Today has been an incredible day! I woke up at 4:30, got ready, and went back down to the Maison Belges, I was lucky because the Tram was already running this morning! At 6:05 I got a phone call from the woman picking me up, saying she couldn't find me; we found each other and headed to the shuttle.
Our tour was made up of 7 people: A young Canadian couple, who just had a baby, and the husband was about to go on a 10 month tour in Iraq: they were taking a final goodbye vacation; a middle-aged couple from Chicago, who had a 21 year old son and who were here after a business trip in London; and a couple in their 70's (I think?) from Oklahoma, here for a visit. And me. Oh, and our guide, Roberto, a Parisian, with a Spanish name. So technically there were 8 people, but only 7 on the actual tour. We were all bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6:30 AM when everyone had finally been picked up and we were heading out of Paris. I figured we would have some time to sleep, but Roberto clearly had his cafe this morning because he jumped RIGHT into the tour!
The bus was set up with a tiny mic that Roberto wore on his ear so he could talk and we could all hear through the speakers! He started immediately into a history of France. I fell asleep somewhere between Charlemagne and World War I. He had a LOT of information to give us, and I was really excited about it- but I needed a little nap. After a quick cup of coffee, we were back on the road, and I was ready to pay attention!
We arrived at Pointe du Hoc, which was one of the landing points in Normandy, where about 200 Germans were poised and waiting for the Americans to attack. Roberto refereed to it as a "moon-land" because the holes made from the bombs (and bomb shells) made the ground look like it had moon craters in it. We had a chance to walk around, go into these craters, and there were even a few shelters left. We then arrived at Omaha beach and were able to walk along the beach. Its absolutely incredible. You can still see a lot of 'matchboxes' up in the hills, where the soldiers would be hiding. Its an amazingly beautiful and tranquil place; I could hardly imagine it being a battlefield, despite all of the stories and the pictures. As a bonus, mostly for the Canadians, we got to go to the Juno beach site as well. This was where the Canadians fought and where Charles de Gaulle was stationed. Again, amazingly tranquil, beautiful, and calm.
We went to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial for about an hour. It was an amazing visit. I feel like I've said the word 'amazing' a lot in this post, but truly, many of these sites were simply awe-inspiring. The site of the cemetery has been given to America by the French government, which felt slightly strange knowing I was standing on 'American soil'. When we arrived, we were looking at the Memorial "The Spirit of American youth Rising from the Waves", and the American national anthem began to play. Typing that, it sounds incredibly tacky. Standing there, I was really overwhelmed. I turned and looked at the American flag and all went silent around me. I could hear a soft cry of a woman to my right, as we all looked out at the nearly 10,000 headstones we saw, with our anthem playing, looking at the flag. There was an odd mix of pride and an overwhelming sadness that came with the moment. It gives me chills even to think about it again. We had some time to walk throughout the graves and look at them. there are 9,238 Latin crosses and 149 stars of David; as well as a dedication to 1,557 men missing in action. I wished I could look at each one, the name, which force they were in, where they came from at home; there would never be enough time, but I really wished I could give each one a good look and appreciation. One of the most interesting, and saddest graves were two right next to each other: a father and a son, buried next to each other, dying for the same cause. I went into the tiny chapel and then it was time to leave.
For the rest of the Afternoon, we drove along the French countryside, stopping to visit places with completely intact cannons, we even got to see a Harley Davidson motorcycle (by complete luck!) that was an original from WWII which a man had fixed up and had RIDDEN to see the Normandy shores! All original, except for a small place for a GPS! We went through Arromanches for lunch (which was fun to help all of the other people order!) and then off to a GIANT museum for another hour and a half in Caen. I could never have seen everything the museum had to offer, or I would still be there. They had so many different objects from the war, from the U.S; Germany; France; Asia. It was overwhelming. I looked through as much as I could in our allotted time.
We mounted the bus again and headed for Paris. Thankfully the "tour" was over; so Roberto allowed us all to take naps, he said "It was peaceful, I could hear you all breathing"; glad he had a nice trip back to Paris alone! We arrived and were dropped off.
I know this post is incredibly long, I could go on for hours. I am very excited to share these experiences in person! Today has been one of the best days!
Bisous (Now for some SLEEP!)
Amy
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Au revoir!
I'm very excited to welcome the weekend in with open arms! The past couple of days have been filled with class and moving! Our Belgium house closed for the "summer"... or a couple of weeks, so that the people who worked there can go on vacation is more likely; thus we had to move into another house. Now, the four of us staying on the the remaining two weeks are staying in the Monaco house. Two nights with roommates, as we watch our group dwindle from 17 to 4 in two days! Its a pretty intense change to be honest.
Not only is our group going from 17 to 4... today was our teacher's last day. Anne-Sophie is now going on vacation to Spain. She assured our class that the next teacher was just as nice and very similar to her, but we all had our doubts. Today we had our final class with Anne-Sophie and for the second half of class we had a little fete! She asked us each to bring something typically "our country"; so either make or purchase some kind of food that represents our country. After the big move on Thursday to my new residence, cooking something seemed slightly too hectic, so Jenna, ever so wisely suggested: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Genius. This morning I headed to Franprix, praying that they would have peanut butter; unfortunately it didn't open until 9, and it was only 8:30. So I headed to the one near school and got there at about 9, being one of the first people in the store. I purchased a small tub of 5 euro peanut butter, some strawberry jelly, and some good ol' American square bread. While the stuff is pretty much sac-religious here, my teacher allowed it because its "Typically American".
As I passed around the peanut butter and jelly, most of the kids in the class thought it was strange, but they tried and loved it! Funny because I actually don't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at all, and now have an almost full jar sitting in my fridge. We also had a lot of different types of Chinese foods, some Turkish food that was absolutely delicious, and of course, wonderful French cheese and some danish that is typically from Brittany. All of which, were really interesting and delicious.
I'm off to bed, I'm getting up VERY early (4:30 AM) to go to Normandy for the day! I've never been and am really excited. I am sure I will have a very long update tomorrow and pictures are promised.
Bisous,
Amy
Not only is our group going from 17 to 4... today was our teacher's last day. Anne-Sophie is now going on vacation to Spain. She assured our class that the next teacher was just as nice and very similar to her, but we all had our doubts. Today we had our final class with Anne-Sophie and for the second half of class we had a little fete! She asked us each to bring something typically "our country"; so either make or purchase some kind of food that represents our country. After the big move on Thursday to my new residence, cooking something seemed slightly too hectic, so Jenna, ever so wisely suggested: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Genius. This morning I headed to Franprix, praying that they would have peanut butter; unfortunately it didn't open until 9, and it was only 8:30. So I headed to the one near school and got there at about 9, being one of the first people in the store. I purchased a small tub of 5 euro peanut butter, some strawberry jelly, and some good ol' American square bread. While the stuff is pretty much sac-religious here, my teacher allowed it because its "Typically American".
As I passed around the peanut butter and jelly, most of the kids in the class thought it was strange, but they tried and loved it! Funny because I actually don't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at all, and now have an almost full jar sitting in my fridge. We also had a lot of different types of Chinese foods, some Turkish food that was absolutely delicious, and of course, wonderful French cheese and some danish that is typically from Brittany. All of which, were really interesting and delicious.
I'm off to bed, I'm getting up VERY early (4:30 AM) to go to Normandy for the day! I've never been and am really excited. I am sure I will have a very long update tomorrow and pictures are promised.
Bisous,
Amy
Thursday, July 29, 2010
A much needed day.
Well, for the past few days I have not been feeling up to snuff really. Had some sketchy food that didn't help the situation and have had a pretty bad headache. So today I decided that I really needed to just take care of myself. I slept REALLY late, after going to bed early, and took it easy.
At about 1 o'clock, after a leisurely time getting ready for the day and writing some post cards, I got a text from one of my friends asking if I wanted to come on a picnic. I thought that sounded about right. We headed off to the grocery store for some meats and cheeses and then to the Boulangerie down the street for some bread and treats! Then off to the Eiffel Tower! We ate on a little green space right next to the tower; making ourselves little sandwiches and digging into our chocolate mouses! The setting was perfect. A really blue sky to look up at with the giant Tower standing over us, watching us eat.
After sitting there for at least two hours, some of the people on our picnic wanted to climb the stairs to the top. A few of us have already done that, so we decided to skip out on that for today, instead we walked around, poking into the little tourist shops and trying to avoid the people selling Eiffel Tower key chains, or throwing roses into your hand and then saying "Hey- you've gotta pay for that!" We ended up at a little cafe for something to drink while we waited for our friends to get back from their hike.
A pretty simple dinner of pasta at a little Italian restaurant and then my FAVORITE thing- a chocolate and banana crepe. "Do you want Nutella?... or chocolate?" They always ask, as nutella is a more popular choice for that particular crepe- "Chocolate!" in response! So delicious. The dark chocolate and the bananas ! A really great way to end a very restful day. Now, I have to pack up all of my stuff because our Maison at the cite universitaire is closing, so we are moving tomorrow! A new room! Pretty exciting and.. terrifying all at once! More to come tomorrow...
Bisous,
Amy
At about 1 o'clock, after a leisurely time getting ready for the day and writing some post cards, I got a text from one of my friends asking if I wanted to come on a picnic. I thought that sounded about right. We headed off to the grocery store for some meats and cheeses and then to the Boulangerie down the street for some bread and treats! Then off to the Eiffel Tower! We ate on a little green space right next to the tower; making ourselves little sandwiches and digging into our chocolate mouses! The setting was perfect. A really blue sky to look up at with the giant Tower standing over us, watching us eat.
After sitting there for at least two hours, some of the people on our picnic wanted to climb the stairs to the top. A few of us have already done that, so we decided to skip out on that for today, instead we walked around, poking into the little tourist shops and trying to avoid the people selling Eiffel Tower key chains, or throwing roses into your hand and then saying "Hey- you've gotta pay for that!" We ended up at a little cafe for something to drink while we waited for our friends to get back from their hike.
A pretty simple dinner of pasta at a little Italian restaurant and then my FAVORITE thing- a chocolate and banana crepe. "Do you want Nutella?... or chocolate?" They always ask, as nutella is a more popular choice for that particular crepe- "Chocolate!" in response! So delicious. The dark chocolate and the bananas ! A really great way to end a very restful day. Now, I have to pack up all of my stuff because our Maison at the cite universitaire is closing, so we are moving tomorrow! A new room! Pretty exciting and.. terrifying all at once! More to come tomorrow...
Bisous,
Amy
Sunday, July 25, 2010
" Si tu veux, tu peux"
Today we went to Fontainebleu chateau. A place only about 40 minutes outside of Paris. We met Jenna on the steps of our house and headed for the metro. We arrived at about noon and quickly set out for a place for a picnic. The French LOVE picnics. Although, they really don't love when you sit on the grass. Its really strange how that works. Anyway, we had a lovely little picnic and then headed inside the Chateau. Jenna arranged for all of us to get the audioguides which was an AMAZING addition to the experience. This chateau is really neat, while a lot of it still makes me feel really weird, knowing that Kings and Queens used to ACTUALLY parade around places like this, the chateau still has a lot of furniture and really looks set up. Most of the rooms still look how they would have and its a pretty incredible place. It has seen many Kings and Queens of France come and go.
The most incredible part of the visit was the chapel that you could sit and hang out in. A pianist came in the room and sat down. At first, he looked like someone who just walked off the street into this chateau to play the piano. He sported black and white striped shorts, a tank top, and a pair of chucks (Converse All Stars). None of which really added up to "pianist who should be playing at this chateau". But then he started to play; it was amazing. The first piece he played was completely for memory and at least 10 minutes long. I sat with Jenna and listened. Silently. People walked in and out; audio guides pressed to their ears, not even realizing the BEAUTIFUL music that FILLED the entire space and echoed throughout! It was really amazing to hear and a lovely way to spend some time.
We walked around the gardens for a while before heading back to the train home. Early in the day a bunch of us decided Indian food seemed like the best plan for the evening. So we searched for a place and found one. Pretty delicious. Then we headed for Hotel de Ville which holds free concerts during the summer. Listened for a while, but, unlike the beautiful pianist at the chateau, this band didn't really have it all together. So our group ventured out to seek better company (mostly for our ears!) Tonight was rather chilly, but we ended up at Pont des Arts (the "cool" hang out) and sat, chatted, for quite a while. Headed home and here I rest. Hopefully I am going to go to some markets tomorrow(Sunday)!
Last night, Jess and I headed out for a late night crepe at St. Michael. When we arrived one of the many club promoters approached us and asked us if we wanted to "party" we were like..."ummm No." We just wanted to eat, walk, and take the metro home for sleeping! But we ended up having about a 10 minutes conversation in French with the promoter... We told him how we were studying and all those little details. He was rather impressed with our French and then proceeded to tell us that if we wanted to learn French, we were certainly in the right place! We both agreed. He left us with a "Si tu veux, tu peux" which means "if you want, you can" (Speaking about French... speaking and such) I thought it was pretty cool, and sounds pretty in French. It sort of stuck with me. That club promoter had some pretty good words of wisdom! With a "Enchante" he sent us on our way to happily find our chocolate and banana crepes; a really great little outing for a Friday evening!
Until tomorrow
Bisous,
Amy
The most incredible part of the visit was the chapel that you could sit and hang out in. A pianist came in the room and sat down. At first, he looked like someone who just walked off the street into this chateau to play the piano. He sported black and white striped shorts, a tank top, and a pair of chucks (Converse All Stars). None of which really added up to "pianist who should be playing at this chateau". But then he started to play; it was amazing. The first piece he played was completely for memory and at least 10 minutes long. I sat with Jenna and listened. Silently. People walked in and out; audio guides pressed to their ears, not even realizing the BEAUTIFUL music that FILLED the entire space and echoed throughout! It was really amazing to hear and a lovely way to spend some time.
We walked around the gardens for a while before heading back to the train home. Early in the day a bunch of us decided Indian food seemed like the best plan for the evening. So we searched for a place and found one. Pretty delicious. Then we headed for Hotel de Ville which holds free concerts during the summer. Listened for a while, but, unlike the beautiful pianist at the chateau, this band didn't really have it all together. So our group ventured out to seek better company (mostly for our ears!) Tonight was rather chilly, but we ended up at Pont des Arts (the "cool" hang out) and sat, chatted, for quite a while. Headed home and here I rest. Hopefully I am going to go to some markets tomorrow(Sunday)!
Last night, Jess and I headed out for a late night crepe at St. Michael. When we arrived one of the many club promoters approached us and asked us if we wanted to "party" we were like..."ummm No." We just wanted to eat, walk, and take the metro home for sleeping! But we ended up having about a 10 minutes conversation in French with the promoter... We told him how we were studying and all those little details. He was rather impressed with our French and then proceeded to tell us that if we wanted to learn French, we were certainly in the right place! We both agreed. He left us with a "Si tu veux, tu peux" which means "if you want, you can" (Speaking about French... speaking and such) I thought it was pretty cool, and sounds pretty in French. It sort of stuck with me. That club promoter had some pretty good words of wisdom! With a "Enchante" he sent us on our way to happily find our chocolate and banana crepes; a really great little outing for a Friday evening!
Until tomorrow
Bisous,
Amy
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The French don't care what they do actually, as long as they pronounce it properly.
The past couple days have been relatively uneventful. Well, except for the fact that no matter what, I'm still in Paris. Which, is an event all in and of itself... Right? Yesterday we went to Pere Lachaise; which turned out to be kind of a bust because we got there right as they were closing, I will have to make another trip on a weekend, or by myself, where I can move at a faster pace than 10 people! Although, I wasn't as bummed as others because... I've already been there. But it really is an amazing place just to see, even if only for a few minutes.
Today the group went to Sacre Coeur. As we were walking Jenna (our group leader, in case I haven't mentioned that before) asked me if I ever get bored during the group events because I've done them all before. I thought for a second, and said "No." I don't think I could ever get bored! Each time I see something, I have a different experience! No matter how many times I take the SAME picture of something, such as Sacre Coeur, its still going to be just as magnificent as the first time I saw it! Maybe because we really don't have anything like it at home, or maybe I'm getting soft in my old age; but seriously, every time I see one of these "touristy" sites, I'm still filled with a lot of joy and even excitement! Then we walked to one of my favorite parts of Paris. Touristy? Yes! Beautiful? YES! Its the part right behind Sacre Coeur called Place du Tertre where all the artists set up shop to sell you their paintings; mostly of sites around Paris and a lot of portrait artists. I wonder if they get bored painting the same things over and over again, or maybe they have the same attitude as I do. No matter how many times they do it, they will find something different each time that might strike them in a way they never thought possible!
I've had lots of school work, which is not terribly difficult but not terribly fun at the same time. Our teacher is really great though, so it makes it a lot easier to get up for five hours of class every day. The phonetics hour in the middle of school is always a favorite of mine. We do 1/2 hour of reviewing the sentences and sounds we will "work" on for the day, and 1/2 hour recording and re-recording ourselves saying it. As our teacher comes over our little microphones and say "Its not e... its EEEE" And you try, and she laughs. It struck me really funny today because, the phonetics teachers care SO much more about attendance than the regular class teachers do. Hence the "My Fair Lady" quote; for all of you who caught it, as my title. They really care more about how things are said than about what's BEING said! Its great. Our teacher comes on the microphone with her smokey Parisian voice correcting us and telling us that our mouth isn't in the right place or we are speak-ing-too-slow-ly. As she mocks us through the headset.
Tonight I had a nice dinner with Jenna and Jess (a girl in the program). Very relaxing, then we went for a walk by the Seine. We stopped a looked at the sun going down, making all these awesome orange colors in the sky by the Eiffel Tower; such a beautiful view. A lovely evening. Dad told me to post something and I replied "I have nothing to say!"... After this post, looks like I had something to say! Hope you enjoyed.
Bisous
Amy
Today the group went to Sacre Coeur. As we were walking Jenna (our group leader, in case I haven't mentioned that before) asked me if I ever get bored during the group events because I've done them all before. I thought for a second, and said "No." I don't think I could ever get bored! Each time I see something, I have a different experience! No matter how many times I take the SAME picture of something, such as Sacre Coeur, its still going to be just as magnificent as the first time I saw it! Maybe because we really don't have anything like it at home, or maybe I'm getting soft in my old age; but seriously, every time I see one of these "touristy" sites, I'm still filled with a lot of joy and even excitement! Then we walked to one of my favorite parts of Paris. Touristy? Yes! Beautiful? YES! Its the part right behind Sacre Coeur called Place du Tertre where all the artists set up shop to sell you their paintings; mostly of sites around Paris and a lot of portrait artists. I wonder if they get bored painting the same things over and over again, or maybe they have the same attitude as I do. No matter how many times they do it, they will find something different each time that might strike them in a way they never thought possible!
I've had lots of school work, which is not terribly difficult but not terribly fun at the same time. Our teacher is really great though, so it makes it a lot easier to get up for five hours of class every day. The phonetics hour in the middle of school is always a favorite of mine. We do 1/2 hour of reviewing the sentences and sounds we will "work" on for the day, and 1/2 hour recording and re-recording ourselves saying it. As our teacher comes over our little microphones and say "Its not e... its EEEE" And you try, and she laughs. It struck me really funny today because, the phonetics teachers care SO much more about attendance than the regular class teachers do. Hence the "My Fair Lady" quote; for all of you who caught it, as my title. They really care more about how things are said than about what's BEING said! Its great. Our teacher comes on the microphone with her smokey Parisian voice correcting us and telling us that our mouth isn't in the right place or we are speak-ing-too-slow-ly. As she mocks us through the headset.
Tonight I had a nice dinner with Jenna and Jess (a girl in the program). Very relaxing, then we went for a walk by the Seine. We stopped a looked at the sun going down, making all these awesome orange colors in the sky by the Eiffel Tower; such a beautiful view. A lovely evening. Dad told me to post something and I replied "I have nothing to say!"... After this post, looks like I had something to say! Hope you enjoyed.
Bisous
Amy
Monday, July 19, 2010
Getting Lost in Paris.. Priceless
While today was a relatively uneventful day, I wanted to write a blog anyway. After a stressful morning of attempting to buy a book at a store that wasn't open, to almost being late for class (because of said store), to a long day at school, I was ready for some R&R. After class, I was planning on coming back to my room and sleeping for a while before meeting up with some friends for dinner, however half way through the day I got a better idea.
Instead of just coming home to be in a familiar, boring room, why not walk to the Luxembourg Gardens and spend a little time there? That sounded like a much better plan. After FINALLY getting my grammar book and grabbing my coffee, I headed for the gardens. To my delight, there was a little concert going on, as they often have during the summer, with lots of people sitting around in chairs listening. I found a chair (well, two chairs, one for me, one for my bag and feet) and listened; the band only played a few more songs before packing up. After they left, a large portion of the people left too. I moved location so I could better people watch and found myself the perfect spot in the shade, in view of the rest of the gardens. With the sight of the top of the Eiffel tower to my right and the giant Montparnasse building to my left. I had exactly one hour and a half all to myself. No one was going to bother me.. no matter what.
I decided it was a good time to do my homework, so I pulled out my (new!) grammar book and did it rather quickly. Happy that that was over, I could concentrate on better things, like watching people walk by. Its really great to sit in Luxembourg for many reasons. 1. There are many funny tourists walking around with backpacks, cameras, and sometimes confused faces staring down at metro maps. 2. I enjoy the old french people who wander around the garden. They've probably been doing that their whole lives, and yet they still come back, everyday perhaps to take a walk and look at the beautifully kept place around them. 3. The variety of people I see! Coming/going(?) to work, running through to get somewhere, children playing; young, old; all speaking different languages, but all equally welcome to come relax.
I studied a little for a test tomorrow; watched people as they would sit for a while, some awkwardly close to me, but as long as they didn't feel awkward, neither did I; wrote down some random thoughts, drew a few doodles of the Eiffel Tower and a plant that looked more like a cupcake; thought about making cupcakes that look like plants; and so my thoughts drifted from place to place. Its really amazing how gardens in Europe, generally, feel so removed from the rest of the city. You KNOW that there are bustling cars, buses, and people just outside the gates, but for some reason you can't hear them; nor do you want to. You can so easily escape the city, without going very far at all.
So while today, I didn't actually get LOST in Paris, although I do enjoy doing that. I allowed myself to get lost IN Paris.. I'm not sure if you'll get that distinction, but I do. I lost myself in the garden and just let my mind wander away from anything that I had to be thinking about. Sitting under a cool tree, with the sun shining through.
Its really the quiet moments in Paris that are the most treasured.
Bisous,
Amy
Instead of just coming home to be in a familiar, boring room, why not walk to the Luxembourg Gardens and spend a little time there? That sounded like a much better plan. After FINALLY getting my grammar book and grabbing my coffee, I headed for the gardens. To my delight, there was a little concert going on, as they often have during the summer, with lots of people sitting around in chairs listening. I found a chair (well, two chairs, one for me, one for my bag and feet) and listened; the band only played a few more songs before packing up. After they left, a large portion of the people left too. I moved location so I could better people watch and found myself the perfect spot in the shade, in view of the rest of the gardens. With the sight of the top of the Eiffel tower to my right and the giant Montparnasse building to my left. I had exactly one hour and a half all to myself. No one was going to bother me.. no matter what.
I decided it was a good time to do my homework, so I pulled out my (new!) grammar book and did it rather quickly. Happy that that was over, I could concentrate on better things, like watching people walk by. Its really great to sit in Luxembourg for many reasons. 1. There are many funny tourists walking around with backpacks, cameras, and sometimes confused faces staring down at metro maps. 2. I enjoy the old french people who wander around the garden. They've probably been doing that their whole lives, and yet they still come back, everyday perhaps to take a walk and look at the beautifully kept place around them. 3. The variety of people I see! Coming/going(?) to work, running through to get somewhere, children playing; young, old; all speaking different languages, but all equally welcome to come relax.
I studied a little for a test tomorrow; watched people as they would sit for a while, some awkwardly close to me, but as long as they didn't feel awkward, neither did I; wrote down some random thoughts, drew a few doodles of the Eiffel Tower and a plant that looked more like a cupcake; thought about making cupcakes that look like plants; and so my thoughts drifted from place to place. Its really amazing how gardens in Europe, generally, feel so removed from the rest of the city. You KNOW that there are bustling cars, buses, and people just outside the gates, but for some reason you can't hear them; nor do you want to. You can so easily escape the city, without going very far at all.
So while today, I didn't actually get LOST in Paris, although I do enjoy doing that. I allowed myself to get lost IN Paris.. I'm not sure if you'll get that distinction, but I do. I lost myself in the garden and just let my mind wander away from anything that I had to be thinking about. Sitting under a cool tree, with the sun shining through.
Its really the quiet moments in Paris that are the most treasured.
Bisous,
Amy
Sunday, July 18, 2010
"We all got a castle each. We're up to here with castles!"
This weekend we did a trip to the Loire Valley to visit Chenonceau, Amboise, and Clos Luce! It all started on Saturday morning, bright and early; meeting the group at 8AM to get on the bus, driven by the ever lovely, Christophe (a large, middle-aged Frenchman). While I did sleep most of the way to Chenonceau, I was awake for a few minutes, just long enough to watch the fields of sunflowers pass by me as we drove our 3 hours to the destination.
Chenonceau was a BEAUTIFUL Chateau, apparently designed by all women (so Jenna told me), and was the home of many women (not all at the same time); some notable ones like Diane de Poitiers, Louise Dupin, and most commonly known, Catherine de' Medici. The Chateau was absolutely beautiful. Right on the river, with really lovely tall towers and incredible gardens. Along with a 16th century "farm" and donkey stable, as well as a maze made out of shrubberies. Not only did we have a visit of the grounds; we ate lunch at the incredible restaurant! A four course lunch complete with a baked alaska for dessert! Obviously, that was one of the highlights of the chateau experience.
Saturday night we arrived at our Youth Hostel; very nice, clean and kept. We were kind of a whirlwind of a group, a bunch of loud kids (which is the WORST thing to be), but luckily there were 2 rooms of girls, one of guys and we had sort of separated between the loud and the quiet which was rather nice. A cool night, and up again bright and early for breakfast and leaving for Amboise.
Amboise is on the Loire River as well, built in the 15th and 16th century, housing several kings/queens and also a favorite place of Leonardo da Vinci! Not only that, his grave was moved onto the site when the church where he was buried was demolished. That was pretty neat! This chateau was amazing as well, however over 80% of it no longer exists, which is pretty sad. From Amboise we went to a little market in the town and then onto Clos Luce! Clos Luce was the house that was made for Leonardo da Vinci by the King because he loved his work and Leonardo loved France so much (at least that's how the story goes). We walked all through the house, but the main event was the beautiful grounds that the house was kept on; so many beautiful gardens and little hideaways, just the place a genius would want to do his work! It was a great site to see.
After that, we hopped back onto the bus with good ol' Christophe and drove back home to Paris. Another day of class tomorrow!
Bisous,
Amy
Chenonceau was a BEAUTIFUL Chateau, apparently designed by all women (so Jenna told me), and was the home of many women (not all at the same time); some notable ones like Diane de Poitiers, Louise Dupin, and most commonly known, Catherine de' Medici. The Chateau was absolutely beautiful. Right on the river, with really lovely tall towers and incredible gardens. Along with a 16th century "farm" and donkey stable, as well as a maze made out of shrubberies. Not only did we have a visit of the grounds; we ate lunch at the incredible restaurant! A four course lunch complete with a baked alaska for dessert! Obviously, that was one of the highlights of the chateau experience.
Saturday night we arrived at our Youth Hostel; very nice, clean and kept. We were kind of a whirlwind of a group, a bunch of loud kids (which is the WORST thing to be), but luckily there were 2 rooms of girls, one of guys and we had sort of separated between the loud and the quiet which was rather nice. A cool night, and up again bright and early for breakfast and leaving for Amboise.
Amboise is on the Loire River as well, built in the 15th and 16th century, housing several kings/queens and also a favorite place of Leonardo da Vinci! Not only that, his grave was moved onto the site when the church where he was buried was demolished. That was pretty neat! This chateau was amazing as well, however over 80% of it no longer exists, which is pretty sad. From Amboise we went to a little market in the town and then onto Clos Luce! Clos Luce was the house that was made for Leonardo da Vinci by the King because he loved his work and Leonardo loved France so much (at least that's how the story goes). We walked all through the house, but the main event was the beautiful grounds that the house was kept on; so many beautiful gardens and little hideaways, just the place a genius would want to do his work! It was a great site to see.
After that, we hopped back onto the bus with good ol' Christophe and drove back home to Paris. Another day of class tomorrow!
Bisous,
Amy
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A rainy day in Paris...
Yes, I know its been a few days; but I really haven't had much time to sit down and write since I got back from Spain! I've had regular school and then we had Bastille Day! No classes! That was very exciting. The 13th, I had dinner with Liz and Jenn at their apartment; FINALLY got to eat the delicious rotisserie chicken and potatoes that you can buy just about anywhere in Paris; they are truly a magical food! Dinner was wonderful, its something everyone has to try!
Bastille Day was the RAINIEST day in Paris I have ever seen! Until about 4:30 in the afternoon, the sky was throwing buckets down at us, while a pigeon sat on the window sill for about that long too, Liz, Jenn and I named him and kept checking to see if he was still there. He was there until the rain stopped and we left. At 5 or so (?) we left the apartment and headed for the Tuilleries gardens where there is a huge festival set up with a giant ferris wheel! Jenn and I were brave enough to ride, but Liz wasn't... so sad; but it was one of the most amazing views of Paris I have ever had, as we went around we could see every monument perfectly. The clouds had cleared and it was a gorgeous afternoon. It was one of the best decisions, I wanted to wait until night to ride it, but the afternoon was better! You could see everything!
Later that night we met up again for the fireworks. They happen at the Eiffel Tower, but there is such a huge crowd there that we watched from afar. They were pretty spectacular, especially when the tower started glowing as well.
Back to regular classes today. This afternoon I helped Jenna get ready for the picnic that the group is going on tonight. It was a relaxing afternoon. Then Jenna said she was going to church and that I was more than welcome to join; I didn't really have anything else to do, so I decided to go. She had warned me that it would be unlike any other mass I have ever attended and she was right! This church is in the retirement home for old priests and nuns; with many of them in attendance, it was basically a geriatric ward. The mass was said in French, which carried an especially beautiful ring to it, and with there being so many priests there, it had a sort of chant as they all said the mass together, most from their wheel chairs, some barely coughing out the words. It was a really beautiful experience. Jenna said that when she first went she thought it would be sad, but I didn't see that at all. They were all very content to be exactly where they were. After mass, there was a short prayer; the hymn that was sung (in french) was the same tune as one of Mom's favorite hymns! It was especially cool because when I looked at it, I thought it would sound really good to that tune and then it was! Thought that was kind of neat.
We're about to head out for our picnic :) Its really beautiful outside... even though its getting kind of warm as it gets later, but I'm sure it'll cool off again.
Bisous,
Amy
PS: I will try to post some pictures soon!
Bastille Day was the RAINIEST day in Paris I have ever seen! Until about 4:30 in the afternoon, the sky was throwing buckets down at us, while a pigeon sat on the window sill for about that long too, Liz, Jenn and I named him and kept checking to see if he was still there. He was there until the rain stopped and we left. At 5 or so (?) we left the apartment and headed for the Tuilleries gardens where there is a huge festival set up with a giant ferris wheel! Jenn and I were brave enough to ride, but Liz wasn't... so sad; but it was one of the most amazing views of Paris I have ever had, as we went around we could see every monument perfectly. The clouds had cleared and it was a gorgeous afternoon. It was one of the best decisions, I wanted to wait until night to ride it, but the afternoon was better! You could see everything!
Later that night we met up again for the fireworks. They happen at the Eiffel Tower, but there is such a huge crowd there that we watched from afar. They were pretty spectacular, especially when the tower started glowing as well.
Back to regular classes today. This afternoon I helped Jenna get ready for the picnic that the group is going on tonight. It was a relaxing afternoon. Then Jenna said she was going to church and that I was more than welcome to join; I didn't really have anything else to do, so I decided to go. She had warned me that it would be unlike any other mass I have ever attended and she was right! This church is in the retirement home for old priests and nuns; with many of them in attendance, it was basically a geriatric ward. The mass was said in French, which carried an especially beautiful ring to it, and with there being so many priests there, it had a sort of chant as they all said the mass together, most from their wheel chairs, some barely coughing out the words. It was a really beautiful experience. Jenna said that when she first went she thought it would be sad, but I didn't see that at all. They were all very content to be exactly where they were. After mass, there was a short prayer; the hymn that was sung (in french) was the same tune as one of Mom's favorite hymns! It was especially cool because when I looked at it, I thought it would sound really good to that tune and then it was! Thought that was kind of neat.
We're about to head out for our picnic :) Its really beautiful outside... even though its getting kind of warm as it gets later, but I'm sure it'll cool off again.
Bisous,
Amy
PS: I will try to post some pictures soon!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Viva Espana! The land of the ham.
What a weekend! Visiting Spain was more different than I ever could have imagined! Of course, I was so excited to see Colette, but rarely have I visited a place that I really don't speak the language. The phrase "Do you speak English?" is not something I really like to say. But Spain is a LOT different than France. While, I do still adore Paris, Madrid is a warm, beautiful, welcoming city. It feels very comfortable, even when inside you know you are SO out of your comfort zone.
Colette met me at the airport Friday morning and our adventure began. Spain was HOT. Very hot. I mean, I thought Paris was hot, but you go south and then its the real deal. Luckily, and happily, for me, Madrid has ice and cold beverages everywhere. Friday we walked around for most of the day ... Colette showed me her school, which was a beautiful building, and then we walked around some of her favorite areas. Later that day Collete's senora (the woman who she has been staying with) brought over a dish called "tortilla" for dinner, which isn't a tortilla that we think of, but an amazing potato quiche type meal, served with a salad. So delicious! In the evening we met up with some other kids from the Syracuse program; we had walked so much during the day that we were exhausted by night and so ready to fall asleep, which was perfect because it was so hot, without exhaustion, sleep would've been difficult!
Saturday- (I figured I would just give a quick re-cap of everything we did, there was so much and it was so great that it will be difficult!) We woke up pretty late, which felt great! I'm not sure I've had such a good nights sleep since Ive been in Europe. very needed. Ate a breakfast made by none other that Colette herself and headed out for another day of walking. We went to the Royal Botanical Gardens, I think every city is required to have these, but I love them none the less. They were really magical, and much cooler than walking around in the city sun. Yay for trees. Then we went to the Royal Palace and toured around. It was absolutely amazing. Such vibrant colors filled all of the rooms, with porcelain on the walls! Things I had truly never seen before. Then we walked through Plaza de Espagna and Grand Villa to plaza Mayor where we ate. We sat outside and had a meal of cheese, HAM, and bread (and wine, of course). Who knew that ham was so popular in Spain? Well, not me. It was delicious. Really. They have all of these "Museos de jambon" which are like, meat markets that ONLY have ham and they are EVERYWHERE! Then we walked some more (shocking?) and headed home for some down time and also showered and got dressed for dinner. We went to Plaza Sainta Anna and ate at a restaurant called "turf"... everyone would have been SO proud of me! I had SO much fish and actually enjoyed it. So it was a fun evening.
This morning (Sunday) we got up and had breakfast. Then we went to one of Madrid's most famous markets, the Rostro. We walked around and then through La Latina, which is where Colette hopes to live someday. We thought that'd work out well, I'll be in Paris, she'll be in Madrid, we can visit on the weekends. Sounds like a plan no? We had the most amazing meal. I realize this blog is all about food, but seriously, this was an INCREDIBLE edible weekend ha! We had gazpacho to start, which was really refreshing because of the heat and then we split an incredible stuffed pepper with curry sauce. Then we walked around through Sol again and to a giant department store.
The city was all abuzz with insanity because tonight was the World Cup (which Spain won!) Of course, my flight left as the game started. Or, was SUPPOSED to leave! It was delayed, which was sad because I probably could have seen the game. Alas. They gave us updates during the flight... was someone checking their phone? ha. I'm sure the captain was radioing down to whomever about status updates! Home again home again, and class tomorrow!
Oh. Did I mention it was around 101 degrees all weekend? Now picture us doing all that walking. That's all .
Bisous!
Amy
Colette met me at the airport Friday morning and our adventure began. Spain was HOT. Very hot. I mean, I thought Paris was hot, but you go south and then its the real deal. Luckily, and happily, for me, Madrid has ice and cold beverages everywhere. Friday we walked around for most of the day ... Colette showed me her school, which was a beautiful building, and then we walked around some of her favorite areas. Later that day Collete's senora (the woman who she has been staying with) brought over a dish called "tortilla" for dinner, which isn't a tortilla that we think of, but an amazing potato quiche type meal, served with a salad. So delicious! In the evening we met up with some other kids from the Syracuse program; we had walked so much during the day that we were exhausted by night and so ready to fall asleep, which was perfect because it was so hot, without exhaustion, sleep would've been difficult!
Saturday- (I figured I would just give a quick re-cap of everything we did, there was so much and it was so great that it will be difficult!) We woke up pretty late, which felt great! I'm not sure I've had such a good nights sleep since Ive been in Europe. very needed. Ate a breakfast made by none other that Colette herself and headed out for another day of walking. We went to the Royal Botanical Gardens, I think every city is required to have these, but I love them none the less. They were really magical, and much cooler than walking around in the city sun. Yay for trees. Then we went to the Royal Palace and toured around. It was absolutely amazing. Such vibrant colors filled all of the rooms, with porcelain on the walls! Things I had truly never seen before. Then we walked through Plaza de Espagna and Grand Villa to plaza Mayor where we ate. We sat outside and had a meal of cheese, HAM, and bread (and wine, of course). Who knew that ham was so popular in Spain? Well, not me. It was delicious. Really. They have all of these "Museos de jambon" which are like, meat markets that ONLY have ham and they are EVERYWHERE! Then we walked some more (shocking?) and headed home for some down time and also showered and got dressed for dinner. We went to Plaza Sainta Anna and ate at a restaurant called "turf"... everyone would have been SO proud of me! I had SO much fish and actually enjoyed it. So it was a fun evening.
This morning (Sunday) we got up and had breakfast. Then we went to one of Madrid's most famous markets, the Rostro. We walked around and then through La Latina, which is where Colette hopes to live someday. We thought that'd work out well, I'll be in Paris, she'll be in Madrid, we can visit on the weekends. Sounds like a plan no? We had the most amazing meal. I realize this blog is all about food, but seriously, this was an INCREDIBLE edible weekend ha! We had gazpacho to start, which was really refreshing because of the heat and then we split an incredible stuffed pepper with curry sauce. Then we walked around through Sol again and to a giant department store.
The city was all abuzz with insanity because tonight was the World Cup (which Spain won!) Of course, my flight left as the game started. Or, was SUPPOSED to leave! It was delayed, which was sad because I probably could have seen the game. Alas. They gave us updates during the flight... was someone checking their phone? ha. I'm sure the captain was radioing down to whomever about status updates! Home again home again, and class tomorrow!
Oh. Did I mention it was around 101 degrees all weekend? Now picture us doing all that walking. That's all .
Bisous!
Amy
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
... Are there crepes down here?... Um. We're in France.
Turns out, 5 hours of French a day, is A LOT! The first two hours are a lot of stuff I know I've learned before, but they are a GREAT review. Our teacher is following what she's picking up on in class from our speaking and writing, which I think is a really great idea. Some of the phonetics is difficult... VERY difficult. Our teacher couldn't be more "French". She's so 'cool' and sounds like she's been smoking a pack a day since she was, born? But it kind of adds to her personality. I think she likes me, which is always a bonus. We are working on making our phrases sound like "one word, because the french (as she says) do. not. break. things. up. like. in. other. countries." No, the french like everything to be meshed together so that no one REALLY knows what anyone is talking about. So I think I'm getting pretty good at that.
The second part of class these past two days has been, interesting, to put it lightly. For some reason, our teacher thinks we should discuss topics like marriage, children, and other issues that generally make people uncomfortable and squeemish. While I appreciate the sentiment; it will get us to argue and really force us to use our French and all, its a bit strange if I do say so myself. Maybe its just not as awkward a topic here as it is at home? I don't know. Although, our discussions do pass the time.
Also, a girl complimented me on my dress yesterday (the one that I made) saying that it looked like it came from somewhere fancy! And then proceeded to tell me how lucky I am that I can make things, and that she can't do ANYTHING! She can't cook, sew, or ANYTHING like that... but you know, she just speaks SEVEN languages. No big deal. She can't do anything. I was still flattered,but I did think it was kind of funny.
Liz and Jenn arrived in Paris yesterday! After a few hours of trying to hunt each other down we managed to get on the ball and meet up for a late dinner. It was great; also very funny seeing home people in Paris, you feel like you're not in Paris anymore.
Today we went to Le Petit Palais and walked around le Champs Elysee; it was really nice outside. Apparently tomorrow is going to be extremely hot, which I'm not looking forward to. Yes, New York may have 100 degree weather, but at least air conditioning and cold drinks are something common. Speaking of cold drinks, I'm obsessed with apple juice here. I know, a rather random fact, but if you ever come to France. I suggest the apple juice.
Another long day tomorrow, and off to Spain on Friday! I know, I have a really hard life!
More to come!
Bisous,
Amy
The second part of class these past two days has been, interesting, to put it lightly. For some reason, our teacher thinks we should discuss topics like marriage, children, and other issues that generally make people uncomfortable and squeemish. While I appreciate the sentiment; it will get us to argue and really force us to use our French and all, its a bit strange if I do say so myself. Maybe its just not as awkward a topic here as it is at home? I don't know. Although, our discussions do pass the time.
Also, a girl complimented me on my dress yesterday (the one that I made) saying that it looked like it came from somewhere fancy! And then proceeded to tell me how lucky I am that I can make things, and that she can't do ANYTHING! She can't cook, sew, or ANYTHING like that... but you know, she just speaks SEVEN languages. No big deal. She can't do anything. I was still flattered,but I did think it was kind of funny.
Liz and Jenn arrived in Paris yesterday! After a few hours of trying to hunt each other down we managed to get on the ball and meet up for a late dinner. It was great; also very funny seeing home people in Paris, you feel like you're not in Paris anymore.
Today we went to Le Petit Palais and walked around le Champs Elysee; it was really nice outside. Apparently tomorrow is going to be extremely hot, which I'm not looking forward to. Yes, New York may have 100 degree weather, but at least air conditioning and cold drinks are something common. Speaking of cold drinks, I'm obsessed with apple juice here. I know, a rather random fact, but if you ever come to France. I suggest the apple juice.
Another long day tomorrow, and off to Spain on Friday! I know, I have a really hard life!
More to come!
Bisous,
Amy
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Elle épluche une orange... and many other French phrases
Well, quick recap of yesterday! My internet has not been in tip top shape, thus I was not able to post a blog. Yesterday was "free museums day!" as I mentioned, so Jess and I decided we would get up and go to L'Orangerie. Its a museum in the Tuleries gardens with GIANT Monet paintings that stretch along the walls, as well as some other famous impressionist paintings. Its a small, beautiful museum, and was the perfect choice for a semi-intense day. We knew it was going to be intense when we walked in and there was a sign that said "SILENCE!" (avec une accent francaise, bien sure); complete with a woman sitting in a chair shushing people. There was a great reverence in the room and it was really breath-taking. We had decided not to go to the really 'big' museums because for one, they would be SO crowded... and our feet were still a little sore from the Louvre on Saturday. After seeing the beautiful paintings, and the fun "silence" signs, we went out into the gardens and were greeted by a beautiful breeze; a long stroll through the gardens and some ice cream would finish off our adventure. Then we came home to rest and had some dinner- to bed early because CLASSES BEGAN TODAY!
This morning we had to be up bright and early to meet Jenna to go to our classes. 8AM downstairs and the group was given their sheets about where to meet their professors. We squeezed on the metro (as it was rush hour) and ran to the amphitheater where we were supposed to be (arriving just under 5 minutes late... :/) A few of us were in the same place and waited patiently for our names to be called to follow our teachers. I was in one of the last groups, being placed in an "Intermediate" level course, which, after today, I think will be just right. Not too hard, but definitely challenging enough that I won't be bored. Then, I led a group of the students to our building, because many of them didn't know how to get there. 10-12 is the first part of class which consists of grammar and les choses plus difficile, an hour break, 1-2 phonetics, my personal favorite, and then 2-4 with "les choses moins difficile comme la liturature etc..."; sounds like a pretty great, but busy day! No one from my program is in my class, but there are several nice people that I have already connected with.
After class, a few of us met up and picked up some notebooks and then headed off to the Crepe dinner. Amazing as always. First a salad, then a mushroom and cheese crepe, followed by a crepe chocolate for dessert (the chocolate is made at the restaurant and was a delicious dark chocolate). After stopping by the Monoprix for some necessary items, a few of us came back to La Maison Belges and played soccer with some of the Turkish kids we met. Obviously, they were far better than us, but I think they probably went easy.
Another full day of class tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to it! I've finished my homework and am ready for bed.
Bisous,
Amy
This morning we had to be up bright and early to meet Jenna to go to our classes. 8AM downstairs and the group was given their sheets about where to meet their professors. We squeezed on the metro (as it was rush hour) and ran to the amphitheater where we were supposed to be (arriving just under 5 minutes late... :/) A few of us were in the same place and waited patiently for our names to be called to follow our teachers. I was in one of the last groups, being placed in an "Intermediate" level course, which, after today, I think will be just right. Not too hard, but definitely challenging enough that I won't be bored. Then, I led a group of the students to our building, because many of them didn't know how to get there. 10-12 is the first part of class which consists of grammar and les choses plus difficile, an hour break, 1-2 phonetics, my personal favorite, and then 2-4 with "les choses moins difficile comme la liturature etc..."; sounds like a pretty great, but busy day! No one from my program is in my class, but there are several nice people that I have already connected with.
After class, a few of us met up and picked up some notebooks and then headed off to the Crepe dinner. Amazing as always. First a salad, then a mushroom and cheese crepe, followed by a crepe chocolate for dessert (the chocolate is made at the restaurant and was a delicious dark chocolate). After stopping by the Monoprix for some necessary items, a few of us came back to La Maison Belges and played soccer with some of the Turkish kids we met. Obviously, they were far better than us, but I think they probably went easy.
Another full day of class tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to it! I've finished my homework and am ready for bed.
Bisous,
Amy
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Paris at my feet! Paris in the dust!
Well, the past two days have been pretty exciting. Yesterday we took our placement exam (which is harder than one would imagine.. shows how much not speaking in about 2 years really affects you!) But I think all will turn out for the best with that... And then we 'toured' the left bank with Jenna. That was great, but it was super hot outside so we decided to cut that short a bit. A few of us walked around toward Notre Dame, and that, of course, was magical as always. Then, Paris decided to rain. So we all scurried onto the metro and went home.
Last night (the 2nd) we wandered around Paris... and a few of us happened upon The Eiffel Tower. No matter how touristy it may be, its one of the most magnificent places that exists in Paris, especially at night. Its standing, proud and tall, and beautifully lit up. It was great, although we were technically 'lost' when we ran into it... As my motto goes "Getting lost in Paris... Priceless". Well, that definitely proved true once again.
Today (July 3rd) was quite the day for walking! We met at 12:30 for the Louvre... got there, had a quick bite to eat and headed out. We were a group of 6; because most of the group had split up in order to not be a giant 17 people group wandering around together! After eating, we got going on looking around. Many things I had already seen, but you could walk around the Louvre forever and probably still miss a few things. Naturally, we saw La Jaconde (the Mona Lisa)...in honor of Mom :).
After the Louvre, a few of us decided to get some dinner, as we were walking... let's see who are the SUPER musical theatre geeks who got my title reference. We saw a sign for..
LES MISERABLES! So I, of course, had to investigate. We found out that they had student tickets and we had to get there a half hour before show time to get them. Sounded pretty good to me! So Jess, Brice and I ate a quick crepe and waited in line. We paid for our tickets, expecting nose bleed section seats... but... Quelle chance!? We had 7TH ROW SEATS! Absolutely incredible. Not only that, but it, apparently, is the 25th anniversary of the show and they have completely re-vamped it! New, beautiful sets, more set pieces than I have ever seen for Les Mis and different blocking. Naturally, I cried throughout the entire piece. It was incredible. While it was in English, they had set up French subtitles around the stage, which didn't distract at all, but were fun to read during the show!
As if that wasn't enough, we got back to the Cite, met up with some others from the program and decided to go wandering around for the evening. We ended up on the Pont Des Arts which is a "cool" hang out for young people around here, that's not a club or anything.. just a bridge to sit and chill. Met up with some Turkish kids we met in our building and had a lovely evening. Its time for bed and tomorrow is FREE museum day all over Paris! Looking forward to it!
Bisous,
Amy
Last night (the 2nd) we wandered around Paris... and a few of us happened upon The Eiffel Tower. No matter how touristy it may be, its one of the most magnificent places that exists in Paris, especially at night. Its standing, proud and tall, and beautifully lit up. It was great, although we were technically 'lost' when we ran into it... As my motto goes "Getting lost in Paris... Priceless". Well, that definitely proved true once again.
Today (July 3rd) was quite the day for walking! We met at 12:30 for the Louvre... got there, had a quick bite to eat and headed out. We were a group of 6; because most of the group had split up in order to not be a giant 17 people group wandering around together! After eating, we got going on looking around. Many things I had already seen, but you could walk around the Louvre forever and probably still miss a few things. Naturally, we saw La Jaconde (the Mona Lisa)...in honor of Mom :).
After the Louvre, a few of us decided to get some dinner, as we were walking... let's see who are the SUPER musical theatre geeks who got my title reference. We saw a sign for..
LES MISERABLES! So I, of course, had to investigate. We found out that they had student tickets and we had to get there a half hour before show time to get them. Sounded pretty good to me! So Jess, Brice and I ate a quick crepe and waited in line. We paid for our tickets, expecting nose bleed section seats... but... Quelle chance!? We had 7TH ROW SEATS! Absolutely incredible. Not only that, but it, apparently, is the 25th anniversary of the show and they have completely re-vamped it! New, beautiful sets, more set pieces than I have ever seen for Les Mis and different blocking. Naturally, I cried throughout the entire piece. It was incredible. While it was in English, they had set up French subtitles around the stage, which didn't distract at all, but were fun to read during the show!
As if that wasn't enough, we got back to the Cite, met up with some others from the program and decided to go wandering around for the evening. We ended up on the Pont Des Arts which is a "cool" hang out for young people around here, that's not a club or anything.. just a bridge to sit and chill. Met up with some Turkish kids we met in our building and had a lovely evening. Its time for bed and tomorrow is FREE museum day all over Paris! Looking forward to it!
Bisous,
Amy
Thursday, July 1, 2010
"I think France just agrees with you"
Col. I couldn't agree with you more! I've only been here for a few hours and already I'm settling right back down like its home again. While my flight was a bit distressing, not actually taking off from Boston until almost 1AM.. We did make up a lot of time in the air and I got here around 11:50. Wandered around Charles de Gaulle until I ran into JC (Jenna's assistant and also a student on PSS) We then waited, and waited, and waited (this could go on and on you see) for about 3 hours for a 'shuttle' that never showed up. Then we decided it would be easier to just take the RER back to Cite Universitaire to meet up with the group and show up a whole 45 minutes late to the Orientation meeting. At this point, I was tired. Grumpy. You maybe be thinking "How is that different from usual?" and to that I say, its not really. ha Just kidding (kind of!).. Anyway, I was feeling pretty tired and then... "Cite Universitaire" chimed on the RER as we rolled into the station. A burst of energy and excitement came over my body, I stepped out on the familiar platform, and suddenly all of that tired, grumpiness from earlier literally melted away.
As we walked down Boulevard Jourdan, I'm sure JC was getting slightly annoyed, I was beaming from ear to ear and kept saying "Don't you just FEEL it! Its great! We'll walk down this SO many times. Ah! I love it!" (things like that)
Jenna finally greeted me with a "I guess we can ONLY hang out in PARIS!" A giant smile and warm, welcoming hug. As I started filling out paper work.. some of the tiredness set back in, as my hands were shaking a bit. But maybe that was pure energy? Who can say?
That's about all that's happened so far. I love the familier sights and sounds already. Its already feeling like home again. My room is great... its almost 8, and I'm ready for bed!
Bisous,
Amy
As we walked down Boulevard Jourdan, I'm sure JC was getting slightly annoyed, I was beaming from ear to ear and kept saying "Don't you just FEEL it! Its great! We'll walk down this SO many times. Ah! I love it!" (things like that)
Jenna finally greeted me with a "I guess we can ONLY hang out in PARIS!" A giant smile and warm, welcoming hug. As I started filling out paper work.. some of the tiredness set back in, as my hands were shaking a bit. But maybe that was pure energy? Who can say?
That's about all that's happened so far. I love the familier sights and sounds already. Its already feeling like home again. My room is great... its almost 8, and I'm ready for bed!
Bisous,
Amy
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