Last Days in Paris

Soo today is my last full day in Paris, we leave tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning. I have seen so many great sights while here and all of the people in the group are awesome! It has been a wonderful experience. I am happy I will be returning on the 27th to meet up with my boyfriend Tim to see a few sights I missed out on this trip like the catacombs and some others :-)

Since my last blog, I have done several things...for one I finally went shopping! Good for my dad but bad for me...I barely found anything at all. In fact I spent a total of 25 Euros and some of it was on presents for other people..I know how could I be so selfless?? haha More like nothing fit or was too expensive. I will be getting into some more shopping in Lille where I'm sure the prices will be a little bit more reasonable. My whole time in Paris..about eight days...I spent about 200 Euros which I am really excited about as a couple of other group members are pushing the 3 or 4oo mark. The secret is buying food and wine at the market instead of paying for it at cafes.

When you go to cafes here, you are really paying for sitting there and enjoying the atmosphere as well as the food so it can get pricey fast. You will usually sit at a cafe for at least an hour and it seems like the waiter barely pays any attention to you. This is because they are supposed to give you space to enjoy the conversation and also the tip is included so they do not have to impress you. Even if the tip is not included, you are not supposed to leave one...so don't! But every place I've been to has included a hefty tip so I don't feel bad for not leaving extra. Also, if you're trying to be quick don't expect that to happen. The other night when I went to see Sex and the City a day before it came out in the States, Paige and I were trying to eat quickly and get out of there...oh no no! There could be none of that. Our waiter practically told us we couldn't have our check until we were completely done with our food! It was so frustrating! I know he was just being nice and saying no no take your time but we finally had to tell him we were catching a movie and for him to bring us the billet...check. He finally did and we were able to make it in time for the movie but it was very frustrating.

I do have a warning also about the markets. One you have to bag your own groceries and two, there are places where you have to pay for the plastic bag..extra thirty cents or something. When they told me this I thought they were messing with me because I'm American...so I got that American attitude with them. I felt bad later when I found out that yea they actually charge you for that crappy plastic bag.


As far as the food, other than the es cargo, it is the best food I have ever tasted. The fruit is juicer, the bread is softer, the wine is perfect, the cheese is delicious, everything tastes better here. I even tried steak tar tar (raw meat) and that was delicious! Really just about anything you order here can do you no wrong.

Some of the other sights I saw since my last blog were the Louvre, Notre Dame (where I lit a candle for my grandpa and grandma), Rodin Gardens (I saw the thinker and the gates of hell), and Musee D'Orsy (I saw a lot of impressionist work, Van Gogh and Monet mainly). They were all beautiful and I would recommend them to anyone traveling here. I also took a trip to Giverny where I saw Monet's gardens and house. This is where he painted his famous water lilies and the bridge picture. It was beautiful and I want to have my wedding there...daddy pleaseeeee :-)

Well that's it for now! Tomorrow I leave for St. Malo, Mont St. Michel, and the Normandy Beaches!! Can't wait to get out of the city and into some nature!!