Saturday was a really nice day overall. We planned to meet Penny and Dr. Long at Montmarte. We got there 40 minutes early so we walked around the streets a bit and stopped in all the cute little shops. One store had a bunch of interesting homeware type of things so I got mom a gift there. I think she will really like it and if she doesn't, I think Caitlin will.
We met up with the Longs and waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Only four people from our group were not there. We started walking up the hill to Sacre Coeur and the streets were jam-packed with people. I guess that's what you get for a Saturday at 2:30. There are a ton of touristy shops on the way up the hill and they all sell the exact same things at different prices. There are a few different levels before you get up to Sacre Coeur so we stopped at all of them to take pictures. It was the perfect day and the sky was like a postcard so my pictures turned out really cool.
You have to take stairs up to the top and they were kind of slanted so it was hard to walk at times. I can't wait to see mom try and do this. We got to one level where there were a bunch of army looking men with machine guns and we took pictures with them and I think it made their day. We waited in line to go inside, but we couldn't take pictures inside. It was beyond beautiful inside. The stain glass and all the detail was amazing. You could pay 2 euro and light a candle and leave it there, but I didn't do that. You walk around the perimeter and there are all these little stations honoring saints and holy people. There is one station for St. Peter and everyone rubs his foot so it is all tarnished and worn. They had a lot of stuff for Pope John Paul II including a book you could leave a message in. All the stainglass windows and the inscriptions were so pretty I was bummed I couldn't get any pictures. There were some people in the pews praying but there wasn't a mass going on.
We finished walking around the church and went outside and listened to a guy playing the harp. It was so pretty and scenic. We walked more into the village of Montmarte and got lunch at this cute cafe. The inside was so interesting and modern. I got a salami, lettuce and tomato sandwich. It was a little plain but very good. I loved the bread it was a little tough but soft on the inside. We left and bought some stuff at all the stores around, but mainly took a lot of pictures. There were a bunch of artists selling things on the streets and some of them were really interesting but I'm not about to pay 40 euro for a painting the size of my thumb. We walked some more and decided to come back another day to go to the Dali museum. We shopped some more and then headed to the Moulin Rouge.
The Moulin Rouge was shocking to say the least. There are sex shops and peep shows everywhere. Not exactly my thing but it was kind of funny to see. We walked past the Museum of Erotic Art and I don't think I need to go there before I leave. The Moulin Rouge wasn't what I expected it to be. I guess I expected a more village type feel and more vintage looking, but it was very modern and in a city setting.
We headed back home because everyone was starting to drag and I talked to Anthony for a while. We think taking some time apart might be the best thing right now. I am in a different country and we are still fighting about dumb things. I am hoping that this time apart, being under such extreme circumstances, will help us appreciate and respect each other more. We plan on not talking much, not that it is very easy to talk anyway. I want to enjoy my time here as much as I can and I think it will be one of the biggest growing experiences. I didn't think I could come here, with no friends and not much knowledge about the country, and here I am quickly adapting to things.
I really feel like I am in Chicago and everyone speaks French. It is a strange feeling. It is like any big city; they have monuments and famous spots and a lot of tourists. The metro is similar to Chicago's, but easier to pick up. The food is a little different, but good. Overall I don't feel that far from home when I can relate things to Chicago.
I am excited for the rest of the trip because I am getting to experience such exciting things, but I am sad that it took me coming to Paris to realize that things need to be different with me and Anthony. I am not going to let what is going on between us hold me back because I need to be pushed out of my comfort zone. I just want to get into the swing of things with school and then I will feel more settled.
I am excited to get a feel for the city and show mom and dad around when they get here. Today is Sunday and we have nothing planned so I'm not sure what I will do. I woke up at 1 p.m. Guess I needed the sleep. Tomorrow is our orientation at school and then at night we will be going to a classical music concert, which I am VERY excited about. I will post about that either Monday night or on Tuesday.
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