In Pursuit of Liberty

New York Harbor? No. Try a tiny island in the middle of the river Seine, just a bit down and around the bend from the Eiffel Tower.

I had seen Lady Liberty's twin before, but only while looking out of a moving train window. So I decided today that my quest would be to go and visit her. And just like the pursuit of liberty itself, it wasn't easy.

Two Metro trains, a ride on the RER C and lots of walking later, I finally found myself standing at the base of the statue. No tourists here - none. Just a lone jogger. Granted, it was a cold and rainy day. But still, it was sort of sad - she looked kind of lonely.

I wasn't clear about the history of the statue until I read the inscription on the base. Apparently this smaller version of the Statue of Liberty was presented to the city by the American Community in Paris in 1986 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of France giving the original statue to the United States in 1886 (on the 100th anniversary of the American Revolution in 1776). Kind of cool, huh? Lest there be any confusion here... FRANCE IS OUR FRIEND PEOPLE :-)

I really wanted to get a photo of the statue with the Eiffel Tower in the background, but to do so, I had to walk way down river to the next bridge. Which I did. But the problem is that it is so far, that as you see in the photo, you can hardly see the statue.

The trick - for those of you who come here someday and want to try this yourselves - is not to make this quest on foot. The best way to see (and best way to take photos of) Mademoiselle Liberty is by taking a boat ride down the Seine on one of the many Bateaux Mouches, and you'll float right by her.


Click here to view all of today's photos (12/14/08)

Candlelight Christmas Concert @ The American Church in Paris

Click here to view all of today's photos (12/13/08)

Musée du Louvre

I finally made it to a museum! On Wednesdays & Fridays the Louvre is open well into the evening, so I took advantage of the extended hours and went.

I decided to walk to the Louvre since it's only about 10 minutes away and I wanted the exercise. By the time I got there, my toes were literally numb and my face was frozen. It's really getting cold here!

I bought my ticket online weeks ago on Ticketnet.fr - very convenient. You just order online and then pick up your ticket(s) at any Virgin Megastore (there happens to be one right around the corner from my apartment). Having a ticket in advance saves you a TON of time at the Louvre since you don't have to wait in long lines. If you are coming to Paris, you can order your tickets in advance while still in the US at Ticketweb.com and have them sent to you in the mail before you leave for Paris. Can't say enough about pre-purchasing/pre-reserving as much as possible online in advance of a trip here!

I've been to the Louvre many times. And still, the size of the museum is overwhelming. I always start out attempting to use the map of the place to navigate around, but there are so many floors, hallways, staircases, chambers, etc., that it's literally like a maze. So I eventually give up and just start wandering around aimlessly. Tonight was no different :-)

I guess I spent about 3-4 hours at the museum tonight. I know, it doesn't seem like nearly enough time, does it? But you could spend months/years here and still not see everything. A few hours was all my feet could take! Before leaving, I grabbed a quick bit to eat in the food court in the Carousel du Louvre - an underground shopping area connected to the museum.

After leaving the Louvre, I walked down the Rue de Rivoli for a bit where there are a ton of touristy souvenir stores. But it was so cold, I finally had to just dart into a Metro entrance and head home. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. Congratulations to Sherri & Chris who got married today in Atlanta!

Click here to view all of today's photos from the Louvre (12/12/08)

Marché de Noël at St-Sulspice

In my quest to go to as many of the Christmas Markets in Paris as I can, I went to one at St-Suspice after school today since it is only one metro stop away from the Alliance Francais. What I've noticed is that most of the Marchés de Noël basically sell the same items - candles, jewelry, scarves/hats/gloves, Russian crafts (nesting dolls, etc.), wooden toys and candy, meats and other delicacies. But it's still fun going to them to people watch and get into the holiday spirit.

One thing you see being sold everywhere - in the Marchés de Noël as well as on the street outside the big department stores - are hot chestnuts. Or "Marrons Chauds" as they are called in French.

I thought this photo of two little girls waiting for their marrons was really cute! You can see on the sign that the other holiday favorite is listed as well... vin chaud (hot wine) - for the parents!

Click here to view all of today's photos (12/11/08)

Le Police... on Rollerblades?!?

I'm really not sure what to make of it, but I've seen a lot of police in Paris patrolling the streets on rollerblades!

This photo of the rollerblading crime fighters was taken at the Christmas Market at St-Sulspice. But I've also seen them on the street! I saw two rollerblading police flag down and pull over a car today on a very busy street for a traffic infraction. And much to my amazement, the car actually pulled over!

I'm not sure if the rollerblades are an attempt to save on fuel or emissions or if there is something else behind it. I need to research this - inquiring minds want to know!

Forum des Halles

Very early on in my trip I walked around in the area over by the Forum des Halles - a big underground shopping complex fairly close to my apartment (check out the photos from November 2nd). I decided to walk back over there tonight and actually spend some time looking around.

Most Parisians consider the Forum des Halles an eyesore - I tend to agree. It's basically a huge hole in the ground with a glass roof. It sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the beauty of the 1st Arrondisement (home of the Louvre and many quaint streets and markets).

Like the big shopping mall out by La Defense (Quarte Temps), walking around the Forum des Halles reminded me a lot of being in a South Florida mall - lots of rowdy teenagers hanging out, big crowds, and way too much commercialism.

Having been to both malls now, while the Forum des Halles is much closer to central Paris, the Quart Temps mall out by La Defense is much nicer. If you feel you "have" to go to a mall in Paris, I'd recommend going to Quart Temps.

I didn't actually buy anything, but I have had to stop myself from buying any more clothes. For one thing, none of these winter clothes are wearable in Florida! For another, I'm starting to worry that even with 4 suitcases I'm not going to be able to fit everything in - ha! But I do have to say it has been a lot of fun wearing winter clothes and observing the Paris fashion scene and trying to replicate it :-)


p.s. Sadly, there has been no more snow since yesterday afternoon's freezing rain/snow flurry showers :-(

It Finally Snowed Today ...for a few minutes anyhow!

So while I was sitting in class today, I looked out the window at about 12:15pm and....... it was snowing!

Everyone - even the teacher - was excited :-) We all gawked for a few minute then when back to work. Of course, I was VERY distracted. I guess I was kind of like a kid up north who can't concentrate in school the first day it snows because she's anxious to get outside and play it in!

Of course by the time class let out at 1pm it had stopped. Well, it didn't stop exactly. Stuff was still falling from the sky, but instead of pretty snowflakes it was now freezing rain :-( That continued for the next hour or so as I darted in and out of shops over by the Catacombs (Metro: Denfert Rochereau). Every now and then the snowflakes would resume but by the time I'd grab my camera... freezing rain again - grrrr! I figured the temperature must be hovering just at freezing for it to keep going back and forth between rain and snow - sure enough, weather.com says the temp is 34 degrees, so that explains it.

I finally decided to head home. My hair was soaking wet from the freezing rain, I still had my school books with me and I was cold and hungry. Plus, the last couple of days I've felt like I was coming down with a cold. I'm trying really hard to fight it off (I'm so glad I remembered to bring vitamins and cold medicine with me) so I figured walking around in freezing rain any longer than I already had probably wasn't the best course of action. I really need to find a hat I look decent in! Or carry a snow/freezing rain umbrella with me at all times :-)

So now I'm back in my warm apartment (yes, the heat is on) and I just had a nice hot lunch (left over pot roast I made on Sunday). I think I may stay in and rest this afternoon, even though it's only 3:45pm. I sort of feel bad wasting the afternoon inside, but I really don't want to get sick. Plus, I have homework to do - ha!

Of course I reserve the right to go out later if it starts snowing again - to play in it and take video :-) I have my curtains open and I'm sitting right in front of the window to keep watch!

Sunday Stroll Down the Boulevard St-Germain

A really cool thing in Paris is that on the first Sunday of every month, most of the museums are free - for everyone! They are always free to people under 25 (which is also a fantastic thing), but on the first Sunday of the month they open up for the masses. This is such a great way to get kids involved in art and culture from an early age and to give families something to do together that doesn't cost anything. I love France!

Of course as with anything that is "free" there are the corresponding long lines to go along with it. And so, just like last month on the first Sunday of the month - I tried to go to a museum (the Musee Orsay) - but when I got there, I just couldn't deal with the idea of waiting in line for an hour to get in. The temperature was in the mid-30s today and I was fine as long as I kept moving, so I decided instead to take a long walk from the Musee Orsay all the way down the Boulevard St-Germain through the Latin Quarter and over to Notre Dame Cathedral.

It's a Sunday afternoon ritual for Parisians to stroll down the Boulevard St-Germain. You could see that it was mostly locals walking around. There are lots of stores to window shop in - antiques, furniture, clothes - and of course lots of cafes.

I passed by two cafes - almost next door to one another - that have a history of being the hangouts of intellectuals and artists, the Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots. Back in the 1920-30s, Earnest Hemingway, Oscar Wilde and Picasso used to hang out at Les Deux Magots! Today apparently, the Cafe de Flore is the more "fashionable" of the two cafes to people watch from :-)

Speaking of Hemingway... I recently discovered a great quote by him and then coincidentally when I was in the Shakespeare and Company bookstore today, saw it again up on the wall...

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young [wo]man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast." - Earnest Hemingway

Click here to view all of today's photos (12/07/08)

Marché de Noël at St-Germain des-Pres

As I strolled down the Boulevard St-Germain this afternoon, I came across another Marché de Noël at the Eglise St-Germain des-Pres. Since it was daytime, the photos will give you a better idea of what the Marchés de Noël are like - cute little houses selling holiday gifts and treats.

Many of the marchés sell similar things. But some are different. I went to one at the Gare de l'Est last night that only had candy and wine - TONS of wine. And free taste testing! (David & Christine, I thought about how much you two would have loved that!)

It's so festive running across Marchés de Noël all around the city!

Click here to view all of today's photos (12/07/08)

Organ Recital at Notre Dame Cathedral

At the end of my walk, I found myself over in the Latin Quarter and stopped in the Shakespeare and Company bookstore to browse around. It's a tiny little place with books stacked from floor to ceiling. Probably the most famous English language book shop in Paris, there are a lot of book readings and signings that take place here. If you saw the movie "Before Sunset" you'll recognize the place - it's the bookshop where the movie begins.

Afterward, I walked across the street to Notre Dame. They have the big Christmas tree up now in front of the church - so pretty! I read online this morning that there was going to be an organ recital today at 4:30pm so I got there just in time to sit down and enjoy it.

The church was packed and when the sound of that huge pipe organ began reverberating off the walls and ceiling of Notre Dame, it was incredible. I took some video so you could listen too!





Click here to view all of today's photos (12/07/08)

Les Marchés de Noël à Paris

One of the wonderful things about being in Paris at Christmas is being able to go to the Marchés de Noël (Christmas Markets) set up all around the city. The many booths in the markets sell handmade crafts, jewelry, wine, candy, toys and other gifts.

And of course there are many stands selling food and drink to sustain the shoppers, including all the traditional French favorites. The drink of choice that I saw everyone walking around with was Vin Chaud (Hot Wine). Leave it to the French...

So tonight I decided to check out two of the largest markets - first the one at the Grande Arche at La Défense and then the one that winds all the way up the Avenue des Champs Elysées.

If you go up to the top of the Arc de Triumph you have a view straight down the Champs Elysées. And if you turn around and look the opposite direction, in the distance you see another Arc - the Grand Arche at La Défense at the edge of central Paris. The Grand Arche is interesting architecturally speaking. If you look closely, you'll see windows on the inside of the Grand Arche as it is an office complex.

This is the business district of Paris and when you are out here, you really don't even feel like you are in Paris anymore because you are surrounded by modern architecture, glass buildings and skyscrapers. And there's a shopping mall called the Quarte Temps right next to the Arche. I actually attended an Internet World conference here at La Défense back in 1995 (yikes, that was a long time ago!).

The Christmas Market was huge and very fun to walk through. Sort of what you'd expect from a Christmas sale at a Church at home around this time of year, but much larger. The other difference is that these markets are open everyday throughout the month of December for the French to do their holiday shopping and take the kids to get into the holiday spirit.

Before heading over to the Champs Elysées, I decided to pop into the Quarte Temps shopping mall to see what it was like. Just like home - three stories worth of retail therapy for the young, trendy and those without the time or desire to meander through the traditional Christmas markets set up all around town. The mall was packed. I got out of there as quick as I could!

When I got off the Metro at the Place de Concorde, I was delighted to see the trees lining the Champs Elysées sparkling with lights all the way up to the Arc de Triumph. The Christmas market stalls lined both sides of the street so I walked all the way up one side, then down the other!

Before starting my trek though, I decided to go up in the giant ferris wheel to get a birds eye view of all the sparkling lights of the city. The ride was brief, but the view was spectacular! I was in a cabin with a grandmother and her two young grandsons. It was so cute to see how excited the kids were as the grandmother pointed out all the monuments to them.

Just like in the market at the Grande Arche, most everyone walking up the Champs Elysées had a cup of steaming hot wine in their hands as a way to take the edge off the chill in the night air! But the cold definitely made it feel like Christmas. Sadly, still no snow yet though!

In addition to the booths there were also some carnival games and even a place for kids to have their picture taken with Père Noël (Father Christmas) - or as we call him, Santa Clause!

Click here to view all of today's photos (12/05/08)

$108 Million in Diamonds Stolen in Paris Last Night!

Did you hear about this??? It's apparently one of the world's largest jewel heists!

Good thing I decided to go walking down the Champs Elysee TONIGHT and not last night.

Click here to read all about it!

Back home.... um, I mean in Paris ;-)

After a very brief, but great visit to Florida for my birthday, I flew back to Paris Tuesday night. When I arrived yesterday and got back to my apartment, it wasn't as strange of a feeling as when I got back to Florida last week. But I was still a little out of sorts - probably more due to the jet lag than anything else. I slept 12 hours last night and woke up today ready to resume the Paris Adventure. I am so happy I brought back lots of warm, and fairly stylish, Paris-looking clothes. My outfit du jour... don't I (sort of) look Parisian?!?

First stop was the American Church in Paris. This church is famous for being sort of a social hub/community center for American expats living in Paris. They have bulletin boards with notices posted for housing, employment, social gatherings, etc. The ACP was the first American church established on foreign soil (in 1814) and the present building the church occupies has been in operation since 1929.

Next Saturday night the church is having a special Candlelight Christmas Concert and I bought a ticket to attend - I can't wait! There will be a choir, instrumentalists and handbell players - songs will be in French and English. (Little known fact: I played in a handbell choir for about 3 years in my early teens).

After my visit to the ACP, I made my way over to the Hotel des Invalides (note "hotel" in French when referring to a site, usually means hall or large building - not a place to rent a room). Anyhow, the Hotel des Invalides is where you find Napoleon's Tomb. This is another one of those sites that I've tried to get to on previous trips but somehow never visited.

Napoleon's coffin is HUGE. Actually, he is inside 5 coffins all of which are inside a giant sarcophagus! The most interesting thing about visiting Invalides - at least to me - was the inside of the beautiful gold dome that is so visible on the Paris skyline and is immediately above Napoleon's tomb. On the grounds there is also a military museum (but I didn't go in that part - mostly because it was close to closing time).

The plan for after visiting with Napoleon was to go to the Musee Orsay (you know, I have yet to visit a museum since I've been in Paris!). But as I walked in that direction - and stopped to get a piping hot Crepe Fromage - I saw a small street that was all lit up with Christmas lights. So like a moth to a flame, I walked towards the bright, shiny lights :-) The area was Rue Cler and there were so many cute shops that I decided to just wander around this area tonight and visit the museum another time. Such a festive atmosphere! After a couple of hours, I headed back home after making a quick stop at the market for a fresh supply of Brie and Coke Light ;-)

During the week I was in Florida, Christmas decorations started going up in Paris. Around every corner is a Christmas tree, beautifully decorated store window or as in the case above, whole streets decked out with lights. Holiday spirit is definitely in the air - especially with the cold weather. Now it just needs to snow while I'm here!

I brought a little Christmas tree back with me, so between that and the xmas lights I strung up a few weeks ago, my studio is looking quite festive and cozy. I have a scarf wrapped around the base of the tree - kind of like the Charlie Brown Christmas where Linus wraps his blanket around the base of the sad little tree Charlie Brown brings back for the Christmas play :-)

Click here to view all of today's photos (12/04/08)

Happy Thanksgiving

Got back to Florida last night and I'm still pretty disoriented - not so much from the jet lag, but from being thrust back into "this" reality after a month living a completely different kind of life. It's hard to describe what it's like to be back. On one hand, it feels like it's been forever that I've been gone. On the other, I can easily see being able to slip right back into this life and have Paris seem like a distant memory pretty quickly - almost like a wonderful dream you're sad to wake up from. Such a strange feeling. Luckily I don't have to wake up just yet!

You know, after not driving for a month I thought it would feel weird, but it didn't (guess it's like riding a bike). Ironically though, it took me a few minutes to remember how to use my TV remotes and the TIVO ;-) My house seems so big - given that I've been basically living in one room the past month. But I miss my little place in Paris and I'm anxious to get back to begin "leg 2" of this journey.

After a brief visit to take care of some logistical issues and see family and friends... I'll be flying back to Paris this coming Tuesday, December 2nd.

Once I'm back in Paris next week, I'll resume my daily blogging and posting of photos for the remainder of my stay.

So beginning next Wednesday, start checking back again as I continue my Adventure in the City of Lights... an opportunity and experience that on this Thanksgiving, I am profoundly grateful for.

Until then...
Au Revoir

A Day in the Latin Quarter

With the amount of ground I covered today, you'd think it really WAS my last day here! The Latin Quarter is my favorite area of the city, over by Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sorbonne. But surprisingly, there were a few major sites in that area that I had never seen on previous trips - Luxembourg Gardens, the Pantheon, Saint Severin, Sainte-Chapelle - just to name a few. Well today I saw them all :-)

I started out with a walk through Luxembourg Gardens. It was lunchtime so there were lots of locals enjoying the park on their lunch hour - despite the fact it was in the 30s today! But it really was a beautiful day. Throughout the park are statues, flowers and trees. The trees are all bare now because it's winter, but it was still very picturesque.

From the Luxembourg Gardens I made my way over to the Pantheon which is by the University of Paris. There was a protest going on (I took some video). I'm still not exactly sure what they were protesting about.. the signs said something about "masacaring" and "archeology"??? I didn't see or hear "Bush" or the US, so I figured it was safe ;-)

As I walked past the University on my way towards the Seine, I stumbled upon Saint Severin. You know, I think this is actually the church I was thinking of from the movie The DaVinci Code (I'm going to have to rent it and see - it's driving me crazy now!). Kind of eerie, but beautiful flying buttresses and stained glass windows.

For the first time since I've been here, I decided to go and have a nice sit down meal at a restaurant since I was right around the corner from my favorite little restaurant, Le Harpe. Sherri knows Le Harpe - we ate here when we came to Paris for New Years a few years ago! And I come and have a meal here every time I am in Paris. (French) Onion Soup, Steak Au Poivre & Potatoes Gratin. Followed by desert - which for me, is a nice selection of fromage (cheeses). Yummo!

After my lunch/dinner, I wandered through the narrow, winding pedestrian only streets of the Latin Quarter and crossed the Seine in front of Notre Dame on my way to what ended up being the unexpected highlight of the day - Sainte-Chapelle.

I guess I never really read very closely the descriptions of Sainte-Chapelle, because I was not prepared for what I saw when I entered. Unlike many of the churches in Paris, Sainte-Chapelle is not free - you have to pay an entrance fee. Once inside, I was thinking - for this? I mean, it was pretty, but... then I noticed a tiny door and winding staircase.

Up the staircase I went and when I finally reached the top, what I saw took my breath away. This was Sainte-Chapelle. Sainte-Chapelle was built between 1242-1248 and that in itself is astounding. But when you enter the Upper Chapel, you are surrounded by wall-to-wall amazing stained glass windows - some 1,113 panels that tell the stories of the Bible from Genesis through the time of Jesus. And if that weren't enough, there is also a beautiful rose window (like in Notre Dame).

As I was standing there with my jaw hanging open, I grabbed for my sightseeing book and flipped to the Sainte-Chapelle page. Here's what it said (that I apparently had never read)... "As you emerge, via a spiral staircase... the effect of light and color is breathtaking." The guide book was spot on with that description!

What is even more amazing is that all of the stained glass is original, dating back to the 13th Century - the oldest stained glass in Paris. I took video in addition to a ton of photos to attempt to capture the essence of this place. Hopefully it translates. One thing is for sure, if you come to Paris, put Sainte-Chapelle at the TOP of your sightseeing list!

Click here to view all of today's photos (11/25/08)

A Bargain Shopping Expedition

So one thing I haven't done very much of since I've been here is shop. Crazy, right - afterall, I'm in Paris?!? A store I've heard a lot about (and seen a ton of advertisements for) that I wanted to go to is called Tati. Tati has been around for something like 60 years as is a little hard to describe. Like the big department stores, there are several different Tati stores: women's clothes, kids clothes, shoes, jewelry, household decor, etc. But Tati is not a high end store - it's a bargain hunters delight and the stores take up a whole block.

I wanted to go to Tati to try and find some Paris looking clothes - inexpensive Paris looking clothes. The sizes in Europe are completely different than in the US and trying things on is very complicated, so I wanted to buy a few things - without trying them on - which is always tricky, at least for me.

So inside the store the clothes (and prices) reminded me of Ross - which is good. The real bargains are outside in huge bins you have to dig through - talk about a free for all! A little too crazy for me. I did manage to find a few things and miraculously they all fit - more or less ;-) I got a couple of staple items (long sleeve shirt, long sleeve sweater) and a really cute top and a sweater dress to wear over tights with boots (oh la la!) - he, he! Oh yeah, and a cool scarf. Total cost? 34 euros (about $44). That's about as cheap as it gets in Paris!

Eglise Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

After I came back and dropped off the bags from my shopping expedition, I was going to spend the afternoon in the Louvre. But as I walked over to the museum from my apartment, I rounded a corner and saw a church I had somehow never seen before so I had to explore it!

The church was Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois and it was built in the 15th century. Inside were gorgeous stained glass window. A little internet research when I got back to the apartment shows that they are original and date back to the Renaissance period. Also inside was a huge pipe organ which apparently was originally ordered by Louis XVI for Sainte-Chapelle but somehow ended up here.

The wonderful thing about Paris is that you find a treasure like this around nearly every corner. And that's why if you love the city as much as I do, you need a long stay to really see it. Because on a short stay you hit the "big ticket items" which easily fill a week (or two or three). But having this extra time to just wander around and explore has been (and will continue to be when I return) priceless.

Anyhow, by the time I got done at the church, it was really too late to make going to the Louvre worthwhile. I'll hit the museum when I'm back in December and have more time. So for the remainder of the day I walked all the way up the Rue de Rivoli which runs parallel with the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries, to the Place de la Concorde, then turned around and walked back. All along this street are tourist shops, so I managed to pick up a few trinkets - a key holder, a christmas tree ornament.

It started to rain, so I dashed across the street and into the Carousel du Louvre - an underground shopping/dining plaza connected to the Louvre and walked around in there for a bit. After a quick stop in Sephora, I jumped on the Metro and headed home.

Click here to view all of today's photos (11/24/08)

Breaking News....

Going to London yesterday pretty much wiped me out - I slept until noon today. And unless it starts snowing - which it may, the weather forecast said it might - I don't plan on going out today. I'm just going to stay in and rest. I've actually had my heater on all day for the first time since I've been here. So I've just been blogging and starting to organize things for the return trip on Wednesday - you know, figuring out what to bring back, what to leave here, etc.

Oh, didn't I mention that after Thanksgiving I'm coming back to Paris for another 3 weeks? Oops! Must have slipped my mind ;-)

So about a week or so ago I was in French class and things were really starting to click. Meanwhile I was running around like crazy trying to see and do everything I want to see and do before my trip was over. And then a thought entered my mind... I began to wonder about the possibility of coming back for a few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I asked Parisian Home (the apartment rental agency) if this apartment was available so that I could just extend my stay for another month and not have to move or anything, and they said yes. So.... after a lot of thought (and a few emergency calls to some of you for advice), I decided to do it.

After all, I'm already here. I'm already settled into the apartment. I really want to continue the French language instruction. I have the frequent flyer miles so the airfare is free, and I really want to be here now that the city is starting to deck itself out for Christmas.

In the end, it came down to the fact that I am lucky enough right now to be able to do this and may not ever have this chance again.

So I am coming back to Florida this Wednesday as planned and will be home for a week to check on my house, visit with people, stuff myself with yummy Thanksgiving fixins that you CAN'T get in Paris, put up my Christmas tree(s), indulge in some mindless television (remember, all I get here in English is CNBC, SkyNews and Aljazeera), set up my Mom's new computer (and get her on Skype), celebrate my birthday with my Mom and nieces and buy some much needed warmer clothes at the day-after-thanksgiving sales! Then, the following Tuesday, Dec 2nd, I will be returning to Paris.

I will be able to complete 2 more full weeks of intensive French classes at the Alliance Francaise. That will give me a total of 4 weeks (or 80 hours of intensive instruction), which will be really good since you really need to know French and English to work at UNESCO - you know, the place I hope to work someday ;-) And I also plan on doing a little more traveling around Europe during December while I am here since it is so easy - definitely Brussels, possibly Prague or another city that has a traditional Christmas Market.

And then I will be returning to Florida on Sunday, December 21st in time for Christmas.

What can I say.... I love Paris :-)

p.s. If anyone wants to come to Paris for a few days in December, I'm an excellent tour guide. And I have a cot! LOL

Le Radio

My favorite radio station here in Paris that I listen to everyday is 100.3 Energy. What's funny is that I finally realized after almost a month that it really isn't "Energy" it's NRJ - the stations's call letters (you pronounce J like G in French). Half the music is ours (Beyonce, Pink, Brittney Spears, Coldplay, etc.) and the other half is French pop music (which is quite good). So you might hear one song in English, then two in French, then two in English, etc. Pretty cool. They broadcast on the Web so if you have a broadband connection and want to check it out, click here to listen live to NRJ and hear what I'm hearing!

About Living in a Tiny Studio Apartment....

It has been interesting going from living in a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom house to a tiny studio apartment that doesn't have a clothes dryer or a dishwasher.

I actually kind of like the smaller space. Though to be honest, on a more permanent basis I would need something just a little bigger - like a one bedroom apartment where my living room didn't serve double duty as my bedroom!

The Kitchen
When it comes to the kitchen, I really like cooking but I really HATE doing dishes - even at home with a dishwasher - so having to wash and dry everything by hand is not something I'd long to do on a permanent basis. Plus, the kitchen in this apartment is the size of a closet and has NO counter space, so cooking a meal is very tricky because there is no place to set things out. Also, I only have a toaster oven (not a full size oven) which most of the time is fine. But it's hard to broil a proper steak in a toaster oven :-) And I like to make pot roasts on occasion - something you can't do in a toaster oven. But I did manage to make one (that turned out quite good actually) in a pot on the stove top, kind of like a crock pot version. What they say is true... necessity is the mother of invention.

The Bathroom
Well, I think you all know how I feel about the "Shower of Death"... Actually, the shower has been fine after 'le accident' - since then, I found a proper shower mat (the suction cup fish just weren't cutting it). But I do miss having a tub for occasional baths. Especially since it's so cold out. It was a real pleasure having a tub at the hotel in Geneva. But that really is minor thing. My only real issue with the bathroom is that there is hardly any counter space to put anything out on (makeup, hair products, contact stuff, etc.). There is a little space underneath the sink to put things, but not much. And while there is a shelf - it's way up close to the ceiling above the toliet and I'd need a ladder to reach it, so it really isn't usable - at least not by 5'2 me!

Doing Laundry
It was kind of funny when I finally broke down and did a load. I kept putting it off because everything about the tiny little machine was foreign and not intuitive - not even how/where to put the clothes in! The whole time the load was running, I fully expected water or foam to start pouring out. It was quite a stressful experience - ha! And the machine was so loud I felt bad that I was doing it at night, because it had to have been disturbing the people in the apartment below me. But somehow I did it right and even did a subsequent load. Success!

Now about not having a clothes dryer.... a pain in the butt. There is an extremely large contraption in the closet that is a "drying rack" but the problem is my studio is so small that when the couch is pulled out into a bed AND the drying rack is out it takes up pretty much the whole apartment and it's hard to move around! But the clothes did dry and I now have clean underwear, socks and towels :-) However everything is really stiff from air drying.

Closet Space
Need more. Enough said :-)

The Neighbors
I haven't actually 'seen' anyone, but I know there are people here! I thought I was a night owl... well, whoever is in the unit above me puts me to shame. Not only is he/she up until all hours, but it sounds like they are pacing the floor in loud wooden shoes AND moving furniture around - every night - ha! I've kind of gotten used to it though. In fact, one night it was quiet (they must have been away) and I had a hard time going to sleep in the silence.

Conclusion
So, could I really live in a small apartment like this? Definitely. It's much easier to take care of an apartment than a huge house! But it would have to have a separate bedroom, a clothes dryer, more counter space in the bathroom, a bathtub, more counter space in the kitchen, a dishwasher and a full size oven. Oh, and be on the top floor so there aren't any noisy neighbors above me :-)

Ha! Sounds like a lot of complaining, huh? Not really. This place is actually pretty perfect for me and totally fine for a couple of months. In fact, anyone coming to visit Paris as a tourist for more than 1 week should really consider renting an apartment rather than staying at a hotel. First of all, it's A LOT cheaper. And it's really nice having a kitchen (small as it is). You save so much money going to the market and cooking rather than eating every meal out.