a Weekend in Paris

Sorry to leave you hanging; I'm alive & well.  I had no internet access while in Paris to update while I was away.

The train left La Rochelle at 11:45 Thursday morning & arrived in Paris just before 3. Once we arrived we were in search of our hotel.  By taking the metro, we found it no problem.  Once checking in, we went out for a bit to see sacre coeur; our hotel was very close to that, which is a church in Paris.  Had to walk up quite a few sets of stairs to get to it, but it's worth it. 

Once we left there, we walked around the area of our hotel for the rest of the evening; had dinner & called it a day.

Friday morning we got up & took the metro to another side of Paris - Place de l'Étoile - where Arc de Triomphe is located along with a street of major stores on each side of the busy street. 

Of course we were in and out of a lot of the stores.  We spend most of the afternoon there until heading to the Eiffel Tower around 5. We arrived during daylight but left by night so we had the opportunity to see it lit up as well.  We did go to the top of it; very neat but extremely cold while waiting in lines  & of course at the top - but well worth it.

                                                              

After leaving the Eiffel Tower, we went for dinner & made our way back to the hotel. 

Saturday we explored the Louvre.  I just don't have the appreciation I should for art - we spent about 2 hours there.

After we left the Louvre we met up with someone studying in Paris who is friends with one the the girls I was with.  We went for dinner & afterwards saw the Notre Dame Cathedral.  Had an opportunity to go inside but was very dark and couldn't see much. 

That about sums up my weekend in Paris.  We left Sunday afternoon at 1:15.  The weather was wet and cold the entire time.  Never rained hard but was always a few drops.  Once I arrived back to La Rochelle my mother was waiting for me at the train station; very nice of her to come pick me up, as the bus only runs once an hour on Sunday's.  Most places close down by noon on Sunday's as well.  Sunday isn't a good day to do anything. 

Today I ventured to my school to find out when I can actually learn something.  According to her, I'll start my first French class on Friday; I don't get it.  I receive no credits for a French class here so I'm not too concerned about it - as much as I should learn some french while I'm here.  So I came home for the day around noon to do some things.  I'm in the process of doing laundry and I couldn't be more thankful for her allowing me to use her's, as some students are not allowed to use their host parents, and she has both washer & dryer.  The weather is beautiful today, 50 & sunny.  

We celebrated the Chinese New Year last night at dinner with Chinese food (very good) & today for lunch I had sauerkraut (mmm, my favorite...).  Hana also arrived home yesterday & had a nice time in Berlin.

Sorry for your loss all you PSU fans/alumni.

& I see we'll have a patriotic super bowl this year. 

Until my next post - bonne journée.

I probably won't have any interesting news for a few days. 

The 4 of us that went to Paris - Cindy, Claudia & Karolyn