Viva Europe!

Well, here they are! Pictures from Europe...FINALLY! Sorry they are sooo late. Since arriving in Detroit we've had trouble uploading pictures on Blogger. Anyway, please enjoy! I apologize in advance for how many pictures of me you have to look at - I tried to keep it to a minimum. We had a wonderful time! I couldn't quite get the posts in order, so sorry! We started in Yvoire and ended in Portofino. You can always use the links on the side if you want to go in chronological order (the commentary makes a little more sense that way!) Happy Viewing!

Portofino

To unwind from all of the crazy travel and to spend some quality time with Yaya and Carlo, we headed down to Portofino on the Mediterranean. It was certainly one of the most picturesque places I've been, and we really enjoyed the small town feel. It had really high-end boutiques, wonderful waterfront restaurants, great people watching, and some serious yachts. Not to mention the view. (The above picture ws taken out the window of our hotel!)

Having lunch at one of the best restaurants in Portofino. The food was incredible.

Yaya and I on our way to dinner.

I know we totally look photo-shopped into this picture, but I promise you it is real. It is just honestly that beautiful there. Look how clear the water is!!

Me holding a jellyfish. Yes, that's right - I picked it up. It was just a baby and no it didn't sting me. Jose was ready to pee on me if it did. The water was FILLED with big purple ones. They are pretty cool looking, but make it tough to swim!

The private beach at our hote. (The yellow building above). We spent some wonderful time sun/shade bathing. Mmm..

Relaxing on top of the turret at our beach watching the ships pull in and out of the harbor.

The cute port town is brightly painted and so italian looking.

Hanging out in the Marina and watching the boats (and the people getting off them!).

Torino

After we got back from Florence, Jose finished his class in Geneva and took the train down to Torino to Carlo and Yaya's. We got a great tour of the city and some wonderful food. We were able to meet Carlo's mom and sister and see what Yaya's new life is like in Italy.

Jose and I infront of one of the monuments/buildings that was built when Torino hosted the winter Olympics in 2006.

Having lunch at Carlo's mom's house. The food was wonderful!

In the city center.

Jose, Yaya, and Carlo in front of the Old City Wall of Torino. It was abeautiful blue sky day and the only one while were there.

Florence

After Paris, I went to Torino to visit Jose's sister Sonia (Yaya) and her husband Carlo. They moved back to Italy in January and we were excited to be their first visitors from the fam. Yaya and I took off for a girl trip to Florence. We had fun exploring the city, seeing the Duomo, eating more yummy food, and going to museums. Here are the pics!

A typical shot of Florence. There are open air markets everywhere with fun stuff/junk to buy. You also get an amazing view from pretty much anywhere you are.

The inside view of the duomo/cupola in the cathedral. It has a beautiful fresco painted on it that reminded me a lot of Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Really beautiful.

A classic European street performer. This kid looks like every kid in Europe...fauxhawk with a rat tail and/or mullet. If only his jeans were skinnier...

A cute little Italian shop/home on the bridge. So quaint!

A view of the Ponte Vecchio which is basically a pedestrian bridge lined with nothing but jewelry stores on both sides! LOVE IT! Oh and it has good views of the city too.

Yaya in front of the David replica in front of the Uffizi museum. They wouldn't let us take pictures of the real David (in the Academia) which was sad. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Truly breathtaking. If you haven't seen it, try to make it happen.

Having a little Gelato while sight-seeing. I was on a very strict pasta, bread, cheese, gelato, and nutella only diet while in Europe. I literally ate nothing else for 3 weeks.

The facade of the Duomo church. It is all tiled in-lay in green and pink/peach and white. It is pretty spectacular to look at. Especially up close.

Paris

Paris was certainly one of the highlights of the trip for me. I've always wanted to go, and was so excited to actually be there. It was beautiful and the food is divine! Amber and I were there for a few days and then Jose met us there for a few more. Here's some pics!

Jose by the gilded entrance to Versaille. We got stuck out in the rain for a while in a long line. That wasn't one of my finest moments in Europe.

The Hall Of Mirrors at Versaille.

Amber & I in the garden.

In the garden behind Notre Dame. We think that Quasimodo didn't have that bad of a life. A beautiful place to live, great food, and nobody to pester you. Sounds pretty good to me!

Jose and I by the river Seine.

The Arc de Triumph at sunset. They were having some sort of Military performance/presentation that night. It was very patriotic and fun to watch.

Besties is front of the Eiffel Tower!

For those of you into fashion....walking down the street we ran into Karl Lagerfeld (and some hot model)! I seriously was so excited. I was freaking out and Amber was like...who is that? Good thing I had on my Chanel sunglasses and not by Bulvgari ones!

A view of Sacre Couere through the hands of the clock. What a view!

Inside the Musee de O'rsay, which has a large collection of impressionist art (my fave). Used to be a train station.

Giving my best Mona Lisa Smile. Seriously so crowded there, but cool nonetheless. Don't I look awesome in my sweet tour headphones? And anyone going to the Louvre...spend the extra money for the audio tour. Completely makes the experience.

Outside in the courtyard of the Louvre. Obviously this is before we went it, because I was smiling. By the time we left I thought I might die. We were there for like 10 hours. And I got in free - that was awesome!

London

As I blogged from there, I went to London to visit my best friend Amber who is getting (just finished) her Masters in Econ at the London School of Economics. We had a BALL shopping, eating, getting haircuts (i got bangs!!), and we even managed to squeeze in 3 Broadway shows! Billy Elliot was my fave of the 3. Anyway, here are some of our highlights.

(Above is me and some policemen and good old Big Ben.)




We spent one whole afternoon hunting down the above. What is it you say? The Burberry Outlet! And it is definitely an "adventure" and very out of the way. Literally a warehouse. BUT..we found some amazing deals and we both ended up with super cute things. It was even so good, that Amber skipped class to shop longer. I'm such a bad influence!

Visiting Westminster Abbey and seeing the lovely floral exposition they had inside.

Having High Tea in Harrod's.

Me outside of my favorite store in the whole world - Harrod's. Yes, believe it or not I even love in more than Neiman Marcus. Much, much, more.

Stopping for a yummy cupcake while antiquing in Notting Hill.

Geneva

The real reason for our visit to Europe was Jose's class in Geneva. They spent most of the time meeting with big international agencies such as UN, RedCross, WHO, WTO, etc. Here are some of the highlights of his time there. (Above he is on Lake Geneva with the fountain behind him.)

Here Jose is practicing World Domination. Looks pretty good doesn't it?

Here's Jose and his classmates on a dinner cruise where they served traditional Swiss Fondue. Good thing they waited until after they ate to tell him that the meat was HORSE!!!

Jose in front of the UN.

Jose and his roommate Brett after one of their many meetings.

Yvoire

Our European Adventure began in the small town of Yvoire, France. It is located just over the France/Switzerland border on Lake Geneva. We enjoyed walking the small streets (no cars allowed in city center), shopping in the little store, eating wonderful French food in the lakeside restaurants, visiting the Garden of the 5 senses, and just soaking up what life is like in small French town.

Me inside the garden.

Tulips and pansies were blooming everywhere. I thought these old wheelbarrows filled with flowers were so quaint.

Jose on the shores of Lake Geneva at sunset.