Wellington meets Paris

So this past weekend, my high school buddy Kelsey visited Monica, Melissa, and I in Paris. I was happy not only because us four were like the (4) Musketeers in high school (which one was D'Artagnan, though? who knows?) and we rarely get a chance to hang out together anymore (I am the only one who goes to an out-of-state college), but also because it gives me ample opportunity to be a ridiculous tourist without feeling guilty.


Kelsey arrived Wednesday, and since I had my once-a-week family dinner we stayed at the cite universitaire (Melissa's dorm) and talked for a little while. Thursday is my hell day (class from 9 to 5. Eeek) so I was happy, after the little sleep I had the night before (MGMT CONCERT HELL YEAH), to watch a play with Melissa and call it a night. The play itself was absolutely amazing-- "Des Gens" (more or less translated as "the people"), a quirky, hilarious, yet ultimately humanizing portrayal of insanity. (I'll include a review of it in Subbacultha soon)

Next day, I saw the Arc de Triomphe up close for the first time. Embarrassing, I know. It was raining and thus I couldn't quite get many artsy shots of the thing. Important, yes, but not my favorite monument:



I enjoyed the tomb of the unknown soldier more, in fact:



We strolled down the Champs-Elysees; also my first time in that little endeavor. Frankly I don't see the appeal of the Champs. It's pretty, yes-- but it's only stores, the equivalent of Michigan Ave in Chicago or Madison Ave in New York (if not 5th Ave, or a combination of the two). Needless to say I bought nothing, although I am in constant search of the perfect bowler hat, a la Rene Magritte... (ladies and gentlemen, take that as your hint for a Christmas present!)

We followed this by a pleasant stroll to the Tuileries. It suddenly became gorgeous; the sun set, and the sky, illuminated by city lights, became a soft lavender. Beautiful.



Dinner at Saint-Michel, again. I'm growing bored with Saint-Michel. As a neighborhood, interesting, and right next to both the Quartier Latin and the Notre Dame (really gorgeous to sit next to at night with a cup of hot chocolate). It is full of restaurants with 10-euro fixed-price dinners, but how good is the food, really? Unremarkable. Oftentimes I prefer an enormous shwarma sandwich for 5 euro, frites inclus. After dinner, a movie, and catching the last metro.

Saturday: Montmartre! Again! Amelie Cafe! Again! Saint-Michel for dinner! Again! But, got a chance to walk from the 18th to the 9th, and see the Opera, Galleries Lafayettes, and the Trinity Church.

Interior of the most obnoxious department store in the world, Galleries Lafayettes (plural? or singular? help?) :


And the gorgeous opera, commissioned by Napoleon III (sure beats the hell out of the Grand Projet opera Bastille):

Check out all of the people!

Unfortunately I also had to babysit that night, which in retrospect was not worth the few euros I received. Oh well. Here's to next weekend, and more exploring. Musee d'Orsay, maybe?