Day 1 (10/22/06) ::: It took us over four hours to get back to Paris after stopping once and dropping a few people off around the city. After that, it was shower, eat, sleep, eat, sleep.
Day 2 (10/23/06) ::: My first time in Paris - so much to see! Let's just say I was very efficient the first day... cruising the landmarks and checking out the city. Sami dropped me off at the Arc de Triomphe before heading to school and after that I took the long walk down the Champs Elysees (a 5th Avenue-like stretch of mostly shops and restaurants), past the Obelisk, through the Tuilenes Gardens, all the way to the Pyramid and the Louvre. I even managed to find a marionette theater in the middle of the gardens! I decided to get the Da Vinci Code audio guide in the Louvre, which was an absolute blast...definitely a cool way to see a museum. Highlights were the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike, Greek Goddess of Victory) and the Venus de Milo.
After the museum, I explored the Palais Royal and Opera Garnier before meeting back up with Sami. He took me to the Galleries Lafayette, a GIGANTIC department store complex (think Bloomies x 5), whose interior is absolutely stunning. He also took me through the Louis Vuitton section where the hordes of Japanese tourists were lined up for their chance to by some authentic Parisian LV bags. Apparently LV puts a limit on the number of items each tourist can by and so the Japanese actually pay young Parisians to buy bags for them. The best item in the store had to be the white-fur-fanny-pack-type-bag with the infamous rainbow LV print. I'm so pissed I didn't get a picture with it on! After 
the department store, Sami took me by La Madeleine (parish church of Parisian high society, modeled after the Parthenon) and Place Vendome (luxury square, home to one of the three original Ritz hotels) before it started to pour. We made one quick dash to the real LV store on the Champs Elysses before taking the metro back to Nanterre to have dinner with Sami's family. I couldn't have imagined a nicer, more hospitable family - after yet another home cooked meal, Sami had to do school work so his parents took me out on the town! We drove to Montmarte, a hilltop area in the northern part of Paris and walked the streets, visited Cafe de Deux Moulins (from the movie Amelie), saw Sacre-Coeur (a beautiful white church that can be seen from all of the city), took in the view of Paris by night and then had a glass of wine in a little brassiere. To finish off the great evening, we drove past the shimmering Eiffel Tower on the way home! 
Day 3 (10/24/06) ::: I started my day in the Ile de La Cite, a small island in the middle of the city where Paris began. It was settled around 300 BC by a Celtic tribe, the Parisii and in 52 BC was overrun by Julius Caesar's troops. It's also home to the Cathedrale de Notre-Dame, one of the masterpieces of the Gothic age. I really enjoyed visiting Notre-Dame, but to be honest, I always thought it had a golden dome like the one at the university in the U.S. - I guess not! lol. Oh and for a split second I was tempted to hit the confessional...but reconsidered when I realized that it would probably take up the rest of my time in Paris. After my near cleansing, I had some proper French onion
soup and then made my way to the Catacombs, a giant quarry network underlying southern Paris (300km of tunnels!). The crazy part of the story is that the tunnels contain the remains of some six million Parisians, lined up throughout like a stone wall. Apparently in late 1700s the cemeteries were overcrowded and they had to find a place to store them. Soon there after they piled the bones decoratively and made it available to the public. CREEPY + WEIRD. After the house of bones, I went to the Montparnasse Tower, Paris' first skyscraper. I decided to take the elevator to the top because the view is as good as any other and from this point, you can actually see the Eiffel Tower along with the rest of Paris. Quite beautiful! 
After seeing the Eiffel Tower from above, I decided it was finally time to make my way over to see it up close. I never knew that it was originally intended to be a temporary structure for the 1889 World Fair. Pretty incredible considering what a symbol of the city it has become and... to think, all that NYC built was that ugly Unisphere-thingy in Flushing Meadows for the World Fair in the 60s. That night, I hung out with Sami's parents again... talking politics and watching a debate between some of the presidential candidates. Americans and the French do have something in common after all... we both think GWB is jacka$$!
Day 4 (10/25/06) ::: Time for a day trip to the Palace of Versailles! After only a 35-minute train ride from the center of Paris, I found myself at the sprawling grounds of the chateau, which were even bigger than I had imagined! Although the first part of the palace was built sometime long before, it wasn't until 1682, when King Louis XIV moved from Paris, that it became the center of power in France. For nearly a century there were extensive upgrades including the Hall of Mirrors (where the Treaty of Versailles was signed), the chapel and the theater. Each room is spectacular in its own right, but together this complex is simply awe-inspiring. And I haven't even mentioned the gardens yet! Actually, the gardens were my favorite part. I wish there was a way to adequately describe the extensive parterres (formal gardens), fountains and canals... and the scale... wow! I toured the grounds, had a very overpriced lunch in the gardens and then called it a day. Oh but one quick story before I forget - as I was getting off the train in Versailles, two young women from Uruguay asked me for directions and I wound up hanging out with them for most of the day. It turns out one of them works in for my future employer...small world (yet again!)
Day 5 (10/26/06) ::: After seeing almost all of the major sights, I was ready for a relaxing day. Well, that and I figured it was time to do at least *some* of my homework. I took the Metro to the Sorbonne - Paris' famous university neighborhood - and parked myself at a cafe for a few hours, reading though my assignments. After finishing my work and my lunch, I met up with Sami in Marais for a coffee before going home to Nanterre. That night, we decided it was finally time to see some Paris nightlife. We decided to do something a bit different and go to Nouveau Casino for some Swedish electro-pop. The venue was great and the music was interesting... we danced and laughed a bunch and I even had my picture taken with the Swedes. I think they were like 16 years old. Ha! 
Day 6 (10/27/06) ::: I took my time getting up and then made my way to Saint Germain to have some lunch and walk around a bit before meeting up with my roommate's friend from Costa Rica who happens to be living in Paris. We chatted a bit over cappuccino at a great cafe in Marais and then made our way to a fashion expo for young designers. I was *very* tempted by a great coat, but somehow managed to escape with all my cash. After stopping at a flower shop to buy a bouquet for my gracious hosts, I made my way back to the house for my final dinner in Paris. We celebrated my stay with a bottle of champagne, a 23-year old bottle of red wine and a traditional French dish (filet cooked in a "fondue" of oil at the table). It was delicious! After dinner we talked and drank a digestive liquor... Sami had to drag me away from the table in order to get ready for our big night out.
Finally... time to MAKE PARTY at Rex Club, the clubbers club of Paris. After listening to Sami bitch for a week about the scene in Paris, I wasn't too such what to expect. But actually, the party was off the hook... Sami and I were both really impressed with the music and the vibe in the club. Plus, they just installed a new sound system and the space is great.The opening DJ, Andy, played until 3am and layed down some really nice, danceable electro and techno. Thomas Schumacher came on from 3-5am and did his thing, playing a lot of his own jams including "Heat it Up" toward the end of his set. I enjoyed his music but expected a little more energy out of a headliner. He had a comfortably crowded floor and just didn't push it as I would have hoped. However, the good news is that he set things up nicely for D'Jedi to throw it down from 5-7am. I hadn't heard of him until my visit to Rex, but he was really awesome. I don't even know how to classify what he was playing, but I'll just say that I was thrashing HARD and non-stop for his entire set. And yes, we closed Rex Club after a 6-hour session of sweaty, crazy dancing. As expected... we came, we danced, we MADE PARTY.
Day 7 (10/28/06) ::: Finally, after an amazing 10-day tour, it's time to head back to BCN to regroup and go to class for a few days. After that, it's time to plan the next adventure!
No comments:
Post a Comment