John got here Thursday morning (I got a little lost in the airport and had him waiting for 30 minutes...) and it was so good to seeeee hiiiiiim. We just hung out that day and got used to actually being in the same room with eachother. We left for Paris on Friday morning...it was AMAZING...absolutely freezing (we're talking chicago in the winter time)...but a great trip overall. On Friday, we did a free walking tour throughout the city. Our guide was really cool and knew a lot of random information...For example, you know big horse statues with famous men on them? Well if the horse is standing on all 4 legs, the man died of natural causes...if the horse has one of his front legs up, he died of unnatural causes...and if the horse is on his hind legs, the man died in battle. Good to know, right? Moving on..on the walking tour we went to St. Michael's Fountain, The Louvre, Arc De Triomphe, and a bunch of cool plazas and squares. After, we met Ashley (who was also in Paris for the weekend) at the Louvre...the place is HUGE (if you looked at every painting and sculpture in the louvre for 30 seconds, it would take you a consecutive 3 months....thank you tour guide). We saw the Mona Lisa (a tiiiiny little painting) and some others we thought might be important. The three of us went to dinner after. On Saturday, the three of us went to The Eiffel Tower.....we waited for about an hour to ride the elevator to the top...it really is an amazing structure...and the view from the top was really good. The tower is just as beautiful as I thought it would be. We went to lunch after....and ate delicious French onion soup (one of France's specialties, obviously). That night, John and I went up to the Sacre Couer Cathedral (Sacred Heart)...it's on top of a hill and overlooks the entire city. It was by far our favorite thing we did. We hung out inside for a while and just took it all in...really pretty and peaceful inside. Afterwards, we walked around that area of town, it's called Montmarte....really funky and fun and young with a lot of cute restaurants and little shops. We ate at a hole-in-the-wall Italian place and it was awesome. On Sunday, John and I got omelettes (thank you again, France) and went to the Notre Dame cathedral (yes...from The Hunchback of Notre Dame). We did a tour of the inside and there was mass going on, which was cool to see, but weird to be walking around while people were trying to worship. We climed 422 steps to the top...it was a struggle, let me tell you, but the view was definitely worth it. After that, we went to the St. Chapelle....a chapel made of almost all stained-glass...it was crazy. We got crepes that afternoon (a "must" when you are there) and then flew back to Madrid that night. It really was such a fun trip...even better being with John.
*Everyone finished finals today...and we are all celebrating tonight :)
*I head home on Saturday...I can't believe this is almost done! Seriously, it flew. I'm sad...and happy. Both of those things. More to come...

pictures are up! :) see you soon! (weird)