Second half of the week
Trip Start
Jun 26, 2008
1
22
26
Trip End
Aug 11, 2008
Paris,
France
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Thursday I went with my friend Emilee to the Pantheon which is a an old cathedral that the French government changed into a huge monument/crypt for famous French writers, politicians, and scientists. Marie Curie is buried there along with Voltiare, Moliere, Louis Braille, and some other very impressive "big names" of French history. We didn't spend too long there however because we've been going to so many monuments that it gets a bit overwhelming.
Later in the evening I went to a little concert at Sainte Chapelle which is a very intimate gothic-style church right near Notre Dame. I personally found Sainte Chapelle to be more beautiful and more personal than Notre Dame. All of the walls are stained glass and the ceiling is painted royal blue and decorated with gold stars. The concert was a great way to really appreciate the space.
Friday I met with Emilee and Nate to go to the Arc de Triomphe. I love the view of Paris from the Arc de Triomphe because you are very close to the Eiffel Tower and you can see all around the city very easily. After spending a good amount of time at the top of the Arc de Triomphe we walked down Champs Elysees for a bit. Emilee had to go home to meet with her family but Nate and I decied to go back (once again) to My Berry for frozen yogurt and then head over to the Louvre since it is free for students past 6pm on Fridays.
We had a really good time looking through the Egyptian collection and looking up random words from the display descriptions that we didn't know.
Anne, Laura, Tina and Me at Monet's Garden
Surprisingly good vocabulary practice. I then rushedh home to have dinner with Monica and got ready to go out with the girls from the picnic club (Nikki, Tina, Laura, and Anne) and Nate.The group of us went out to a really upscale bar called Buddah Bar in the Champs Elysees area. The restaurant had such an amazing atmosphere! It was dark and you felt like you just stepped into some far eastern jungle lounge. There were lounge areas to sit if you were just getting a drink (which is all we could afford... 10 euros for a glass of wine!). We took our time though and as always enjoyed great conversation.
Yesterday was an early day. We left Paris at 8am to get to Giverny which is where Claude Monet's house and famous garden are. I thought the garden was very nice. There were many flowers in full bloom and it was raining a bit so everything was very green. However, there were sooo many people that it somewhat ruined the quite garden feel. The house was, in my opinion, just a normal house.
After Giverny we rode an hour and a half to Deauville which is a charming seaside town. I decided to split from the group and explore on my own. I ended up lunching on some bread, apples, and a pastry with escargot in it! The beach was very nice: white sand and lots of sea shells to sort through. The water was quite cold though!
When we got back to Paris around 8pm Emilee and I went home quickly and then met up with Nate at the Champs de Mars which is the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower. Nate was there with a friend who is part of an international group for students learning French. We spent a good three hours chatting with people from Spain, Turkey, and Serbia in French and English and even a little German. A couple of the guys in the group brought guitars and played music all night. Things broke up because of rain and so Nate and I went dancing at a club on the Champs Elysee.
Today has mostly been a day of rest. This whole week has been so crazy and busy and I am expecting next week to be the same since it is, sadly, my last in Paris. I did find time though to eat dinner on the quai of the Seine tonight. The sunset is always a stunning show to watch from the water.
Friday I am leaving for Nice and I found out today that Nate has decided to come with me! I'm going to be glad to get out of Paris in a way because everything is starting to close (August everone goes on vacation here). I am also looking forward to exploring a new part of France.
And Sarah... you'll never guess what I found.... I was walking along the Seine to go to class on Friday when I came across... INSULATION! Yup. Even in Paris, France you cannot escape it!
Comments
Great to hear your voice
Hi Kristina,
It was great to hear your voice while you were at the beach in France. Once again, we are loving your updates/ photos and are having fun living vicariously through you. I trust that this week will be as packed with fun-filled adventures as the previous weeks. The 4 of us went to Casa Chapala tonight- not on the Weight Watcher's plan, but great as always. Tony continues to work full time at Brentwood and go to his TX Gov't class. Robert starts band camp on Wednesday, so his summer coming to a sunset already.
Take care of yourself. We love you! Love, Mom and Dad