10 locations

places that i have been to that have not been mentioned in a post because i either forgot about it, wanted to post pictures but could not, or found it unnecessary to really put in a post.

1. croisière (18/10): cruise on the seine with katie and mathias.  a lot of fun, lots of people.  a not-so-good buffet, but for the cost of ten euro for food and a cruise, it was a great deal.  we met a french guy named quentin and he was quite a character.  outside was really really cold; good thing i brought a handwarmer. and going under the bridges, make sure you yell and scream. 

2. versailles (08/11): beautiful and great even on a cold and gloomy day.  spent a couple hours inside the castle learning new things about paris and france from a french friend.  i tried my audioguide in french, but that failed. pictures 

3. mcdonalds (08/11): after versailles.  it was the most beautiful mcdonalds i have ever been to. clean and modern.  on the other side of the restaurant there was of course, a café with expresso drinks and pasteries. we were probably at mcdonalds longer than versailles. 

4. night time louvre (14/11): after work, some friends and i checked out the museé de louvre because it is free for students under twenty-six.  the louvre is also open later on fridays, so we were able to make it the last hour.  we spent less than an hour there, but it was fun.  we probably spent more time talking to each other than taking in the artwork, but we have plenty of fridays left in time that we will be here. 

5. starbucks (16/11): katie and i were in america for just two hours in france.  it was worth the 4,30€ hot chocolate i ordered.  by the way, katie and i were wondering if the holiday specials are the same or different: a cherry cookie flavored hot drink or a creme brulée hot drink?  do they have them in the states?  to some, they would be against going to a starbucks in france since it is not french, but i dont care and there are few places that i can spread all my stuff around when studying.  i do not think real cafés appreciate that.

 6. my berry. aka pinkberry.  i have not been to a pinkberry, but katie says they are practically the same thing.  i think they are owned by the same comany because they have the same colors and text. regardless, we eat it at least once a week.  two if we get lucky and sucked into spending the expenses on such a expensive dessert. worth it.

7. la marais. shopping and super busy on saturday with shops and falafels!  its the jewish quarter in france.  so much fun to walk around and window shop the high fashion and the vintage shops. im on the prowl for boots, although i do not know if i am really into them. i think im just giving in to french fashion or girl fashion. 

8. churches: american church of paris and hillsong. i still go to the american church of paris, but friend barrett and i tried the hillsong church waaay across town.  it was really cool because it was in french and english! it was really fun to sing songs we knew in english in french. 

9. andré citroen-parc: a really beautiful park not too far away from my house. this is where i met my old-man conversation friend (by the way, we do not meet anymore).  i had been there when i visited france in high school, but i forgot how great it is.  there is this big hot-air balloon like balloon that goes up in the air where you can see the whole city (even though i think there are actually a lot of places to get the whole city view: eiffel tower, sacré-coeur, montparnasse, notre-dame). sometimes the balloon goes up and night and it looks like the moon. 

10. stupid préfecture: this is where i am supposed to get my carte de séjour, aka my residence card. i have gone to the place about four times now and still have no residence card. this is the most horrible process i have ever been through.  attempt one: check to see if you have papers, most of the time you do not, so you come back, but they give you an appointment to return. attempt two: waiting for four house in the mass of people who have the same appointment day to find out that i need another document that they did not tell me i needed to have at round one.  attempt three: same day, i get the paper, woman that was helping me was not there, found another person, she oks my papers, but then i am rejected from the head boss checkpoint. i need different papers. attempt four: better to go the préfecture in the afternoon because it is less crowded, but the lady helping me decides to take her lunch.  and french lunch is nothing like american lunch with a designated time frame.  wait for a little over an hour.  again rejected for new papers to find that they are bad and i need originals.  attempt five: tomorrow.  this better be the last time.

updated on 21/11/08
11. basement jazz club: met somewhat of a weird guy at school, but he was american and asked us what we were doing one night and invited us to a jazz club.  the jazz was really good and the atmosphere was very cozy and relaxing.  the guy is somewhat of a loner, not trying to be mean, but he is always at the school, but does not go to the school, claims he is in paris to find love and is somewhat condescending. he seemed legit and then he started talking crap. not my friend. 

12. american cathedral in paris: every friday this church serves lunch to the homeless.  it is very different than the missions and soup kitchens in the states.  only a limited number of people can sign up because there is limited space and a small kitchen.  but also, we actually serve the people, meaning, we are like their waiters/waitresses and get them what they need.  i love it.  its such an endearing concept and the connections are just way different than a buffet line.  and this meal, was definitely a french dejeuner with baguette, a crepe for dessert, and coffee at the end.  i was an avid poverello house kid in fresno and i am glad friend barrett told me about this activity.

 

only pictures that i have right now from the louvre; versailles later.