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.