Paris with Bailey

This week is Innovative Learning Week at the university which basically means a week off school! I got back yesterday from Paris where I had been from Sunday to Thursday with my friend and roommate from Kingston, Bailey. We met in Charles De Gaulle airport and it was very surreal seeing her for the first time in 6 months. It definitely made my life in Kingston seem more real. We met a very nice couple in the airport who gave us their metro passes to use for free on Sunday which we then topped up for another week on Monday. We passed on the deed by giving our passes to two guys when we left on Thursday. We rented an apartment near Montmartre. Our host Aurelien was away in the country for all of our time in Paris so we had the place to ourselves. Normally his cat is there but it was staying with a friend much to my disappointment! We met Aurelien briefly on Monday night when he stopped by to pick up some things. He was very friendly and sweet and recommended places for us to visit.

View from the apartment

View from the apartment

On our first night we wandered around Montmartre, stopping in at a cafe for a chocolate and pear tart, hot chocolate and to catch up. I realized that my French was not as good as I remembered and we weren't too sure of the French restaurant etiquette at first. By the end of the week we got the hang of it though and especially perfected "l'addition s'il vous plait"! We walked up the mammoth steps of Montmartre and saw Sacre Coeur at night and the Eiffel Tower lit up in the distance. There was a man playing guitar to a crowd of people and lots of cute shops.

We met up with my godmother Liz and her daughter Tara on Monday. We had delicious and very filling crepes at a creperie and got to have a crash course in French culture which was very helpful! We caught up over the meal and then went to the Musee National du Moyen Age. The museum was really interesting and I particularly liked the stained glass. After the museum we went in Notre Dame and to the bridge where couples attach padlocks with their initials. We parted ways then and Bailey and I went to Place des Vosgues, a beautiful square that Liz had recommended. For dinner we had a cheese plate and vin chaud and then went to see the Eiffel Tower.

On Tuesday we went back to the Eiffel Tower to see it in the daytime after having crepes with jam for breakfast. We had an interesting experience with a really rude waiter who, after giving us back our change, walked back over and flipped open the little black book to see if we'd left a tip - while we were still sitting at the table! After the Eiffel Tower we went to the Musee D'Orsay. The Picasso room was very busy but was probably my favourite part. We returned to the apartment before dinner and watched Casablanca. Our rude waiter experience was improved upon by an excellent waiter at dinner that night. We went to a restaurant at the bottom of the steps at Montmartre where I had a croque madame and we both had creme brulee for dessert. The waiter was very friendly and very patient with our terrible French. When we left he said "Goodbye. Obrigado" and we later realized he hadn't charged us for our desserts!

We went to the Louvre on Wednesday which I managed to get into for free, being a student in Europe! We saw Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa, amid crowds of people. I really liked all of the statues we saw. We walked through the Jardin des Tuileries and along the Champs-Elysees toward the Arc de Triomphe. It was a long way but worth it to see all the fancy shops and the pretty fountains. We had dinner that night at the top of Montmartre. The restaurant played loud club music which didn't really suit the atmosphere but later they set up a stage and had two men playing guitars. It sounded very French until Bailey realized it was a cover of "Toxic" by Britney Spears! We ate Boeuf Bourguignon and vin chaud and creme brulee for a second time. It was extremely creamy and delicious.

Arc de Triomphe - shame about the construction

All in all it was a great time in Paris with Bailey! I'm really glad that we got to see eachother because I won't see her now until September.

After getting back last night I hung out with Emma for her 18th birthday and then went to see Breach and Route 94 at Liquid Rooms. The music was really good and I had a great night. Thankfully I have the weekend to finish up some work before school starts back on Monday.