Terra: Sur le Pont d’Avignon – Avignon, France

“Sur le pont d’Avignon, on y danse, on y danse…” Do you recognize this song? Whether you do or not, there’s a good chance you’ve heard it before. It refers to a bridge in Avignon, France called “Pont Saint-Bénézet.” I am lucky enough to see this bridge in person on my trip to the Provence […]

Terra: Crêpe on a Sunny Day – Paris, France

Where? Paris, of course. What better place to order a crepe on a sunny day? The air smells smoky and sweet. The soft wind carries a slight February chill, but it’s actually kind of pleasant compared 3 feet of snow back home in New York. Besides, the scenery distracts me from it. Blocks of baroque […]

Terra: American Cemetery – Normandy, France

June 6, 1944 – this is a day that changed history. This is the day the allied troops stormed Normandy’s beaches, fighting a battle that would end up being one of their most important victories of World War Two. This victory, however, did not come without any significant loss. I can see that just by […]

Terra: The Streets – Paris, France

If I were to give someone planning to travel to Paris in a large group one piece of advice, what would it be? My advice would be to watch yourself. What is the significance of that statement? Does it mean I’m going to get shot at, you ask? Watch yourself- sounds menacing. No, getting shot […]

Terra: Versailles – Paris, France

The Hall of Mirrors, or La Galerie des Glaces in French – that’s what I am the most excited to see when my travel group visits the Palace of Versailles. I can barely contain myself as I step out of the bus. The Hall of Mirrors… the idea jabs me teasingly, as my group takes […]

Terra: The Most Splendid Orchestra – Nice, France

I tighten my grip on my friend’s sleeve as we make our way through a busy city square in Nice. The square is not busy with honking cars and hissing buses, but people- laughing, toasting, and getting ready to celebrate the New Year. Although we’ve been advised to pay close attention so we don’t lose […]

Terra: The Eiffel Tower – Paris, France

When I first traveled to Paris, France in 2012 with a group of fellow students, my friend Kira asked our tour guide a question that both humored me and got me thinking. “How much would it cost to buy the Eiffel tower?” Anne Marie, our tour guide, paused for a moment, slightly caught off guard, […]

Terra: Goodlight Books, Alajuela Costa Rica

It’s purple, which in most places would make it stand out. However, this is Costa Rica, and forget about using a street address. It’s a few blocks north of the Cathedral. Greenery drapes over the walls and gates as a single sign hangs above the street. It’s unassuming, unpretentious. It’s a bookstore. Yet it’s more. […]

Terra: Alajuela, Costa Rica

I can’t think of a single, monolithic reason to visit Alajuela, yet every time I visit I find something worth the effort. … … Alajuela, like so many other Costa Rican cities, resides as an extension of San José, another arm of the urbanization of the Central Valley. In fact, by flying into Juan Santamaría […]

Terra: Bullfighting in San José, Costa Rica

Bullfighting evokes images of sequin-studded matadores in full regalia, sword in one hand and cape in the other. It is an intricate ballet, a dance with death. While recently conflicted with changing perspectives on animal cruelty, the sport lives on as a grisly testament to the triumph of man over beast. In Costa Rica, none […]