Hi. Hope you enjoyed the pictures... It was such a good trip i couldn't help but post a ton of pictures. It felt like i was there for a week but i was only there like four days. I guess that's because I was by myself for half the time... Notice I am not in any of those photos cause I was *ahem* alone. But I have to say that the city left a really good first impression on me and I think that we are going to be very happy together next year.
a quick funny story:
So, I am walking around the Jardin du Tuileries on my way to the Louvre and I am taking pictures, being a tourist, whatever... I am walking around the fountain, looking around in awe when this man with a bike stops and asks me something in French. I give him a deer-in-the-headlights look because I don't really know how to respond, and I blabber that I am American and I don't speak French very well ("Ah but you don't look American" he says to me, whatever that means). The man then says that he was complimenting me on my scarf, and I say thank you and I tell him that I made it. He says that he "has a thing for scarves" (which he is wearing a chunky knit grey one himself) and says that mine is a work of art... um ok kinda strange but whatevs, I smile and keep on walking and he walks alongside of me and proceeds to "chat me up" (as they would say on Coupling) and I talk to him (mostly because it is nice to talk to someone, anyone, when you are alone in a strange city) and tell him that I am in town for a short visit and I tell him that I am thinking about coming back to Paris to study next year, and he gets very animated and tells me that i should come back and blah blah blah... and then he says, "well if u are coming back we should keep in touch, non?" So i kinda smile and say "Ok, sure" and really i am thinking to myself, 'Damn it... why did I have to mention I was coming back? Now he's going to internet stalk me and then god knows what!" but i give him my email address and I find out his name is Jacquelle and I tell him my name is Summer (which actually DOES NOT translate into French my friends!! in case u were wondering, which was evident by the blank stare i recieved when I told him my name, maybe i should adopt a new name like Briggiette or Claire while i am in Paris. Like my Alterego. Any ideas for Frenchy sounding names? anyone?)...
so who knows if he will email me but it was kind of refreshing to find out that the French people are so friendly, (maybe a little too friendly!) I mean I walk around campus at school for three and half years and no one will even look at you let alone strike up a conversation with you, a perfect stranger! *gasp*... I wonder why that is? are we too busy talking on our cell phones to realize that there are 55,000 people around us? Why do we block out everyone else on palm walk and focus on ourselves? are we as a society too self absorbed? i don't know... what can you do? but incedently he is in one of my photos! well from the back anyway... there is a man walking with a bicycle in the center of my picture of the fountain. I might never see him again but i have a picture of him... Oh Jacquelle, we were never meant to be...
oh and its Christmas P.S. -- a time of great love and peace and all that jazz... Hope that you all had a good holiday and are ready to welcome in 2006! heck yes!
Countdown to PARIS: a little over a month - around 5 weeks. that's 35 days. *sigh*
Monday, December 26, 2005
My Dad and I had dinner at this adorable Cafe in St. Germain des Pres. I had to take a picture I love how fifties diner it looks.
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
Again in the Jardin du Luxembourg. By far my faveorite garden. I think that's where they perform Punch and Judy shows...
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
In the same Jardin du Luxembourg looking at the Palace du Luxembourg and some of the cool statuary.
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
This is the Jardin du Luxembourg. Isn't it pretty? I can't wait to see it in the springtime.
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
a view at dusk of the spires of the abby of St-Germain-des-Pr�s (where our hotel was).
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
Ok, so I know I am a nerd but here is a series of pics as I was waiting for the Metro...
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
One of the signs for the Metro stations... I rode the Metro and it was actually the cleanest subway system that I have ever seen. I can't get over how well maintained a city Paris is... compared to London its amazingly clean!
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
I was trying to take a picture of something at night and it didn't work but I think it turned out really interesting looking...
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
a view of the Seine from the 2nd level of the tower... Can you see the Statue of Liberty in the river?
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
Standing beneath the Eiffel Tower looking up at the east leg of it.
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
The Louvre at night... Yes I was in there so long that when I left it was dark out... Ooops!
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
A picture in the Jardin des Tuileries looking down to the Place de Concord Eye... oh and the guy with the bike is Jacquelle...
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
The Musee D'Orsay standing on the right bank looking to the left bank of the river Seine.
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
An art installation at a local art auction house just off the Champs-Elysees. It reminds me of that stroy of Dali riding into town in a car full of cabbages... does anyone else remember this story?
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
Looking down Les Champs-Elysees towards L'Arc de Triomphe... its kinda of a gloomy day. it rained a lot when I was there actually.
You've Lost That Loving Feeling...
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Wow
Ok, I am finally back in Arizona after an amazing first trip to Paris. I have to say I was blown away by how much I love this city and now I am all giddy like a "fourteen year old in puppy love"...
Highlights of my trip include:
- Wandering aimlessly around Paris for two days by myself.
- The Louve. (and Girodet)
- La Jardin du Luxembourg (can't wait to see it in the springtime!) .
- Being accosted by strange men on the streets (apparently I "don't look American"... Is that supposed to be a compliment?? I am confused.)
- Seeing the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
- Watching French MTeeVee and hearing people Rap in French. HA!
- The Amazingly unique and beautiful architecture of Paris. (and seeing it decorated for Christmas!)
- Feeling like I was almost going to get crushed by the crowds of Christmas shoppers in the street and the crowd in H&M. (did I mention it was a crowd of people 10 people deep in front of Galleries LaFayette? At times I didn't even feel like I was walking I just got bumped around as everyone around me moved!)
- getting a message when i get back to the US telling me that I am one hour short of graduating! (no one bothered to tell me this before the week of graduation?!?! that's ASU for you...)
- Making friends with people in line to apply for my Visa.
- Hearing about the school and the possibility of learning to make couture hats with a professional couture milliner! wow!
and Above all: Realizing that I get to come back and spend four glorious months in this amazing city.
more of my missadventures when I am nit quite so jet lagged! a Bientot mes amis!
and PS: pictures coming soon!
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Miss Texas
So.... I am here. I am in France... TA - DA!!!!
I had an interesting voyage... I woke up at 9am for my 10:30 flight to chicago and had to finish packing up the rest of my cRaP (with the help of Whitney, whom for the record is the best suitemate ever!!! Gonna miss u being across the bathroom dude!) and i checkedout of adelphi in record speed... and I was RUNNING to catch my flight and I kid u not I was the last person on the plane... why? why me? this leads me to the bigger question of how do even the most carefully made plans always get fucked up somehow??
anyway... it was a long boring flight... I am here and i am surprised to see how nuch of my limited french is coming in handy, pleasantly surprised that I can actually understand almost whole conversations and can read signs and stuff... whatevs... it will come with time
Like the taxi driver whom drove me from le aerogare (thats airport) to my hotel. He was very excitied that I was from Texas because he has a brother whom lives there, whom married an american and whom has two enfants (babies - ick!) ... he also asked me if i was married not once but twice and proceded to tell me how beautiful i was and how i had a pretty smile and offered me numerous ciggarettes as he smoked them out the window of the tiny taxi. oh and on the radio that awful song from dirty dancing was playing-the one by patrick swayze 'She's like the wind' who decided that he could be a singer? and why are the french playing this song on the radio? its like 10 years old... I thought it was funny that no matter where u are u cannot get away from the dirty dancing soundtrack... Then when we found the hotelwhere I am staying I get out of the taxi and he introduced me to the doorman (whom looks a lot like Brett strangley enough... he has a mischevious smile like he is up to no good...) as 'Miss Texas' and said 'I must be the most beautiful girl in all of Texas'... I seriously doubt that he knows how big Texas really is... he he he
and that's another thing that I hqve noticed is thqt everything here is TINY compqred to the states... the cars, the beds in my hotel room, the elevators... its greqt for moi because i am not exqctly tall but you know... for my Dad (whom is over 6 feet tall) it must be weird. I kinda like it! I do not like typing on this computer I must say. I didn't know that the french had a different keyboard... its all the same letters are in on it they are just all arranged differently... Its actually very frustrating cause the q is where the a should be on our keyboards so if there is a copious amount of q's in this message i apologize.
Anyway I am off to look around and explore the Champs de Elyesse and area Because my Dad is off doing business stuff and I am meeting my awesomely crazy friend Bethany for le thè at 4... and also because I am not real sure how to use my room key yet ... interesting... TTFN!
Sunday, December 11, 2005
hey there!
OK, So here is my first post (as exciting at this may be for me - I sure u could probably care less) YAY for Blogs... This will get more exciting as I have more exciting adventures getting lost in a country (where as Miss Gibbs would say), "They don't speak english and don't even want too." Anyway, what here is the question of the day...
Debutantes: Animals up for sale at auction or young women making her first apperance in society? white dresses, gloves, balls and curtsies... this question inspired by the episode of the Gilmore Girls that I am currently watching with Vega and Mollie at the Fortress (my second home away from home) ... and i have to agree with Vega "anyman in a tux is HOTT!" (and that's hot with two t's) ... Any thoughts?
