Days 10 - 11 - Running in jardins, Rive Droite

So, yesterday after a very long, exhausting class full of snobbery and condescending comments coming from my Civilization prof, I decided to go for a much needed run in the Jardin de Luxembourg. It was indeed, beautiful. I couldn't believe I was actually running in one of the most beautiful parks in France - it's full of beautiful flowers, and it is so well-kept.

After my run, I went to the gym to lift some weights, went back to my room, showered, had a small dinner, and then went downstairs to try to do some work. Derek, the party dog that he is, invited me along with some other girls to go out, so the whole homework thing didn't go very far. We went to this really hip bar called "Piano Vache" - Great ambiance, great guitar music, and a great 10 Euro Cuba Libre. Needless to say, given how little I drink, that was enough to give me a headache this morning, and I wasn't feeling so hot by the time I wake up. Perhaps a rosé pamplemousse or even a Perrier next time. Because everyone knows that Zoloft and alcohol don't mix very well...

Today, I tried reading for a bit at Starbucks, but it didn't really work out. There are so many new things to see and do all around me, a new world of possibilities, and it is just so hard to concentrate! I recharged my pass navigo (my subway card), recharged my cellphone, and then bought myself some grammar and vocab books. We explored a little bit of the Rive Droite with Lucile, saw the Sorbonne, the Moufflettes (once a stinky river, that's how it acquired its name), went to a WONDERFUL patisserie called Paul - My tartalette aux fruits was really like those of my childhood, it was OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Then, Madeline and I went to Carrefour to buy curry powder and cumin to make coconut thai curry with lentils, tofu, spinach (which here, can found in cans), carrots, spicy red paste, onions and garlic. It was the first real thing I've actually cooked here, and it was absolutely delicious! I tried to do more homework after dinner, drank three cups of hot chocolate, two of which had cow's milk (and thus my upset stomach), ate a million pieces of candy from the lobby, and now I'm really not very sleepy. It's 1:25, though, so I should really go to sleep so I can actually wake up, take a shower, and be ready for classes.

Days 6, 7, 8, 9 - Le Louvre, Classes + vegetarian restaurant + Père Lachaise Cemetary + Giverny

OKAY!

Attempt number three at this update. So, on thursday, we all visited the Louvre. It's a BIG, BIG museum. To see it all, you'd probably need a good week. Well, we started out in the catacombs, saw the Sphinx, then many beautiful Roman Sculptures, and of course, the Venus de Milo. Of course, the Mona Lisa was a must-see. There was a huge line, but just to get a peek of her, I fought my way through the crowd. The painting is actually not as big as you might imagine. After that, we saw many other paintings, had lunch, did a little shopping (got some postcards, and got myself a nice little Swatch watch), and then went back to the Museum. After that, I think I did homework for a long time - I really had a lot of homework, especially for my Civilization class, which is just like the class I took with Madame Ostrow this past Spring. Actually, let's just say it's the same class. It's awesome, cause I've already seen all the material.

Le Louvre

The Sphinx

The Venus de Milo

Inside the Louvre

La Gioconde!

Friday, after going to class, Madeline and I both decided to go to the gym, it was finally time, given that I hadn't gone since Tuesday. I ran 3.5 miles without being in extreme pain at all! We got ourselves ready and decided to go out to town to get some school supplies. Of course, Gibert Jeune, the book + supply store was closed, so we had no choice but to return the next day. Since both her and I are vegetarians, we decided to find the only vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Paris. After much wandering about we finally found it.

'Restaurant Vegetarien' - Le Grenier de Notre-Dame

White beans in a delicious sauce

We were all supposed to go out Friday night, but given just how incredibly tired I was, I went straight to bed at about 11:15 PM - Next day, I woke up at 9:30, and after a nice workout, we headed out to get school supplies and then to Père Lachaise, where many famous people are interred.

Cimitière du Père Lachaise

Madeline trying to get a picture of the cobwebs 

R.I.P. James Douglas Morrison

Random cat on a bench at the cemetery 

Chopin's tomb

So, of course, right after Chopin, my camera decided to die, so I couldn't get shots of Proust and Wilde, but fortunately, Madeline was kind enough to get those and will give them to me when she uploads them. We left the cemetery at 4:40, since Madeline had a Skype date with a friend at 5:00, and we thought we had to be back for our group outing at 5:30. We didn't get off the bus until 5:25, so of course we decided to run like crazy towards the hotel. We ended of on the île de St. Louis, decided to call Madame Masson, the director of the program, since we thought we were lost and super late, but it turns out we didn't have to leave until 6:30. Let's just say that was quite an adventure.

Well, after we got back, we had a little time to quickly grab a little snack, and then it was time for us to visit the Musée du Vin - yes, the Wine Museum, where we would be dining on sumptuous wines and cheeses. 

The visit started out with a wonderful glass of champagne (Not your usual $10 bottle of Asti, mind you) - it was delicious! We quickly toured around this catacomb-like museum, which reminded me a lot of the salt mind I was visited in Austria. After touring the museum, it was time to sit down at the grand hall for our dinner. We were to try six different types of wine along with 5 cheese trays, each with 4 different varieties of cheese.

Musée du Vin

Cara-Napoleon, Napoleon-Cara - Same person

At the big hall 

Plate 1 - Goat cheeses - I liked these the best

Plate 2 - Aged cheeses

Plate 3 - Creamy cheeses, including Brie (75% milkfat)

Plate 4 - Really strong cheeses, not of my liking

Plate 5 - Bleu cheeses 

Dessert!

We didn't get back from the Musée du Vin until past 12:00 AM, so of course I missed my rendez-vous with Tènimba, my French TA at Wesleyan from last year :-(  I hope I can see her before she leaves, since she's going out of the country this coming weekend.

Today, we had to be up and running by 8:30, as we were heading to Giverny, which is about an hour away from Paris. Giverny is the little town where Claude Monet lived and painted all his famous works. This town is really beautiful, and it really makes me miss and appreciate at once all the nature and rural scenery that I'm accustomed to. It was surrounded by mountains, farms, tiny restaurants, and many picturesque houses and the such. I honestly wouldn't mind living in a place like this. We toured around Monet's house, all the BEAUTIFUL gardens, and of course the nymphaeum, where all his famous waterlilies were painted. 

Claude Monet's house

Right where Monet painted his famous Water lilies

Escargot!

I really, really like roses

The group!

Then, it was time for lunch.

Delicious apple cider!

Moules frites!

Crêpe vegetarienne du blé noir (buckwheat)

Crêpe "Monet"

After, a walk back to the museum...

Cute window along the walk

Okay, that possibly the longest blog entry of my life. I'm gonna finish dinner and then finish my homework - Monday tomorrow!

Jours 4 et 5 - Île de la Cité et Île St. Louis, glace Berthillon, shopping!

Yesterday, I was finally able to work out! The gym here is very nice, a little small, but just enough for all I have to do. After that, my group took a tour of the île de la Cité, where Notre Dame is located, and then we proceeded on to île St. Louis. We saw Notre Dame, the tower where Marie Antoinette was held captive, and plenty of interesting historical places.

After our tour, we had the super-popular ice cream Berthillon - I had a mirabelle sorbet (mirabelle is a variety of plum), and then I did a little shopping at the supermarket. I'm content to have found Bjorg, a brand that makes a lot of organic products, tofu, soja milk... all the things I like. After that, I came back to meet with the director of the program and have dinner with her, her husband, and three other students. The restaurant was absolutely delicious! I had a green bean salad as an an appetizer and a vegetarian dish for dinner - And, of course, le Paris-Brest as a dessert. After dinner, Madeline, Diane, Katie, and I did a little homework along with Derek in his room. 

Today, after classes, we had a picnic with Hannah, Madeline, Hayley, and Heili along the Seine. A little tabboule, some arugula, and balsamic vinaigrette all in a little ziploc bag for me - a perfect lunch! We had a little adventure to find a delicious bakery, where I tried a little croissant with chocolate and raspberry jam - delicious! After that, Madeline and I did a little shopping in Marais - I finally found my oxfords, they were only 39 Euros - way cheaper than in the US!

We also went to BH, a big department store a little like Macy's (except they're also a hardware store and a Staples all in one), where I got some school supplies. I didn't have time to get my Longchamps bag and my Swatch watch, but I'm going to return to get them. I cooked a little pasta and cut up some tomatoes, and had a nice dinner with some wine in the company of Madeline - it was delicious!

I have to say, I feel like I've been in France for a long time. I can now take the Métro (I did that all by myself today!), do grocery shopping, and I can even think in French now. I no longer feel like I'm mute, and I'm not really afraid to talk. I'm actually considering staying for the whole semester, but I don't really now. I will decide once I'm in Aix-en-Provence. I have homework to do now, though.

Days 2 & 3 - Le Trocadéro, La Tour Eiffel, et Marais

So, the Eiffel Tower. We finally got to the Trocadéro after having a delicious brunch of muesli, bread, butter, jam, and fruit. I have to say, I LOOOVE having bread, butter, and jam for breakfast - I'm gonna do this more often. Also, I've given up coffee, which has been replaced by a more pleasant beverage - tea. I was always a big fan of tea, and now I now why I loved it so much in the first place.

After a nice educational tour by the wonderful Lucille Dupuis, we decided to get some ice cream to refresh ourselves. Cassis (black currant) and cerise (cherry) sorbet - absolutely delicious! Shortly after that, it was time for our dinner reservation atop the Eiffel Tower. While everyone waited in line forever to just climb the Eiffel tower, my group and I had a delicious dinner with an spectacular view of Paris. I really can't complain. A wonderful salade verte, des légumes, et des fruits for dessert - yes, because Mme. Maison had told the restaurant in advance that I am vegan, vegétalienne, I was able to have a full vegan meal. In all honesty, however, I'll try to just enjoy my life here and just be a vegetarian. I'll probably cook vegan for myself, but when eating out, I'll try as much as possible to not be a pain.

After dinner we walked around the third floor of the Eiffel Tower, took some pictures, then headed back in the Métro (where I had a minor setback after having lost my train ticket) to the Citadines. I had walked so much yesterday, that after taking a shower, I fell right asleep.

This morning, after a delicious breakfast of a Luna bar and soymilk (Um, actually, I would have rather had some bread, butter, and jam and a cup of tea), I started off the day with my first class - Littérature Français - My instructor, an older French man, is absolutely adorable. Unlike old Americans, I have noticed, old French people are extremely agreeable. And then, my Stylistique class. Both of these classes are supposed to give us a foundation on literature and French stylistics. After class (both of which surprisingly have very little homework), Madeline, Hannah, Rachel, and I decided to run some errands. After buying our cellphones at Orange, we found some little Greek restaurant where we had falafel and baklava. Then, we headed out to buy some notebooks and agendas, as well as a grammar book, which I'm in dire need of. Then, we headed out to meet Lucille for our trip of the Marais. It is such a wonderful quarter, with great little shops and wonderful restaurants - it has the Jewish quarter, where you can find the best Falafel in Paris!

After the tour, Madeline, Hannah, and I tried to find a vegetarian-friendly restaurant. We didn't want to have Paris' best falafel, since we had it for lunch. Hannah was very hungry, so she separated and had a sandwich on her own. Madeline and I found a nice pizzeria, and had a vegetable pizza (yes, with cheese) Delicious! After, we had some delicious gelato - Cinnamon and hazelnut for me - This particular combination tasted just like ginger snaps. Of course, after not having had dairy in such a long time, all ice cream and cheese tastes absolutely heavenly for me.

We both got a little lost on our way back, walked a million miles back to the hotel (I swear, my calves are getting bigger), but we finally made our way back.

I finally found the gym at the hotel, and that's where I'll be first thing tomorrow morning.

Look at pictures on Facebook, soon to be uploaded here, as well.

Paris - 1er jour - Evening

My salade Grecque

Of course, wine.

After dinner, we walked around the city, just exploring around the city. Sitting at the Pont Neuf with a blanket, some food, and a bottle of wine seems to be the thing for young people to do, so we're definitely planning on having a little picnic there at some point.

I can't remember the name of this building.

Right outside my hotel.

I got back to the hotel at about 11, and after a little chamomille tea, I am ready to go to sleep. Run tomorrow? Two other girls + Adam seem to be up for it, so it might happen. Or perhaps, I might explore the hotel's gym - we'll see.

Boat tour around the Seine tomorrow, and the Eiffel tower for dinner!

Bonne nuit!

So, after a very long meeting with our program director, which I believe lasted about two hours, we finally decided to head out and explore the city as a group. We were hungry beyond belief, but trying to find a cheap, vegetarian-friendly place in the 6ème arrondissement was a little challenging. After looking at many places, we finally settled for the Café Mazarin.

Emma and Adam enjoying their french bread, as we waited for our food to be served.

Paris - 1er jour

I'm still not fully aware that I'm in Paris, in France, in Europe - But yes, I'm finally here.

It's been a REALLY long day, let me tell you. I'm tired beyond exhaustion (that's what sleeping for 5 hours every night for a whole week does to you) 

The day started with breakfast at O'Rourke's - I had to say goodbye to good ol' Brian and his delicious concoctions, of course. 

Vegetable terrine with tomato and red onion salad, fig, and apple

Poppy seed cake with raspberry jam

Ran to Rite Aid to pick up some prescriptions and then drove to the airport. Logan's parking lot is beyond confusing, but I was finally able to find my way to Terminal E. Adam, also a junior from Wesleyan, and several other girls from Wellesley and other schools were already at checkin, and we slowly started chatting and getting to know each other. Finally, at about 2:30, my mother walked me to the gate, where she sad a teary goodbye. I will miss her greatly. 

Had my final dose of Starbucks (green tea soy latte) and a very spotty banana - that was lunch.

Boarded the plane at 4:45 - Seat 40K, which meant window seat! Dinner was served shortly after, and unfortunately, my request for a vegan meal wasn't fulfilled, so I ended up having some mediocre penne pasta à la provençale. I couldn't really sleep, but I did read most of Those Who Save Us, and even watched Shrek 4 - it was cute, but definitely not as good as the first two.

Breakfast was equally unappetizing, consisting of a chocolate chip roll, yogurt, and orange juice - I had the roll and the juice. I have a feeling I'm gonna lose a lot of weight on this trip... I've had three Luna bars to compliment my unfulfilling meals, and I'm still starving. I can't wait to go out and have a real meal tonight.

We got through customs in a breeze, and about 7:00 AM, Catherine Masson, the director of our program, was waiting outside Charles de Gaulle in a big bus, ready to take us to our hotel, the Citadines Saint-Germain-des-Prés, right across from Notre-Dame. I can't complain about my studio - I have a nice little sofa-bed, a clean bathroom, and a little kitchenette - All to myself, since I don't have a roommate.

My room!

View from my room

Random guy doing salutations out on the terrace

Cathédrale de Notre Dame

I'm all settled in, completely unpacked, and ready to get to bed to sleep for a bit until the group meets at 4 PM this afternoon. 

My sustenance until I'm able to do groceries/go out to eat

I leave... tomorrow?

Yep, that's right. I don't think it has settled in yet, but the day has finally arrived.

After a nice breakfast of buckwheat pancakes, my mother went on to remind me just how much she will miss me cooking for her every morning. We were both super tired, so after the stupor brought on by the food, we went back to sleep for two hours.

We woke up, had a delicious lunch of black bean soup, tortillas, and avocado, and proceeded with yet another siesta. I was supposed to get my haircut, but since I had to stop by the bank to get my debit card I forgot at the ATM the other day, I actually lost my appointment. Frustrated, I continued on with my errands - picked up my prescriptions, then went to Walmart to print some pictures of family and buy some Space Saver bags - Thanks for the suggestion, Hannah! They definitely came in handy.

We came back to have dinner, which consisted of more bean soup and avocado - I must say that all those beans have made me just a bit gassy...

We decided to go for a walk to Hurd Park after dinner, which I must say I really enjoyed. My mother enjoys anything taking place outdoors, so of course she was very happy. Then, we headed over to Middletown to have my last almond Italian ice from Vecchito's - delicious!

And now? Well, after drinking my Nighty Night tea, I will probably head to bed.

One last stop at O'Rourke's Diner tomorrow for a hearty breakfast, given how I will probably will not be eating until much later.

!

Je vais aller en France... ce vendredi.

In case you don't speak French... that means I'm leaving for France this Friday. How do I feel? I don't even know where to begin. I'm extremely excited and terribly scared all at once. It's finally hit me that I will be away from everyone and everything I love. Not that it means I can't encounter new experiences to grow fond of. I am excited - very excited. But the fear of the unexpected is slowly getting to me.

I have 4 full days with my family until I leave - yes, 4 days. I'm planning to make the most out of them, and spend as much time as possible with them - with my mother, especially. My mom and I have gotten so close to each other this summer. I guess I just never fully realized what a wonderful woman she is. She tells me everything, and we do EVERYTHING together. I couldn't imagine having a better friend than her.

I'm going to miss waking up every morning and brewing her coffee and making pancakes for her; I'm going to miss her singing in the car, shouting at the top of her lungs the Spanish version of every classic rock song that plays on the radio. I'm gonna miss running errands around town with her - buying our fruits and veggies, going around the grocery stores and feeding off all the food samples we could find. I'm going to miss her wonderful cooking - her delicious black beans, her vegan adaptations of traditional Latin dishes, and her great appetite and passion for food. I'm going to miss those lazy summer afternoons, just simply sitting in our living room, eating caramelos and watching whatever movie was on Lifetime at that time. I'm going to miss her wonderful sense of humor, all her jokes, and her hearty laugh. Our weekend walks and outdoor trips, and all those random drives around Connecticut. Her many bits of advice, her many superstitions, and all her spiritual books which I so often make fun of. I'm going to miss her tucking me in every night, shaking my blanket over me like she used to do when I was little. I'll miss my insomniac buddy who'd be the only one keeping me company late at night and early in the morning, for she too couldn't sleep at all.

My sister, that wonderful little devil who sometimes just understands the little things my mom doesn't - Yes, we may not always get along, and we often have our differences. But I love my sister, and I know I will miss her dearly.

Oh, and my Othello. The cat that in so many ways is the feline version of myself. A mysterious personality, with both sweet and naughty sides. Oh, kitty.

This battery is about to die...