A volcanic eruption in Iceland has literally frozen all of Europe. The funny thing about it is that here - where you would expect there to be a lot of news coverage- there is literally nothing. I have to look at American newspaper websites to keep up to date with what is happening.
The eruption could not have come at a worse time - everyone's spring break has been effected in one way or another. My parent's trip has been canceled, and although I still hold out hope that they will somehow make it here this week I'm starting to think that it will not happen. I didn't realise how much I wanted/needed them to come until I woke up this morning and they were not here. It looks like Prague is not going to work out as well, and Dublin and Rome are still up in the air.
Unfortunately, the majority of my friends were able to get out of France before the eruption began to effect French airlines and so I'm stuck here by myself until next Tuesday (unless a miracle happens). I know it could be worse - let's face it Paris isn't the worse place to be stuck- but right now I really want nothing to do with Europe anymore.
On the plus side I will have a lot of time to do all of my homework for the next month.
I really wish things had worked out differently- I feel badly that my Mom won't be able to get her first passport stamp.
18 April 2010
16 April 2010
I could have sworn that I already wrote this entry but apparently not.
So...
Last weekend was the Loire Valley 2 day weekend trip with API.
We got an early start (the bus left at 8AM) and began our trek to the ville of Tour. We arrived at our destination around 11h00 and for once the weather was perfect!
Our first stop was le Château de Chenonceau- which is built over the Loire River. Despite being under some renovations the castle is very impressive and has a beautiful garden and a forest with a maze in addition to many walking trails. Besides being pretty the castle has a rich history - it had been fought over by the Queen and the mistress of the King (and their families) for over 200 years! I was able to get some great pictures and even got to eat lunch (albeit it was only a greasy hamburger and fries) in one of the castle's gardens.
After spending several hours at the castle we went to the Musee de Camponnange - a small museum dedicated to trade guilds located in the town where our hotel was. I think that the majority of people were more interested in the Pizza Hut down the street from the museum than the museum itself - but regardless there were a few neat things such as a very realistic violin and bow made out of sugar, and various replicas of very elaborate staircases. After, we went next door to a candy factory and learned how to make the four main kinds of candy that the shop specialized in. The best part of this tour was defiantly the free samples. We tried a type of candy that resembled a cough drop, some small chocolates filled with an orange flavored cream (called Les Muscadines), a chewy cake with different nuts and fruit, and prunes filled with apricots, rum, and apple filling. The prunes were actually not that bad - I was going to buy a box for my Dad (he would have LOVED them) but unfortunately they would have gone bad before I got them to him. That night I had dinner with some friends, walked around the town a bit, and then returned to the hotel.
On Sunday we got up early to go to another castle called le Château d'Amboise. It was here that Leonardo di Vinci spent the last few years of his life and is where he was ultimately buried. It was very cool to see his grave and the castle itself is very beautiful. After a guided tour of the castle I had lunch on the go with a few friends and we quickly explored the town and bought some souvenirs (and ice cream) before we needed to return to the bus. On our way back to Paris we stopped at a bakery and learned how to make different types of bread. It was actually really interesting and the baker gave us all a huge roll/loaf of a bread with nuts and orange flower water for the road. Finally we stopped at a chocolate factory where we had a tour and many free samples. It was interesting to learn how chocolate goes from a bean to a bar of candy but by that time all I wanted to do was get back on the bus and go to sleep (as did everyone else). However, as we were leaving the factory a parade of very old cars came through the parking lot! My Dad, Uncle Steve, and cousins would have died. I tried taking some pictures for them but unfortunately we had to leave before I got many good shots.
Tonight I went to see my first French film at the movies with my friend Mary! It was called Adele Blanc- Sec and it was very funny and very good! I was surprised by how well I understood everything- especially since the movie is about mummies, pterodactyls, and overall crazyness.
On Sunday my parents are finally supposed to come to Paris - however due to the recent volcanic erruption in Iceland the French airports have been closed and the majority of flights have been canceled. Please pray that things clear up before they fly out tomorrow!
So...
Last weekend was the Loire Valley 2 day weekend trip with API.
We got an early start (the bus left at 8AM) and began our trek to the ville of Tour. We arrived at our destination around 11h00 and for once the weather was perfect!
Our first stop was le Château de Chenonceau- which is built over the Loire River. Despite being under some renovations the castle is very impressive and has a beautiful garden and a forest with a maze in addition to many walking trails. Besides being pretty the castle has a rich history - it had been fought over by the Queen and the mistress of the King (and their families) for over 200 years! I was able to get some great pictures and even got to eat lunch (albeit it was only a greasy hamburger and fries) in one of the castle's gardens.
After spending several hours at the castle we went to the Musee de Camponnange - a small museum dedicated to trade guilds located in the town where our hotel was. I think that the majority of people were more interested in the Pizza Hut down the street from the museum than the museum itself - but regardless there were a few neat things such as a very realistic violin and bow made out of sugar, and various replicas of very elaborate staircases. After, we went next door to a candy factory and learned how to make the four main kinds of candy that the shop specialized in. The best part of this tour was defiantly the free samples. We tried a type of candy that resembled a cough drop, some small chocolates filled with an orange flavored cream (called Les Muscadines), a chewy cake with different nuts and fruit, and prunes filled with apricots, rum, and apple filling. The prunes were actually not that bad - I was going to buy a box for my Dad (he would have LOVED them) but unfortunately they would have gone bad before I got them to him. That night I had dinner with some friends, walked around the town a bit, and then returned to the hotel.
On Sunday we got up early to go to another castle called le Château d'Amboise. It was here that Leonardo di Vinci spent the last few years of his life and is where he was ultimately buried. It was very cool to see his grave and the castle itself is very beautiful. After a guided tour of the castle I had lunch on the go with a few friends and we quickly explored the town and bought some souvenirs (and ice cream) before we needed to return to the bus. On our way back to Paris we stopped at a bakery and learned how to make different types of bread. It was actually really interesting and the baker gave us all a huge roll/loaf of a bread with nuts and orange flower water for the road. Finally we stopped at a chocolate factory where we had a tour and many free samples. It was interesting to learn how chocolate goes from a bean to a bar of candy but by that time all I wanted to do was get back on the bus and go to sleep (as did everyone else). However, as we were leaving the factory a parade of very old cars came through the parking lot! My Dad, Uncle Steve, and cousins would have died. I tried taking some pictures for them but unfortunately we had to leave before I got many good shots.
Tonight I went to see my first French film at the movies with my friend Mary! It was called Adele Blanc- Sec and it was very funny and very good! I was surprised by how well I understood everything- especially since the movie is about mummies, pterodactyls, and overall crazyness.
On Sunday my parents are finally supposed to come to Paris - however due to the recent volcanic erruption in Iceland the French airports have been closed and the majority of flights have been canceled. Please pray that things clear up before they fly out tomorrow!
09 April 2010
This has been a very busy and eventful week!
I am happy to announce that Easter Sunday at Cite went very well! My friend and I had decided to host Easter dinner at our residence (because there is a big kitchen/sitting area/ping pong table in the basement of Cite) and in total there were about 12 of us! On Saturday, Hillary and I had gone to the market to pick up some supplies, including champagne and wine (what Easter is complete without these goodies), stuff to make a salad (by this I mean lettuce and a red pepper), and our main meat dish. Originally we decided to bake a ham (traditional American Easter fare) however wouldn't you know that the French do not sell full hams - just ham lunch meat. So we scratched that idea and walked out of the supermarket instead with a "BBQ pack" of pork chops, steak, sausages, chicken, and some sort of bacon- no lie it said "BBQ pack" on the label! We got back on Saturday and organized some of the food and then I was able to chat with home which was very nice indeed. On Sunday people started showing up around 5 PM and we set off searching for pots and pans to cook in (which required raiding the 10 different kitchens at Cite). Finally we had what was required (sharp knifes, silverware, plates, pots, pans, utensils, a strainer, etc) and we started cooking! When we were finished cooking we had our BBQ pack meat selection, spaghetti in an olive sauce, fried rice, potatoes with cheese, a salad, fresh strawberries and grapes, beans, bread and lots of cheese, Oasis (an amazing fruit drink, limonade, and a lot of wine! It was a lot of fun because everyone brought something and we ended up having a great spread! After dinner we organized two Easter egg hunts which were a ton of fun and we also played some intense games of ping pong that may or may not have consisted of using cutting boards as paddles.
Tuesday was my 21st birthday! What a strange sensation! I ended up going out for dinner (we went to Bistro 32)with my birthday twin Michelle and a few friends, and after we went back to her dorm and had a great cake, limonade, and cider. I also tried my first ever Reese's Peanut Butter Cup - which I had mixed feeling about. Overall a great night, although it consisted of absolutely no alcohol (hey, I had class early on Wednesday)! Anyways, I'm sure I'll make up for at some point in the near future ;)
Tonight I saw Alice in Wonderland (called Alice au Pays des Merveilles in French) in 3D at the cinema in Forum des Halles. The movie was in English, with French subtitles and we used very funny looking 3D glasses. This was my first movie since being in France and I had a great time. Interesting fact: in France you can choose to have salty or sweet (kettle) popcorn at the movie theater!
Tomorrow I leave for a two day trip to the Loire Valley with API. Should be a great time!
I am happy to announce that Easter Sunday at Cite went very well! My friend and I had decided to host Easter dinner at our residence (because there is a big kitchen/sitting area/ping pong table in the basement of Cite) and in total there were about 12 of us! On Saturday, Hillary and I had gone to the market to pick up some supplies, including champagne and wine (what Easter is complete without these goodies), stuff to make a salad (by this I mean lettuce and a red pepper), and our main meat dish. Originally we decided to bake a ham (traditional American Easter fare) however wouldn't you know that the French do not sell full hams - just ham lunch meat. So we scratched that idea and walked out of the supermarket instead with a "BBQ pack" of pork chops, steak, sausages, chicken, and some sort of bacon- no lie it said "BBQ pack" on the label! We got back on Saturday and organized some of the food and then I was able to chat with home which was very nice indeed. On Sunday people started showing up around 5 PM and we set off searching for pots and pans to cook in (which required raiding the 10 different kitchens at Cite). Finally we had what was required (sharp knifes, silverware, plates, pots, pans, utensils, a strainer, etc) and we started cooking! When we were finished cooking we had our BBQ pack meat selection, spaghetti in an olive sauce, fried rice, potatoes with cheese, a salad, fresh strawberries and grapes, beans, bread and lots of cheese, Oasis (an amazing fruit drink, limonade, and a lot of wine! It was a lot of fun because everyone brought something and we ended up having a great spread! After dinner we organized two Easter egg hunts which were a ton of fun and we also played some intense games of ping pong that may or may not have consisted of using cutting boards as paddles.
Tuesday was my 21st birthday! What a strange sensation! I ended up going out for dinner (we went to Bistro 32)with my birthday twin Michelle and a few friends, and after we went back to her dorm and had a great cake, limonade, and cider. I also tried my first ever Reese's Peanut Butter Cup - which I had mixed feeling about. Overall a great night, although it consisted of absolutely no alcohol (hey, I had class early on Wednesday)! Anyways, I'm sure I'll make up for at some point in the near future ;)
Tonight I saw Alice in Wonderland (called Alice au Pays des Merveilles in French) in 3D at the cinema in Forum des Halles. The movie was in English, with French subtitles and we used very funny looking 3D glasses. This was my first movie since being in France and I had a great time. Interesting fact: in France you can choose to have salty or sweet (kettle) popcorn at the movie theater!
Tomorrow I leave for a two day trip to the Loire Valley with API. Should be a great time!
01 April 2010
Busy would be an understatement...
Hello!
I apologize (again) for dropping off the face of the Earth - I have been super busy living the Parisian life - aka doing a lot of homework and traveling!
I'm going to summarize the last two weeks as best as I can -
Day Trip with API to Champagne: As the headline suggests, two weeks ago we went to the Champagne region for the day. We had to meet the bus at 8AM- at which point it was absolutely pouring outside! Luckily the weather cleared up a bit by the time we got to our first destination - the Taittinger Champagne Factory/Wine Cellar. We had a tour of the champagne caves - which was really cool- complete with a champagne tasting at the end! While walking down the many stairs to the cellar my friend Jenna wiped out behind me while taking a picture and sent me flying down the staircase with her! Given my track record everyone thought it was me - which was pretty funny. People at the bottom of the staircase (who couldn't even see us) heard a big thump and all thought it was me falling down another staircase. Luckily nether one of us were hurt - and we all got a pretty good laugh out of the situation. After the tasting, we got back on the buses and headed to Reims - about an hour away from where we were. In Reims is a giant Cathedral where all of the Kings of France were crowned (dating back to Clovis). It is also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The Cathedral is probably the most spectacular sight that I have ever seen - far surpassing Notre Dame and the likes. We spent the afternoon in Reims, and had lunch at a small bakery in the center of town. Finally we all climbed back onto the buses and headed to our final destination - the Mercier Champagne Factory. This wine cellar was much bigger than the first - and was much more high tech. We started the tour by watching a short film about the company, and then proceeded to get into elevators to take us into the cave. On the way down one side of the elevator opens up to act like a window and you see different levels of scenes on the way down (one of a hot air balloon, followed by a wine cellar, etc.) Finally at the bottom the elevator opens out onto a small train that you climb aboard and from there you complete the tour (it reminded me a lot of the tour at the Jelly Belly factory with Mom and Auntie Kate when I was little). Again, we had a free champagne tasting at the end of our time at Mercier. Overall we had a great day - complete with a MacDo run around 10PM when we got back to Paris. Nothing like chicken nuggets and a frosty to make you day complete.
Our First Parisian Strike - The French are notorious for going on strike. Last week all public transit went on strike for the day - talk about a giant headache. Trains that normally run every 5 minutes ran every hour instead, and when the train actually showed up you needed to battle your way on-board. Super stressful. But I survived and by the next day everything was back to normal.
Barcelona, Spain - Last weekend I went to Barcelona and had an absolutly wonderful time! Hillary and I left late Friday night and met up with Annie and Ellen at HelloBCN hostel - where we were able to share a room between the four of us for a great price. We saw so many wonderful things including Parc Guell, the Olympic Stadium, Gaudi's apartment, the magical fountian (which would have been more magical had it been turned on), the bizarre but really cool Sagrad Familia Cathedral (seriously you should Google this one), and of course the beach. At one point I "pulled a Sarah" and got my flipflop caught in an escalator in the middle of going up a giant hill while my friend was trying to take a picture of me and my two friends. Needless to say a lot of laughter ensued after a minute or two of panicking!
It would be a major understatement to say that the nightlife in Barcelona was impressive. It is common/expected to go out around 12 and not come home until 6am or later! Needless to say living like this for an extended period of time would kill me but for two days it was not too bad. The first night we were there we stumbled upon a gay club which had amazing music and was overall a really good time. On our second night our hostel took us to Razzmatazz the largest club in Barcelona - and dare I say the world. The club hosts over 5,000 people and is converted out of what appears to be an old warehouse. The concept was great, but I would of liked it better had the music been slightly different. Overall I had an amazing time in Barcelona, and enjoyed a much needed vacation- I can not wait until my next trip!!!
Presentation - Tuesday I gave my first presentation while in France. Called an orale expose I stood in front of my class (albeit only about 13 people all of whom I know) and talked about macaroons for an extended period of time. I think I did pretty well overall- but I am certainly glad that the experience is over!
This weekend is Easter, and two days later my 21st birthday! Needless to say the next time I write I should have lots of fun stories :)
I apologize (again) for dropping off the face of the Earth - I have been super busy living the Parisian life - aka doing a lot of homework and traveling!
I'm going to summarize the last two weeks as best as I can -
Day Trip with API to Champagne: As the headline suggests, two weeks ago we went to the Champagne region for the day. We had to meet the bus at 8AM- at which point it was absolutely pouring outside! Luckily the weather cleared up a bit by the time we got to our first destination - the Taittinger Champagne Factory/Wine Cellar. We had a tour of the champagne caves - which was really cool- complete with a champagne tasting at the end! While walking down the many stairs to the cellar my friend Jenna wiped out behind me while taking a picture and sent me flying down the staircase with her! Given my track record everyone thought it was me - which was pretty funny. People at the bottom of the staircase (who couldn't even see us) heard a big thump and all thought it was me falling down another staircase. Luckily nether one of us were hurt - and we all got a pretty good laugh out of the situation. After the tasting, we got back on the buses and headed to Reims - about an hour away from where we were. In Reims is a giant Cathedral where all of the Kings of France were crowned (dating back to Clovis). It is also where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The Cathedral is probably the most spectacular sight that I have ever seen - far surpassing Notre Dame and the likes. We spent the afternoon in Reims, and had lunch at a small bakery in the center of town. Finally we all climbed back onto the buses and headed to our final destination - the Mercier Champagne Factory. This wine cellar was much bigger than the first - and was much more high tech. We started the tour by watching a short film about the company, and then proceeded to get into elevators to take us into the cave. On the way down one side of the elevator opens up to act like a window and you see different levels of scenes on the way down (one of a hot air balloon, followed by a wine cellar, etc.) Finally at the bottom the elevator opens out onto a small train that you climb aboard and from there you complete the tour (it reminded me a lot of the tour at the Jelly Belly factory with Mom and Auntie Kate when I was little). Again, we had a free champagne tasting at the end of our time at Mercier. Overall we had a great day - complete with a MacDo run around 10PM when we got back to Paris. Nothing like chicken nuggets and a frosty to make you day complete.
Our First Parisian Strike - The French are notorious for going on strike. Last week all public transit went on strike for the day - talk about a giant headache. Trains that normally run every 5 minutes ran every hour instead, and when the train actually showed up you needed to battle your way on-board. Super stressful. But I survived and by the next day everything was back to normal.
Barcelona, Spain - Last weekend I went to Barcelona and had an absolutly wonderful time! Hillary and I left late Friday night and met up with Annie and Ellen at HelloBCN hostel - where we were able to share a room between the four of us for a great price. We saw so many wonderful things including Parc Guell, the Olympic Stadium, Gaudi's apartment, the magical fountian (which would have been more magical had it been turned on), the bizarre but really cool Sagrad Familia Cathedral (seriously you should Google this one), and of course the beach. At one point I "pulled a Sarah" and got my flipflop caught in an escalator in the middle of going up a giant hill while my friend was trying to take a picture of me and my two friends. Needless to say a lot of laughter ensued after a minute or two of panicking!
It would be a major understatement to say that the nightlife in Barcelona was impressive. It is common/expected to go out around 12 and not come home until 6am or later! Needless to say living like this for an extended period of time would kill me but for two days it was not too bad. The first night we were there we stumbled upon a gay club which had amazing music and was overall a really good time. On our second night our hostel took us to Razzmatazz the largest club in Barcelona - and dare I say the world. The club hosts over 5,000 people and is converted out of what appears to be an old warehouse. The concept was great, but I would of liked it better had the music been slightly different. Overall I had an amazing time in Barcelona, and enjoyed a much needed vacation- I can not wait until my next trip!!!
Presentation - Tuesday I gave my first presentation while in France. Called an orale expose I stood in front of my class (albeit only about 13 people all of whom I know) and talked about macaroons for an extended period of time. I think I did pretty well overall- but I am certainly glad that the experience is over!
This weekend is Easter, and two days later my 21st birthday! Needless to say the next time I write I should have lots of fun stories :)
14 March 2010
The last week has consisted of playing tour guide, spending too much money on food, going to the Eiffel Tower and taking lots of pictures (twice!), going to the library and doing lots of work, and trying to teach English to four and six year olds with no attention spans...needless to say it has been an interesting week.
The good news is that my teaching internship is now solely on Fridays - so I have Mondays off completely! I do enjoy teaching English - however it is difficult to teach English and have conversations with the children in English when they do not know many words at all (other then hello and goodbye, some colors, animals, and body parts). I need to come up with some lesson plans for next week - any ideas? I'm thinking of doing flashcards on animals or some other topic, and then trying to find a story to read based on the new vocabulary- once again difficult because their English is extremely limited.
I've been learning a lot about myself in the last week, about disappointment and friendships, and that overall growing up can be a hard thing to do. However, I am currently planning my trip to Prague with Auntie Kate which is extremely exciting - in addition to trips to Germany, Italy, Holland (I hope to see the tulips!), and maybe Spain. Anyone have any travel ideas/recommendations? This upcoming Saturday API is taking us to Champagne for the day, and the week after we have our weekend in the Loire Valley.
I posted photos in my last entry - are they visible to everyone? I know that the facebook links were not working well last time.
Bisous,
Sarah
The good news is that my teaching internship is now solely on Fridays - so I have Mondays off completely! I do enjoy teaching English - however it is difficult to teach English and have conversations with the children in English when they do not know many words at all (other then hello and goodbye, some colors, animals, and body parts). I need to come up with some lesson plans for next week - any ideas? I'm thinking of doing flashcards on animals or some other topic, and then trying to find a story to read based on the new vocabulary- once again difficult because their English is extremely limited.
I've been learning a lot about myself in the last week, about disappointment and friendships, and that overall growing up can be a hard thing to do. However, I am currently planning my trip to Prague with Auntie Kate which is extremely exciting - in addition to trips to Germany, Italy, Holland (I hope to see the tulips!), and maybe Spain. Anyone have any travel ideas/recommendations? This upcoming Saturday API is taking us to Champagne for the day, and the week after we have our weekend in the Loire Valley.
I posted photos in my last entry - are they visible to everyone? I know that the facebook links were not working well last time.
Bisous,
Sarah
11 March 2010
03 March 2010
Update on Life
I apologize for dropping of the face of the Earth- but I am happy to report that it was out of a busy and exciting few weeks! I will try to summarize the last two weeks as best as I can.
Last Saturday Uncle Todd and I went to Chartres (as I previously mentioned). That evening I went out for couscous (a new obsession) at a small restaurant in Port d'Orleans with Mary and Christine. We had a great time, and because we split a plate of couscous, a cheese plate, and a side order of french fries we only ended up paying 4 euros each! However, our frugal-ness was ruined when we decided to go to Le Rouge Pomme (the red apple in English) for crepes. Needless to say we needed to get cider to go with the crepes so I ended up paying 4 euros for dinner and 15 euros on desert.
Last Sunday API took us to see the ballet La Dame aux Camélias at the Paris Opera House. It was an amazing performance but I have never been so uncomfortable in my entire life. The seats were excessively small - so much so that your knees literally dug into the person in front of you. It was also a million degrees warm- but regardless I want to go back very badly.
On Monday I explored the Cite Universitaire (where I live) and the surrounding area. I found a very pretty park and a used book store that sold books for 20 centimes (about 40 cents).
On Tuesday I had my "Day of the Dead" with Ellen, Mary, Annie, and Christine. We went to the Catacombs of Paris and later Pere Lachaise cemetery (where Jim Morrison, Edith Pilaf, Chopin, Oscar Wilde, etc are buried). The catacombs were fun and we all felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie- so many bones! Many of the bones were arranged in different patterns for example a heart and skull and crossbones - can you say freaky?! The cemetery is beautiful and I saw several cats which was a plus. Many monuments in the cemetery are dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust- they were both beautiful and horrible at the same time. It was a sobering experience to see.
Last weekend API took us to the Provence region of France for the weekend. Provence is a region in the Southern part of France and because of this the temperatures were much nicer there than they have been in Paris. There are also many palm trees which is pretty funny. Most of the architecture was influenced by Italy and as such the buildings look much different from those in Paris. They tend to have a yellowish tint instead of white amongst other things.
On Friday all 72 of us met at the train station at 6:50 AM to catch the TGV to Aix-en-Provence. The train ride is about 3 hours long. When we arrived in Aix (where we would spend the first 2 days) the weather was gorgeous and we were allowed to wander around the city. Later in the afternoon we had a guided walking tour of the city and that night some of us went to a Mexican restaurant and to a bowling ally, after which we proceeded to go back to the hotel and watch some of the Olympics.
On Saturday we got up early and Anne Marie took some of us on a tour of the Grande Marches (Large Markets) in Aix. The markets were HUGE - each part of the town was a different section- a flower market, a fruit and vegetable market, a seafood market, clothing, jewelry, you name it. Later in the afternoon we went to the town of Cassis - right on the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunatly, most of our time there it rained. But we were still able to take a lot of good pictures and have a good time. I also managed to fall down a steep hill, scrape my knee, rip my black jeans, and re-injure my ankle. The ankle part concerned me a lot, but I iced it and tried to keep off it it and it is doing much better now- even though it is bruised and still hurts a little.
On Sunday we left the hotel early in the morning and went to the sea port Marseilles. Again the weather wasn't great but we made the best of it. Our tour guide never showed up so Melissa and Pascal led us around the city with the help of a guide book and we saw the sights. There was a huge Church- that almost seemed inspired artistically by Muslim art- and a hospital that was used to treat the poor during the black plague. After the walking tour we got back on the bus and went to the Notre Dame de la Gare Cathedral which sits on top of a huge mountain overlooking the city. The church was gorgeous and we took a lot of great pictures overlooking the city below. After, we all had lunch at a restaurant on the sea. We had a fixed meal that consisted of a green salad with different meats and cheeses, a fish or lamb dish (I had the fish), and a cake with real fruit baked in for dessert. It was very good - but I still do not understand why the French do not debone their fish. It is hard to have good manners when you are constantly needing to pick tiny fish bones from out of your mouth. We were given some free time after lunch to explore the beach and it was truly wonderful. It was hard to believe I was at the Mediterranean and not the Atlantic! Around 5 we headed to the train station and went home. We arrived back in Paris around 10 PM and some of us went to McDonald's (called Macdo here) because we had all spent our money in Provence and you can not beat a one euro hamburger.
Tonight I am very excited because my best friend from childhood is coming from Italy to visit with her friend. I'm not sure exactly what we are going to do but I am sure that we will have a good time regardless.
Now I must go clean the room before everyone shows up!
Will post pictures later,
Love,
Sarah
Last Saturday Uncle Todd and I went to Chartres (as I previously mentioned). That evening I went out for couscous (a new obsession) at a small restaurant in Port d'Orleans with Mary and Christine. We had a great time, and because we split a plate of couscous, a cheese plate, and a side order of french fries we only ended up paying 4 euros each! However, our frugal-ness was ruined when we decided to go to Le Rouge Pomme (the red apple in English) for crepes. Needless to say we needed to get cider to go with the crepes so I ended up paying 4 euros for dinner and 15 euros on desert.
Last Sunday API took us to see the ballet La Dame aux Camélias at the Paris Opera House. It was an amazing performance but I have never been so uncomfortable in my entire life. The seats were excessively small - so much so that your knees literally dug into the person in front of you. It was also a million degrees warm- but regardless I want to go back very badly.
On Monday I explored the Cite Universitaire (where I live) and the surrounding area. I found a very pretty park and a used book store that sold books for 20 centimes (about 40 cents).
On Tuesday I had my "Day of the Dead" with Ellen, Mary, Annie, and Christine. We went to the Catacombs of Paris and later Pere Lachaise cemetery (where Jim Morrison, Edith Pilaf, Chopin, Oscar Wilde, etc are buried). The catacombs were fun and we all felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie- so many bones! Many of the bones were arranged in different patterns for example a heart and skull and crossbones - can you say freaky?! The cemetery is beautiful and I saw several cats which was a plus. Many monuments in the cemetery are dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust- they were both beautiful and horrible at the same time. It was a sobering experience to see.
Last weekend API took us to the Provence region of France for the weekend. Provence is a region in the Southern part of France and because of this the temperatures were much nicer there than they have been in Paris. There are also many palm trees which is pretty funny. Most of the architecture was influenced by Italy and as such the buildings look much different from those in Paris. They tend to have a yellowish tint instead of white amongst other things.
On Friday all 72 of us met at the train station at 6:50 AM to catch the TGV to Aix-en-Provence. The train ride is about 3 hours long. When we arrived in Aix (where we would spend the first 2 days) the weather was gorgeous and we were allowed to wander around the city. Later in the afternoon we had a guided walking tour of the city and that night some of us went to a Mexican restaurant and to a bowling ally, after which we proceeded to go back to the hotel and watch some of the Olympics.
On Saturday we got up early and Anne Marie took some of us on a tour of the Grande Marches (Large Markets) in Aix. The markets were HUGE - each part of the town was a different section- a flower market, a fruit and vegetable market, a seafood market, clothing, jewelry, you name it. Later in the afternoon we went to the town of Cassis - right on the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunatly, most of our time there it rained. But we were still able to take a lot of good pictures and have a good time. I also managed to fall down a steep hill, scrape my knee, rip my black jeans, and re-injure my ankle. The ankle part concerned me a lot, but I iced it and tried to keep off it it and it is doing much better now- even though it is bruised and still hurts a little.
On Sunday we left the hotel early in the morning and went to the sea port Marseilles. Again the weather wasn't great but we made the best of it. Our tour guide never showed up so Melissa and Pascal led us around the city with the help of a guide book and we saw the sights. There was a huge Church- that almost seemed inspired artistically by Muslim art- and a hospital that was used to treat the poor during the black plague. After the walking tour we got back on the bus and went to the Notre Dame de la Gare Cathedral which sits on top of a huge mountain overlooking the city. The church was gorgeous and we took a lot of great pictures overlooking the city below. After, we all had lunch at a restaurant on the sea. We had a fixed meal that consisted of a green salad with different meats and cheeses, a fish or lamb dish (I had the fish), and a cake with real fruit baked in for dessert. It was very good - but I still do not understand why the French do not debone their fish. It is hard to have good manners when you are constantly needing to pick tiny fish bones from out of your mouth. We were given some free time after lunch to explore the beach and it was truly wonderful. It was hard to believe I was at the Mediterranean and not the Atlantic! Around 5 we headed to the train station and went home. We arrived back in Paris around 10 PM and some of us went to McDonald's (called Macdo here) because we had all spent our money in Provence and you can not beat a one euro hamburger.
Tonight I am very excited because my best friend from childhood is coming from Italy to visit with her friend. I'm not sure exactly what we are going to do but I am sure that we will have a good time regardless.
Now I must go clean the room before everyone shows up!
Will post pictures later,
Love,
Sarah
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