I've had the time of my life

I just realized this, less than three weeks and I'll be back in Minnesota. I cannot express my sadness that accompanies this thought. If you have been reading my posts you know how much I love not just Paris, but Europe in general.  I feel more at home here then I do in Minnesota or Chicago. I know that must not make sense since I speak barely any French, but it's the truth.

Today I had a conversation with someone from back home, and they said that your surroundings shouldn't determine your happiness, but that it should be the people and that where I am is what I make it. I know that I am going back to a horde of loving friends and family, and for that I am so grateful and I am excited to see them. But for me, surroundings and culture are essential. The history dork in me loves being constantly awestruck by Paris. In fact, every place I have traveled too has rendered me speechless in some aspect, whether it be the countryside or the architecture. Europe marvels me, and to know that I am going back to a place where I have never felt that is depressing. I love my feeling of inadequacy here, because it is the type of inadequacy that reminds of how rich and marvelous these cities are. It reminds me that while I am living in the present I am only able to do so because of the past. The person I was talking to countered my sentiment by stating that at our schools, millions of people have lived there and amazing things have happened there. I have no doubt this is true. I mean facebook was basically invented in a dorm room. But for me, that pales in comparison to standing in Notre Dame, knowing that this buildings has withstood 2 world wars, a Revolution, and a plethora of other wars and events. Or standing in a cobblestone alley in the Marais and imagining Revolutionaries marching through.

I heard the song "I've had the time of my life" the other day as I was listening to Glee's upcoming songs, and I realized that Paris has done this for me. The lyrics that really stuck out for me were:

Now I've had the time of my life
No I never felt like this before
Yes I swear it's the truth
and I owe it all to you

'Cause I've had the time of my life
and I owe it all to you

Paris has given me the time of my life. I know that the people in my program played a monumental role in my experience here, but mostly it's been Paris. I've become such a different and better person. And I owe it all to you Paris. Merci.

Mine and Ashlee's Parisien Adventures

It has been another fantastic couple of days with Ashlee. Yesterday she came to my school for lunch. I took her to Kayser so she could have a French sandwich. We split a brie and then a chicken sandwich, and enjoyed their amazing cookies. After I was done with my French class, we headed off to Monmarte. I took her to Sacre Coeur and I was so happy that the weather cooperated this time. The sky was blue with white, fluffy clouds. And of course the view from the top was absolutely beautiful. I find it hilarious that we can see the one skyscraper, and the Eiffel Tower. It is as though both of them are dueling. But I refuse to enter Monmarte based on principle. I don't think I'd forgive myself if I went into it. I also love Sacre Coeur because it is the one view where you can literally see everything in the city. Ash and I took some pics and then went inside for a tour of the Church. Afterwards we wandered around for awhile before heading off to the Moulin Rouge. As we were walking to the Moulin Rouge we passed through the red light district of Paris. It has nothing on Amsterdam, but did make for some interesting scenery while we were walking. The Moulin Rouge itself was a tad disappointing, but it was still worth the walk. From there we made our way to Van Gogh's house. When were done with that we wandered to Luxembourg gardens, but they were closed so we decided to come back the next day and went back to my dorm. We chilled there for a while and then we went to the Frog and the British Library for dinner. The Frog and the British Library is a British based microbrewery. They brew six kinds of beers, and have classic "pub" food. Ash and I each ordered a pint and the cheeseburger. It was my first cheeseburger in Paris! We had another pint after our meal, so now I have tasted all six beers and I must say that the Parisytic is my favorite. I have become a dark beer drinker. I blame Guinness. Also, our waiter was absolutely adorable. I had a crush on him. When we were going to leave he asked me about beer, and if I was studying in Paris. Definitely going back there for some drinks and a meal.

When Ash and I got back we skyped my family. It was so great to talk to everyone and see them. Despite the immense amount of happiness I have here, I do miss them. I loved hearing about Mark's collegiate experience, watching my mom do goofy things because I'm sure the concept of skype is amazing to her, and then to talk to Barby and Jim. It reminded me that I do have a life back home, a life that I do in fact love, just in an entirely different way. Ash and I decided to call it an early night (and by early I mean midnight), and go to bed so we could get up early tomorrow and have the quintessential Parisien day.

Ash and I woke up to the sound of a jackhammer. They are doing construction on the elevator and so naturally they had to start at 8:45 am. At least it gave us a reason to hustle out of the dorm. We hopped on the metro and headed off to the Eiffel Tower so Ash could see it during the day and from the fountain across the street. We had a pain au chocolat for breakfast, and then headed over. Even though the weather was freezing, the sky was crystal clear and the Eiffel Tower was looking as lovely as ever. We took some pictures, were hounded by some peddlers, and just took in the general splendor of the view. After seeing the Eiffel Tower, we went off to the Luxembourg Gardens. They are not as magnificent as if it were spring or summer, but they are still beautiful. We walked around the gardens and enjoyed the statues before it was time to head off to our lunch reservation at Procope, the oldest restaurant in Paris. The setting for the restaurant is still old-fashioned, and the music adds to the mood. We both had chicken and potatoes with gravy. We had a table by the alley window and so we enjoyed people watching. Our meal was quite good, and I am glad that I was able to take Ash somewhere that is considered to be "French", but really the French don't have a cuisine. They have a style of eating. You eat an appetizer, main course, dessert and coffee and you take your time doing so.

After the restaurant it was time to shop! We got off at Concorde so Ashlee could see the Obelisk de Luxor and so I could FINALLY get my picture by it. From there, we walked to the Champs-Elysses, but as we were walking we got to pass the Christmas Market. It was really cool and I am definitely going to be taking my family there when they visit. Ashlee and I shopped for a few hours. She got a top and sweater, and I got four new shirts. It started snowing as were walking in between stores, creating a perfect day in Paris and making me the happiest person in the entire world. We continued shopping, and then when we were heading back the lights came on. It put the cherry on top of a great shopping day. As we were walking to get macarons, we took pictures of the lights and the different side of the market. Since Laudre's line was ridiculously long, Ash and I decided to go to Angelina. It was a great decision. The woman gave us two free macarons and we got to get hot chocolate to go. I took a picture of Ashlee eating her first macaron, and I am happy to report that the macaron is her favorite dessert in Paris.

We were going to go get her jewelery and my Longchamp purse after, but the combination of the trains being full and me going to the wrong stop prevented that from happening. So we headed back to the dorm, and that is where we currently are. It wasn't until we got here that we realized that the twelve hours of being out was exhausting. In a few we are heading off to Chinatown to eat dinner, and then it is time to pack because Ash is leaving again for the states. But tomorrow is going to be another great day. Jennifer and I are going to one of the Frog Pubs, then I am going to see Harry Potter with Dasha. And then Sunday is a me day. I am going to wander Paris and just enjoy one of my last weekends in this beautiful city that I have come to love and adore more than anything in the entire world. Until next time.

Ashlee is here!

I am so happy to announce that my cousin-basically-sister Ashlee is in Paris with me! It is so great to have family here, but especially Ashlee since we are so close. I am so glad that I get to show her around, and introduce her to my Paris. I had an intense day of school yesterday. We had a walking tour at 9, then class right after, an hour break before French, and then class again. So by the time I was done with all of that I was exhausted, but beyond happy that I was going to meet Ash! I met her at Notre Dame (I know how movie-esque) and then I took her for gelato because she had never had it before. She loved it! Then I took her to a crepe stand where we both had a jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) crepe. We then walked around the Saint-Michel area, before heading over to where I had French conversation. Ashlee was able to join us for it, and after the hour ended me and her made our way to the Eiffel tower. Ash was able to see the light show, and even though I have seen it a few times, it still takes my breathe away. We enjoyed the light show, snapped some pictures, and then made our way back to my dorm.

I didn't have class until the afternoon today, so Ash and I went to Musee D'Orsay in the morning, but not before I took her to a bakery for the traditional pain au chocolat breakfast. Then we made our way to the museum, where we wandered around and took in the amazing artwork. Ash's favorite things in the D'orsay were the giant paintings and mine was, of course, Van Gogh. After wandering around in the museum for a couple of hours I then took Ashlee to Angelina's. We had to cross the Seine and wander through the Tuileries to get there, so Ash got to see those and then at Angelina's we had the BEST hot chocolate in the entire world and amazing dessert. Well, actually the dessert was my lunch, because after Angelina's I had to go to class while Ashlee headed to the Louvre.

Class was interesting today. We are talking about the duplicity of man and images, so people are not what they appear, etc. Very Foucault in principle, and if you know me at all you know I have a love for Foucault. But I was anxious for class to end because I had made plans to meet Ashlee at the Saint-Paul stop for falafel! I took her to the famous falafel place, and while we were there Ash showed me pictures of what she had done that day. She wandered around and had a cheeseburger for lunch. I am glad that she was able to wander around because that is the best way to get to know France. After falafel, I took her to the Canadian bar me and my friends go to, The Moosehead. We enjoyed some beer and just chatted for a while. Ash told me that the bar was like the ones that she goes to in Chicago, and since I will be 21 when we get back I can hang out with her more!

When we were done with our cider's, we walked to Saint-Michel and had crepe nutella. I couldn't find the place that Jessen and I go to, but this place was quite delicious. This was the first crepe I had had since coming back from my trip and it was Ash's first crepe ever, so we both got a lot of merriment from those crepes. After wandering around Saint-Michel we headed back to the cite because I have class tomorrow early. But Ash is coming to have lunch with me at school and then after we are walking around Monmarte! Should be another amazing day in Paris with my pseudo sister. Night all.

Never Give up on the Good Times :-)

I forgot to mention something about Dublin. While at the Stag's Head the song "Galway Girl" was played. For anyone who has seen "PS I Love You" you'll remember that that song was sung to Hilary Swank's character by her future husband in a bar. After I heard that song in the movie, I fell in love with it and so it was just nice to hear it in an Irish pub and sing a long.

Alright onto London!

On the way to London, I was jamming to the Spice Girls. I am not ashamed of it. I love the Spice Girls, and I am proud to say that instead of listening to the Beatles or some other English band, I was dancing to "Never Give up on the Good Times".

We saw a lot of the typical touristy things in London - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, House of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, etc.  Our first dinner  we went to Brick Lane and had some Indian food. It was positively delicious. After dinner, me and Jen met up with her friend, and then he took us to a student bar where we hung out with a couple of his friends. It was just nice to be on a college campus and talk to some British students. They attend the Music academy and are amazing violists, so it was a tad bit intimidating, but they were really great guys. We had a night adventure which consisted of McDonald's, a double decker bus, Northern London, and then random wanderings. It was pretty much a perfect night in London.

The next day we went to the Tate Modern art Museum. I got to see some Andy Warhol paintings, Dali, Picasso, etc. I love museums, and have vowed to take more advantage of them in the states. For lunch we went to Burough Market, which was amazing. It was so cool to walk around and sample different cheeses, desserts, and just be in the general area. I ended up having some mulled cider, a sandwich, and this sinfully delicious brownie.We did another pub crawl in London, which was not as fun as the one in Edinburgh because it was just too crowded. I still had a great time, but not in the same way.

The next day I got to see Disha which was really great. She took me to Camden Market, which is this area that has clothes, food, bags, and a plethora of other things. It was really awesome to wander and catch up with her. I am so happy she is enjoying London, and spending time with her made me miss Chicago. After seeing Disha, that night we went to 39 Steps, which is this play that is based on a Hitchcock movie. It was brilliant. I was laughing throughout the entire show and I really enjoyed watching some British comedy. When the play was done, we went to a bar that was by our hostel. I got to try some strawberry beer, which was quite delicious. It was so enjoyable to talk about our trip and reflect on what a great week we had just had over a beer. I am so happy that I got to share this experience with these amazing women. I know that I have made some really close friends who are more amazing than I could have expected. When we got back to our hostel that night, I was sad that the trip was over, but at the same time I was worn out. Traveling for 10 days is draining.

I learned something quite crucial from this trip though. I don't need material things to make me happy. I haven't really bought any clothes or "souvenir" things from the places I have traveled. Honestly, give me a passport and a camera and I will be just fine. Lauren and I were discussing the importance of the passport, and I have come to see that packet of paper as my most precious thing. Because of that document, so many of my dreams have come true, and I can tell that the passport is chilling in my cabinet waiting for the next stamp.

Today was our last first day of class. I am excited for the teacher. He is an intelligent man. Perhaps a bit more intense the the previous two, but that's ok. I hope it'll put me in more of a "UChicago" mode. But I know I got an A for at least one of my classes, and to be honest with being abroad I am not expecting straight A's. An A is just a letter that will go on a piece of paper, but these memories and experiences are what shape and help to define who I am and what I will be. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the entire world. Night all.

Boys, Bars, and Accents - OH MY!

I'm back in Paris, and even though I had a great time in the British Isles when I stepped off the Metro and saw the Cite, a huge smile came on my face and wave of relief rushed through me. I loved the British Isles, but there is something about Paris that completes me. Enough about that, I'll start writing about my trip.

Dublin was awesome. In the morning on our first day we went to the Trinity College. It is such a beautiful university. We had a tour guide, who was quite cute, and he showed us around and told us some anecdotes. It wasn't a very long tour, but we learned some fun things. There was this sculpture in the front of the library that spins, and the statue of the George Salmon, former provost of Trinity who didn't want women to attend it. The story that we were told, was that he allowed women to attend but he wrote that while his hand was agreeing, his heart didn't. So naturally he had a heart attack. After the tour we saw the Book of Kells. I had studied illuminations in my art class so I comprehended the major historical significance of this magnificent book.  I have decided that for law school I am going to either attend the School of Law at Trinity or Edinburgh Law School (I'll go into that more later), so in a way it was like a college prospect visit for me. After seeing the college and the Book of Kells we went to this market, where I bought a sterling silver Claddagh ring. I love it. I haven't taken it off my finger since I bought it last Saturday. It is an Irish ring that indicated relationship status of a person. Since I am single I wear it on my right hand with the heart turned away from my chest. After the market and lunch, we went to Guinness factory where I enjoyed two week old Guinness and then a pint at the top of the building. The view from the top of the building was beautiful, and we got to see the entire city of Dublin.

After dinner we went to the Stag's Head where we enjoyed some traditional Irish music. We met a birthday pub crawl, and it was fun to talk to some Irish men. I love their accents. Some of the girls left, but me, Lauren and Grace stayed behind and closed the bar down. The next day me, Lauren and Jessen went to the Writer's Museum and then we went to the Queen of Tarts for lunch. I went to Cork that night to see Sean, and the next day when I got back to Dublin we just shopped some and at night we went to a  couple of different bars and a comedy club. The comedy was improv and pretty funny, but I have to say that Temple Bar was pretty awesome. Again, we got to listen to traditional Irish music and I had an Irish coffee. Needless to say, we were all sad to leave Dublin.

What I liked so much about Dublin was the vibe. First of all, the city is small of enough that people can literally walk anywhere. Also, even though the buildings are not in the best shape, the people's spirits are magnetic. People are cheerful and extremely kind. They don't look at a person and decide from their clothes if they like them. Rather, people apologized if they ran into us, they were personable and extremely generous. It reminded me of Titanic. Paris is first class. The people are gorgeous to look at, but they are pretentious and rude, while Dublin is third class. They may not have a lot of money or lavish things, but by God they are happy.

This type of feeling can be transferred to Edinburgh. When we were first arrived in Edinburgh, we were all still a little sad to have left Dublin, so the enthusiasm for Edinburgh wasn't as high as it should have been. But then we entered the center of Edinburgh, and we were completely taken aback by the beauty of the city. I felt like I was going back in time. I should have been in a coach and buggy, rather than a bus. The buildings were amazing, and the lighting made it all the more fantastic. We checked into our hostel, and I have to say that the hostel was a godsend. There was a pub crawl that night and so we decided we would go out to dinner and then do that. For dinner we went to the Royal Mile and had some pub food. The old men in the bar helped me decide which beer to have with my dinner. They were so friendly! After dinner, we headed back to the hostel to get ready and then we went to the first bar for the pub crawl. When we got to the bar there was a Scottish football (soccer) game on. It was fun to watch the game while enjoying a pint. The pub crawl was a ton of fun, and I met a really nice guy on it. Also, it was so cool to be walking around Edinburgh at night. Again, Edinburgh is small enough that a person can walk the entire city easily.

The next day we went to the free tour of the city, but the guide was less than desirable so instead us girls decided we would go to the castle by ourselves. Well, that was an adventure because not only was it cold, but the Edinburgh wind was some of the strongest winds I had ever encountered. We toured the castle, but it was more like running to take shelter in the various rooms so that we wouldn't be blown away by the winds. But what was pretty cool is that the castle is built on top of an extinct volcano. Also, we got to see the Crown jewels, the prisons, and a great view of the city. We had lunch in the castle, traditional Scottish stew and then made our way to some stores for shopping. I bought a cashmere scarf and some post cards. After that, we went back to the hostel because people were tired. But I decided to wander by myself, and so I made my way to Calton Hill. This hill is now my favorite place in the entire world. Not only does it have the best view of Edinburgh, but the countryside it reveals is truly the most wonderful thing I have ever seen in my entire life. Even though it was windy and freezing, I took a seat in the grass and just sat in awe of my surroundings. Have you ever had a moment in your life where you cannot belief that this is actually happening? This is what Calton Hill did to me. I have never felt so humbled in my entire life. On this hill I made up my mind that I am not only going to teach in Paris, but that I am going to attend law school in Dublin or Edinburgh and then move there permanently. Those places made me so happy, and they are quite close to one another. When I reluctantly got up to leave, I knew that I had left a piece of myself on top of Calton Hill, and one day very soon I will go back to get it. I have the goal to watch the sun rise on that hill.

After I got back from wandering by myself, we all went out and got some Japanese food. It was delicious. Then we just went back to the hostel to chill, because we had to get up at 3:30 am for London. Even though people were excited for London and some were missing Dublin, Edinburgh held my heart. I too was missing Dublin and excited for London, but honestly I cannot stop thinking about Edinburgh. I cannot wait to go back there.

Well I have to finish my reading for class tomorrow and so I will post about London later. Until next time!

Au Revoir Paris, Hello British Isles!

I just had my final. I feel pretty good about it, but honestly all that is on my mind now is the British Isles! We are leaving for Dublin tonight, Edinburgh Tuesday and London Thursday. I am so excited to speak English, drink some good beer, and see some amazing countryside. Also, I am excited that I get to see one of my best friends, Sean, in Cork on Sunday. He is studying there this semester, so he will be able to show me around!

Well just a quick update from yesterday. Me, Dasha, Jessen and Aswini went to Breakfast in America which is a diner in the Marais. We had all been craving an American breakfast, since breakfast here is very simplistic. It was a rainy morning, but we braved it and when we got there I was so excited. It was decorated like a diner, and we got to sit in a booth. I ordered a connecticut omelette (ham and cheddar), potatoes, bottomless coffee and then Dasha and I shared a plate of French Toast. Needless to say, that was my only meal of the day. It was so delicious. It made me miss my dad's breakfasts when he would make me and my brother eggs, toast, and hash browns.

After breakfast Jessen and I went to a cafe to study, and then when we came back to the dorm we studied. I cannot even tell you how many hours I studied. It made me miss Chicago study sessions though. I remember me and Kelsey taking over a study room, barricading ourselves in the room. We would stay up late typing frantically, sleeping for an hour at a time, eat frosting and cookie cough and drinking life threatening amounts of caffeine. Our study session made me nostalgic for that. There were a ton of us studying in Dasha's room, occasionally taking breaks to gossip and getting off of track. But when I did go to bed, I felt pretty good about the final, and our study session did pay off.

Well it is time to pack. In six hours I will be in Dublin! Have a great 10 days everyone!

Missing my mom.

I miss my mom. Pure and simple. I miss my dad and brother too, but there is a different way in which a daughter misses her mama. At UChicago, I call my mom everyday when I am on my way to and back from class. I tell her about school, friends, boy troubles, etc. She listens and talks to me about it.  I miss those conversations. Even though they were mostly brief, only lasting a few minutes at a time, they were a source of comfort for me. But, this was not always the case. The summer before my first year at college my mom and I clashed. We couldn't see eye-to-eye on really anything. But now, we get along wonderfully. Sure there are times when we argue or disagree, but for the most part my mom is my best friend. Only my mom would drop anything at a moment's notice to help or comfort me. Only my mom would put me and Mark before any of her own personal needs. Only my mom would know when I need a hug and when I need to be left alone. Only my mom would see me at my lowest point, and instead of pitying or judging me, she gives me more love and support than I could have ever expected.

And now my mom is completely backing my goal to move here after I graduate from UChicago. She has gotten me information, and is encouraging me to do this. I know that it must be bittersweet for her. Her daughter is so happy, yet this happiness lies an ocean away. I do feel guilty for loving Paris so much, and having these ambitions to live here because I know it may cause my mom some unhappiness to think of her daughter permanently living so far away. And while this hasn't been confirmed by my mom, I know that even if it were true she should never stand in the way of me doing what makes me happiest. But that's my mom. She puts my happiness before her own, and for that I am eternally grateful and in her debt.

Despite missing my mom, and the rest of my family, I am quite excited for the British Isles this upcoming week. I just have to get through my final first. Good night all. Sweet slumber.

"Long live all the mountains we moved. I had the time of my life slaying dragons with you"

Bruges didn't happen today because of ticketing complications, so it has been moved to December 5th. Therefore, instead of eating chocolate and waffles I spent today running, watched a movie, skype chatted Megan and studied for my French midterm. As I was studying I had my Taylor Swift playlist on repeat. And you know what? I love Taylor Swift. I think that if I were to meet her, we would click. And you know why? Because she gets it. She knows what it is like to have your heart ripped out, to lose your breath after that perfect kiss, to think about someone incessantly, to be insecure about your looks, and the list goes on. The difference? She has this incredible talent for translating those emotions and experiences onto paper and creating great music. Her new album came out last week, and in one week it sold over a million albums in the United States. In an age where the record industry is falling to the wayside, this is no small feat, but rather it shows that people are still willing to pay for quality music.

So you may be wondering, Krista why on earth did you dedicate a post to Taylor Swift when you are in Paris having incredible experiences and living this fairy tale life?  Because at the end of the day, I'm just a regular girl who wants to listen to another girl sing about love, heartache, friends, and youth. True I am doing everything I can to ensure that I will be living here one day, but the words Taylor sings are universal. And no matter where I am, I will always remember my first love, my amazing friends, prom, my first beer at college, midnight walks on the UC campus, etc. I guess what I am trying to say is that even though I am in Paris, at heart I am still that girl from Minnesota who has dreams that are too big and friends who make life worth living.

Well off to review French one more time before bed. Bonne soiree.

Who needs men when you have wine and macarons?

Bordeaux can be summed up in three words - wine, macarons, and shopping. We went to Bordeaux Friday for a day trip with our class and we had the option to come back the same day or to stay. My friends and I decided to stay for one night, so that we could experience another part of France. On Friday we had to be at the train station at 6:30 am, which sucked but me and my friends met in the lobby and went together so at least we suffered together. Also, I got to sleep on the train for three and a half hours so it wasn't a complete nightmare. When we got to Bordeaux we immediately went to this museum. Now, normally I am all for museums and learning about history, but at this point in time I was not only tired, but ravenous. However, the history-anthropology nerd showed herself as we made our way through the museum and got to see some pretty amazing artifacts and learn about the history of Bordeaux. After the tour of the museum we went to lunch. I love that our program has meals for us every now and then again so we can actually experience real French cuisine, because these meals are not cheap. We had this shrimp salad dish for our appetizer, duck for the main meal and then this apple plate for dessert. Of course we had the wine and bread to accompany all of this, so at the end of the meal I was quite satisfied. When we were done eating we then had a walking tour of the city, where we learned about the different squares and the specific architectural points of certain buildings. Again, it was fun but at this point in time I just wanted to wander around with my friends. After the tour we were allowed to wander and so me and my friends went to the mall. I decided that for my large French purchase I am going to get a Lonchamp bag because they are Parisien and affordable, not to mention really adorable. When we were finished at the mall we went to say good bye to Grace because she was heading back with the group and Dasha and I went to our hostel. Surprisingly it was a very nice place. We had a twin suite, and so we freshened up and went off to meet the girls at their hostel, and then head out for a night on the town.

When we got to the girls hostel, we all agreed that it was time to eat. We walked around Bordeaux for a while before deciding on this Chinese restaurant. It was perfectly adequate, but nothing that I would go to again. I really miss ordering Chinese with my friends on a Saturday night from Wok n Roll. Their Chinese food may not be the best, but man it is good. After eating we went to La Contessa. It was this bar that we had seen on our walking tour that had a Mad Hatter hat on the outside as well as lights, Christmas ornaments and an upside down bunny. Upon looking at the menu we knew we had picked the right place. Sophia and Nash met up with us at the bar, and fortunately we found seating for the nine of us. Me and Jessen ordered "Red Velvet" drinks, which had champagne and something else. They were delicious. I also got to sample "La Contessa", a white Russian and the drink that Nash had. My friends and I have this system where we let one another try the other person's drink. It's great because I don't have to pay a bazillion euros to try different drinks.

We hung out at the bar for a while before deciding we wanted dessert. Unfortunately nothing was open. But we were all tired so Sophia, Nash, Dasha and I headed out back to the hostel. I got all ready for my bed and as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. It was one of the most difficult things in the world to get out of that bed because here at the Cite these bed are sucky, and our hostel had nice comfy mattresses and pillows. But we did it, and met the girls at their hostel again. We got pastries from this brasserie, and then we found the macaron place that Tiffany had gone to the day before. There are no words to describe how wonderful, delicious, luscious, (add in more adjectives here) they were. If you bought them by weight they ended up being only 50 cents per macaron, which is dirt cheap. Too bad the macaroons only last for a few days otherwise I would have bought a ton for people back home. I bought 8 macarons, and it was difficult to not scarf them down. This was the first time I had them, and it most certainly is not going to be the last. We all went to the fountain when we were down gawking at the chocolate and macaroons. Dasha got to run through the fountain and we just chilled for while by the river.

For lunch we went to an Indian restaurant called the Taj Mahal. Seriously was one of the best meals I have ever had. We shared some Nan bread, and I ordered chicken with spinach. I cannot wait for London where we can have more Indian food. We were so full from our meal that we stayed in the restaurant for a bit longer and just chatted. After we decided we had strength to move, we went shopping. I bought this really pretty dress and almost bought a pair of pants, but after consideration I decided that they were not me. Also, I want to save my shopping for when Ashlee comes because I figured she'd want to get some stuff. We all decided that we are going to wear our new outfits on Tuesday when our class goes out to breakfast, so we will be dining in style!

Since we were in Bordeaux of course we had to get some wine! There was this great wine shop that wasn't touristy, and we got some Bordeaux wine to take home. I bought some wine for my family  for Christmas (You're welcome), and then some wine for my friends. After our purchases we wandered around Bordeaux some more, went back to get more macarons (yes they were that good), and then me, Dasha and Jessen went to Cave de vin and enjoyed a nice glass of Bordeaux wine. A nice end to a great couple of days.

Oh I almost forgot! There was a giant CGT strike that was going on in Bordeaux. I don't how many people were there, but it lasted a long time. The strike is still about the retirement age, but as it looks right now the strikes won't really have an impact, and I think that it is going to pass.

Well I should be off to bed. I have my day trip to Bruges tomorrow with Lauren. So be prepared for a post about Belgium waffles and chocolate! Night all.
Well

Halloween in Paris

I had a great halloween. The catacombs had a line a mile long, so instead we decided to enjoy the gorgeous day and walk to the Luxenbourg gardens. Along the way we took pictures and just enjoyed the scenery. When we got to the gardens, it was like walking into a postcard. There was a fountain with sailboats, beautiful flowers, and the autumn color of the leaves completed the scene. Me, Jessen, and Blaire walked around the gardens while the other girls sat and soaked in the sun. Wandering around this park, we discussed Chicago's lack of parks, gardens, nature, etc. There is no where in Chicago I can go to and see the types of gardens I see here. I appreciate that even though Paris is a thriving city, it seems to take the time and put the care into maintaining some nature.

After the gardens, we hopped on the 4 and headed to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. The first thing we did was see the Jim Morrison grave (Shout out to Uncle John!). I had no idea that Morrison was buried there, but before I left for France my uncle John told me that he wanted me to see it. There was a horde of people surrounding his grave. After I took some pictures, we all signed the tree that people wrote things dedicated to Morrison. Also, Jessen and I sang some Doors songs to commemorate the moment. After Morrison, we headed off to Chopin's grave. And then from there we saw a couple more people before heading off to Oscar Wilde's grave. Jessen told us about how people kiss his grave, so when we got there me, Jessen, Lauren, Jennifer, Dasha and Deepa all put on lip gloss, staked our territory and kissed it all together. We then signed the door, and moved on to see some more people. While we were walking through the cemetery we all commented on how it was like a little town. There were avenues and the tombs looked like miniature houses. Even though it may sound morbid, we had a fun time walking through the cemetery.

After the cemetery we headed back. We realized that we had basically been walking for five hours straight, and so before we went out we wanted to head back to rest and get ready. I had to change my halloween costume because I decided I didn't want to wear a nice dress in case it was spilled on. So, instead of being Pam I wore dress pants, stilettos, and a white button down shirt. I straightened my hair and decided I was Kate Beckett from Castle. We went to the Moose Bar where they had a halloween theme. The decorations were awesome, and a lot of people were dressed up. Also, they had themed drinks so I had a Crazy Lenny and a Monkey Liver shot, along with a pint of Blanc 1664. All of us girls crammed around a little table and had a fun time talking, dancing to Michael Jackson, and enjoying our drinks. The Vikings game was also on so I intermittently watched them get their butts kicked. After the bar we went to this creperie where I had an amazing chocolate crepe. We walked around a bit more and ended up getting back after 1 am. I did have a mini panic attack because I lost my Navigo, which is the pass for transportation. But fortunately some kind person at the Moose found it and turned it into the bartender, saving me 60 euro.

Well I am off to finish my reading. I have my adventure with Jake tomorrow, and then over the weekend we are going to Bordeaux and then on Sunday Lauren and I are going to Bruges. I cannot believe that it is already November. Time is going too quickly.