Exploring Paris

This is my new Sunday tradition with my friend from Gettysburg, Emily Weinick entitled: Coffee, Crepes, and Conversation. These were chocolate and coffee ice cream crepes. Not bad,

Paris, not bad.

The Palais Royale and the Pyramid of the Louvre

So this past week I had intensive language classes. It sounds scarier than it is, it's really just a 2 hour French class for the whole week and it was really nice going into the IES Abroad Center to go to classes and getting out in time for lunch and an afternoon of exploring.

I got to go on a guided tour in the Musee d'Orsay, the museum that specializes in 18th to 20th century art. It was really interesting hearing the stories behind the paintings and putting them into context. My fame as the least museum inclined of my family has spread and I am proud to say I very much enjoyed the museum. The museum was originally a train station built for the Grand Exposition of 1900. It was meant to show the world what a modern train station looked like, and the scale is unbelievable. There is an enormous, ornate clock high on the wall and the minute hand spans 3 meters. The scary part? The hall is so huge that the clock doesn't seem that big.

Mostly, I really can't believe that wandering the Tuileries and picnicking along the Seine is what I do during my weekends now...

Pain au chocolat!!!!

1€10 = $1.50

Worth it, every time.

I also explored the Place du Louvre and the Tuileries gardens during the light of day which was fantastic! They are gorgeous! The Tuileries are huge gardens that span between the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe that were built in the 1560s.

This is a bridge over the Seine near the Louvre. Lovers come and fasten locks onto the bridge and throw the keys into the Seine; City of Lights, City of Love.

This is not THE Arc de Triomphe but an arc that connects the Place du Louvre with the Tuileries.

Café au Lait!! Bad news: To drink this outside at a table is 4 € = $6