By Denise McGuigan, Contributor
After several days of having no contact with the outside world, we finally have internet again! It seems as though this trip is flying by, so it’s nice to finally be able to lie in a comfortable bed, use a computer and take a deep breath.
The past few days have been hectic. After three days in Madrid we arrived in Tarragona, Spain – a city located by the Mediterranean Sea. While the drive to the city did not seem promising, as soon as we got into the heart of the town, the beauty was nearly overwhelming due to its close proximity to the Mediterranean. Its history as a Roman colony (formerly known as Tarraco) added to its splendor; close to the shore there were Roman ruins.
While we would have loved to stay in Tarragona for more than two nights (since we arrived late in the afternoon the first day), we were just as anxious to get to Barcelona. This would be my third time traveling to Barcelona, so I was excited to get to a city I felt familiar with, though unfamiliar with the language.
With its markets of fresh fruit, candy and other items, street art and fabulous clubs, it’s difficult to not fall in love with Barcelona. I was even fortunate to see some new sights I missed the first two times around, like Parc Guell (a beautiful park with an amazing view from its peak and street vendors selling jewelry and other goods) and Tibidabo (a mountain overlooking Barcelona with an amusement park and a Catholic church at the top).
After Barcelona, we traveled back to France to a city named Carcassonne located in the former province of Languedoc. Though Carcassonne did not offer much to the amusement of college students, no one could deny its beauty and interesting history. The town, more accurately described as a fortress, has a drawbridge, a surrounding area that was formerly a moat and towers at every corner.
After staying in this fortified city for two nights (and cooking a delicious meal in the hostel kitchen the second night), we continued our voyage to Geneva, Switzerland. Though our hostel was not close to them, we were able to see the Swiss Alps, a sight I never thought I would see with my own eyes. The most interesting part of this excursion to Geneva was our visit to the United Nations headquarters.
As we received our tour around the headquarters I couldn’t help but marvel at the establishment. I learned more about the U.N. than I ever could have from a textbook. For example, many conferences are translated into six languages: English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. Conferences that are not translated into all six are translated into English and/or French; thus, delegates are required to know both.
As I wandered the halls of the U.N., I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the works of art present in each room, the history looming over each hall, and the overall tone of the organization’s goals and purposes. The main purposes of the U.N. are: to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations, to work toward international cooperation on economic and social issues and to establish a means to better human rights.
Needless to say, by the end of the tour, I was interested in a career working for this organization. After Geneva, we arrived at the location in which I am writing from now: Nice. Though we arrived late in the day, this city (located on the Mediterranean as well) appears beautiful, and I am excited to wander its streets tomorrow.
After all, after a seven hour car ride, you truly learn to appreciate any amount of time you aren’t spending in a van.
The view in Tarragona, Spain, a city located by the Mediterranean Sea. Close to the shore, there are Roman ruins, as Tarragona was formerly a Roman colony (known as Tarraco). (Photo courtesy of Denise McGuigan)