Bonjour Paris!

3 years ago in July was the first time I went to the magical city of Paris. For these past 3 years, I could close my eyes and imagine walking up the steps to Sacre Coeur, putting my foot on point zero, and just the smells of fresh baked bread and (oddly enough) fish and other things cooked in butter. As I was walking out of the Gare du Nord early in the morning I could see the fog slowly dissipating  and the first sliver of Notre Dame while riding the metro. Even the first time I said "Je voudrais un carnet s'il vous plait" to a french person was like coming home. I knew from looking out the window of the train, when I just saw a building with that specific Parisian architecture, I was back in Paris.

We got off the metro and walked to our Hostel, it's called Oops. We dropped off our bags and checked in. We had plans to meet one of my best friends from home, Krista, at the Louvre. Before we headed to the Louvre, we walked to the Latin Quarter and the Luxembourg Gardens. Oddly enough, on my first full day in Paris we did that same thing.  We walked around the park and headed towards the Palace. Because we wandered around a little longer than we expected, we were late getting to meet Krista. Then we couldn't find the metro stop. I was getting so stressed because I couldn't wait to see her! 

Krista!!

The entire time on the metro I kept having flashbacks to when we were standing in the parking lot of Caribou by the Maplewood Mall jumping up and down because I was leaving for Rome. That was August 24th, and here it was October 15th and we were reunited, at the Louvre no less! It's crazy to think that our friendship has lasted so long, though difficult times and some of the best of my life. Being with her reminded me of this last summer and how much fun we had together. Driving around blasting Katy Perry, watching her skydive, and her coming to my work for moral support when I quit my job. This girl has been through thick and thin with me. We talked about how much we missed all of our best friends from home. We wished that we could all be in Paris together laughing and talking about the good old times in high school. It's amazing to think how far we have come. From the first few days of 7th grade, when I first met my best friend Kayla because we looked like twins and both played basketball. To meeting Andrea, having fake "cat fights" in the girls locker room before gym. I remember bonding with Liz in psychology class because we always discussed Grey's Anatomy on fridays. And getting to know Jess so much this past summer, and bonding at Andie's Cabin. These are the girls that I love so much, and even though I'm in Rome, Krista is in Paris, Kayla is in New York, Liz is in Illinois, and both Andrea and Jess are in Minnesota, but hours apart. But we are still together. We keep in touch. Thousands of miles won't stop these friends.

So to tell you the truth, I didn't pay much attention to the Louvre. Of course I had been there before so I didn't mind too much. I tried to take a picture of the Mona Lisa and failed because of the crazy crowds and everyone pushing each other. I saw winged victory and venus de milo. We walked around and saw Hammurabi's Code. But I just loved catching up with Krista!

After the Louvre, we took the Metro to the Latin Quarter to have lunch and see Notre Dame. We all had sandwiches and talked about Paris and how lucky we all were to be living in Europe. Soon enough though, Krista and I had to say goodbye. She had to get back to her school and we had a lot of sight seeing to do! It was tough to say goodbye, but we knew in a matter of months all of us would be meeting at Liz's houses and catching up!  Since we were in the Latin Quarter we didn't have to walk far to get to Notre Dame. As we walked towards it, that thousand year old church that everyone knows about it will still take your breath away no matter how many times you see it. 

We walked around and snapped some pictures in front of it. We also put our foots around Point Zero and took a picture. Point Zero is used as the point to measure distances to Paris. And the story goes that if you put your foot on it, you will come back to Paris. I did it the first time I was there, so it must be true! Sooner or later, I'll be back in Paris. I'm wearing the brown boot, in case you were wondering. Boots are necessary if you want to feel stylish in the fall in Europe, well I guess the US too. Mine have a tiny heel, but they way they click on the pavement make it sound like high heels, it always puts a little bounce in my step. We walked through the church, I lit a candle for my dad (he asked me to light a candle in the different churches I travel to, I'm up to 16 churches) I also got prayer cards, which come out of a vending machine after you pay a euro. I just don't think that is classy. But hey, they need to make money I guess. After, we went towards the back of the church to see the flying buttresses around the back. We sat in the park there for a while before we decided to get back to the hostel and get into our rooms and change before heading out to the see the Eiffel Tower.

We took the metro to the Eiffel Tower, as we got to the stop we were walking down there stairs, and I was hit with a flash back, I had been that that exact metro stop before- when we were leaving the Eiffel Tower after the fireworks on Bastille Day. When there were thousands of people leaving the Eiffel Tower. It was one of the many flashbacks that I had in Paris. 

It had started to rain as we walked to the Eiffel Tower, but we were determined to walk there and see it sparkle. It was another shock, it seemed so much bigger than I remembered. This amazing structure that provokes such a strong reaction in the French, both of love and hate for  it. But you have to admit it is quite astounding. Once you get past all the people trying to see you cheap metal keychains, stupid light up things they fly in the air, and even crappy bracelets and other jewelry, you are still in awe of this amazing structure.

We walked from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe that is at the beginning of the the Champs Elysee. It actually is not that bad of a walk, if you are willing  to do it. Sometimes that is the best way to see a city. If you take the metro, or the tube for that matter, just to the stops to see these major monuments and then get back on to the next, you miss the essence of the city. You don't get the chance to just walk around, and see parts of Paris that you would never see otherwise. It also helps because with a map you learn the plan of the city, it makes you feel like you know it. As we walked to the Arc de Triomphe Elizabeth and I discussed how we would be afraid of living and working in Paris because it would lose some of its magic. But I guess that is something that you might have to deal with in any city. You are no longer a tourist, you live there. Which means the tourists are no longer cute, they are just an annoyance. You have to deal with the crowded metro day in, day out. And that alone can test your patience. You just need to remember, no city is perfect, they all have their faults. And you begin to learn about more faults the longer you are there.

We took the metro back to our hostel, it was around midnight. We got a chance to relax for a bit before heading to bed. We knew that we would have a lot see the next day.

I think the exhaustion of 10 days of travel was getting to us, because after breakfast, while Ryan was getting ready, Sarah, Elizabeth, and I fell back asleep for a half an hour. But soon enough we were headed to the Musee d' Orsay. It's a renovated train station that has become the museum for all the impressionist works. Monet, Manet, and even some Van Gogh. They had moved a lot of the Monet to a different museum for an exhibit, I was actually really upset. But thankfully we got in for free because we are students in Europe and therefore temporary citizens of the European Union (pretty cool right? I have a permesso di sorggiono and everything). But we did see the personal portrait of Van Gogh, that was pretty cool. It was much more relaxed in this museum compared to the Louvre, but there were a lot of groups around the Van Gogh- but you can blame them, it's amazing to see it in person. They do not allow photos in the Musee, so I don't have any pictures to post. But it's a pretty amazing building, directly across from the Louvre. So don't forget about it the next time you are in Paris.

We stopped at a take away cafe and got Croque Messieurs (Plural form of Croque Monsieur) and walked to the Place de la Concorde, where Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and Robespierre  along with who knows how many other people during the French Revolution. But now it is a symbol of peace (Concorde) and it is the start of the Champs Elysee ending at the Arc de Triomphe. 

We walked along the entire stretch of the Champs Elysee stopping to get a crepe avec nutella. which was really good. We walked past all the famous shops, and had to wait in line to get into the Louis Vuitton store. I looked at a cute keychain that I wanted to buy, it was 200 euros. Needless to say I didn't buy it. But soon enough, I'll buy a purse from there. We walked to the Arc de Triomphe and went underneath the round-about to get a closer look. It has the names of the important French generals, quotes from Charles de Gaulle himself, and also the tomb of the unknown soldier. The Arc has become more than just a triumphal arch for Napoleon. (even though to be a true Roman triumphal arch it needs to be on the Via Sacre in Rome, but thats semantics, Napoleon wanted to emulate the Roman Empire). 

We decided to go to Montmartre and see Sacre Coeur. As we walked up the hill, I saw the Carosel that I have a picture of from the last time I was in Paris. I was just amazed by how many little things I remembered from the last time I was there! We stopped in some shops, and we bought some post cards. Then we headed up the hill to see Sacre Coeur. It warmed up and the sky was blue again. And we had an amazing view of Paris. 

We walked into Sacre Coeur and I lit another candle. We walked around the church and then we just took some time to just sit in the pews. The only thing I found annoying was that there were nuns walking around dumping out the euros from the vending machines where you can make little souvenir medallions. There were hundreds of people in the church, many of them praying- and they choose this time to dump all of the money they made that day into like burlap sack. I just thought it was tasteless. I looked up at the Apse where there is a painting of Jesus (you weren't allowed to take photos) and I kept thinking, is this what he wanted? Vending machines and candles for sale in the church? That you have to walk through the gift shop before you leave? Sarah leaned into me, and she said she was reminded of the story in the bible where Jesus gets so upset that the temple was being used as a marketplace. That is exactly what I thought too. It may be a tourist attraction, but it's still a church, and not only should the visitors act accordingly, but the people who work there should too.

We had dinner in Montmatre and slowly made our way back to the hostel. We stopped at Fragonard, a perfume company that I visited when I was in Provence in 2007. I found the same perfume I bought before, belle du nuit, but I decided on a different one. Ryan also bought some cologne for himself. You could spend 80 euro on some Dior eau di toilette (less potent) or I spent 35 on perfume, they make the best perfume, I believe. The "Le nez" knows. (The nose knows) The Le nez, creates the different perfume and can only work for a half an hour every day. Fragonard knows their perfume! That's all I'm saying. 


We made the rather heartbreaking decision to stay in after some chocolat chaud at a nearby cafe. We were exhausted and Sarah and I were both getting sick. It kind of sucked, but we had a wonderful fall break. But we were ready to head back to Rome. 

Now if only we had 10 days to sleep to recoup from the 10 days of travel. But nope, I had a midterm Monday morning and a huge paper due next week. Well no rest for the weary I guess!

I'm staying in Rome this weekend, I'm ready to relax. But Halloween weekend I'm heading to Barcelona! Stay tuned!

Au Revoir!