Musings of a Princess

Last weekend was the ISA Loire Valley excursion, which meant an early AM, which not sure if you guys know this or not, but that is kind of hard after a late night at the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower

Never coming home...

But, managed to make it to the bus stop and get on the bus, where everyone passed out and slept until we got to our first destination: Château de Blois. It is located in the center of the city - so it was a tad weird to be driving into the city and taking all this tightly weaving streets in a big bus, but our bus drive was awesome and managed to get us there all in one piece - I have decided that I should take up bus driving because it would make driving a horse trailer look like child's play. But, back to the château - it was really cool! We had a guided tour, it rained of course, and then had free time for lunch. Best part was when we walked out the city's market was still going, and right outside of the castle were pens that had goats, sheep and a calf! I might have started to jump up and down and requested multiple pictures of me and the calf.

Château de Blois

View from inside

View from the courtyard

After that we loaded back onto the bus and went to our next castle: Château de Chenonceau. This château is built over a river and has both an Italian and French garden. It was gorgeous and I really enjoyed that we were just turned loose with a small paper guide instead of a tour guide so that we could wander at our own pace. Once again, it had animals but we didn't get to see them - no one really wanted to go with me to the 16th century farm or the donkey park. After we got back on the bus, we all napped again - all this outdoor activities, fresh air and rain meant that all of us were exhausted. We then got a surprise trip to a winery for a tour and some wine tasting. It was really cool. We got to taste seven different varieties: four whites, two reds and a sparkling white wine that was much like a champagne but since we weren't in the Champagne region it technically couldn't be classified as such. We also got to have some local goat cheese and bread. Pretty much qualified as dinner. We then bused to our hotel and were left on our own to find dinner, which we did, and then went to bed early.

Château de Chenonceau

View from Garden entrance

View from Inside

The next morning we got breakfast at the hotel and pretty much stuffed our faces - I mean, unlimited breakfast that was basically free?! Then we had a guided visit at our third and final château: Château de Chambord. And the weather was fantastic! It was gorgeous!! After our tour, we got time to eat and then had the option to either motorboat the moat in a group of 5 or take bikes. We took the bikes. And that was kind of a bad choice. The bikes take four people - the two in back pedal and steer, while the two in front enjoy the view. We didn't really figure that out until we tried to go and found that we couldn't move the dang thing. So we split into two groups of two, but still, it was a lot of work. But then we figured out that it meant it was ok to stuff our faces at the cookie tasting that happened afterwards, where we also got to have some kir. Once that was over, back on the bus and back to Paris.

Château de Chambord

View from Courtyard

I am moving here! 

Princess in her castle 

Château de Chambord (view from the bike ride)

Since then, nothing much has gone on, except for midterms and the theatre. Had a french midterm today and have a fashion one on Thursday. Went to the theatre last night with ISA to see "How to Become a Parisian in an Hour" and it was hilarious. Well, I would say that I would try and post before I leave for Morocco, but that isn't very likely to happen at all, so no updates until after Morocco!

From l'Arc de Triomphe to the Seine

I have to apologize once again for these long breaks in between updates, I wish I had a good excuse, but all I really have is that I AM IN PARIS! So forgive me if updating my blog isn't that high on my to-do-list.

Now, where did I leave off...? That's right - going to Normandy with the family. I can now successfully say that I survived taking the train by myself and only with one tiny-weeny-ittty-bitty meltdown that was thankfully stopped before it really got rolling by the info desk attendant. In my defense, my train wasn't listed on the big screen with all the other ones and since I can't read minds yet, I didn't know where to find it. 

So off to Bayeaux I went and lo and behold, yet again, I can't pack to save my life. I brought for a weekend: TOMS, black flats, leggings, one short-sleeve dress top and my trench coat. And really what I should have brought was UnderArmor top and bottom, boots, wool socks, sweaters and jeans. If that is indication to my poor packing skills and how the weather turned out, I'm not sure what else is. 

First night in Bayeaux (we stayed at Chateau de Sully), had dinner at La Rapière and it was AMAZING. 

Tarte aux Pomme at La Rapière

View from my room at Chateau de Sully 

Saturday we had an all day tour, including the American Cemetary, Omaha & Utah beaches, a lot of the country side, Église St-Marie and the Airborne Museum. Honestly, in my opinion, there was too much driving around the countryside to see small monuments (which was really cool, don't get me wrong), but I would have much preferred more time at the Cemetary and Omaha beach (plus, Utah beach wasn't as cool, and really, it was just a beach: some sand, wet, windy, the ocean). But, the big point/reminder here is back to what I was (or wasn't wearing) - by the end of the day, my TOMS were sopping wet (hell, by the time we got on the bus they were wet), I was cold and hungry and sick of being wet and having to put up and then down and then up again my bright red umbrella. So, I was very glad to return to the hotel and it's sauna and finally get warm again. So, heads up if you travel to Normandy, bring lots of layers, the correct shoes, spare socks and just be ready to be wet and cold. 

Dad & I near Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach

American Cemetery 

Sunday, we were up early to head back to Paris. I was dropped off at the train station and came back to get ready to go to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - the biggest race in Europe outside of the Dubai World Cup. It was a lot of fun and would love to get back to see some more horse racing. 

Katerina & I at Longchamp Racecourse

Winners of l'Arc de Triomphe: Solemia &  P. Olivier

Monday morning, meet up with the family again for brunch and then went to l'Arc de Triomphe and climbed to the top - thankfully it wasn't as many stairs as Sacré Coeur so wasn't as scary either. After that we wandered down les Champs d'Elysées, Rue de Rivoli and Rue de St. Honoré. I successfully booked my fall break flights for Morocco!!! And then finished off the night with dinner at an amazing italian joint (where we had eaten once already) - Il Suppli. I highly recommend it. 

View down spiral staircase in l'Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower in distance from l'Arc de Triomphe

Mounted Patrol along Champs d'Elyssées

So, since the big weekend has been wrapped up. I feel like I don't really need to delve into details of school and what I do every single day when I'm not updating this blog, so I'm just going to hit on the key points.

Wednesday, the ISA group had a tour at the Mosque and then tea and pastries afterwards. The Mosque was beautiful, the tea was wonderful and the pastries were oh-so-sweet. 

Friday morning came really early after my late Thursday night, so a nap was required after class was done at noon. And then I meet up with a few friends and we went and had baguettes and wine next to the Seine. You really can't get more Parisian than that! It was a wonderful night and had lots of fun and good laughs. We have decided that it needs to happen more often, because honestly it is relatively cheap and worth the laughs and memories! 

Notre-Dame from the Seine at night

The best of America drifts to Paris. The American in Paris is the best American. It is more fun for an intelligent person to live in an intelligent country. France has the only two things toward which we drift as we grow older—intelligence and good manners. 

- F. Scott Fitzgerald

We'll always have Paris. - Casablanca

Musta Had A Good Time*

Musta had a good time* (10 points to whoever can name that song) if I haven't been updating as regularly. I have been a tad busy, between classes and homework and classes and traveling and enjoying time in Paris. But just a brief update then I guess, since it has been 12 days since I last blogged. My bad guys, sorry.

Well the last I had posted, I had just done an ISA group walking tour of Montmatre. It was really cool, lots of walking (3 hours give or take all over Montmatre and it's stairs and cobbled streets). The next day was the ISA group trip to Versailles, where we got to tour the palace and then wander the surrounding gardens for the afternoon. Ended up walking to Marie-Antoinette's Dutch village at the edge of the property where there are actual animals, which pretty much made my day. Actually, looking forward to the next trip there this coming weekend so that I can find the pony rides...I mean, they must have some pony that needs a tune-up...

Montmatre

Versailles

Versailles - Gardens

Marie-Antoinette's Dutch Village

That weekend was a good weekend to catch up on sleep, as well as spent time by the Eiffel Tour, just chilling as well as the Arc de Triomphe, which lead into the first week of school! Since I don't have class on mondays, I got to sleep in and went real grocery shopping and made a chicken noodle casserole - it was scrumptious. And then watched the Hangover with Katerina - a classic and such a classy way to finish off the weekend.

Tuesday then meant it was my first day of school - so I was kind of nervous but survived! Skip forward a few days, here's the over view of the week. Classes are all good. French is different, but is really grammar/writing & speaking based so that is going to be really good. I have yet to have my art class (tomorrow is the first day) because the real first day was canceled. French songs and films is a lot of fun - so far, we have listened to about 5 songs, none of which I have known or recognized, and watched 2 movies, both of which I have seen before. But out of all my classes, my French fashion class is my favorite. The teacher is a riot and the class is full of friends, plus we only do like an hour and a half lecture, then go to an exhibition or museum for another lecture/tour. Fridays I only have class in the morning so by midday I'm home catching up on Grey's and OMG. This year's premiere was wonderful, though I'm not sure they did Minnesota justice with their representation of us - they kind of over did the whole Minnesota Nice thing.

Friday night, the family was in town and with them came my suitcase full of clothes!!! YAY!!!!!! -- I had no type of jacket or really anything heavier than a cardigan -- and since the suitcase has arrived, I have worn every single jacket at least once. Had dinner Friday night at a really cute french restaurant off St Michael, Cepe Figue - had a mushroom ravioli, a beef burguignon and a creme brulée.

The next day we all headed up to Lille via the train, where we meet up with some family friends, who took us to Brugge (BELGIUM) which was gorgeous and awesome and I would move there in a heartbeat. Spent the day in Brugge wandering around town, eating french fries and drinking Belgium beer (well, I was sticking with a Cocoa-Cola, but that is ONLY because I got car sick) and enjoying yummy Belgium chocolate.

Brugge

Old dog in window above the river

Came back to Lille (FRANCE) for dinner at an awesomely cute and quaint restaurant, le Barbue d'Anvers, where I had this really yummy stew and some darn-tootin' good french fries. Sunday morning was spent in Lille where we went to a cute lil' farmers' market, but not just any farmers' market, it is more like a farmers' market + flea market + outdoor get together + outdoor and indoor markets for anything and everything. It was really cool. Then wandered around downtown/old Lille, stopped for food and beers before heading back to train station to return to Paris.

Lille

Sunday I was left to entertain the fam, so we went up to the Montmatre area in hopes that I could maybe recreate the 3 hour walking tour that I had gone on earlier with ISA. Ya, that was a silly thought. We got there and I had no real idea of where to go, so we wandered following a vague map until we came upon the Montmatre Cemetary. And it was so cool - I mean, there are graves from the late 1800s and early 1900s as well as ones as new as the 2000s. And they are just all so unique and all sprawled around, yet in some type of fashion. From there we wandered past le Moulin de la Galette, where I was able to kinda ramble about how it for all of 30 secs. And then eventually we came to Sacre Coeur where we decided to see the crypt and the dome. The crypt wasn't as cool as it was made out to be, but the dome was worth every one of the daunting 300 steps. It was AWESOME. I would actually do the dome again, not sure it means I will be game for the Eiffel Tour. Then had dinner at a really good italian restaurant off St Michael - like, if I could afford to eat there every night, I would - that is how good it was.

Sacre Coeur's crypt

On the way up to the dome

View from the dome

View from the dome

Today marked the start of the second week of school. But, for now, I am off to write a french paper on my family history and this weekend's plans include the family again, but now off to Normandy. I will try and update sooner rather than later.

*post/song title is "Musta Had A Good Time* by Parmalee