I Miss Europe

"Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me. It was like remembering something I'd never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn't know what. Maybe it was something I'd forgotten or something I've been missing all my life. All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness. But not too much sadness, because I felt alive. Yes, alive. That was the moment I fell in love with Paris. And I felt Paris fall in love with me." --Paris, je t'aime

Bonjour Paris!

July 11-13 weekend

So we took the bus for 8 hours to Paris.. had to cross the English Channel on a Ferry as well. It was quite the experience... We met some interesting characters as well.

Let me tell you now. From the moment we arrived in Paris, it was love at first sight. I am in love with the atmosphere and the scenery and everything.. And we saw everything there was to see in those 3 days. We stayed near the Bastille, so that was the first sight, but also Champs Elysess, Arc de Triumph, Eiffel Tower, the tunnel where Princess Diana was killed, Galleries Lafayette, Luxenberg Gardens, Monte Marte, Moulin Rouge, Louvre- including the Mona Lisa, Museo deorsay, the Seine River, Notre Dome Cathedral, the Latin Quarter, and Paul-- the famous French bakery.

The French culture is so different. Here are some things I noticed: There isn't breakfast. It's espresso and a crossiant only. The French don't love Americans. Well at least the women don't. Cabbies will rip you off. Shopping is amazing. Taxes are high. Walking is amazing. The subways are the best here. Monte Marte is the best-- the best view of the city as well as the fact that it's coined as Old Paris. The people are friendly and lively. The exchange rate is much better here than in London.

It really has been the best time since I have been here. Everything was enjoyable. If I knew French, I would love to live there. It's just perfect.

Picture time:

Moulin Rouge!!
ballerinas by Degas
i love this river.
Liz modeling the Louvre map.
the streets by the cafe in the latin quarter
all of us at the Eiffel tower!
Woo!
Luxenberg Gardens
We tried ESCARGO!

view from Monte Marte
Us in front of the Louvre
the Mona Lisa.
In front of the Arch. -- similar to NYUs
Champs Elysess

boats on the Seine
Hanging out
Flatmates in front of the the Notre Dome
Megan & I- Louvre
Perfect views.

Rub a dub dub taking a BATH..

Sooo we went to bath && stonehenge today-- A long bus ride. It was a lot of fun though to bond with the Jlism kids.

I took a bunch of pictures, but I have to upload those still.

Bath was much more fun-- Jane Austen's hometown. We saw places she lived. Stonehenge was a bore. We did get caught in rain. The bus ride home took like 3 hours. I am basically spouting out random things about all this..

Anyway, I have a lot of work. We're booking a trip to Paris. And I lack sleep.

So cheerio mate.