Trips

I have been super busy this last month because it's my last month in Nice and I wanted to enjoy it as much as I could (and I didn't have much time to dedicate to this blog... ) but here I am to tell you all some new stories :)

As you already know, the university's exam period is from the 2nd May until the 21st May. There are some lucky people (or unlucky) who get to sit all their exams at the beginning of the month and others, like me, who have to sit their exams right up until the 21st. That's what stops us from being able to go on trips; nevertheless, I've managed to get around a little bit.

First on the list is Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. This town is situated between Monaco and Nice and is quite an exclusive place to live. There are sandy beaches which are honestly quite pretty. Then again, I'm not the best person to ask about Saint Jean Cap Ferrat because I don't know the town perfectly and I've only been once. When I went, we went down to the beach and ate there, we sunbathed - it was pretty nice. Whilst there, we went to Ephrussi Villa, it's a beautiful villa with incredible gardens. The entrance fee for students is 9 euros, but it's definitely worth the money.

Another great place to visit is Saint Tropez, it's a "must see" so to speak. Luckily, we had a French friend who took us in his car (comfortable, but also fairly expensive - the price of a tollbooth in France is daylight robbery... )

When we went, it was during Whitsun, so everyone was dressed thusly and the town was completely decorated - it was beautiful. However, to all those who are going to go to Saint Tropez, don't expect anything amazing (although everyone is entitled to their own opinion). It's such an exclusive place in a typical Mediterranean town with a load of super exclusive clothes shops and very chic clubs - but it's still a village. The beaches are nice, we went to one that was outside the centre of Saint Tropez, we did have to pay, but it was worth the cost. The beaches are sandy and fairly clean...

Lastly, the best trip of this year: Poland. I have a friend who is doing her Erasmus placement there, so I decided that I would go and visit her. The direct flights from Nice were quite pricey, but I think it's more comfortable and worth the money. I went direct from Nice to Warsaw with LOT, which is the Polish version of Iberia. The flight was very comfortable, they gave us a sandwich, a drink and a chocolate bar. Another "cheap" way to get to Poland is to go through Krakow. Luckily, it was really good weather in Warsaw when I went (it was boiling hot if I'm being honest... ).

There are so many places that you have to visit in Poland, but here's what I managed in four days:

• Firstly, Krakow. You can get to Krakow from Warsaw for approximately 30 euros and the journey lasts 3 hours. It's fairly good but the problem is that you can't reserve a seat for yourself, so you have to try to make sure that you travel at a time where there aren't many other people travelling so you don't have to stand up for the whole journey. In Krakow, there is the old part of town, the river and the Jewish quarter. There is also the factory where "Schindlers list" was filmed, (although I didn't go there because I didn't have much time) and Auschwitz, which I din't go to either because my friend had already been and didn't want to go again. I should have gone by myself, but I didn't really feel like doing that...
• Warsaw: what is there to say? I honestly fell in love with this city. It's incredible, and so are the people I met there. The best places to visit are Stare Miasto (the old town) and it's surroundings, the parks in Łazienki and Chopin (really incredible), and finally, the place that stole my heart, the Jewish cemetery. Oh, and the Praga District (during the day). They say that this neighbourhood is a little dodgy, but my friend lives there and although you get some bad vibes at night time, it's so good during the day and has loads of bars.

Without exaggerating, I think that to get the most out of the cemetery, you have to allow yourself a few hours. I was there for two hours and I didn't even see anywhere near half of the cemetery - but it was incredible, especially if you like to take photos. It was like I was in paradise. It depends on the person, but I think visiting alone is better than going with somebody because you feel much more calm and tranquil. But there are other people who would be scared and would prefer to have some company. It's each to their own, really...

Lastly, I must say that this trip was so great because I met so many cool people. It just so happened that the dates I went to Poland coincided with "Ustronalia" in my friends' friends halls (the halls were called Ustronia). These parties basically consist of drinking vodka day and night, joining events and having fun. They had bubble baths, treasure hunts and a trampoline which they were throwing themselves off of onto a giant mat. What's more, the people really welcomed me, I even made myself a shirt with them...

So, leaving this, I have to say that Poland is really really worth a visit. If you manage to go, you have to try crepes, pierogis and ice cream, they are all so good.

Photo gallery