I am becoming obsessed with Zombies

If you take away from a person everything that makes people weak, you are left with something that is not strong, but terrifying, rejectable, objectionable, and definitely not human.

PARIS DAY 7.2: P'tit D'enfer

Sleep in: check. See Teresa: check. Next on the to-do list for the day was a cheese and wine picnic on the Seine, but as the title of my previous post aludes, it was raining all day and even it had stopped, it was still far too wet out for any kind of picnic. Also, when I got back in to Jay's room he met me with the news that we wouldn't be able to go out to the fancy restaurant either because he didn't own any dress shoes and the dress code there is pretty strict.

Well, so much for plans. It seems to me that I made a lot of plans for things to do when I came here, and in the end most of those plans ended up not working out and evolved into other things. And whether or not that is okay all depends on your attitude.

We decided to go ahead with our picnic, sans Seine. While I took a much needed shower (this one wasn't as annoying as the others, though at one point I dropped my razor and the blade came off and fell down the drain, which was pretty ridiculous), Jason went out and bought camembert and coulommiers (to go with the Bordeaux we had bought when I arrived), a fresh baguette, and a small $20 bottle of champange (for later--it is still unopened on the shelf). In the meantime, some of the girls from Jay's program came by with a plate of leftover Thanksgiving food, and when Jay returned we ate that and then had our picnic on the bed.

It didn't take long to realize that we had waay too much food... So we stopped eating, cleaned up, and went out to go shopping and eventually find dinner. We went back to Les Halles where we walked around and Jason did some gift shopping. When we mall closed we wandered around the surrounding neighborhood, popping into shops here and there and admiring the Pompidou Center (it is built inside out!).

We went back to the Fondation with Jason to drop off his gifts and then headed to Cafe D'enfer for dinner. It is a really nice restaurant (btw, one thing in general about French restaurants--since service is included in your bill, the wait staff feel no need to check on you with any sort of frequency). Since we had been planning on having a really expensive dinner anyway, money was no object and we ordered what we wanted. We started with appetizers: chevre ravioli in parmesaen sauce, and bulochon with mushrooms--the latter ended up being a sort of crispy crepe type of thing with tons of mushrooms stuffed into a crater in the center. For dinner we had an especially delicious mushroom risotto with chicken. Dessert was Le P'tit D'enfer--The Little Hell: a molten chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream. We were also served shots of some of sort of, perhaps, cinnamon liquor with our bill. =) Pretty expensive meal, but it was a wonderful experience.

Today is my last real day in Paris, since I leave tomorrow afternoon. We are going to Montmartre (as in Amelie!) and maybe an Indian restaurant, and I am going to buy myself something pretty.

A

PARIS DAY 8: I have now seen all of Paris!

...from Sacre Cour, the cathedral on top of a hill in Montmartre. But, let's backtrack.

Latish start to the morning, but that's okay. We went back to the really good crepe place to get lunch; I had a crepe with cheese, tomato, and mushrooms while Jason had a Hot Dog panini (it kind of like what you imagine: foot long hot dog on a foot long roll, with ketchup and mustard, and also cheese, then smashed on a panini grill). We then headed out to Montmartre.

Montmartre, which one gets to by way of Gare du Nor, is where Amelie was set (and largely filmed), the location of the Sacre Cour, and what Jason calls "the ghetto." The train that passes through is the 2, and it is on an elevated track. We passed over real train station, where some scenes from Amelie take place (I did not get a photo, unfortunately). When we got off the train, the first thing we did was visit Sacre Cour, which is all the way up on top of a huge hill. At the base are streets lined with fabric shops, tourist traps, and also the carousel in the scene where Amelie gives Nino back his book.

At this carousel we were acosted by some men claiming to be from Africa and insisting on tying bracelets on our wrists and telling us that we should go to Africa, and these bracelets mean respect and are also good for sex. They then demanded 5 euro apiece, which we really didn't have to give them (and didn't want to--you can't force someone into something and then expect them to pay what you demand). Jason ended up gving them all the change out of his pocket and we continued up the mountain.

Breathlessly reaching the mezzanine (think: "A fool looks at the finger that is pointed at the sky), we looked out over all of the city. It is a pretty fantastic view, and quite breezy. We didn't go in the actual cathedral; no need, really, and the view was quite worth it.

After coming back down we walked down the main drag a bit, nervously. This part of town is filled with many resale shops and tons of people.

We ended up back on the train and went further out to Belleville (triplets, anyone?) which is another ghetto (says Jay) but also a Vietnamese neighborhood (it definitely was). I went in a couple shops but there wasn't anything really nice around there, either...

Back on the train, to Chatele, to transfer to the 7 to go to Saint Placide, an upper scale street with more shops. First we stopped in FNAC, which is the big chain electronics/movies/etc store in Paris so that Jason could find a battery for his analog camera (which we found! Yay! Now Jason will take amazing pictures in rainy Paris!). Which reminds me: it did not rain today, though we only had a few moments of sun.

After fnac we went in KooKai, a women's clothing store, and I finally bought something for myself: a nice top. We stopped in one or two more stores along the street, but I ended up deciding that I wanted to go back to St. Paul (where we went for falafel) to check out a coat I'd seen when we'd been there before.

We got there, and I found the coat, and I bought it. So there. You'll see it someday.

We then bought some juice at Franprix, and an Opera pastry at the bakery next door. I am going to eat said pastry momentarily.

We got back to the Fondation, having been quite all over the place, and ate the microwave turkey dinner we had bought for Thursday, with some bread and cheese. Then I packed. Now, it is time for pastry, champange, and a movie with my true love. Jason, not the pastry. =)

I have 4.99 euro left, just enough for some breakfast tomorrow before leaving for the airport. If you wanted me to get you something in Paris...too bad, because I'm leaving tomorrow. =) Still, you should come visit here sometime, it is a pretty nice place.

Goodnight, and thank you for reading! I'll see you all when I get back to Chicago.

Love,
Ayn

PARIS DAY 7.1: Rain at St. Michele

The plan for today was going to be: sleep in, I go to lunch with Teresa at noon, Jay and I have a picnic, and then we go out for a fancy dinner.

We definitely sleep in...until 11:40. I jumped out of bed and got ready to go out, no time to shower. I ran to the station and took the B four stops ahead, to St. Michele where I was supposed to meet Teresa at the fountain of said saint. I got there ten minutes late, and no one was waiting for me. I waited awhile longer...I watched other parties come, meet up, and leave, and still no sign of Teresa. At 12:30 she finally showed up, 10 kilo turkey in hand (for all you back home, that is over twnety pounds).

Turns out that when she went to get her turkey, the shopkeeper thought she had wanted it for tomorrow. He had it on hand, thankfully, but it was not prepared at all. She had to wait while he chopped off its head and cleaned it out, doing so cheerfully, taking his time and cracking jokes about Americans.

By the way, this was the only turkey Teresa could find in all of Paris (and found after she had given up and gone out to buy a ham and ended up looking up and seeing this huge bird hanging in the shop), except for one other store which was sold out. This other store is actually called Thanksgiving, and is run by an American woman and her French husband, and they sell all kinds of American delicacies (and I'm positive they make a killing). They have mac and cheese, pumpkin pie filling!, peanut butter, and all other sorts of Kraft products, apparently.

So, this enormous turkey is for the Thanksgiving feast Teresa is making tonight (yes, a day late, but so what?). After dropping off the bird and getting some panini, we go back to her little flat and even tinier kitchen, Joy of Cooking in hand, to figure out what to do with this thing.

Also on the menu: mashed potatoes, stuffing, greenbeans with bacon, and pumpkin, apple, and pecan pie, all made by hand.

We got the turkey in a tin, and it fit (you'll the picture) just barely into the oven--it reaches from one side to the other. Slathered in butter, there it sits. I think it will turn out fine.

It was great to hang out with the lovely Teresa. We chatted about Paris and travel and classes and Chicago. She's taking polisci classes here (her professor is the French ambassador to Englang, I believe) and living by Notre Dame in an apartment with her 18-year old sister who is studying acting and another Chicago student. In her (hah) free time she is a language asistant at a French school. Her life is pretty crazy, and it was wonderful to be spared a moment in that schedule to see her. =) I hope their thanksgiving goes over beautifully.

More later.

A

By the way, the firemen were on strike because they wanted the retirement age lowered as they are in a hazardous line of work.

PARIS DAY 6: Thanksgeeveeng

I think I meant to work on my paper this morning when I got up...but instead I sort of just browsed that intarweb, ate nutella on a sourdough loaf, and peeled and ate my pomela (which left my fingers tasting bitter all the rest of the day).

Around noon I went to Denfert-Rochereau for some lunch and to just pass the time until going to the Paris Center. I found a bakery a couple blocks of Rue Daguerre that seemed to be tasty judging by the line of people waiting for food. I ended up getting a slice of tomato and tuna quiche and a chocolate eclair (ohh man). I found a little park with some benches and sat down to eat, and then just walked up a random street and back down. With twenty or so minutes left I decided to explore all of Monoprix (the grocery store, although other locations are more like Target), and went to Chaterle to catch the 14 to go to the Paris Center.

The Paris Center served the students some "thanksgiving numnums" (I quote Jason) after class and so everyone was hanging out in the library place, doing that. I got to see some of my friends who are here on other programs--Mariel, Caroline, Margaret--who are all enjoying themselves here in Paris; it was great to get to talk to them!

Shortly after, the English civ kids went out (I came along) on a history field trip of sorts of Steve, who is fresh out of grad school working for U of C (or something) and does aikido. He led us around the district near the old opera house and explained the story of Haussmann and the rebuilding of Paris, which was quite interesting. His manner and style of explanation was fantastic, even if the weather was not.

When this was over Jason and I hurried back to the Fondation so that we could go out again quickly to have our peking duck thanksgiving dinner before Jay had to be back to head back out again for a french conversation excursion (I've found that one doesn't so much walk everywhere in Paris as one takes the trains everywhere). Unfortunately, when we got to the restaurant (shiortly before 6pm) that they don't even start cooking anything until 7pm, and as we would need to back at the dorm by 8:15 for Jay to meet up with his partner, this just didn't seem to leave enough time.

Kind of frustrated, we left and headed back toward the dorm, making a stop at the grocery to see what sort of make-shift dinner we could come up with (having no pot). We ended up buying an herb-cheese spread, clementine juice, and a microwave turkey and mashed potatoe dinner--makeshift thanksgiving.

We got back to Jason's room and he took the dinner upstairs to the kitchen to use the microwave. He came back down a minute later, told me to grab all of our stuff because we were going to eat up there. I was a little puzzled but went a long with it. Turns out (as I found out when we arrived at the kitchen) that a group of girls from Tulane had cooked a whole thanksgiving dinner (turkey, stuffing, potatoes, corn, squash, sweet potatoes with marshmallow!) and upon seeing Jason with his TV dinner had invited us to eat with them. Awww. So we shared their food and champange and our juice and cheese and good times were had by all. We left with them trying to push desserts and ice cream on us, as well as promises of leftovers.

Hooray for kind-hearted countrymen in foreign nations. =)

Now, Jason has left for his conversation thingie and I have the room to myself. I think I may read or nap, just chill. I intended to (and think I have been succeeding pretty well) live up my time here to the fullest, but it turns out that this is a pretty intense way to live. Though I will continue to miss Jason, I think that it is probably just as well that I will be going home soon (of course, if I had more time here I probably wouldn't have felt as rushed to have so many experiences in so short a time anyway...ehh).

Tomorrow Jay has no class so we are sleeping in (hooray!) and then I am seeing Teresa and then Jason and I are having a picnic (weather permitting) of bread, cheese, and wine along the Seine. There was no sun and plenty of rain today (though the rain is always light; I think it must be because there is never time for it to build up), but I hope the sun shines favorably on us tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Ayn

PARIS DAY 5.2: Double-Oh-Seven

Jason gets home from class, we bum around for awhile in the room (this is part of our daily routine), I make new plans to get together with Teresa, and finally we grab Lindsey and head back to Les Halles to catch an opening night showing of Casino Royale (Wednesday was opening night here).

We get to the theatre before 6:30 for a 7:00 show, but apparently we had underestimated the French and their love for secret agents, because both theatres for 7:00 AND 8:40 were sold out. We decide to get tickets for the last show of the night, which is at 9:50.

We figure, so what if we've got hours to kill, we're in a mall, right? But, as it happens, we wander around trying to find a satisfactory food place and, finding none (plenty of places, just none we were happy with--they were all out of pasta!) we exit Les Halles and head for an Asian restaurant Jay and Lindsey have been top before.

It was pretty tasty; we got some kind of complimentary fruit juice and shrimp chips with our meal; Lindsey order jasmine tea and chicken with black mushrooms while Jason and I had each had a Tsing Tao beer and a meal that came with an appetizer (we got nems which are eggs rolls, and super tasty), a dish (pork with black mushroom for him and curry chicken for me), a side (noodles or cantonese rice), and dessert (he had lychee in syrup, I had "chinese strawberries," which are actually arbutus berries). Lindsey also got this sunday with mint chocochip ice cream, chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, and mint syrup.

So, that was all pretty tasty (surprisingly? Non), and we went back to the movie theatre around 9pm. All the stores were closed by then, and Lindsey headed back to the Fondation and Jason and I went to wait in line around 9:15 with all the excited Frenchies.

This is the point in time where we learn that the time listed on your movie ticket is actually the time the THEATRE OPENS, not when the trailers/movie starts. Awesome. So we wait in a hot, crowded hallway for what seems like an eternity. Eventually, when we did get in, the theatre was pretty nice and the seats were pretty comfortable, but I was so exhausted from...being on my feet all day? that I actually feel asleep during one particularly dramatic chase-and-explody scene toward the beginning of the movie. Didn't miss anything else, though, and let me tell you, Daniel Craig is damn pretty to look it.

The movie was very different from the other Bonds movies I've seen, which I have been heard to complain about being all alike. It was pretty enjoyable, and when I wasn't trying to keep my eyes open (not the fault of the movie) I had a really good time.

We caught the second to last train of the night back to the Fondation and plummeted into bed. Which is why this post is being written Thursday morning.

I'm on my own, as usual, this morning, and then I am meeting Jason at the Paris Center to go with them on some kind of field trip about...the infrastructures of Paris? I don't rightly recall, but it souned interesting. Then, tonight Jay and I are going out for Peking duck in honor of Thanksgiving and because we want to eat damn tasty food. We'll also finally be breaking open the bottle of Bordeauz we bought upon my arrival. =)

Cheers!
A

PARIS DAY 5.1: A museum, a missed connection, and a mall

First, two things:

1. Despite the fact that it has rained every day that I've been here (not yet today, but as John Dean said, "Paris never disappoints), it has also been sunny four out of five days that I've been here, at least some time.

2. Took a shower again this morning. Man, I am used to living in Chicago: I like my showers long, hot, and at a flat rate. Actually, forget long; I take 10-15 minute showers there days. At least the water here is pretty consistently warm by the 5th button push. This must be why (if this stereotype is true) the French smell--it is too much trouble to take a shower.

Went out around 10am to go check out the Musee D'Orsay. I feeling a little bummed about seeing another museum since I had a not-terrific time at the Louvre on Monday, but I am sooo glad I went! Not only is D'orsay filled with art that I really do appreciate, the building itself is like a work of art, a pleasure to look at a be in. =) After the Louvre, considering that my battery was dying, I decided not take anymore photos in museums, but here I just couldn't help myself.

This museum had a lot more romantic work in it, with a whole level of impressionist and post-impressionist work, and a special exhibit of Art Nouveau. A gallery of Monet, one of Van Gogh (so awesome, to see the thick layers of paint that make his work so unique, in person), Cezanne, Matisse, etc... This museum also must have the largest collection of Degas (I've got a picture of The Dancer), as well as Jean Baptiste Carpeaux, with whom I was not familiar before but was attracted to because along with his sculptures and castings they had the clay pre-figures, rough and bumpy around the edges; it was really neat to get an idea of the process (one display explicitly outlined it).

The view of the city from the upper level of the museum was amazing, too.
Honestly, if I come back to Paris, I will probably skip the Louvre altogether, but I would definitely return to D'orsay.

Next I was supposed to meet Teresa for lunch at some exit off the St. Michele-Notre Dame stop. This ended up not working out as she forgot that we were getting together...I ended up waiting half an hour, spending most of that time trying not to watch this couple making out next to me (seriously--they had to take a smoking break!). Eventually, I decided something had gone wrong and so I wandered off in search of food. I got a panini with tomatoes and three kinds of cheese and a Fanta, and it was very tasty. I walked around awkwardly eating I until I found a park where I finished my food.

Then I decided it was time to do what I had planned on doing besides my other plans: more shopping. I found my way (not difficult) to Les Halles, a giant multistory mall with some cool stores, some boring, and some just like we have at home. Still, it was kind of fun despite the fact that I had been on my feet since 10am and was getting kind of tired. I got some neat gifts for some people (no I am not going to describe them), saw some interesting designer clothes, and then headed back to the Fondation.

Now, I would kind of like a panini, and I am still having trouble figuring what kind of clothing I should buy. I want a dress, but I want something unique. Ehh...if that's my biggest issue, I am doing okay.

Tonight Jason and I are going to see Casino Royale (tonight is the opening night here!), and eat some more delicious french food.

PARIS DAY 4.2: An adventure, and and pizza and beer

Alright, where were we?

Jason comes back from class, exhausted. Lunch is postponed while Jason naps and I read. Eventually, we get up and head out for CREPES! Oh man. French food (as in any food made by the French) is sooo good. The place is a little outdoor shop a few blocks away from Jason’s abode; apparently it is the best they’d found and I’m inclined to believe then. We each got a crepe with chicken, cheese, and mushroom, and an orangina. It’s also incredibly inexpensive for what you’re getting; this whole meal cost us just a little over 10 euro, and it was completely filling.

By the way, the huge intersection by this creperie had started to back up, and there police directing the traffic. Then, firefighters started arriving literally by busloads. In the windows of the buses were signs that said “En greve,” and while I don’t know what that means, Jason says that whatever else was written on the buses and the flags they were carrying, they seemed angry. I still can’t find anything about this on the internet, though, so if someone else does before I do, let me know!

After we got back from lunch we headed out to take a trip inspired by (or exactly planned out by) my theatre manager from high school, John Dean. Here are his instructions:

Start at Saint-Germain-des-Pres at the corner of Boulevard Saint

Germain and Rue Bonaparte...across the street west from the church is

Les Deux Magots where Sartre held court and next door is Cafe de

Flore...just north of the church is Picasso's statue of Apollonaire.

Then walk east along Saint Germain to the corner of Rue de Buci, it is

on the left and not well marked, but just a short distance from the

church..and contains the most wonderful market (get bread and cheese).

Walk to the corner of Rue de Seine, about a block. Near that

intersection is the most wonderful pastisserie where they wrap your

purchases in a paper pyramid tied with a ribbon. Buy some for now and

some for later (and some for me...preferably with raspberry filling).

Walk north on Rue de Seine, past the statue of Voltaire and the back of

the Institute de France to the Seine. Go the the Pont des Arts and go

down the stairs to the quay turn to the east and follow the river (stop

and eat when you get hungry) until you see Notre Dame from beneath the

Pont au Double. Then you have walked through the heart of the left

bank. …Paris never disappoints.

Saint-Germain-des-Pres is a convenient stop on the 4; it took me a second to find that first church mentioned though I soon realized that was actually right on top of the metro station (and in fact quite large). We then wandered east, not knowing what direction we were going in, and saw a statue of Diderot, the inventor of the encyclopedia (this prompted a brief discussion of Diderot’s hypothetical opinion of Wikipedia). We figured out that we were going the wrong way and so headed back in the other direction where, right across the street as promised lay Les Deux Magots, and just past it Café de Flore. Having just eaten we neglected to enter either café, but did stop for pictures at the Picasso statue before continuing on our way, correctly east this time.

We found Rue de Buci without a problem, though I think we may have missed the market. Still, there was a fresh fruit and legumes shop where I bought a pomelo and we wondered what a kaki was (it is an oversized persimmon). Across the street (at the corner of Rue de Seine) was a very swank patisserie called Paul’s where we purchased a lemon meringue tart and a raspberry tart, and while they were not wrapped in a paper pyramid with a ribbon, they were put in a dandy little box.

We continued up Rue de Seine, which turned out to be an art gallery district, which was not surprising, knowing John Dean (who is an artist by trade and previously an art teacher as well); the galleries were all closed, however, as it was mid afternoon by then. Not knowing quite how far we had to go, we lost confidence in whether we were going in the right direction, stopped to ask a waiter at a café, “Which way is North?” He seemed genuinely unsure but ended up pointing us in…the wrong direction. We ended up back on St. Germain and so then knew that we had in fact been going the right way, so we went back and kept going. We passed an interesting statue (there are lots of pictures coming from this trip, by the way), a park with benches shaped like books, and finally came across the statue, as promised, of Voltaire. Up high on a wall nearby was a tile depiction of a Bubble Dragon from the 1986 video arcade game Bubble Bobble, so that was kind of neat.

We came out onto the street that ran along the south side of the Seine, and bought some posters from a man with tourist stuff like that along the river; we also asked him the direction of Notre Dame, just to be on the safe side and were told (correctly this time), “That way, two minutes.”

We continued along the Seine and then made our way down to the river itself to have a pastry (delicious lemon meringue) and to scare some seagulls, which is always fun.

Before we knew it the cathedral Notre Dame loomed ahead of us, with its spires and its gargoyles. We wandered the whole way around inside, which was pleasant enough, but couldn’t figure out how to get access to the top of it, so left. By this point we were both tired and our feet were achy, so we found a metro station and headed back to the Fondation for a nap.

Nap lasted until 7pm, at which point I had been sleeping quite well and couldn’t believe that it was still Tuesday evening… Not really hungry but knowing that we would need food eventually, we kind of bummed around, lazy and tired, before finally heading back to the same creperie with the intent of getting Panini (which every place has sitting pre-made and then put on the grill when you order). However, it was very, very chilly on the way there and I decided that I would rather go to a brasserie and sit down and have something warm and to eat and/or drink than have a cheap sandwich on the walk home. In search of a restaurant we passed many places that seemed too expensive to be worth it, and a few that were no longer serving food, only drinks, and those many and few pretty much covered it all. We made an entire loop and a half around this intersection, and let me tell you, it is a pretty huge intersection with at least four lanes of traffic on each side (and it was still being directed by cops). There was only one guy working at the crepe place, and rather than wait in line Jason promised me that past the Fondation on the other side there was a place that would probably still be serving food and that was probably not too expensive. On the way there we bought a giant bottle of Evian from a grumpy shopkeeper; my newly developed theory is that the French don’t believe in drinking fountains because it would be too expensive for them to pipe Perrier throughout the city.

We arrive at the restaurant, something like Les Fleurus, and they are still serving food “With certainty!” and the prices are good! Yay. And the place was pretty chill; not crowded, a soccer game on in the back, and while we were waiting to order a huge crowd of friends I took to be regulars came in a grabbed a long table, all ordered drinks and pizza, and then one guy proceeded to spill his drink onto the pizza, prompting from the waiter the comment, “Oh, it’s not that bad,” hehe. We ordered a pizza marguerite (tomato sauce and cheese, w00t) and an andouille sausage with French fries (it was not like any sausage I’d tried before). The pizza was very tasty (how do they do it?). We also ordered beers: Jason had something called Kranbrau or something like that, and I had a Grimbergen (never heard of it before) which I liked very much. That done, we headed back where I fought with slow internet and typed this up.

Tomorrow I am going to the Musee D’orsay and then having lunch with Teresa!

Love,

A

PARIS DAY 4.1: Uniforms?

I spent part of this morning trying to tidy up the room some...whether or not it made a difference is hard to say. But, around 10:30 I went out to--you guessed it--Denfert-Rochereau to see if my card works at the ATM (it does) and do some shopping. I went in a few clothing stores; apparently orange is in style! I'm ahead of the curve with my coat! I also visited this...I guess Japanese import store called Muji that had pretty cool stocking stuffers, decor items, and clothing, toys, and socks made from recycled yarn. Bought some things there and kinda just wandered up one side of the street and down the other.

When I left Muji I started noticing some people in uniforms (my guess is firefighter, but I can't read French, so, whatever). Then I noticed more, and more. They were friggin' everywhere. And when I got back to where I had started from, at the statue of a lion that is as the center of this area tons of these people in these uniforms were clustered around, setting off crackling flares and colored smoke; traffic was getting a little backed up; all the cafes nearby were crowded with uniformed folks. I didn't even feel comfortable taking a picture of the main hulabaloo because they were really all around me, and I felt kind of rude since I had no idea what this could be about. I tried to ask some women at the train station what was going on, but they either did not speak English or did not want to help me.

So, yes. Weird. I have no idea.

Anyway, Jay is back from class soon, then we be goin' out.

A

PARIS DAY 3.2: Happy Hour

When I left you last, I was typing a note and Jason was doing some reading. He went and got us hot beverages and we ate some pastry that I bought next. Next, a plan was made to go out for raspberry beer at La Gueuze and go see Pan's Labyrinth. A little bit of research told us, however, that the movie would be in Spanish (with French subtitles, obviously), and we decided that having to deal with that much foreign was not really the relaxing evening we had in mind. So, no movie, but La Gueuze was still a go, and soon since happy hour there is only from 5 to 7.

Did I just say "only from 5 to 7?" That's right, not only do they not believe in drinking fountains, the Frenchies also have a weird conception of "happy hour," as it lasts more than an hour and it happens ever single day. Every day. But, who I am to complain? Two beers for the price of one ("2 pour l'prix d'1"), and two hours in which finish one and then order another beer is a good amount of time.

We run upstairs to grab Lindsey, who is back from her trip to Rome and Prague, and head out on the B to the Luxembourg stop and then across the street and around the corner to La Gueuze, a cozy bar with very enthusiastic waiters ushering in, that specializes in foreign beers. As is on the to-do list for my visit here, each of us ordered a raspberry beer, becasse framboise, and a bowl of onion soup with cheese (that's French onion soup to you! and was super delicious). We chatted about French teachers, squirrels, and Jason's low alcohol tolerance, eventually ordered second beers (a Guiness for me, a Kilkenny for Jay, and a peach beer for Lindsey), finished it all and then headed back out into the rain. A nice experience; I would go back there. Each beer is served in its own brand glass, and we got a plate on salted peanuts to start with. =)

But yea, raining. I've discovered that my hat is excellent for keeping rain off, hooray!

We came back to the Fondation, ate my other pastry, ate some Fritos, and watched an episode of Myth Busters on Jay's computer where they made hover crafts and dropped an elevator. Then I fell asleep while Jay did work. I am sloooowly catching up on that day of sleep I missed.

Jay only has class until noon tomorrow, so we shall see what comes of this. Wednesday I think I will go to the Musee D'orsay and perhaps shopping at La Halles (sp?). I should think about my essay at some point...but I've got the whole plane ride back for that, right?

Ciao!
A

I am in Paris!

Here are the first 3 posts from the my trip in Paris. More to come as...I keep doing stuff here.

PARIS DAY 1: Hello, the French?

Well, I arrived safely and soundly and pretty much right on time. The overseas flight was really nice; I got to choose my own movies to watch (I picked "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" and "Pirates of the Caribbean 2") which was quite nice. Then--arrival! It's so good to see and be with Jason again, but I'll try to avoid saying much more about that to save you all the cheesiness. Suffice it to say, I am very much in love, in the city of love. =)

The metro station is right outside the dormitory, which is nice, and the trains run really well, meaning the longest we ever had to wait was ten minutes and usually it more like 0 to 2 minutes. Having been awake for almost 24 hours (I don't sleep well on planes) I meant to take a nap after arriving but found out much to my disappointment that I was allergice to something (we assumed) in the sheet. So, we ended up going out early than I had expected.

One stop away from Jason's abode is Denfert-Rochereau, a really neat little part of town with a bunch of cafes, pharmacies, meat martkets, a honeyshop, and the like. We went to the grocery store (Metroprix) to buy some hypoallergenic detergent (despite the fact that hypoallergenic in French is "Hypoallergenique," this took us some time. I ended up buying a brand called "Le Chat"). We also bought a bottle of wine (still have yet to open it) some mulberry yogurt, a dark chocolate bar with ginger, and some delicious, delicious cheese. All the produce looked amazing, and there are so many different kinds of champange...

Next: the laundromat. Gotta wash the sheets. We brought out yogurt and chocolate bar and sat down to wait. The place was run by a little, French-speaking (duh?) aisian woman who tried to give Jason advice about teh wash cycle he had chosen, but that never really got through... Anyway, a while later we headed back with our freshly-washed and dried sheets so that I could take a nap before we headed out for the evening's fun: the Eiffel Tower.

Slept until 10pm; got up; eventually made our way out and to the right stop (it had been nice all day earlier, but by the time we headed out it had rained and was still drizzling). We arrived right around 11 and the tower was, as Ramya put it, going crazy: all light up but also twinkling with bright little white lights. It was pretty gorgeous. Sadly, the last tram goes up the tower at 11, so we didn't get to make the ascent, but was still quite gorgeous. Pretty huge, too, which I can only tell after standing under the base.

We took a walk down the Seine after this, trying to find some not so expensive places to eat. We passed some people doing fire poi in the plaza of some old, graffitied building with columns and statues of large, grecian, reclining women. We found an intersection with lots of restaurants, but they were all quite expensive, so we decided to head back to Denfert-Rochereau. We checked out three open cafes and ended up going to the the Indiana Grill (yes, it was as Americana as it sounds, though more Mexican, because Mexicans and Indians are the same, right? Right.). I had a fajita salad, with marinated chicken, zucchini, lettuce, red cabbage, fresh tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and vinagrette for 10 euro and Jay had ribs, steak kabob, and french fries. Man, they make our food better than we do. Oh, and our negra modelos (Mexican beer) were served in pint glasses that said "Bud: King of Beers." Heehee.

It was pretty late at this point; the metro had stopped running and so we walked back to the dorm (one stop away, so wasn't too bad, and the rain had stopped). It was a nice walk; all the residential buildings are so...exactly what I expected them to be, with little intricate metal fenced balconies and pretty white walls and tall windows. We got back in and at was time for sleep.

Today is a day on the town. Time to get ready for that day. =) I am taking pictures but cannot upload them until I get back home, so you will have to wait.

Oh, and in the metro station a French man with a baby stroller asked me for directions (which I was clearly unable to give him), but Jason said it meant that he'd assumed I was French and I was very flattered. =)

Loves,
A

PARIS DAY 2: L'as du falafel

We head out around noon (first we stop at...McDo's...to eat Royales with cheese and to see if we can't win Jason a moped--apparently we can't) to go find a place for me to cash my traveler's cheques and end up in the middle of the Champs Elysee, Paris' own Million Dollar Mile, except more gorgeous. The weather was superb, chilly but sunny, and so we decided to stroll.

From the train stop at Rue Franklin D. Roosevelt (yep) we walk west to the Arc D'triomphe, which was quite nice, then we cross the street and head back south. As it was Sunday most of the stores are closed but they all have huge windows with elaborate displays, and I recognize almost all the brand names. The big car dealers were open, though, as was this...brewery? beer and beer accessories? store that I will have to go back to because they had such stylish looking stuff. They were half a dozen movie theatres as well, each with a different selection (Pan's Labyrinth is already out here and we may go see it!).

We pass out of the general shopping area and continue down a promenade, entering what can be described as an open-air transportation museum (but with no sense of chronology and with automobiles, boats, and flying machines).

After this, Place de la Concorde, giant plaza with a couple fountains and giant obelisk convered in hieroglyphics. Across the concorde some young men were playing music on trumpet, sax, tuba, and portable drum kit; they played the Bond theme and then another jazzy piece, and Jason and I bought and shared a cherry-ginger-flavored Perrier.

Next came the Jardins des Tuileries, though as it is winterish the gardens weren't much. Just past this, the halls and tell-tale pyramid of the Louvre loomed before us; I will probably go there tomorrow while Jay is in classes. We continued past, down Avenue de Rivoli (another shopping district, most shops closed and all bars open) back to a train station. I just noticed, this walk covered three folds on my map. It was a perfect day for a long walk.

We went back to the Fondation so that Jason could get some homework done for tomorrow and so I could take a little nap. After these things we go to what Jason says is the Jewish and Gay district (they are side by side) for some falafel. The place is called L'As du Falafel which means "Ace of Falafel," and a guy outside gave us a bill, we gave him money, and then stood at a window watching the cooks stuff pitas full of falafel, cabbage, eggplant, tomato, and sauce. We then ate standing on the street, along with everybody else. By the way, these falafel were recommended by Lenny Kravitz himself (I have photographic evidence!). The stores in this part of town were still open when we arrived, some higher end and some that seemed a little more interesting (I already own a black down coat, but if I make it back there, I saw one in a store that I might have to get...only 39 euro).

On the way back, Jason and I took a photo in a booth in the train station a la Amelie.

We're now back in the room and Jay is doing more reading for class. Tomorrow I think I'm going to head to the Paris center with him, just to see where it is, and then go back to the Louvre.

I took lots of pictures today. =)

Loves,
A

PARIS DAY 3.1: Day D'enfer

Heh, my title is overly dramatic, but all will be explained.

Got up at 8:15 to take a shower. Showering here is like a little battle because there are no faucet turns, just a button that you press. No temperature choice, and the water stays on for about 1 minute at a time. So when I felt the water was about the cut off, I'd have to press the button again. Sometimes the water would keep coming, sometimes I'd have to wait for it work again. Mini conflict, to wake you up in the morning.

So, here's a sort of primer of the train system: we left the Fondation to go to the Paris Center, where Jason has class. We took the RER-B, and from here there are a couple ways to get where we were going; we got off at St. Michele and transfered (here called a correspondance) to the C and then to the stop Biblioteque-somethingsomething. Jason pointed out to me the street I would go down to find the Paris center, then walked me to the stop where I could catch the M-14 train, and left me there. (Eep.)

I took the 14 to Chaterle, which is the main train hub; you can transfer to almost anything here and despite being quite the labyrinth the signs are actually pretty easy to follow. The 14 is quite cool; Jay described it as being futuristic, and it definitely looks kinda that way (a picture to come), as well as being automated. At Chaterle I transferred to the M-1 and took that to the Louvre.

[end train explanation to digress to an description of my visit to the Louvre]

It's a pretty huge place, so while I feel like i saw a large amount in the three hours I was there, I really didn't see too much. I entered, as one does, through the glass pyramid and, being hungry and parched, proceed to a cafe in the museum and bought jus d'orange and a raisin pastry thing.

I then bought my entrance ticket and proceeded, since it is the clearest thing marked, to hall Denon which holds Spanish and Italian paintings and Greek and Roman "Antiquites." I saw Winged Victory (larger than I expected and on some kind of boat?); I saw the Mona Lisa, which was nice but not life-changing; I saw the Venus de Milo which I quite liked. I discovered that my camera battery is already dying =/ I have my second one, but I didn't bring the charger thinking that two fresh batteries would do me for a week. Oh well.

Very cool: apparently Toni Morisson was here not too long ago? Maybe even last weekend? and now there is an exhibit here that pairs ancient paintings with some newer sketches and then a modern video. There was a Bruce Nauman video, also a fi;m by Samuel Becket and a brazilian woman deforming her face by wrapping it in nylon twine.

I also went in the newish African and Oceanic Americas Art exhibit, which is apparently really progressive. It wasn't until late in the 20th century that artwork from these cultures waas considered societally fit to be in an ART museum versus an ethnography or natural history museum. Sometime this year these pieces will be moved to a brand new museum that is being built just to house artifacts from these cultures. I saw lots of Egyptian artifacts, other stuff like that...it all blurs together. All this time I was fretting because I didn't know the time (and I don't know how to ask for this in French, so I just wandered till I heard an American to ask) and I was also completely parched--the French do not believe in drinking fountains, the crazies. I ended my visit to the Louvre with a bottle of water and a tuna sandwich with vegetables.

Earlier in the museum I realized that while Jay had given me the key to get back into his room, I had not written down the number code that could get me back into the building. So, I decided to go back to the paris center to catch him before his afternoon class to ask. I took the 1 back to Chaterle to the 14 back to the Biblioteque. I did indeed find Jason, got the number, and decided to take the C back to the B to get back to the dorm. So, this is where I learn, as I had expected, that the metro system is DECEPTIVELY simple. I got on the wrong train. I thought I was getting on the right train; there was very little indication either way...but I turned out to be very wrong. Not only was it going the opposite direction, it was also some sort of express train way out there. Hmm. I got a little freaked out, but I figured that I could just get off, go the other side of the platform and be fine. I was kind of wrong about this...and the maps in the station provided me with no help... I ended up on an empty platform, no one else around, and a man on the next platform over saw me and waggled his finger at me. "Non; [something in French]." I kind of shrugged helplessly. He asked if I spoke English, and then asked where I was going. I told him Biblioteque and he told me to come over to his platform. I did, and he pointed me to the right side. Everything was pretty much fine from there and I had some time to watch some pretty scenery and a lot of grafitti and read (I am reading The Blind Assassin). I got to St. Michele and got back on B and took it to Denfert-Rochereau, which is becoming my home base.

I rewarded myself by going to Cafe D'enfer (Cafe of Hell, btw) and ordering a cafe au lait. I drank that had some water and then, it being around 3, headed back to the dorm, one more stop away. I passed a bakery and was drawn in by the smell and my promise to Pelks that I would try pastries every day and I ordered an apricot tart and a St. Nicolas dough-boy dipped in chocolate (these are the cheapest things I have bought since being here). I got on the B, hurriedly asked a young man "Cite Univeritaire?" and he nodded, and I got back and here I am.

Jason is now back from class, eating the Fritos I brought him and doing some reading. We will have pastries soon and then I think we are going to go see Pan's Labyrinth and prehaps and have raspberry beer.

What have I learned today? Don't be afraid to ask people for help. They are not actually as mean as we give them credit for. Also, another French person asked me for directions.

I will finish up this day when it is over. For now...au revoir!

Also, it is raining today. The sun the past two days was a real fluke. This is France as she really is.

A