Week 3

Breakfast In American Blueberry Pancakes

B.I.A veggie omelet + hash-browns

We have been using Sundays in Paris as a day of rest. The weeks are so busy, so it is nice to have a break. My roommates and I went to a famous restaurant called "Breakfast in America" which is pretty self explanatory. We haven't really had a breakfast here, I buy yogurt from the supermarche and have a banana, so we were excited to get real breakfast food. It did not disappoint, as we all got an obscene amount of food. Later, I went on a much needed run around my neighbornood. I ran along the Seine and it was perfect running weather. It was in the upper 60's and beautiful.

Running bridges on the Seine

Monday consisted of dealing with the mysterious rash that Joanna discovered on my back when I was changing. It was very scary, but it turned out to be from an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin I had gotten from strep throat. My body seems to be rejecting the Parisian lifestyle. Thankfully, CEA is extremely helpful when this happens. They made me a dermatologist appointment for that afternoon, which unfortunately was not an "at-home" visit. It was difficult finding the office, because I had to take the RER, which I hadn't taken before and their stations are much more confusing than the simple metro. I also found out that French doctor's offices do not have reception desks when you walk in, so I was very confused on what room I should go in and if I was even in the right place. Luckily, after waiting in something that looked like a waiting room, the dermatologist came and got me and she was really nice. It was another experience of the French-English language difference, but in the end I think we understood each other. 

Much to my liking, we finally went to the famous falafel place that everyone had been telling us about for dinner after class. A Jewish part of Paris called Rue de Rosiers is famous for the dozens of falafel joints it has, and we went to the "best" one. I had never had a falafel before and it was right up my ally. It was fried falafels (hummus sort of fried balls) + cabbage + lettuce + taziki sauce in a pita. Yummy. Joanna and I went shopping the next morning in the area before class, and I got another one for lunch :)

I am doing my culture project on this place, where I am going to interview the men that work there, observe the people that go there and learn their story. Plus, it is an excuse to get more falafels. After dinner there on Monday night, we enjoyed the first sunny night we had seen in a long time, and walked to the famous Berthillon ice cream place by the Notre Dame. It was my first ice cream in Paris. I have not seen as many gelatto places this trip as I remember seeing in our previous visits. It lived up to its reputation as the best ice cream in Paris. I got chocolate and Hazelnut. MMM. We ate it sitting along the Seine, and then discovered that it was not too far to walk home from the Notre Dame. 

Tuesday night we went on the boat tour of the city which CEA had given us tickets for. We went with a group of about 10 of us which was fun. We went on the 10:30 boat tour so that we could see the city at night (it doesn't get dark until 10:30 here!) 

Boat Cruise

Wednesday we did not have culture class in order to work on our midterm essays, which meant we would get out from class at 3:30 instead of 6:30. We used this time to go to the Pompidou which is almost right next door to CEA. It is really hard to visit museums because we are in class during the hours they are open on Mon-Thurs, and the weekends haven't allowed the time. The first weekend I was sick, last weekend was Bastille Day, and this weekend we are going to the Loire Valley. Joanna and I have decided to stay in our apartment in Paris a few extra days, as CEA allows us to do this for about 20 euros a night, because we feel like there is still so much we haven't had time to do. We are supposed to be out next Saturday, but I think we are going to stay until our reservations in Interlaken on Tuesday night. I am really excited to not have classes so we can fill the days up with activities. 

The Pompidou was cool to go to. I have always wanted to visit it since I did a 7th grade French project on it. I enjoyed the building's architecture better than the art inside of it. The view from the building was incredible. Standing on the edge like that was very scary because the concrete blocks I am standing on kept coming loose. We went with some CEA classmates and then to a crepe place after for dinner.