Summer Lovin’: One Girl. Four Countries. Twenty-Five Days. (Part 2)
”Fight the future” is a shy cupcake who lives in her own little world. A pop culture geek, lover of languages and different cultures, and professional daydreamer, her mind usually takes her to mind-blowing places. She is fearless. If she sets her heart on something, she knows she will get it… or that’s what she likes to believe. Did you miss part one of Fight the future’s travel journal? Check it out here.
Spain
After spending our last hours in Brussels in search of Manneken-Pis, we got back on a bus heading to Bilbao. There was another music festival to head to and we were looking forward to finally seeing Coldplay in action. This time we would go as the doors opened, late in the afternoon, so we had time to go to the beach in the morning. We were able to enjoy some sunny days, though the water was too cold for swimming.
At the second music festival, Beady Eye, Liam Gallagher’s new band, and Coldplay were playing first. The crowd was really well-behaved – which as a South American never ceases to amaze me – but still, passionate. I could hear Back to the Future’s theme song as the guys were making their way to the center of the stage, right in front of us. I sang as loudly – and out of tune — as I could, stripped of any self-consciousness that may have restrained me. I was a part of that magical moment; somehow I needed to show my appreciation. We had so much fun, dancing and fooling around with the balloons that were tossed at the audience during Violet Hill. It took us awhile to realise that, once burst, hundreds of green and pink paper butterflies were going to fly over our heads. Yes, there’s only one word to describe that night: magical.
And when I thought nothing was going to top that, Suede took the stage the following evening. Brett Anderson is an out-of-this-world performer, he danced and jumped around non-stop; he got off the stage and sang among the audience. His energy and enthusiasm won us over in a second.
France
I missed the last day of the festival because of Paris. A sacrifice I was willing to make.
However, it was bittersweet.
My sister had to start working on her thesis; her holidays were now over and we had to go our separate ways. Once again, we said goodbye. She would be home for Christmas, so it wouldn’t be very long before we saw each other again, yet there was something different about this farewell. We both knew that it was the first of many to come. Her job would probably take her to far away places and, perhaps, I’ll get to visit her once a year. But we’ll never share the same bedroom nor vent our daily frustrations with each other before going to bed thanks to sisterly advice.
In a way, it felt like the beginning of the rest of our lives. And, like any change, it’s hard to come to terms with — though the unknown felt kind of good. The adrenaline rush was empowering. For the first time since I was on European soil, I felt like a bird whose cage had been accidentally left ajar. From then onwards, I had no one to rely on but me.
Back to Paris. I arrived first thing in the morning. I took the metro on my own and feared taking the wrong train, ending up in the wrong side of town. Can you tell I had never set foot in such a big city before? As usual, my concerns were unnecessary. The hostel was only three blocks away from Amelie’s metro station, Lamark-Caulaincourt in Montmartre. As I stood between a little cafe and a boulangerie – I was staying at the end of that street – I took a deep breath, exhaled and thought, “Well, this is real. I’m actually in Paris.”
I left my backpack in the hostel’s luggage room, bought enough metro tickets to last for my entire stay and chose the first stop in my journey of discovery; the Tulleries gardens and the Louvre. It felt as if I had already been there; I’ve got so many filmmakers to thank for that. The Parisians seemed to have taken time off work to enjoy the green areas, sitting around the fountains, having a snack and reading the paper.
The Louvre Museum was overcrowded with tourists so I decided to see the Mona Lisa at the beginning of my visit. It’s undeniable that Leonardo Da Vinci’s piece is magnificent, but the whole experience is ruined by having to move along as if we were cattle because more and more people are trying to enter the room.
Not only were the paintings and sculptures breathtaking, but the Louve building itself was a work of art. I was fascinated by the doors, the ceilings and the large staircases. In four hours I was able to learn more about Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations than I had in a lifetime and by the end of the afternoon I felt my head was going to explode. Just imagine being able to take a school trip to a museum as such when I was a high school student! It would have been easier to study for my history lessons, that’s for sure.
My first day in Paris ended at the top of the Eiffel Tower. It may sound like a cliché, but the view was astonishing and I understood what made the city romantic… I wanted to share that moment with someone and looked at the couples who walked pass me with envy.
I wasn’t alone for long. Back at the hostel having dinner with my roommates, we began a small tradition of talking about our day before going to bed. For four nights, we held a multicultural assembly in that six-bedded room, where Uruguay, Poland, the States, Switzerland, Australia and Mexico were represented.
…for more of Fight the future’s Parisian adventure, check in tomorrow!
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One Girl. Four Countries. Twenty-Five Days. is part of our Summer Series.
