Just loungin' in front of a chateau...eh?

Today we went back to Le Jardin du Luxembourg to picnic and tan! It was absolutely wonderful and I definitely felt in my element as I will always be a Hawaii girl...it was like the Paris beach! Everyone was in their bathing suits tanning in front of the Medici Palace! No big deal, right? There were even sailboat races going on in the fountain...great people watching here!!

Oh and see that leopard print shirt I'm wearing? Yeah, that is actually the scarf I just bought here in Paris...I stupidly wore a longish sleeve black t-shirt with that lovely scarf today, ended up being so so hot and wanting to get some sun, so I made it into a shirt!! Voila...a swimsuit! ;)

p.s. i also got some gellato today...coconut and chocolate....yummm!

I would really like to go to church here...

Today we went to Chartres Cathedral!

It is about an hour train ride outside of Paris and it is simply lovely, my dahlings! The town it is located in is pretty cute too. It reminds me of a little German town that Hansel and Gretal would live in, and it showed me just how expensive inside Paris really is. Here you could get a pastry for a euro, while inside Paris, pastries are anywhere from 1.50-3. Man oh man!!

The Cathedral itself was amazingly beautiful--inside and out! The stain glass windows on the inside are beautiful and the gothic architecture is absolutely breathtaking--I just don't understand how they could have built something this miraculous without any of the technology we have today? It simply blows my mind!!

Like I said, the town is adorable! We were given lunch money (Wahoo!) to eat there and a group of us decided to hit up a little cafe that was deeeeelicious! I ended us getting a Croque Madame, which is basically a ham sandwich with melted cheese and an egg on top. I am definitely making some of those next year for Alex and me because they taste so good, they're French, and they don't take an enormous amount of effort! haha

After our little excursion to the countryish side, some of us went to hang out at the Eiffel Tower for a bit and just kinda people watch, take some pictures for our photo class, and really just hang out. We were going to wait for the lights to come on again, but it was getting a tad bit late.

Anywho, we're having a "pique-nique" at the gardens tomorrow and...then I have to come home and work on my photo essay and paper for French. Oh the joys of actually having to do responsible stuff while I'm here..sheesh! :)

P.S. I found a six pack of Bueno Bars for only 3.50 euros!! Oh. My. Goodness. I'm bringing some home to the States and I will be famous!! I can see it already! haha

Just eatin' sour gummies in front of the Eiffel Tower..nbd!

So I didn't do a longish post yesterday cause I was just too busy partying it up here in Paris!

Yesterday was a great day! Yes, I had class in the afternoon, but it was an awesome day for classes! I mean, you really should be jealous you didn't get to participate in our academic classes because in our walks class we did a chocolate tasting day!! Whoa-ho!! We each got to try eight different chocolates from different plantations. It was soooooooo delicious!! Definitely my favorite class I have ever had at college thus far

After class a group of us did a walk for one of our classes: we went to Le Jardin du Luxembourg. It was absolutely gorgeous!! The Palais de Luxembourg below is apparently where the Medici family lived there or something...for those history buffs out there!

After our walk, we went out to a sit-down (whoa fancy!) cafe for John's birthday. I had duck and sauteed potatoes with salad...of course I didn't eat the salad because I hate salad but it sure looked perrrrty!

Theeeeeeen, we ended the night right by going to watch the Eiffel Tower light up, and I couldn't even believe my eyes...I am actually in Paris and it is simply magical! I loved every second of it! After watching the sparkling tower look as if it were on fire, Kayla and I made our way home on the metro/train...and man was it sketchy!! Lots of sketchy people, ya know? So we practically ran through the metro and train stations and on the streets...that's definitely going to make any rapists or muggers think twice about messing with us, right? haha I think so.

Then today wasn't too exciting--kind of a normal day with classes, more walking, laundry and such, but Carly and I did go to this Fallafel stand pretty close to the institute building for lunch. Soooo, a Falaffel is basically like a pita with all these veggies and eggplant, mixed with these meatball- looking things that are actually like a bread/pinto bean combo thing, topped with a bunch of sauces. I can't really explain it, but all I can say is my life is complete now that I have tried one. :)

Oh, and I almost forgot the best part of my day! I bought some shoes. They weren't very expensive and I got them for my wedding!! They match both my hint of teal/blue color and the vintage thing I'm going for :) Do you like them??

This is for you dad!

Today was a long day and I will blog about it tomorrow, but I just wanted to post a little something giving you a little insight into my day today...

My dad went to Ohio State University, and students go all over the world and take these pictures of themselves spelling O-H-I-O. So this is for you dad! Go bucks!! I hope you enjoy it! Miss you and love you!

wait... we have to really study on study abroad?...no way!

So today was a rude awakening when I realized that I'm going to have to actually study here on my study abroad. But wait...it's Paris! Parisians don't study! Actually they do. I asked my host sister Mathilde if she also knew Spanish and she said of course! She said everyone in France knows at least three languages: French, English and one other that is usually Spanish, Japanese or Chinese. What the heck is this? ha! But school won't be too bad--I mean, we are still in Paris, and we do get to do cool things after class...like arc de triomphe and champs elysee! Wahoo!

Anywho, I will be taking French 202, a Paris Walks class, and a photo class. They all sounded great, but get this: my 202 class is a history class--wait for it--in FRENCH!! I can't do history in English, let alone in French. Are you joking me? I guess we'll just have to see how this all plays out... now won't we? Below is a photo I took for my photo class...likee?

Like I said before--if you could bear to read the above paragraphs-- we went to the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysee today and it is by far my favorite place here in Paris so far. It is so extravagant--I mean who doesn't love culture, shopping, hundreds of people acting like tourists, pastry shops, and homeless men begging for money all in one! I absolutely love it!!

Oh ho ho...I almost forgot! I indeed got another pastry for breakfast/lunch today. It is called a millefeuille and it was absolutely delicious! Good thing I'm walking forever and a day here because if I didn't I'm afraid I would come home obese from all of these pastries! Oh la la! ;)

the girl with the leopard scarf...i mean leopard print scarf

Today we shopped "les soldes." aka SALES!!

While I didn't actually buy anything on sale and there really weren't that many sales we came upon because everything was closed...geeze frenchies, Monday is the start of the week (most stores are closed on Mondays)...I did buy this awesome leopard print scarf!! Don't you love it? It's apparently all the rage here in Paris because everyone and their dog is wearing them. It was 10 euros at this one store that was similar to something like a "wet seal" or "charlotte russe" there in the states, and it was my goal to find one by the end of my trip. It's only my fourth day here and I already found it!! I must not be too hard to please... haha

...oh and apparently Osama Bin Laden is dead, which is good news!! Happy day everyone!

We'll meet you at the Mona Lisa...

Today our morning started with church at the most amazing building an LDS church has evah seen! It's a 17th century building across from Le Centre Pompidou, which is the modern art museum here in the heart of Paris. It's also a couple blocks from Notre Dame, Hotel de Ville, and the Seine River. So crazy!

After church--which was definitely difficult and tiring to try and understand for three hours straight--a bunch of us went out on the town to buy lunch. I know, we're Sabbath breakers! haha! But what were we supposed to do? We're on vacation right? Gotta take advantage! ...juuuuust kidding! After walking for a decent amount, in heels none the less, we stopped at a crepe and baguette stand and I bought a baguette sandwich with ham, cheese and butter, and a "coca light" aka a diet coke. It was delicious!!

After lunch, some of us decided to take a stroll down the Seine and casually investigate the Louvre. Ya know...we had to be cool cause we're no longer touristes since we have an official Paris address! HA! Once again...just kidding! The Louvre was A-MAY-ZING! It was actually closed because of May Day--a huge holiday for riots and such here in Paris--but the outside with the fountains and all was just GOY-JUSS! ;)

Wanna here something sweet? I know you do and even if you don't imma tell you anyway: my roomie Kayla and I had to meet our host family so we left the group we were with and we needed a meeting place in the Louvre...so naturally I said, "We'll meet you at the Mona Lisa at 4 pm." Yeah, you heard right...the MONA freaking LISA!! Wahoo!

Even though the Louvre turned out to be closed so we couldn't actually meet up there...it was all-in-all a stinkin' great day! An afternoon Sunday outing in the heart of Paris isn't too shabby! Well, au revoir et bon soir!

p.s. don't ever try and walk around Paris for miles on end in heels...ever! You will regret it even if you look cute doing it! ;)