Amsterdam!

So the last few days I've done some shopping, went to a wave pool just outside of Paris (on a 95 degree day), went to the Museum of the Middle Ages and finally made my way around the Marais. I don't know why but I managed to get a bit lost again! I'm really not very good with a map, as many of you know. Ha ha.

But one thing about Paris that makes me feel good about myself is how much I get hit on. Granted, I'm never interested in the guys that hit on me but I get asked out at least once a day. I can't remember the last time someone asked me out in NY! As annoying as women make it seem, a girl likes to hit on every now and again. Just to make sure we've still got it. Ha ha. I must just seem really laid back and chill because people, French people not tourists, are constantly asking me for directions too. I never know WTF they are saying (they speak so damn fast!) and chances are I couldn't answer their question even if I did so I just say, "Desolee. Je ne parle pas francais" and they leave me alone. Christ, if this many people talked to me every day in NY I'd be a might bit irritated. But since I haven't worked in 2 weeks, sleep late everyday, spend my afternoons lounging in parks and my evenings drinking wine by the Seine, I guess I can't really complain. Hee.

Anyway, my train for Amsterdam leaves at 7am tomorrow so I'm going to attempt to get to bed by 12 or so (yeah right). I had insomnia last night for some reason (I think because I drank 2 diet cokes at 1am) and was up until 5am. Hope that doesn't happen again! Anyway, Harris and I will be back here on Thursday and I'll make sure to let you all know how the trip went.

Have a great weekend!

Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower
Originally uploaded by ffaverey.

So I finally made my way over to Paris' most famous landmark. I still have yet to go up in it though. I figured I'd wait until people start visiting. Speaking of visitors, Harris managed to change his flight so he could come to Paris for a few days! Originally, he wasn't going to visit since this is supposed to "my time". But I've had 2 weeks to myself and frankly, I'm ready to start partying! I've really enjoyed being on my own and I'll have the week after he leaves and the week after Chris leaves to be alone so it will be nice to have Harris here for a little while. I can actually have a picnic with another person! And I'm excited to show him my temporary home.

It's still freaking hot here so I've been spending more time at the Paris Plage. I also went to the Pantheon and the Jardins Luxembourg the other day. I tried to do some shopping in the Marais but managed to get lost and just ended up coming home. Ha ha. I might try to go at the end of the week when it supposedly cools down.

One thing I don't think I have to worry about is here is blackouts. (So glad I don't still live in Queens.) It's amazing how wasteful Americans are with energy. I never realized it. Here, you have to turn on a timed light in the hallways of the apartments-they aren't left on night and day. And on the subways, there's a latch on the doors so if no one is exiting, the door isn't opened. And of course the no AC thing. Just some small things I noticed that show just how wasteful we are. Don't get me wrong though, when I get back the first thing I'm doing is blasting my AC. I am an American after all. :)

Anyway, I leave on Saturday for Amsterdam but I'll try to write once more before I go. Have a good week!

Having a Great Time!

Notre Dame
Originally uploaded by ffaverey.

So I've had a great week. I went to Centre Pompidou, did some shopping at Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps and hung out at the Paris Plage (a fake beach they set up along the Seine from July 20 - Aug 20). I've met a few people and have even been speaking lots of French. Not very good French of course, but I'm feeling much more confident about talking now. Spent a couple of nights hanging on the Seine. There really is a great young scene here. If you go down to the Seine around 1am you'll find tons of people having picnics, dancing, playing music and just generally enjoying life in Paris. It's like NY in that everyone enjoys every minute of summer before the weather turns gray, cold and depressing. I love the joie de vivre of both cities so much (excuse the cliche, ha ha).

Speaking of weather, damn it's been hot! I know you guys have been suffering too but try to imagine having no AC. It ain't pretty. I sleep ok, as I said, but during the day I SWEAT. There is so little AC in this city. Parts of the Louvre don't have it, the post offices don't have it, even the Metro does not have AC. The only places that do are musuems that have pieces that will be damaged by heat and humidity and the big department stores. Needless to say that's why I've been trying to hang out in them. But night time is just beautiful. Right now I'm listening to music, drinking wine and periodically hanging out my french windows enjoying the view of my little rue. It's kind of magical, I think.

I've managed to get myself on a pretty funny sleep schedule. I can't fall asleep before 3am and I sleep until 11 or 11:30 every day. Ha ha. Perfect for the party life. Of course, I won't really start "partying" until people start visiting. I've talked to some cool people but haven't gotten up the nerve to go to a bar or club alone yet. The streets are so alive here at night I don't really feel like I need to. Yet. We'll see how I feel after another week.

Anyway, I've been a bit lax with the photos so I'll try to take more over the next week before I head to Amsterdam to party it up with Harris, Rachel and Eric.

Bon Soir!

Sacre Coeur

Sacre Coeur
Originally uploaded by ffaverey.

So on Sunday I went up to Montmartre and saw Sacre Coeur and Salvador Dali's house. God, what a view from up there! And the Pigalle area at the base of the hill is pretty hilarious. Aside from the Moulin Rouge, it was sex shop, sex shop, peep show, American fried chicken, sex shop etc. Definitely not a place I want to be caught in late at night

Yesterday I went to the Louvre. Part of the reason I wanted to come back to Paris was so I could wile away my days in museums without having to drag anyone along with me. So I took my sweet time and only made it through one wing in 3 hours! I love to look at each item intently and imagine the artist making it. Or with the artifacts, I like to imagine the time period it came from and what the world was like at that time. So needless to say, not only do I take forever but I wear myself right out. I've been taking hour long naps each evening after I eat dinner. Of course, then I can't fall asleep until quite late but it's not like I have to get up for anything. I slept until noon today. Ha ha. I love being on (almost) permanent vacation.

After the Louvre, I went to Bon Marche, one of Paris' oldest and most famous department stores. I went in there to see if I could find a curling iron (I can't seem to find one anywhere) and of course came out with a shirt. I've been trying not to shop but every store is having "Soldes", the twice earlier sales that they are allowed to have (I believe it's by law, not totally sure). So even with the bad exchange rate you can get a deal right now. So hard to resist!

Anyway, today is going to be another scorcher (it's pretty hot there too isn't it?) so I'm not sure what I want to do as most of the museums are closed on Tuesdays. I might wait until late afternoon and then walk around the Marais. Luckily, it cools off at night quite nicely here. I was worried whether or not I'd be able to sleep without AC but it's been just fine with just the fan.

Well, that's about it for now. Nothing too exciting has happened yet (ie, I have made any major faux pas's to amuse you with).

Talk to you all soon!