I have been in Paris for almost two weeks now and am finally starting to feel like I belong here. I mastered the Paris metro, at least most of the lines and am starting to feel like a true Parisian. By this I mean having only tea or coffee for breakfast, staring down at my feet or into a book while on the metro (because if you smile at someone, it means you are interested in them), walking around with a baguette for lunch, and wearing a scarf everywhere I go because it’s the style (for both women and men).
But besides becoming more acquainted with the culture and everyday life in Paris, I also encountered some of the beautiful landmarks that make Paris famous. On Tuesday evening, after a late lunch with some of my friends in the IES French Studies Program, I hopped on line 9 to the Trocadero metro stop to get my first real glimpse of the Eiffel Tower lit up at night.
And of course, the next day I had to get a picture of the Eiffel Tower during the day. It is a little gloomy out because it just rained, but here is a picture of my house mate and I in front of it across the Seine river!
Besides the Eiffel Tower, I also went to the Musee d’Orsay on Friday. I tried to take pictures inside but apparently “photos sont interdit,” which means that taking pictures in the museum is forbidden. I saw the Manet exhibit, which was amazing, and one of the Monet exhibits, because the other two are currently in the Grand Palais and are not returning to Orsay until next week. But the museum from the outside is the most beautiful part! My favorite type of art is architecture, so I have been taking a lot of pictures of random buildings and castles just because they are so ancient and beautiful. Here is a picture of the Musee d’Orsay from Friday.
There is something new and exciting to see everyday. Of course, Paris is an extremely old city, so the places and things are actually quite old. Over the weekend, I also went to the Marais, which is the oldest part of Paris. It is full of little boutiques, cafes, an outdoor iceskating rink, and the Hotel de Ville, which is kind of like a city hall. My friends and I walked around for a few hours, got some coffee and hot chocolate and a corner “brasserie” which is another word for cafe or restaurant, did some shopping and exploring the Hotel de Ville, then called it a day and went home to a complete crepe dinner. My house mate Katherine and I had ham, egg and cheese crepes with our host family, and then for dessert, had crepes with sugar or confiture (confiture = french jam). It was DELICIOUS! All the while I am exploring these new places in Paris, I am also improving my french by listening to directions, ordering lots of food and tea, and just having friendly conversations with the people around me. I am still getting used to being in a city because Penn State is such a college town, but I know soon enough it will feel like another home!
A Bientot!
Location: Paris, France
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