1,000+ steps

So I realize that it has been a LONG time since I've actually updated this, and so because of this I suppose I will make it an extra long entry to fill all my faithful readers in on my life...aka Tom and Nance, who I have both talked to within the last day..hahaha (just kidding of course)

Since my last update, I had a pretty crazy week the week before I went to Paris...We saw Wicked, and it was AMAZING. It made me remember why it is my favorite broadway show..even though our seats were WAYYYYY in the back, it was still incredible. I found it interesting how they pronounced a lot of their words within the songs..I think that's the only difference I noticed..but I loved it regardless...Hibatchi was expensive, but delicious..definitely a one time thing, unless tom and nance want to treat me :) hahaha other than that, my week was filled with going to class, doing work, running aerobics classes, and packing!! so it was very uneventful, except my placement at Arbour has hit a low point..

So pretty much when they asked us to do this aerobics class thing for the older women, I really didn't think that it was going to be a big deal and a permanent thing..well apparently I was wrong..we got there, and there was only one person at the class..she was so cute, and so appreciative of us running it. However, if this becomes the one thing I start at Arbour, I will be VERY disappointed. It's not necessarily my cup of tea, but I don't mind doing it..another thing is that the venue for the after school club we were going to start on wednesdays is only available on fridays..because that day doesnt work for anyone, we are at a standstill..so I guess we will see what happens with that..but the lunch club we go to for an hour is really fun. I am getting to know a lot of the girls in it, and form relationships with them. hopefully we can figure out the other club and get it up and running....

So now for COMPLETELY CHANGING THE SUBJECT...I went to Paris this past weekend!!!!
I have decided a few things about Paris...It's definitely nice to see all the sights, but the whole not knowing french thing, and the fact that the french tend to not really like Americans made me ready to be back in London by the end of the trip. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely glad we went, but I have no strong desire to go back anytime soon..I feel as though if I knew french, it would've been a different story..like when I went to Spain, I know Spanish and was able to get around and all that jazz, so I LOVED being there. But I guess my French 1 in high school didn't cut it for a weekend in Paris..hahaha

Anyway..so we left the flats at like 630 AM to get to Kings Cross Station and take the eurostar there..it was definitely a really cool experience, even if it did cost a little more..I loved being able to drive through the countryside, and see a different side of England..hopefully I can end up back to that part of England sometime soon..It was also cool seeing the Paris skyline as we pulled into the train station..We pulled into the station, got our metro tickets, and headed to Montemarte, which is the area of Paris we were staying in and it was absolutely gorgeous. The streets are lined with houses and little shops, and it was a really nice area to live in that wasn't a city...our hostel wasn't all that bad..i think it used to be a former hotel, because there were signs that said hotel all over the place..but yeah..minus the fact that the walls were super thin and i woke up one morning to our loud french neighbors barfing, i'd say for a first time being in a hostel, it wasn't bad AT ALL. we had our own bathroom, and didn't spend a whole lot of time in it either..AND breakfast was included, so that's always a plus...

Once we checked into the hostel, we hiked up hill and stairs to see the Sacre Coeur, which is this GORGEOUS church in Montemarte. It was definitely one of the best things we saw all weekend...Another girl in my program and I decided that we wanted to pay to climb the top, and I'm definitely glad I did because I think it was a better experience than being on the Eiffel Tower (more on that later)...we climbed up the 300+ narrow steps to get to the dome in the top, and we could walk around and see the entire city skyline..and I forgot to mention that it was an absolutely GORGEOUS day. It was blue skies, not really cloudy, and absolutely ideal weather..it was lovely :) So after the Sacre Coeur, we decided to head over to the Eiffel Tower..on our way there we stopped at Les Invalides, which is where Napoleon is burried..we walked into the area, and found that it was 8 euro to see his tomb, so we decided to keep on going to the Eiffel Tower..Of course I took some great pictures along the way...We got to the Eiffel Tower, and going with the theme of the day it was CLEAR blue skies, and absolutley gorgeous. So all the pictures I have of the Eiffel Tower have a picturesque background, with no dark clouds anywhere..it was awesome..we then decided to go to the top..sadly you couldn't go to the very top, but I was able to go to the 2nd level which was still really cool..a few of us decided to walk because it was cheaper and more of a fun story, so we went up the 700+ stairs to the second level and got there as soon as the sun was setting, so needless to say I got some more really amazing pictures...after we left the Eiffel Tower, we headed back to Montemarte to eat, and ended up at this really sketch cafe thing, with some older man who kept trying to talk to us in English..he was definitely drunk, and we were all realllyyyy creeped out by him...After we ate we went and got CREPES. and they were absolutely delicious :)

The next day we woke up and headed to Versailles..and it was also really really gorgeous..The palace is definitely one of the most pretty ones that I've seen, and what was really cool about it was the gold gates at the entrance..it was really cool..we spent pretty much all day at the palace, but not necessarily by choice..one of the members of our group decided that it was a smart idea not to top up his phone before he left for Paris, and then spent forever in Versailles, and nobody knew where he was and we had no way to contact him..so pretty much we were waiting around for him for 2+ hours..it was not fun...we did however find this really cute cafe on our way back to Montemarte, so that made up for it because it was delicious..the baguettes are so delicious!! We got back to Montemarte and headed to the Arche de Triomphe, which was really cool..When we got there, they were actually setting up to do the daily ceremony they have for their tomb of the fallen solider, so we stayed for that, and it was really cool because as it was happening the sun was setting, so the Arche got lit up, and we could see the Eiffel Tower light show from it as well, and it was soooo pretty...After the Arche we headed back to the Eiffel Tower to see the light show up close, but we did so after stopping for crepes..again..and they were delicious..I had one with nutella and banana. it was so good...we were able to catch the light show, and then head back to the hostel and we just all hung out and played Foosball and such...

We lucked out and were in Paris on the first sunday of the month, which means that all the museums are FREE!!!! so that is what we did the last day..But first, we woke up and went to see Notre Dame, which was really gorgeous..If you ever go, don't just be in awe by the front, and definitely take a few minutes and walk around the entire thing..because when we were waiting for our group, I decided to just stroll around it and the other side was so much prettier than the front, and there weren't 20 million people, so it was really cool..When we got to the front, I was attacked by pigeons..legit..I was walking around taking pictures, and all of a sudden this HUGE flock of pigeons came right at me, and I tried to get out of the way but there were so many I failed..then I moved, and not even two seconds later they came back..I walked out of the area laughing, and of course all my friends saw it..it was slighlty embarrassing, but still really funny and makes for a good story..haha..what was also really cool about Notre Dame was that it was a Sunday, so we were able to see some of mass and hear the organs..it was really pretty..the inside of the cathedral was really magnificent, and all the stained glass was sooo pretty..After Notre Dame we headed to the Louvre, and spent a couple hours there..I saw the Venus de Milo, and of course, Mona. I must say though, everyone I talked to was right..the Mona Lisa is SO STINKIN SMALL!! holy crap..it was really anti climatic, and there were soooooo many people that were there...I saw a bunch of other exhibits within the Louvre, and its definitely a museum you need like a whole day in, because it is HUGE!!! After the Louvre, a friend and I walked to around the area, and got crepes off the street..and it was delicious.. we also got coffee, so I was ready to go for the next museum..We left the Louvre and walked to the Musee d'Orsay, which has a lot of Van Gough, Monet and Manet. I actually liked this one more than the Louvre..It was less crowded, and I really like Monet so I loved all the different portraits they had of his..also, it wasn't as overwhelming as the Louvre was, and I feel given the time we had in it I was able to appreciate it more...After the museums we headed back to Montemarte, and stopped at a baguette place along the way..Mine had chicken, cheese, some kind of spice, and tomato..it was delicious..I also had a strawberry cheesecake type thing, which was also SOOOOO good...We then just relaxed in the hostel for a bit, and then did the one thing which I was REALLY looking forward too..WENT AND SAW THE MOULIN ROUGE!! for those of you who don't know, Moulin Rouge is my FAVORITE movie...and so of course, we had to go and see the real thing..In case anyone didn't know, it's where the can can was invited! haha..Luckily it was only like ten minutes away from the hostel, so we hopped on the metro and went and found it. I was so happy, and the girls I was with were all in love with the movie like I am, so it made it that much more enjoyable. We walked back to the metro, and decided to eat crepes again..I wasn't in the least bit hungry, but I decided to eat one anyway..oops!! hahaha..it was delicious and I enjoyed every bite...I didn't watch the superbowl, which was kind of a let down..but we did have to wake up super early to catch a train, and the game didn't even start until midnight in Paris, so it would've been crazy..We caught our train, and made it back to London where they drive yet again on the wrong side of the road, but speak English!! haha

So I'm back in London now, and staying here for a few weeks until Meghan and I head to Dublin!! which will be really cool, I'm excited..so until later, I hope you enjoyed my winded blog entry...enjoy the snowstorm!!

Cheerio :)