Jours 32-34

Bonjour tout le monde!

Jours 32-34

May 27-May 29

So I always hate writing about days or things that happened that kind of suck, because I feel like I’m complaining about my life when I have nothing to complain about. I mean I am living in Paris, what could go wrong? But I have to say, there were definitely some things that happened this weekend that I wish I could have avoided. However, there were also a lot of amazing things that happened.

Friday was a very good, but very long day. I ended up doing walk #13, which was in the seizieme arrondisement. However, the walk ended in the Bois de Bologne, and Tara Kay and I took the wrong path and ended up getting a little bit lost out there.

In the bois de Bologne

 I then went to the Jardin de Tuileries to relax, and I ended up falling asleep in my chair because I was so exhausted. Then I went to go eat dinner in the Passage des Panoramas. Melissa had gone home earlier that day, and there was a strike going on so she had to wait over 40 minutes to take the train into Paris. Once we were finally all together the dinner was quite delicious! I talked to the waiter a little bit before in French, and he thought I spoke French well so he kept trying to talk to me in French and I had absolutely no idea what I was saying.

After, we went to go see the Eiffel tower lights again, and then we tried to rent bikes to bike from the Eiffel tower to the Notre Dame. However, the machine broke down on us after we spent a half hour getting everyone’s bike, so the last person in our group didn’t have a bike so we ended up just going home. However, on the way home we realized we took the wrong exit so we ran to the other side before the metro doors closed. However, my friend dropped her metro pass and it fell down into the tracks. We spent about 20 minutes trying to find someone to get it out, and finally we were able to use a little claw thing to get it out of the tracks. Luckily, we were able to make it on one of the last trains out of Paris to get home.

Eiffel tower at night

Saturday morning was amazing. My great uncle and aunt were in Paris for one day, and it happened to be my birthday! We were able to go to Giverny where Monet’s house was. We saw the inside of his house which was so cute and his room was just filled with his paintings.

Outside of Monet's House

Inside of Monet's room

 His gardens were absolutely stunning. The lily pads, the beautiful bridge, the flowers, everything was incredible. 

With my great aunt in the gardens

Just in the gardens

We went to the little town next door, Vernon, for a delicious lunch of steak and fries and some ice cream. After, we went back into Paris and rested at my friends’ apartment while it down poured outside. My friends ended up falling asleep, and we didn’t leave the apartment till about 7:30. The whole day I was looking forward to hot chocolate at Angelinas, but of course, it was closed by the time we got there. Also, the amazing gelato in the park right next to it was closed. The only snack that we could find that was open was Starbucks, so I got myself a delicious Frappuccino. After, I met up with my roommate Bailey at the arc de triomphe, and I figured I was in France so I should probably do something French and go up it. However, the line was so long that we just decided not to do it. After, I had a wonderful birthday dinner at Chipotle, how American. Finally, we went home and I went right to sleep.

Sunday was a great day. I went to church in the morning, and I could actually understand the majority of what was being said. Also, it’s mother’s day here in France so they handed out flowers to all of the girls there. After, my friends and I went over to Angelinas. It was amazing. I got the mother’s day deal with a bunch of different little pastries, little sandwiches and of course the delicious hot chocolate. At the end, the waiters gave me the most beautiful rose for my birthday. 

Some of the people that went to Angelinas

My rose I got

We came home, and Melissa and I gave our host mom a little painting from Giverny and a flower. We had a really nice dinner with delicious chocolate, and we just spent the rest of the day relaxing and doing homework. It is crazy to think that this is my last week in Paris, it’s actually so sad.

À Bientôt,

Claire Hunsaker

Promenade #13: Seizième Arrondissement

Bonjour tout le monde!

May 27, 2016

Today was a big day! Today was the day I finished my last walk, walk #13, which was in the seizième arrondissement (which is essentially just one of the neighborhoods in Paris). This walk was very long but I loved it! The walk started at the Allée des Cygnes, a long narrow artificial island in the middle of the Seine. 

Allée des Cygnes

At the end was a miniature statue of liberty, but we could only see the backside. Then we walked around this little park and a couple of houses. 

Mini Statue of Liberty

Then we went into la maison de Balzac. Balzac was a famous French author and this was where he wrote some of his famous novels.

Garden outside Balzac's house

On the inside of Balzac's house

After, we walked down the rue de passy, and went into the Jardins du Ranelagh. In the Jardin du Ranelagh there was a statue of Jean de la Fontaine, a famous French author who wrote many children’s poems that are very famous in France.

Statue of Jean de la Fontaine

After we went to the Musée Marmatton Monet. I LOVED this museum. I loved seeing Monet’s paintings, and it was perfect timing because the next day I would be going to Monet’s house.

One of the paintings in the Musée Marmatton

After we went into Paris’s biggest park, the Bois de Boulogne. This park is huge and gorgeous, with ponds, trails, trees, flowers and more. We actually took the wrong direction and walked for a very longtime in the Bois de Boulogne, but it was so pretty that it didn’t matter. 

Just one of the pretty views in the Bois de Boulogne

Overall, I was very glad I got to walk around the Bois de Boulogne, and Monet’s paintings made me so excited to go to Giverny!

À Bientôt,

Claire Hunsaker

Jours 28-31

Bonjour tout le monde!

Jours 28- 31

May 23-26

The beginning of this week consisted of me trying to catch up on sleep and actually be in my right mind. The craziness of Barcelona + sleeping in an airport=feeling like death. On Monday, we got back early so Melissa, Stephanie and I just hung around for an hour before class started. After class, Melissa and I went straight home and slept. However, I just started reading a good book and so instead of taking a longer nap I read, probably not the best idea. We made some pizza for dinner (made as in put frozen pizza in the oven), did homework and went to bed.

On Tuesday I was feeling a little bit more like myself, and I was able to do a walk today. After class, Melissa, Stephanie and I took pictures next to this cool graffiti wall next to our school because we felt “hyper-cool” with our leather jackets and my corn rows in my hair (don’t judge).

Looking "super Parisian" as we stand for photos in front of a graffiti wall

 Then we started walk number nine which I really enjoyed. We started outside the louvre, and there was this cool super touristy I Love Paris monument thing that we got some pictures with. 

This hashtag is very accurate

We went to an antique jewelry store, through the garden of the Palais Royal, and then to the Bourse. In front of the bourse there was this market which was fun to shop around in. Then we went to the Passage des Panoramas. I love this street! There were so many cute shops, some had cute dishes, others masks, others toys, it was all just so nice! We decided we needed to come back for dinner sometime. After, Melissa and I just headed home and caught up on homework, shopping and chores like laundry.

Masks at one of the shops inside

So we also have another girl that lives with our host family. She's about twelve years old, and she lives with our host-family so that she can go to school in Rueil-Malmaison which has a really goods arts program. We were able to see the performance, and she got to dance for us. They did character and ballet, and I was amazed that it was a school that was teaching these performances and not a private organization. Some of the girls were even on pointe! 

One of the performances at the middle school showcase

On Wednesday we did walk number 14 which I really enjoyed, however, for lunch we stopped at this DELICIOUS pastry shop next to our school which we just found out existed. I had an Indian chicken sandwich and it was my favorite sandwhich I have eaten here in France. Also, their patisseries are so good, and I’ve eaten way too much of them my stomach feels sick. We went through walk 14, and we spent a while in the Parc Monceau. While relaxing the most adorable little French boys came up to us with foam swords and started fighting us. French children are the cutest with their little accents. 

Screenshot of the creepy video I took of the adorable boys

After, I was able to see my friend’s apartment, and then Melissa and I headed home. Also, I found out a couple weeks ago that Giselle, a super famous ballet, was going to be performing at the Palais Garnier (probably the most beautiful building I had ever seen) while we were here in Paris. I looked and looked for tickets, but they were all sold out and there was none to be found anywhere. However, yesterday I decided to check again and there was ONE ticket for next Thursday and in the orchestra and I bought it and I am beyond excited to go!!
Thursday was a nice and relaxing day. We ended up just hanging around this modern art fountain for three hours, and I wrote my composition. Then I was able to do walk 7 again with friends,which was cool because I was able to see an ancient wall, and go completely through the museum which I wasn't able to do last time. Melissa and I came home, bought a 77 cent baguette and made ourselves some soup for dinner. After dinner I went on a run along the Seine, which is one of my favorite things to do.

View from my run on the Seine

Life here in Paris is amazing. I just wish it was a little more warm.

À Bientôt,

Claire Hunsaker

Promenade #14: Eighteenth-Century Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Bonjour tout le monde!

May 19, 2016

Today was a beautiful day and I was able to do walk number 14. This included Musée Jacquemart-André, the gorgeous Parc Monceau, and the Musée Nissim de Camando.

This walk started at the Musée Jacquemart. This museum is privately owned, so it is the only museum so far that we actually had to pay to go into. This “museum” was essentially a tour of the private residence of Jacquemart-André and his wife. These two people lived an amazing life. They were art collectors and often toured the world, especially Italy, to get new art. They lived in such a beautiful place, and I was very thankful to have an audio-guide to learn all about it.

Outside of the Musée Jacquemart-André

Inside of the Musée Jacquemart-André

Next, we went to Parc Monceau, a park that I have wanted to go to since I got to Paris. I love parks here in Paris, and this one is my second favorite (just behind Jardin de Luxembourg).  There were beautiful trees, ponds and flowers and the park was decorated by “ruins” which were put in when the park was built.

At Parc Monceau

The famous shot at Parc Monceau

After relaxing for a while at the park we went to the Musée Nissim de Camondo. This was such a gorgeous house, and it was really interesting because we were able to see bathrooms and the kitchen. Normally we just see bedrooms and sitting rooms. Overall, I liked being able to look into the lavish lives of the rich and famous of the 18^th century, and Parc Monceau was absolutely gorgeous.

One of the many rooms inside of the Musée Nissim De Camondo

Outside the Musée Nissim de Camondo

À Bientôt,

Claire Hunsaker