Kodak Moments in Paris and Granada

Justin was the photographer on our travels together. Here are a few of his pictures from our trip to Paris and to Granada.

Did I mention that it was cold in Paris? The snow still covered the ground in untrodden places. The first morning we were there, I was excited to kick the snow around in the Louvre courtyard.

The Mona Lisa is one of the stars of the Louvre. She gets all the attention, even from behind her glass case. Many people are shocked by how small the painting actually is; knowing this before seeing her in person, I had the opposite reaction. Mona was bigger than I thought she would be! It's true that her smile is quite elusive and her eyes can find you, no matter where you are standing in the room. To his credit, Leonardo did create a masterpiece, but Mona isn't exactly the model for ideal femine beauty... which is maybe one reason why she is so appealing.

From the Louvre Palace, we walked down through the Tulleries Gardens, which were covered in snow. I bet they are gorgeous when the flowers and leaves are in bloom.

Justin and I at the base of the Sacre Cur.

We walked along the Seine River Friday night. The bridges were beautifully lit up and the cold, dark water created a tranquil, yet mysterious, atmosphere.

We went ice skating in front of the Hotel de Ville on Friday night! We had a blast.

On Saturday, we did some more walking. Of course, we toured the Notre Dame along the way. It's kind of hard to miss. Unfortunately, Quasi Moto was busy, and we couldn't climb the towers to stop by, say hello, and have some crepes. Instead, we had to grab a few hot, chocolately crepes from some roadside stands.

Justin likes to play with the settings on his camera. This is a fun one of the back side of Notre Dame.

We spent a large part of Saturday evening near the Arc de Triomph. We played in busy Parisian traffic, Justin took lots of photos, and I waited in the cold until it was time to move on to the grand finale of the evening... the Eiffel Tower.

The Arc de Triomph and the Eiffel Tower.

Before we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Justin and I discovered a large fountain that was completely frozen over. People had made there way out on the ice, slipping and sliding and skidding across the frozen surface. I like to think we got to go ice skating two nights in a row!

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Back in Spain, we enjoyed the wonderful gastronomical scene of Granada and relished all the delicious tapas we were served while visiting.

Before King Fernando and Queen Isabella conquered Granada in 1492, the Muslim Moors held all the power in this part of Spain. Justin and I visited this ancient Muslim bath house, which was very similar to a modern one that he's actually been to in Turkey.

A member of Justin's Turkey team, Alex, met us at the Alhambra. Here we are on the top of the old fortress lookout with the city of Granada below us.

The Alhambra gardens are really breathtaking. Fountains, flowers, and citrus trees create an enchanting oasis.

The snow covered Sierra Nevada sets a glorious backdrop for the Alhambra. The Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain range in Spain, and many people go skiing there.

I got to try my hand . . . or should I say my feet . . . at flamenco dancing in las cuevas de Sacramonte. Late on, some study abroad students told me that they thought I was so good that I must be famous. I declined them my autograph.

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Those are some visual highlights from our trips to Paris and Granada. Justin and I spent last Sunday together in Madrid. I got to take him to my church (The Community Church of Madrid), we had a great lunch and dinner, and we enjoyed one another's company. Now, he's back in Turkey. I hope to visit him there once school ends this summer. But before I get to Turkey, I've got other travel plans. In fact, I'm going to Portugal next month! Jeez... how lucky am I?

I've got to go to school now. I am still working, I promise. Actually, I've been doing a lot of teaching solo as of late. But more on that later! Hasta luego.