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.

Chateau, Chateau, oh my, oh my!

You see, I told you I would be writing soon! Let's go over a quick recap since Wednesday...
Thursday: Class of course...then a visit to the Musee D'Orsay that night. I sadly have no pictures for you because they are strictly forbidden...don't you worry though, I found that one out the hard way. After the museum, we stopped at a little cafe for dinner, where, I had my very first snail!!! ahem...Escargot I mean... It was a little chewy a lot garlicy. Let's just say I tried it once and I am just fine with that!
Friday: Today was my last day of phonetics and we ended it with nothing else but a test! It was easy breazy and I must admit that I was sad to say "Au Revoir" to our Prof. In the afternoon, we shopped a bit on our way home from class and I was rather successful with two dresses! But who cares about clothes right?! On to the FOOD! We were bold that night, and ventured to a Turkish restaurant near Notre Dame. I had a doner kebab and it was AMAZING! The sauces mixed with the smoked flavors and a dash of cous cous was enough to set me up forever...Thank you Will for the wonderful recommendation. We strolled back with full tummies and Paris glowing from nearby streetlamps.
Saturday: Our day started out with a very short start...almost an emperial start...If you haven't figured out my clues...we went to Les Invalides: The location of Napoleon the first's tomb. Because the tomb is on the first floor and the viewing spot is on the second, everyone is forced to fufill Napoleon's last wish...to have the world bow before his tomb...so everyone was "bowing" over the side to get a better view of this self-centered, little man. Next, I hopped on the metro and found myself at the Opera House. Hello Phantom of the Opera. Although I did not get to see the lake underneath the opera, I did see the grand staircase, the ornate lamps, and of course the chandalier. I roamed around with "Mascarade" playing through my head.
That night, we rode out to Vaux le Vicompte. A brief history...Built by same man who built Versailles. Built for finance chief Foucet...Foucet threw a housewarming party...at the beginning of the night Foucet was "king," by midnight Louis the Fourteenth enraged with jealousy ruined him... now wasn't that so happy? We arrived at around 9:30 that night with the chataux glowing from thousands of candles. Even the gardens were illuminated with candles at every corner. We picniced here and enjoyed the general splendor of candle-light and fireworks...I felt as if I were back in the 1600's.
Sunday: I met my friend, Joana, at Hillsong church. For those of you wondering, it is in both French and English. The pastor speaks a few sentences then the translator relates the same in English. It was such a wonderful way to start my day. After lunch, Joana and I took the RER to the outside of Paris, hopped on bus number 258 and hopped off at Josephine Bonaparte's little Chateau: Malmaion. What a dream! It was not crowded at all and the weather was absolutely beautiful. We toured the chateau where we saw Josephine's art collection, her harp, her daughter Hortense's piano all within one room! The library was just as impressive. This room was filled with thousands of books, many from the original library of Malmaison. My favorite room would have to be Josephine's bedroom, which was draped in red fabric with a beautiful canopied bed. We continued our tour to the third floor, where we saw Josephine's dresses and even her undies! How silly she must have thought it if she knew that people were admiring her undergarments! Our tour ended in the beautiful gardens by a tree planted in 1800 by Josephine and Napoleon themselves. How wonderful it was to be walking through the rooms I have read so much about. I spent the entire afternoon with Josephine in the early 1800's...what a life!
Well, enough with the cheese for now, I apologize if I got carried away a bit :) Talk to you soon!

Quelle belle vie!

So this is going to be a pretty long one because I have not written to you in such a long time. here goes! Classes are still going great! I absolutely LOVE my teachers, they are quite witty and I love it! There are a few slightly annoying people in my class that hold us back due to their lack of having an attention span larger than a flea...BUT hey I'm in Paris...no complaints. I know many of you are wondering how I get to class each day (maybe just Mom...but you lucky readers get to hear it anyway!) Each morning, ending this Friday, I have phonetics at 8:00, in which I take the line 4 metro to the stop Raspail...which is about a good fifteen minute or so ride...so essentially I could walk there...if I were crazy. Then I take the metro again to the St. Michel stop where we walk a few blocks to class and usually catch le p'tit dej. (aka breakfast). Our favorite place to eat is at Crepe a gogo, which has the absolute best service and best breakfast a la francais! We get coffee (hot chocolate in my case...hello five year old) croissants, and bread! Jennifer you would love all the carbs here ha!
Last Wednesday night, me and about 8 girls when to the first showing of the new Twilight movie here in France! It was in V.O. which means the original version with french subtitles. It was quite the experience. The rest of the week was full of finding quaint cafes to sit and enjoy the french life.
BUT....are you ready for this???? really? are you sure? ok, I'll tell you already, sheesh!
Will came to visit me in PARIS!!!! What a surprise! He came in this past Saturday at around four in the afternoon (right after me and my friends Joanna and Jasmine got back from the flea market). We met each other at the St. Michel metro stop, where we went to settle him into his hotel. He stayed just two stops away from me which was so nice to be able to meet up easily each day.
The first night I took him to see the Citadinnes and to take him to my favorite Thai restraunt. After dinner we watched the football match and just enjoyed catching up.
The next day, Saturday, we ate an early lunch at a wonderful cafe next to the Seine and headed of to the Louvre...which I must say, turned out wonderfully because we both have very similar interests in art! We were able to spend time looking at the things we love and passing by (while apprectiating) the art we weren't too fond of. That night we watched the world cup at a little cafe.
Monday, Will met up with me and my friends for breakfast in between my two classes, and then we met up again at 2:30 after my COOKING class!
the CLASS...was amazing! I can now, with confidence, cook each of you Duck with a reduced cherry sauce on top of a bed of polenta...yum yum yum! How delicious!
That night...Will and I made our way to the eiffel tower for...get this...dinner! We ate atop the Eiffel Tower at 9:00 right when the sun was setting! We were served champagne and wine along with a starter of salmon and mixte veggies, then the main dish, then a dessert! Will got scallops with a side of delightful mashed potatoes, and I got the cod fish with lemon butter sauce and veggies and the mashed potatoes as well. My butter sauce came in the cutest, tiniest little saucer I have ever seen! And if you know me, you probably know that I might have fussed over it just a bit! For dessert will had the most wonderful vanilla ice cream sandwhiched in between a pastry-type bread/cookie with hot chocolate sauce drizzled on the top, while I had vanilla and rasberry sorbet surrounded with whipped cream! I know what a hard life right? So as we were finishing up dinner, our amazing waiter rushed up and handed me the little saucer and told me to quickly put it in my purse as a souvenir! It was the exact one I used at dinner...he said it was my little gift from the Eiffel Tower! Ah how fun!
After dinner we went back down the Eiffel tower at around 11:30 and went to the Champs de Mars and sat in the grass to wait for the twinkling of lights at midnight! It was absolutely magical! Because the metro closes at one on weekdays, Will dropped me off at the Citadinnes and we called it a night.
Yesterday we bopped around Paris for a bit, exploring some of the cobbled-stone lanes near his hotel and then headed to the theatre to watch a movie. We might have seen Twilight...so much fun. After the movie we grabbed a quick bite to eat at a little place that made gyro with lamb I think, that is what Will told me at least! It was quite delicious. And so we come to today. We met each other for breakfast and played our last bit of jin at the cafe Le Lutece. We figured we needed to have one last European Championship...Will won....so enough details on the European Championship...no hard feelings...Will then took the RER to Charles de Gaulle at around 12:30 and he just called me telling me he got to the Airport safely! It was so much fun showing him "my Paris." For the rest of the evening I am hanging out with my friends and we are going to try to catch the fireworks show for Bastille day (their July fourth) at the Eiffel Tower! Hopefully I won't wait to long to post again! Au Revoir!

"Qu'ils Mangent de la Brioche"

So, en francais, qu'ils mangent de la brioche roughly translates to "let them eat cake." So yes, this past Sunday, the group ventured out to Versailles and Giverny (where Monet lived and was inspired by his water lily garden) The trip was just absolutely amazing. Because of some rain overnight the day was much cooler (which was wonderful after a week of miserably hot days) As I am sure you already know, when Marie Antoinette first heard that the people had no way to eat bread, she did not understand that if they had no money for bread they obviously could not afford cake either. So the queen naively proclaimed "Let them eat cake."
We arrived at the Palace around 10:00 and began our tour of the chateau. One of the most amazing sights to me was the painted ceilings and the hidden door Marie Antoinette used to barely escape the angry, rioting women who broke into Versaille. (see pictures above...no need for words right?) After the chateau we ventured out to the gardens of Versailles, which were just absolutely breathtaking. From around eleven till noon, music was playing throughout the gardens and the fountains were running!!! What a sight and a strange feeling to know that I was able to experience the same views as Marie Antoinette. We had lunch by the long canal, where people were in canoes and enjoying the general splendor.
From Versailles we took about an hour long ride to Giverny! Unfortunately my camera died so all you see above from Giverny is from my iPhone...thank you apple for such wonderful cameras. The house of Monet was rather quaint and very uniquely decorated. The Impressionists were rather fond of Japanese artists and therefore; japanese painting it was. But enought with the house...the GARDENS! so breathtaking...daylilies everywhere, hidden paths to explore, weeping willows, and oh right waterlilies!!!!! We had quite awhile to meander about and then back to Paris!
Today, Monday, I had my first class! I am a bit torn as to whether or not I am in too easy of a class, BUT I love my proffessor and know that I definitely need a review. So, for the first two weeks I have Phonetics from eight till nine (whew so early)Then an hour and a half break for le petit dejuner (breakfast of course) and then cour pratique from 10:30 till 12:30. The last two weeks I will not have the Phonetics class, but will have conversation class in the afternoon for an hour, SO still much time to play!
I will post another soon I hope but until then au revoir!!!
Ps check the end of Bonjour Paris...I added some better detail about the pictures...

Bonjour Paris!

Bonjour de Paris! So as you can see had a such a fun first week in Paris. On Wednesday we went to the Notre Dame and climbed up the bell towers! The sights were amazing and I became best buds with the gargoyles Hunchback style. But let me just tell you, those were some very steep, very narrow steps! whew I made it back alive though. On Friday we went to the Notre Dame again and got to see the supposed Crown of Thorns...seeing everyone worshipping in the Notre Dame was just breathtaking. I'm leaving early early tomorrow to go to Versailles soooo I will write more in depth next time! je vous aime!

Ok so now I actually have time to explain the pictures! so...The one with a group of us and the following picture is from Friday night at a Thai place oh about 30 seconds from where I live! Its was absolutely delicious and the presentation of the food was obviously superb...I beleive I might instate Thai tuesday just to make sure I get to go back several times. The pictures from Notre Dame include the suposed Crown of Thorns and the pictures with the candles. I lit a candle when we visited on Friday for Grandpa and it was the brightest one. Now the pictures of me with the FANTASTIC view are from Wednesday when we climbed the towers of Notre Dame...the weather was wonderful and we couldn't have picked a better day to go up. First week in Paris was a success!!! I love it here and I love being able to speak French with everyone and never having to revert back to English! A new post is coming soon!