Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Bon Appétit
One of my favorite things thus far in Paris is the fact that whenever I am eating something in public at least one person says Bon Appétit! to me while they are passing by. Today I was sitting on Pont des Arts pretending to be French and scoffing at tourists with their cameras taking pictures of the bateaux and the seine and eating a pain au chocolat and a baguette. Some crazy man while going by started mumbling something in French along the lines of "Oh, wow, it's beautiful today. You're eating something. Eat that." Which I think was meant to be nice, but between me not understanding him properly and him just being crazy, it didn't come out quite right.
And then I was eating a falafel later in the day and a random guy walking past me said Bon Appétit! And then people are just all around nicey nice and I said bon soir to a maître d' and he all was like bon soir, ça va? It's like Mauritius all over again where you say hi to everyone on the street et la vie est bon.
Paris, vous êtes très mignon.
Number of times I've been asked for directions: about 7 or 8? I've lost count.
Number of couples I've seen going at it in public: 10
Falafel Watch: 4
Number of Obélisques seen: 1
Oh, and I saw this crazy japanese bookstore called Book Off today in the 2nd. And they sell everything. WTF?
And then I was eating a falafel later in the day and a random guy walking past me said Bon Appétit! And then people are just all around nicey nice and I said bon soir to a maître d' and he all was like bon soir, ça va? It's like Mauritius all over again where you say hi to everyone on the street et la vie est bon.
Paris, vous êtes très mignon.
Number of times I've been asked for directions: about 7 or 8? I've lost count.
Number of couples I've seen going at it in public: 10
Falafel Watch: 4
Number of Obélisques seen: 1
Oh, and I saw this crazy japanese bookstore called Book Off today in the 2nd. And they sell everything. WTF?
Monday, September 7, 2009
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Accordion
So Paris has been on the up and ups, mainly because it's our first weekend here and we don't have to do silly things like to go class and what not.
Friday night, Anne and I went to the Marais, ate some falafel and then went to the Louvre as I'm pretty sure it's free most of the time now for EU students under 26, which is fab. And the Louvre is absolutely stunning at night. We then left a note at the front desk of the Hotel de Louvre for Maurice as he is supposedly in Paris as I type....but I have not heard from him. We wandered then to the Notre Dame, ran into a parade of roller bladers, mind you, at 10pm at night. Our final stop was the Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore where Dave Eggars had been at 5:30! ack! We miss out on the things we do not know.
Aujourd'hui etait bon. Dave, Miro, and I went to the Marais, ate falafel, but! at a different falafel shop. I haven't decided yet which of the three I've had are my favorite. After we walked to the fixed gear bike shop in the 11th which was in a secret back alley way, we were very proud of ourselves for finding it. I'm just trying to find a used bike for 70-80 euros and I don't think it's going to happen. Hello velib. After I was carted around by the two of them to different apartment adgencies and then was scoffed at by a waiter when I just asked for a glass of water at a cafe.
For dinner we met up with some of Dave's friends from class and ate random things we bought at the supermarche. We then went to the 11th to this crazy show venue which aparently was having it's anniversaire so the place was going bat-shit crazy. We saw two bands, the first being two guys who look like they had just taken showers since they were sweating so much and played guitar and keyboards. The second band, composed of a singer, bass player, drums, and accordion, sang, of course, French hip-hop. It was glorious.
Thank goodness I didn't get beer spilled on me like Dave did, blegz. After we went to a bar down the street and hung out for a while. Katherine and I attempted to get the last train but of course missed it literally by 20 seconds; we saw it leave the station. We took a cab back to Cite Universitaire with a crazy old man who we thought we were going to approximately the same location as he said he was going to Port d'Orleans, but he had said Port de Lyon, pas bon. So the taxi was a little more expensive than I would have liked, mais ca va.
Finalement, right as I am about to go into my building a strange French boy came up to me, asked me where I was from (this transaction takes place en Francais, bien sur) and if I wanted to go for a run with him (he was wearing running clothes). I said no, it was very late and I needed to go to bed. He asked if I was going to go on the internet, I said yes? And he asked me if after I would go on the internet if I would come back down and go running with him. I had to decline again. France is very strange.
Friday night, Anne and I went to the Marais, ate some falafel and then went to the Louvre as I'm pretty sure it's free most of the time now for EU students under 26, which is fab. And the Louvre is absolutely stunning at night. We then left a note at the front desk of the Hotel de Louvre for Maurice as he is supposedly in Paris as I type....but I have not heard from him. We wandered then to the Notre Dame, ran into a parade of roller bladers, mind you, at 10pm at night. Our final stop was the Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore where Dave Eggars had been at 5:30! ack! We miss out on the things we do not know.
Aujourd'hui etait bon. Dave, Miro, and I went to the Marais, ate falafel, but! at a different falafel shop. I haven't decided yet which of the three I've had are my favorite. After we walked to the fixed gear bike shop in the 11th which was in a secret back alley way, we were very proud of ourselves for finding it. I'm just trying to find a used bike for 70-80 euros and I don't think it's going to happen. Hello velib. After I was carted around by the two of them to different apartment adgencies and then was scoffed at by a waiter when I just asked for a glass of water at a cafe.
For dinner we met up with some of Dave's friends from class and ate random things we bought at the supermarche. We then went to the 11th to this crazy show venue which aparently was having it's anniversaire so the place was going bat-shit crazy. We saw two bands, the first being two guys who look like they had just taken showers since they were sweating so much and played guitar and keyboards. The second band, composed of a singer, bass player, drums, and accordion, sang, of course, French hip-hop. It was glorious.
Thank goodness I didn't get beer spilled on me like Dave did, blegz. After we went to a bar down the street and hung out for a while. Katherine and I attempted to get the last train but of course missed it literally by 20 seconds; we saw it leave the station. We took a cab back to Cite Universitaire with a crazy old man who we thought we were going to approximately the same location as he said he was going to Port d'Orleans, but he had said Port de Lyon, pas bon. So the taxi was a little more expensive than I would have liked, mais ca va.
Finalement, right as I am about to go into my building a strange French boy came up to me, asked me where I was from (this transaction takes place en Francais, bien sur) and if I wanted to go for a run with him (he was wearing running clothes). I said no, it was very late and I needed to go to bed. He asked if I was going to go on the internet, I said yes? And he asked me if after I would go on the internet if I would come back down and go running with him. I had to decline again. France is very strange.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Spammers
Number of times I've been spammed on Craigslist for apartments: too many to count.
Number of Carafes photographed: 2.
Number of falafels eaten: 2.
Number of times I've been hit on in French and then said person switched into English to continue hitting on me: 2.
Numbers of Mona Lisas seen: 1.
Number of Carafes photographed: 2.
Number of falafels eaten: 2.
Number of times I've been hit on in French and then said person switched into English to continue hitting on me: 2.
Numbers of Mona Lisas seen: 1.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Carafe D'Eau
Asked for directions count: 4.
Number of carafe d'eaux photographed for carafe d'eaux photo montage: 1.
Number to be photographed: infinity.
Number of times I've spilled an entire carton of cherry tomatoes in a supermarche: 1.
Oh, Paris. You're crazy.
Number of carafe d'eaux photographed for carafe d'eaux photo montage: 1.
Number to be photographed: infinity.
Number of times I've spilled an entire carton of cherry tomatoes in a supermarche: 1.
Oh, Paris. You're crazy.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Ou est le metro?
The last three days in Paris have been slightly unexciting....minus the fact that I'm in Paris which is some what of a mind fuck.
We had 5 hours of orientation on Monday which proved to be useless and we had to register yesterday and most things that could have gone wrong went wrong. I am currently only signed up for 5 classes and I need 7. So I have to email the administration to make them put me into some sort of class for next next monday.
And today was my first orientation classes and oh funny story I didn't bring an alarm clock and woke up 20 minutes before my class started. Good one Amanda. And it takes 20 minutes to get to campus. The classes were good though, for the next week and a half we have methodology and French language. Both of my profs are really nice and my French teacher is a riot. She's this petit French woman with glasses and a pixie haircut who, today, wore an oversided t-shirt and like pseudo-camo pants that had zippers randomly placed on her shin area, and of course, tevas. I wish I had a picture of her. She also, instead of translating the word, would attempt to explain it in French....while acting it out. delightful.
And just so you know, I've gotten asked twice for directions already. Not that I was able to help them....but still.
The Notre Dame is kinda behind that tree. This is looking east. And I swear this is where they filmed some of the scenes from An American in Paris, minus the fact that it probably was on a sound stage.
We had 5 hours of orientation on Monday which proved to be useless and we had to register yesterday and most things that could have gone wrong went wrong. I am currently only signed up for 5 classes and I need 7. So I have to email the administration to make them put me into some sort of class for next next monday.
And today was my first orientation classes and oh funny story I didn't bring an alarm clock and woke up 20 minutes before my class started. Good one Amanda. And it takes 20 minutes to get to campus. The classes were good though, for the next week and a half we have methodology and French language. Both of my profs are really nice and my French teacher is a riot. She's this petit French woman with glasses and a pixie haircut who, today, wore an oversided t-shirt and like pseudo-camo pants that had zippers randomly placed on her shin area, and of course, tevas. I wish I had a picture of her. She also, instead of translating the word, would attempt to explain it in French....while acting it out. delightful.
And just so you know, I've gotten asked twice for directions already. Not that I was able to help them....but still.
The Notre Dame is kinda behind that tree. This is looking east. And I swear this is where they filmed some of the scenes from An American in Paris, minus the fact that it probably was on a sound stage.
Oh, hey Eiffel Tower from my dorm. You're kinda far away, but oh so pretty.
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