Adieu Paris
Trip Start
Jul 28, 2008
1
16
17
Trip End
Aug 30, 2008
Paris,
France
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Here is the short version as follows:
Monday- We went to Pere LaChaise Cemetery which was really really cool. I got to blow a kiss at Oscar Wilde's lipstick smudged tombstone, and visit with Edith Piaf, Ingres, JIM MORRISON, and the many other celebrities who now permanently reside there. To top it off, it really is a beautiful cemetery that you can totally get lost in (I know this from experience).
Tuesday- This was my second-to-last school day that lasted 6 hours and my last oral class, which made me extremely happy. After class, I went back to my room with the intent of doing my laundry, and decided that since the dryer cycle lasts 1 1/2 hours, I could go somewhere during it. Where else, if not in Paris, can you get on a metro, and see the most amazing view of Paris at sunset, and then get back before your laundry is even done? I went up to the top of Montparnasse tower and it was glorious. A lot of Parisians really hate this tower because it is the one building that could really be called a skyscraper in Paris, and lets just say, it sticks out
Pere LaChaise!
. However, unlike the amazing view from the eiffel tower, the view from Montparnasse includes the Eiffel Tower and you can't see Montparnasse sticking out like a sore thumb because you're on top of it! Perfect solution. It was beautiful.Wednesday- I went to Cafe de Flore with the rest of my group for lunch and then decided that since this was one of my last free moments in Paris, I would go to the last few places I wanted to visit. I headed over to the Promenade Plantee which is a plant lined street that is sad to have good shopping and restaurants. I didn't actually find the shopping... or the restaurants, but that is ok, it was a beautiful walk. Then I walked over to Jardin des Plants, because this park has always interested me. They made different areas of the park resemble different climates to demonstrate what plants and animals would live in such variations as jungle, desert, mountainous etc. I thought it was pretty cool and I liked walking through it. Then I just did a little tour of Paris. I walked past the Arab Institute again, and then walked up the seine river, doing some shopping along the way. I ended up at the St. Michel fountain, where I actually ran into one of my friends and we decided to have dinner together. We went to Bercy, which is the section of Paris renowned for its wine. It was a cute little street, complete with cobblestones, and the meal was absolutely delicious.
Thursday- This was my last 6-hour day of class and my friends and I wanted to celebrate afterwards
Pretty Cemetery
. We went to this fondu restaurant near Montmartre where they actually serve wine in baby bottles! Apparently, in Paris, you have to pay a tax if you serve wine IN wine glasses. This place sidesteps that tax in this very unique way. A little too unique for me though... The fondu was very very very good and then afterwards, we ended up at a Kareoke Bar. It was a lot of fun and we all had a good time. Friday was my last day of school and my last day in Paris. My classmates and I all exchanged email addresses and took pictures together. I am still awaiting an email with the class picture, but I have pictures of a few of my favorite classmates. After class, I decided to walk around and visit with my favorite parts of the city. I got a crepe in the Latin quarter (nutella with hazelnuts and walnuts) and while happily munching away, I peoplewatched, walked around, and listened to a concert at a church. I went to dinner at this lovely restaurant where I was completely french and had wine and a cheese plate with dinner. I even got to do the official wine taste from the bottle so I really tried to ham it up. I think my brother would have done a better job, but I did what I could :). Afterwards, we went over to the bateaux mouches and took a boat ride on the seine, which I think was the perfect thing to do for our last night. I said goodbye to the city and enjoyed passing by the beauty of it on my boat. I went back and got to bed early because Saturday I went home!!!
