It's good to have friends in many places! The second half of my spring break was spent exploring the college town of Bordeaux in the south of France. With it's low-laying buildings and spacious roads (compared to the cluttered stacks of houses and obscure pathways in Rome, that is), Bordeaux gave off every stereotypical french vibe I could imagine. From people smoking like chimneys to cafes with posh names, beautiful gardens, and impressive gothic churches, the french experience was very real.

I wanted to take it easy during the second leg of my journey as I was to land in Ciampino on Sunday afternoon, not giving me a rest day before school started again on Monday morning at 9:30 sharp, so my friend from Cal who I stayed with and I leisurely explored little Bordeaux. I enjoyed walking along the quay (the big street next to the water), and we strolled up and down Rue St. Catherine (the longest continuous strip of outdoor shopping in all of Europe) each day because her apartment is located downtown. I got to follow her along to the university one day, which was weird because I haven't been on a proper college campus in so long, and we spent a lot of our time just enjoying the parks and greenery despite the partly cloudy days. What surprised me most was the abundance of adorable carousels throughout the city, in the centers of squares and in every public garden.

What I loved most about Bordeaux was the number of sunsets we got to enjoy, with the slightly rainy weather blowing away the overcast and revealing hues of coral in the sky before the night turned a royal navy and the town became illuminated by lanterns and window lights. Though we didn't make it to Arcachon as we had originally planned a day trip to, it was a very different experience being in such a small town after getting used to the enormity that is Rome. I must say, I do prefer larger cities more, but I enjoyed catching up with my friend and hanging out with her local French friends during my stay.