Well, it is almost time for me to wake up from this dream of living in Paris. I can't believe how quickly time passes.
This past weekend, we travelled to Tours in the Loire Valley. Friday night was a bit interesting, we went to a chateau where we saw a light spectacular...or you know a few geese, some cammels, some fire throwers, and of course a chateau. The show itself was simply bizarre. I did not know whether or not to be scared for my life as if I were on a trail to the vampire lare (much like the second twilight movie) or to believe that everyone had completely lost their mind. As the french say, "completement toc-toc" Saturday was much better! We first visited the beautiful chateau Chanenceau. The weather was beautiful and so much history reveals iteself within the walls of this chateau. First of all, the intertwining c's on the walls and ceilings accompanied by "h" represented the affair of King Henry with Diane de Poitier. The bridge over the river represented an escape route for those of the second world war trying to escape to the free zone. So much history and story in one place is almost unbelievable.
That night, we had a wine tasting at Vouvray, where we were able to take a small tour of the caves in which millions of bottles of wine are kept, turned, and protected until their day of selling.
Sunday we first went to the magnificent Chambord, which was just enormous beyond all belief. The entire chateau was unified by the central, enourmous spiral staircase. Although I was walking on the same floor as so many royals had once walked, it was so difficult to imagine life of the 16th century! How different things must have been.
After the chateau we made one last stop at the Cathedral Chartres, which is one of the oldest original cathedrals in Europe. We had the most wonderful guide here, an 80 odd year old british man with so much knowledge about how to correctly read the stained glass windows and the statues above the enormous arched doorways. Malcom, was essential in the tour of Chartres. He was so passionate about what he taught, that it was impossible not to catch the same enthusiasm.
As for my last week of class...I love my conversation class with Jean-Pierre Girodon. He is just the nicest little french man and I am learning so many day-to-day sayings that help me speak much more confidentally in the cafes and magasins...stores. Today my friend Joanna and I visited montmartre, where we took the fenaculiare up to the top where Sacre Coeur is. There were so many cute shopes around the area and the view was absolutely magnificent. We had such a wonderful time just roaming around the Mount. of Martyrs...Montmartres.
Tonight we had our fairwell dinner, which was a bit bitter-sweet because I am so thrilled to be going home soon, but I will be so sad to leave my Paris hometown behind. But I hope to be able to come back one day to a city that is not just a place to visit, but a place that was once my hometown.