An Actual Update

I suppose if I keep putting this off it will only get worse, huh?
Let me start from Thursday, when we left at 9 in the morning via bus to head for the Loire Valley. We drove to Chartres and took a small stop there where we got to go inside the Chartres Cathedral. It's one of the Notre Dames so it's substantial in its importance and it was absolutely beautiful to see looming over the town as we arrived. We were disappointed to discover that there was some restoration work being done that drastically reduced the appeal of the exterior but I guess I really don't have much right to complain. We received a formal tour of the building in English and then were received another, slightly more rare tour (albeit in French) where we got to go into the towers and then into the space between the vaults and the roof of the cathedral. It was breathtaking and I'm only too grateful to have gotten to experience it.
Afterwards we made a stop at the Chateau Chenonceau which is renowned for its beauty and its gardens. The chateau itself was rather beautiful but the vegetable garden and the Caryatids were by far my favorite parts of this palace.
We ran out of time for the remainder of the day but even the "chateau" in which we slept was beautiful. We parked it at La Heresie, which is technically a bed and breakfast and had a pretty awesome dinner courtesy of the coordinators that ended in too much wine for everybody. What followed was a pretty incredible night of laughing in the yard and a very long game of spades (which I learned and of which we won that night!)
The following day we started with the Chateau Villandry and did not get to go inside the palace but instead wandered the gardens which are the most famous part of the chateau anyway. These gardens are the gardens of love (ohhhhhhh), and there are four specific parts meant to represent the different stages of love. I took pictures of them but the more appropriate explaination shall be in my scrapbook. I was very interested to see these things because I've never really seen gardens that have a very specific design. This place also grew grapes, of which I tried a few and the green grapes were some of the best I've ever had despite their being seeded.
We followed this with a tour of Chambord, a very very important Chateau. Here we also received a special tour and got to go into towers that are not typically toured. We even got to see 16th century graffiti from the masons that worked there (as seen in the facebook photos). It was beautiful but I can't even begin to describe everything, although I must admit the double helix spiraling staircase was absolutely magnificent, especially when on leaned out the various windows and got to greet everybody on different levels!
We returned late Friday evening and I do believe I crashed pretty hard.
Saturday we woke up late and meandered over to L'Opera to see inside and promptly discovered that we absolutely HAVE to see a show there. It was so beautiful!! Then we returned to discover that most of the gang was going to one of the cite's fields to play kickball and who am I to turned down a good game of kickball, and WINE KICKBALL at that? We played from about 5.30 until dark but by then we were all too drunk too see much despite the darkness anyway so we called it game and came inside. Stephanie and I made plans to go get something real to eat down in Luxembourg and ended up meeting Tom, a new friend who's here from Oxord, while we were getting ready to go. We also met his two friends Peter (a Czech) and Alex (a Greek whose true name I don't think I'll ever know) while they were preparing dinner and Tom and Peter decided to join us to show us a real French bar rather than Wide Open Spaces, the Australian bar we were going to hit. We met with them about an hour later and Tom introduced us to Jaoa, a guy who has lived in Portugal the past 8 years. The bar was really cool and actually cheap, had we not snuck out without paying (completely on accident!) and I look forward to going back for a happy hour when it's even cheaper. And Tom and Peter and Jaoa were all really cool, I just hope they don't think little of us for being a bit tipsy the entire time. I just get a little more talkative, right?
Regardless, Sunday we went to try the Church of Saint Michael over near the Champs Elysees and were very satisfied with the community and the services there, so I think we'll be going back. It's a bit episcopalian (Anglican by all technicalities but I don't really know the difference) but I don't think it's going to be much of a hindrance to my worship because the songs and beautiful and moving and the pastors were extremely friendly people. Afterwards I ended up taking a two hour nap before meeting with Laura and Sarah's Algerian/Italian friend and his buddy that turned out to be a pretty big asshole. But I suppose again I cannot complain because they prepared us dinner (a four cheese ravioli that was pretty good) and brought wine for the four of us (four of us being Dessa, Sarah, Laura, and myself) and we didn't do much of anything for them. I suspect he has the hots for Laura (poor girl!) but I think she's made it pretty clear she wasn't interested.
Afterwards we ended up playing spades again (this time Craig and I lost) until pretty late.
Today we had our last all together French class and were divided before splitting up for the day. We went to the grocery store and then I went out to purchase some postcards (which I need to get to writing). Afterwards Stephanie made this really awesome chicken with sauteed garlic and mushrooms and it was really good as well. Looking forward to some really decently cooked meals rather than just ramen ALL THE TIME.
But this is now updated and it's bedtime because I have to be up at 7.15 in the morning to get to Tristan's first class on time.

Another fake update.

Still can't bring myself to write a real update (this stuff won't be fresh in my mind by the time I actually write about it), but I do want to say that kickball today was amazing, and that going to the bar was awesome and this weekend has been the best ever.

And you'll hear about it eventually.

Apologies!

Ok, ok, I have missed two days so far. But they are well documented so I promise I'll update in detail just as soon as I have the energy to do so. Feeling so drained after these last two days, though.

And I seriously need to get a scrapbook. All these amazing little tickets aren't going to preserve themselves...

Lazy Day

So I ended up sitting at the office for the carte de sejour for... 3.5 hours and I have FINALLY gotten it all done. Now I have a doctor's appointment for the 23rd of October and I'll be getting the carte then.
So that happened and then we listened to class descriptions for la Villette during French today. I think I want to take the Stage Design course. And I think I'm def. wanting to be in Ron Kenley's studio, which is a study in urban design. Kinda excited about it.
Classes start next week! Excited about that, too.
And we went on another walking tour with Damien today, and it was quite pleasant (albeit not very long). We saw the inside of the Saint-Germain-de-Pres... and I'm sure I've spelled this wrong... and took note of a few cafes and school, namely the cafes called La Charrette and La Palette... And others that I can't remember exactly but that I can sort of remember the locations for (the restaurant I need to try is down an alley that's across the street from the Odeon metro stop... this is to help me, lol).

Adventures with carte de sejour

Whew, I'm back for the day (and starving, might I grumpily add). Woke up at 7:15 this morning to try and throw some clothes on to be down at the office for the carte de sejour (our long term visa) by 7:45 since we were told to be there at 8. Actually got there about on time and there was already quite a few people there for the opening at 9. Ended up waiting the hour fifteen to discover that we don't get to go today, so we have appointments for tomorrow -- and this took another hour to accomplish working it out. So we have to be back there at 8 in the morning again to try to get these cartes taken care of.
Oh well, at least we'll finally have them. Which is one scratch off my big list of things that need to happen soon, alongside the booking of the hostel in Zurich (Youthhostel Zurich), which I'm really excited about now.
Afterwards we ended up chilling in the dorms and eating a very long lunch that was actually fairly small before heading over to La Villette to listen to Prof. Ron Kenley speak about his studio course, which I've decided I want to take. We have to take an "international" course anyway, and his sounds like the more suited of the two for me. Sat through that for an hour fifteen and then Xavier (one of the professors, pronounced "Za-vee-ay" and not "Ex-ay-vee-er," btw) took us by metro to see the Fondation Cartier, which is holding an exhibit on Cesar -- it's interesting work, to say the least. We hung out there for a bit and looked at the work and then came back and now I'm looking forward to heating me up some tomato soup and getting this sorry dorm cleaned.
Out.

Bonjour de Paris

So I'm picking this up a bit late (2 busy weeks late, in fact), but I'll try to update it with everything that has happened so far in this post, and then get a post in tonight about what happened today.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008:
We arrived fairly early in the morning but it took forever to get all our stuff gathered and get through the line at Charles de Gaule. To be honest, however, it was the most laid back customs through which I have ever traveled and I am extremely anxious about the complicated process created by Homeland Security back home. Anyway, it was light by the time we got to the bus that would take us around it was almost fully light outside, and by the time were dropped off at the dorms and ready to settle in it was about noon. I don't remember much else but I suspect it was all sleeping after that anyway.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008:
We decided to take a trip to Carrefour, the equivalent of a Super Target or Super Walmart or something, to try to get some of the necessities and our phones. Getting there ended up much harder than we originally anticipated as the one were going to visit had closed and become a Champion (the equivalent of Publix or Kroger), so we began our hunt for the real Carrefour. It was about three metro stops away but we couldn't interpret that from any of the French speakers we met and ended up wandering the city for four or five hours just looking for this building and hoping we saw it. We found it finally and made our purchases and then reclused to our rooms for the rest of the night.

Thursday, September 11, 2008:
First day of our Intensive French class! It was a bit underwhelming but I can't complain because I've discovered that going over the basics really never hurt anybody. This day was mostly about orientation and not so much about learning French, anyway. Afterwards we grabbed lunch at a pretty cool Greek/Turk/I'll never know sandwich shop and met at the Pompidou to see the exhibit on Dominique Perrault.

Friday, September 12, 2008:
Visited L'Opera just after class to get some change and ended up admiring the building instead.
For the tour, we walked the Champs-Elysees and just missed the procession of the Pope. Saw most of the buildings there as we walked almost the entire thing and by the evening, we decided to go to la Tour Eiffel and ended up walking all the way from the Louvre to L'Arc de Triomphe. It was a nice walk but it was fantastic to sit at Trocadero park and watch the sun set against the tower. It got really cold, however, so we just went home soon before dark.
Paul's sandwiches are delicious.

Saturday, September 13, 2008:
Went to the Louvre today and saw the Mona Lisa and everything around it but not much else. Also actually saw the "everything not Europe" room and admired the various artifacts there.

Sunday, September 14, 2008:
Actually didn't do much. I think I went to the grocery store or something.

Monday, September 15, 2008:
French in the morning and to be honest, I don't remember what else happened this day.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008:
French in the morning and then the walking tour in the afternoon was with Xavier, who is definitely a walker. We had much walking to do to reach his level of fitness. Regardless, saw a bit of Corbusier's work along with the Parisian works of Hector Guimard, the Art Nouveau designer of his time (these were my favorite of the day). Later saw the work of Mallet-Stevens and it was pretty amazing as well. Did a lot of walking and hurt afterward.

Wendesday, September 17, 2008:
Actually did not have French in the morning because we hopped a river cruise down the Seine and enjoyed most of the city by river. The first part was amazingly beautiful and I finally got to go through a canal lock, which was also exciting. It was less exciting, however, about 10 locks later but the trip overall was fun and taught us exactly how cold it would get on this trip.
Had French in the afternoon and it was nearly impossible.

Thursday, September 18, 2008:
Had French class and then met at the Eiffel Tower to discuss it a bit before beginning the walking tour for the day. Least favorite tour because there was so much walking when the metro would have been much better, and ended up seeing the least favorite of the buildings so far. Did see, however, the Institute de Monde Arab, which is a FANTASTIC building and really exciting to be in.
Did, however, discover Murrailes de Phenix, my new favorite restaurant here in Paris. Delicious Chinese food for very cheap.
Am still dreading Tristan's next walking tour.

Friday, September 19, 2008:
Went to the bank for French class and walked the Marais in the afternoon. It's a beautiful part of town and I'm excited to see the museums there open again (most ended up closed for various reasons), if not just wander the Jewish sector for awesome deals and great food. Will be returning lots and lots and lots. I even liked the Falafel, and I don't like them generally.

Saturday, September 20, 2008:
Were going to go celebrate Journees du patrimoine but decided against it because we were all extremely tired after the tour on Friday. Ended up going to Chinese for dinner instead.

Sunday, September 21, 2008:
Decided to try Hillsong church but it was definitely not for me. The music was contemporary and I'm just not moved by contemporary music and the preacher, while cute and charismatic, spent most of the time telling his own stories than I felt truly glorifying God. So we'll be trying a different church next Sunday. Also ended up walking to see La Tour Saint-Jacques, which is the only remaining part of Saint-Jacques Cathedral in central Paris and apparently the burial site of Nicolas Flamel. It's under renovation, however, so we only saw the outside. In the evening we went bowling with Laura and Sarah's friend Hidouche (spelling? don't think I'll ever know), who is from Algeria. It was tons of fun except bowling is very expensive here and it doesn't help that I'm terrible. French people, by the way, bowling practically laying on the ground.
Tickets came in for the train to Zurich and now I'm thrilled about this trip.

Monday, September 22, 2008:
Actually went to Champion and discovered it to be the best grocery store here. If it weren't a nasty walk I would do it all the time but for now I think I'll eat what I have here.
Only had class today, no walking tour, so we went back to the dorms and were lazy the rest of the day.


And that brings us to today, which has so far proven to be quite interesting already.