea. I could hear my friends nearby as they played with a Frisbee in the warm, green water. “Nice throw, Michael!”? I felt the little grains of sand land on my skin as kids ran past me. The beach was packed with both vacationers and locals. The locals wore very little on their parched skin. Women wore thong bottoms with no tops, and the men wore feature-visible Speedos. Many of them were not physically fit, and most of them were elderly. Their open physicality came as a sudden shock to us, but they showed no concern at all. Despite the naked people who surrounded us, everyone enjoyed themselves at this beautiful vacation spot, located in Barcelona, Spain. I traveled to London, England; Paris, France; and Barcelona, Spain two summers ago with my school’s travel club. For two weeks, we enjoyed the experiences of Europe. People should travel to Europe because of the food, transportation, and attractions.

Europe offers a variety of unique foods. Pizza is a favorite food in America as well as in Paris. For example, after we walked for hours along the streets of Paris, our final destination was Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart) and then dinner! That night on the menu was Flam. Flam, a cross between pizza and a tartiflette, is a pastry topped with smoked ham, onions, crème, and fromageblanc. When the meal was set in front of us, we all looked at it with disgust. “What in the heck is that?”? Stephanie asked. Everyone grabbed a piece, and to our surprise, it was delicious. We all learned a lesson that night: always try something at least once! Furthermore, the people of Europe have different ideas of what a breakfast meal consists of. For example, the group headed down into the lobby for breakfast one morning, while in Barcelona. “I can’t wait to eat a big breakfast of waffles and hash browns!”? Dustin proclaimed. We all had ideas in mind, but to our surprise nothing was what we expected. We sat down and were immediately served our meal: subs! The sub consisted of a very pink meat and a stinky cheese. Dismayed, we each looked at our breakfast before we took a bite. They tasted wonderful! It was odd to have sandwiches for breakfast, but we all walked away full and satisfied. We later found out that the contents of our subs were simply a very pink ham and provolone cheese within a croissant roll. The unusual look of foreign foods can deceive the eye.

There are numerous ways to travel around Europe. In Paris the trains aren’t just used to haul goods. For example, we took a train from London to Paris. We were scheduled to travel throughout the night, so in groups of four we were assigned to small cabins. Each cabin had four bunk beds and a single window. While the chaperones went to sleep, the rest of us hung out in a single room. We played Egyptian Rat Slap before we headed off to bed. Even though morning came fast, we all got a good night’s sleep. Besides the hover craft and ferry, the Chunnel is another way to get from London to Paris. For example, our tour bus forgot to pick us up at our London hotel. Irritated, we hauled our luggage to the nearest metro. It was a long hot walk, and the anger among the group began to rise. The metro brought us to the Chunnel train station. The Chunnel, a train that goes through a tunnel under the English Channel, was a scary experience. We all sat in our seats as we thought about the thousands of gallons of water above our heads. The first ray of sunlight was very welcomed. Our missed bus was a disaster, but in the end, it opened the door to a new travel opportunity. Compared to the usual travel techniques, Europe offers unique transportation.

Spectacular attractions are abundant in Europe. Barcelona has more than just the shores of the Mediterranean. For example, after the long train ride from Paris to Barcelona, we all looked forward to showers, but first we had to take a panoramic view of the city. We got off once to look at the Familia de Segrada. This three-sided Church is called the Church of the Family because the materials used are funded by the people of the city. One side of the church hasn’t been completed, but it is built as the money is donated. Another side of the church was designed by Subirachs. He sculpted various scenes of Christ’s life. They were placed in the shape of an S, believed to be a sign of Satan. The other side of the church was designed by Gaudi. It looks like a massive drip sand castle. It is a beautiful masterpiece, and with its completion I hope to enjoy its entire splendor. The popular Eiffel tower is worth the trip all on its own. For example, we passed the Eiffel tower many times throughout the days that we were in Paris. We looked for it from every aspect of the city. Finally, the night came when we would climb it. Group by group we traveled up in the elevators. As we saw the beautiful city of Paris below us, our breath was taken away. As we looked over the city, LeAna asked, “Where is the Eiffel Tower?”? We all laughed, took our pictures, and descended back to the bottom. As we stood beside it, the outside lights began to twinkle. At the same time, my boyfriend handed me a red rose. It was so romantic, and I was with the love of my life in the City of Love. The many spectacular sights of Europe are remarkable and romantic.

Europe is a great place to visit. It offers an abundance of activities and new experiences. The variations of food are unique and delicious. Whether it’s by train, metro, or Chunnel, there are numerous ways to travel. From the Familia de Segrada to the Eiffel Tower, there are many sites that will intrigue tourists. I hope to return to Europe again, and I greatly encourage others to go too!