While on winter break, well not really, since I graduated and let's face it, I'm really just on a break. Anyways, I've been watching a lot of documentaries on Netflix, PBS App, and YouTube. What kind of documentaries? Well the European art, monuments and world famous artist/painters kind.

I've never been one to travel mostly because I hate the hassle that comes with traveling. Also, I get very homesick. The title of this blog post is a little misleading, I don't want to really travel the world, just mainly Europe. I've always been fascinated by it. All the great artists, the buildings, monuments to ancient and earlier rulers.

I studied French for about 5-6 years so France, specifically Paris always has been a place for me to visit. I also love museums so what's better than visiting the mother of all museums, The Louvre?! I know Spanish and know that I'm only 2 generations separated from actual relatives that were Spanish born. My great-grandparents on my dad side of the family are the ones that are from Spain. So I guess this would be an opportunity to travel to the "real" motherland, I've been to Mexico, mostly central Mexico and Mexico City (I loved and hated the city; my eyes were always red because of the horrible pollution and you can actually see the yellow color in the sky if you get a room on a very high floor of a hotel, gross!) Now visiting Rome and Florence, Italy, are more about visiting churches and seeing Michelangelo's David.

Here are some of the things I would love to visit in Paris one day:

The Louvre: In the day and night, one because I'm sure one visit will not allow for me to see every exhibit and two, because it looks spectacular at night.



Winged Victory of Samothrace: Besides the obvious Mona Lisa, this sculpture is one that I defiantly have to see! It's a marble sculpture from Ancient Greece from the time 200 B.C. (approximately). It's so grand and it's at the top of the main staircase inside the Louvre.



Napoleon's tomb: Seems a little morbid, but just look where it is housed and he's the reason for some of the most famous avenues and monuments in Paris.



Opera House in Paris: It's just so grand and majestic. It's so classic and everything that an opera house should represent.



Arc de Triomphe: The momument on one of the worlds greatest avenues. I've seen the one in Mexico City that was inspired by this one as well as the avenue (El Paseo De La Reforma in Mexico City). I think it's time to see the original.



Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris: Being Catholic makes this a must see. It's the church that inspired the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. It has the classic gothic architecture and from the photos that I've seen has such amazing stain glass. I would love to sit and enjoy Mass in such a majestic cathedral.



Eiffel Tower: This is just a given. Go to Paris. See the Eiffel.



In Spain there are plenty of places I would love to visit, but the first one would have to be to visit the Sagrada Famila Cathedral in Barcelona. Again, I love cathedrals and am Catholic, so this would be a check on the visits of Catholic Cathedrals.



Rome (Vatican City) and Florence:

St. Peter's Basilica:



Michelangelo's Creation of Man (Old Testament) Fresco Painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel:



The Throne inside of St. Peter's Basilica by Bernini.



Michelangelo's Fresco Painting of The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel.



Pietà di Michelangelo:



Bernini's creation of Alter inside of St. Peter's Basilica



The Last Super by Leonardo Da Vinci in Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan.



Germany: Cologne Cathedral



And with all this talk of travel of course I would want new luggage. I've always loved the classic/vintage look of a leather duffel bag. So here are some of my favorite and the Louis Vuitton Keepall 55 Bandouliere will probably be my first one to purchase. It's a men's travel bag, but I just like the look of it and really only the color is the difference between the mens and women's travel bags.

[caption id="attachment_465" align="alignnone" width="480"] Louis Vuitton: Monogram Macassar Keepall 55[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_462" align="alignnone" width="640"] Gucci Duffel Bag[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_463" align="alignnone" width="500"] Louis Vuitton: Keepall 55 Bandouliere[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_455" align="alignnone" width="640"] Coach: Bleecker cabin bag in leather[/caption]

There you have it! All the places, monuments, and cathedrals I want to visit in what I hope is within 3 years.

Where do you want to visit?

Until next time (or New Year!),
Felipa xoxo