Flash Back to Paris

Hey everyone! So it has been almost two years from the time these photos where taken.. but I just now got them sent to me by the family I went on this one day trip to Paris with.

As you will see below we had a lovely time: exploring Père Lachaise Cemetery and of course meandering about Montmartre.

Hope everyone is very well.
Big hugs,
Juliana Alvarez

Back home

I have been back home for the past two weeks now.
I will be posting pictures from the end of my year in in France/ Italy once I get my computer fixed.
Until then a big thank you to everyone for following my journey and supporting me through it.

Visit of UNESCO

Now if I may let me remind you of two posts ago where I provided  a picture of me and a view of the Eiffel tower. This picture was taken from the 7th floor of the UNESCO building in Paris.

Why was I at the UNESCO? Well, it was once again thanks to Rotary that I was provided with the opportunity to spend an impressive Wednesday.

( We started the evening off by eating at the UNESCO restaurant on the seventh floor)

As it turns out for the 9th subsequent year Rotary in companionship with the UNESCO held the ceremony of the national award of professional Ethique. This is an essay contest open to all students partaking to a French University of high rank so as you might guess the competition is present.

(There was an exposition of several countries of Africa in the main hall of the UNESCO building)

(The Japanese garden where the employees can have a serene smoking break)

The question still remains why was I present. Having to be there to testify the the donation of an award to a student from our Rotary district, the district governor, Michel Bezault offered me the opportunity to accompany him (along with a few other members of our club).
 An opportunity I am glad I accepted and will not take for granted as I spent a day where I took part of something that only a lucky few have a chance to do in their lifetimes.

Saturday 1st of May.

After spending the night at a friends house Friday my host mother Veronique, picked me up around lunch time the next day for what would be my first and only visit the the city of Tours.

Situated about an hour and a half from where we are Tours is a city in central France. The capital of the Indre-et-Loire department, it stands on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection (as perceived by some speakers) of its local spoken French, and the Battle of Tours in 732. It is also the site of the Paris–Tours road bicycle race.

Below are pictures of the pleasant and calm day I spent with my host mother.

Picture of the Tours Cathedral: 15th-century Flamboyant Gothic west front with Renaissance pinnacles, completed 1547.

 At the silk exposition.

As you can see we were outside most of the day, thanks to the nice weather (that will hopefully last now) although the company will not :(

Vroom vroom ferrari !

Saturday, after returning  from a long day a Tours, I was once again at another house for dinner.
This time spending the night at Michel Bezault's home, due to our early parting hour the next morning.

Leaving before 5o clock Michel, his half son and I were on the road, direction Tourraines.
Arriving by eight to the largest congregation of Ferraris in Europe. An event held once a year by the local Rotary clubs in order to raise money for the research and purchase of cancer related material, we were greated with open arms.

Shown around by Bernadet ( the president of the Rotary club) we spent a thrilling day looking at the plethora of cars and watching a fantastic ceremony.

Even I who am not a fan of sport cars was impressed by the number (around 500) of beautiful machines around me.

In conclusion I spent yet another amazing day with charming company, once again taking part of an event that I know many of you would have loved to be at (and it was all thanks to Rotary).