Toulouse (continued)

I promised I would write the rest of my Toulouse adventures, so here it is! Sorry for the delay, and I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Uncle Eli took me to visit the city at night. We had a book that showed us the best route to take on foot so that we could see all the cool sites. We went to the main square to see the capital which was so cool-looking at night. In the center you can find your star sign engraved on the ground.

We saw lots of churches and pretty buildings, and even the well known Pont Neuf. Man, that is a beautiful bridge. The arcs form full circles with the reflection in the water, and at night it is lit up so nice. Furthermore, it changes colors! So pretty. Just imagine seeing that reflected on a still canal!

I went back to the city during the day with Tata Christelle, Anne-Elia, and Manoee. It was fun to see how it is in the daytime, too! We also got to see "La Maison de la Voilette." This is a small boat that hosts all kinds of things made from violets, which Toulouse is well-known for. It was so cool inside! They had everything from soap to liquor to candy, all made from violets. This is a must-see if you visit Toulouse.

Later, Christelle and I did a little shopping around and in the mall, and she showed me some really cute stores that I fell in love with. I also bought a couple of cute dresses at the market for some good deals.

Did I mention how well I ate with the Coquerel's? Very well! They introduced me to all kinds of great dishes. I had some Toulouse sausage that was grilled on kabobs, fondue, paella, lots of cheese, cassoulet (which I had in Carcasonne), escargot (yes, I tried snail, and it was good), and more! Bon appetit! The sirop de menthe was so refreshing on a warm day, and she made it from scratch. I love having baguettes! Merci, Christelle!!

It was fun reading, playing, drawing, and making jewelry with the girls. Eli and Christelle taught me a new game called Camelot, and I played Rummikub with them as well. Wow, what fun times. Though we were able to do so many things, it was much too short of a visit. I can't wait to go back, and hopefully then the girls will be out of school for break.

Now it is time to return back to Paris for the final few days where I will meet Giselle and friends. A bientot!

Toulouse

Welcome to Toulouse! Wow, it's been a long time since I have seen Uncle Eli, Tata Christelle, Eve-anne, and the first time I will be seeing Lys, Anne-elia, and Manoee.

I was welcomed by everyone as soon as I walked to the door or their pretty house. I learned a lot from the girls' books. We planned a trip to go to Carcasonne where we would see a Castle. It was beautiful! It was cool to see where the archers would stand to take aim at incoming enemies. They had a good system going on. Just as you enter the fortress, there was someone dressed in an American-Indian costume and playing a beautiful flute-like instrument.

We toured the city within these castle walls and learned a lot of history about the place. It was known to be impenetrable to enemies, and along the walls you can see slits where the archers were stationed.

Later in the week, we went to a festival at the girls' school. The theme was "From the East to the West," and I thought it was great how they set it up. Eve-Anne performed so well in a Spanish dance with her classmates. Uncle Eli and I went over to the archery booth to shoot some arrows. It was pretty fun, and I got a bullseye! (Although, it was on the wrong target.)

Later, we visited a really cool science museum! They have artifacts and displays of all sorts! The museum began with some interesting facts about the earth and natural occurances like earthquakes and volcanoes. Along the wall were lots of bones from all different animals in action. Then came the displays of animals with fur, after passing the giant squid on the ceiling. Wow! I couldn't imagine so many kinds of animals in one place before. It was very in depth. Here is an example of a few butterflies that were part of a whole wall of different kinds of butterflies.

Well, this post has gone on for awhile, and there's still a bit more to tell. I will save the rest of the adventures for next time!

A Bientot, Paris!

This last post should conclude part 1 of my visit to Paris.

Day 13: Free Day #2. We were supposed to have a picnic this day, but the weather was not suited to do so. I met up with my fellow classmates to finish the second treasure hunt in St. Germain and get some lunch (crepes! yum). Then, me and Humaira went to l'arc de Triomphe again to go to the top. There was a deal for students, but Humaira forgot her ID, so it was just me. (I'm reminded of how hard it is to take pictures of yourself when you're by yourself. Luckily, there were some nice people there who took this one of me.) Wow, there are a lot of stairs to climb. Yep, you have to climb stairs to get to the top. So, you pay to climb. But, man, what a view! It's so incredibly, and definitely worth it. I took a lot of pictures, but it's hard to tell what they're of from there. This is something you have to see for yourself.
Later, we met the group for dinner. Italian! I did not partake in this feast, however, because I was invited for dinner at Jaypee's! It was nice to meet his family. I even got to see some old pictures of dad!


Day 14: Last day - to the top of the Eiffel Tower. First, we went to see the statue of liberty, and we didn't even have to go to New York! Actually, we saw her French little sister. It was cool, and a nice walk. We planned to walk through some nearby courtyard, but it rained (we find out later that the rain is actually a blessing in disguise). We went somewhere dry to have some coffee and enjoy some Madonna songs.

Finally, it was time to see the world from the top! It was very crowded, even on such a rainy day. But, wow, what a view! Gosh, I don't even know how to describe it. This is another one that you have to see for yourself. It was really fun to find the places we visited. I guess it turned out better that we waited til the end of the trip to go here. And remember what I said about the rain being a blessing in disguise? Well, from the top of the Eiffel Tower, we saw a rainbow!! That was magical.

Now, on to Toulouse! Time to see family! A bientot, Paris! I will see you again soon.





One more thing: the video of the Eiffel Tower at midnight, as promised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwSyHI5L9WA

So Much To Do In Paris!

So I got a couple days to explore Paris on my own! Wow, what to do...

Day 11: Free Day. I decided to go back to Luxembourg Gardens where it is nice and relaxing. There is a statue there of deer that I liked, so I took my sketchbook and drew one. Just after, I met Jaypee at McDonalds (of all places, but we didn't eat there), and he gave me a little tour around the place. He showed me the Pantheon, which I plan to explore a little further at a later time. Then, we went to this cool place called Manga Cafe. This would be heaven for you anime lovers. There, you can sit and read manga or play video games.

I met my friends a little later, and we worked on another treasure hunt that our professor gave us. It was a little cloudy that day, but it was still a pretty area. Treasure hunts are great ways to become familiar with places.

That evening, we saw a dance group practicing. One of the dancers is friends with our professor, so we were able to watch. It was carribbean style dancing, and it was awesome! More culture! It never ends. We even go to listen to them speak creole.

Guess what we did later that night...Yep, visited the Eiffel Tower! How'd you guess? It was beautiful! And that's an understatement. You see, we were there through midnight. You know what happens at midnight? Well you have to go see for yourself! Ok, I'll tell you. The Eiffel Tower lights up! It shines and sparkles, and it is truly magnificent. If you go to Paris, you can't miss this. Make sure to be there at midnight. Maybe I'll put up a video...

Day 12: Africa in Paris. Yep, you guessed it: more culture! Sorry...no pictures for this one. I was trying not to look too tourist-y here. (It is a little difficult, though.) We went by Moulin Rouge, and I noticed we were in a very...interesting area of Paris. We got to see some small African-style markets where they sold all kind of stuff out in the open. We were on our way to some bigger markets to get souvenirs cheap! Wow...what a lot of stuff. It was very cool, though. A little crowded for my taste, but the prices were good. We had some great Indian food that day as well.

Well, I know I only talked about a couple of days, but I'm gonna make another post for the last days in Paris. Here are some pictures! (The last one is a preview of the next post.)

It's Not Over Yet!

Did you think that was it? We're not even halfway yet!

Day 8: The Arab World. We went to visit a mosque in Paris. How cool! And good food! As usual. We had a tour, and our guide was very enthusiastic about the subject. He was very interesting to listen to. It is interesting to learn that there are so many Muslims in Paris. It's always fun to experience other cultures! The mosque was very beautiful, as you can see from the design here that was tiled on the walls.

Later, we went to Bercy village, wich is fairly new. It's a cute place with little shops and a movie theater. Later, Humaira and I went there to watch the Prince of Persia. The theater is very different than in the U.S. They have many places to lounge about, and there are numerous levels.

Day 9: Branly Museum. The Catacombes was planned for this day, but it was unfortunately cancelled because of some flooding. I think the rain had something to do with this. Well, there's still lots to see! We went to the Branly Museum instead! In its permanent collection, this museum exhibits African, South American, and I saw some Asian art. I found this really interesting, especially since I just took an art history course on African and Chinese art. I was even able to recognize many styles and objects! I have found that when you know more about a subject, it is always more interesting to you. I must apologize to my friends, however, because I think I lingered a little too long for their taste. Their current exhibit featured Indian Art (from India). It was beautiful! I guess I am just an art fanatic, because I don't know much about this art, and I was still so amazed!

Day 10: Chartres City. Now we are venturing out of Paris. We had to catch an early train at 8:00 in the morning! However, because there was a strike (yep, you read that right), that train was cancelled! We caught the next one at 9:30, but we still had to wake up pretty early. We toured the cathedral, which is quite magificent and still contains much of its original architecture as well as most of its stained glass windows. It had similar features to Notre Dame since it was mostly made in the same style. I saw a few students drawing parts of it. (I should've done that...)

We had the rest of the day to explore. I really liked it. It was a little bit slower than Paris. Erika and I found a couple of places where we bought some cute jewelry and really cute store with pretty good prices.

Well, I guess I'll stop here for now. Keep checking up on the adventure. There's much more to come!

A tout a l'heure!

The Adventure Continues!

Time for more news from Paris!

Day 4: Treasure Hunt in Monmartre! What a cute town. It was so beautiful. Dr. Francis gave us a list of buildings, monuments, and places to find in Monmartre which really turned out to be fun. I was aprehensive at first because she was not going to come with us to help. We found Sacre Coeur on our own (after asking about 10 different people!), and it was beautiful! We were glad we kept looking.

Later we went to Les Halles to check out the mall. It was pretty cool. We had a Cuban dinner that night which was quite delicious! The atmosphere there was fun and lively.

Day 5: Versailles! Wow...beautiful! The architecture is just so amazing. You have to see it for yourself. Pictures would not do it justice. And the gardens were wonderful, especially when they turn on the fountains. My favorite part about that though was not in the Versailles palace itself but at the queen's retreat. It was like an extension of the palace a little further away from the city. It truly looked like a story book. I would love to go there again and again. So cute and picturesque!

Day 6: Bike Tour. I was not the only one nervous about this one. The last time I rode a bike was...hm, I can't even remember. It actually turned out really fun. It was somewhat unnerving to be riding alongside cars and pedestrians, but we made it alive! And what a workout. But I would love to do it again. The weather was really nice, though a little hot. It was clear and pretty.

Later, Humaira and I went to the Champs Elysees to check out the special event they were having there. They would be blocking traffic to put all these plants, trees, and even some animals. It was quite an event! I would've like to go to the top of l'Arc de Triomphe to get a better view of it, but it was so packed! I wouldn't've got to see anything. Debbie, you would've loved this (except for the crowded part lol). It was like a big garden!

Day 7: Le Louvre!! Now, I have been waiting to come here for who knows how long. Finally! Of course, this short trip didn't do it justice, but I was so happy to get just a taste of it. We started out with the Roman and Egyptian exhibits which were really cool. I got to see the Venus de Milo here. Then we went to the Italian artwork which houses Da Vinci's work (he's my favorite) including the Mona Lisa. Yes, it is quite small. Actually, very small. But again, I was so glad to finally see it for myself. It was interesting how directly across from the Mona Lisa was an enormous painting that took up the whole wall. I saw the Winged Victory which was AMAZING! Probably my favorite of them all. I can't wait to go back already!

Well, I think that's enough for one post. There's so much more to come! Paris is a truly magical place.

A bientot!

Wow! I've been in France for 3 days, and already I've seen so much. I know the last post was pretty long, but I haven't got a chance to post for these 3 days! Ok, I'll try to keep it as concise as I can.

Day 1: We visited L'arc de Triomphe! Talk about amazing architechture. Truly it is amazing in person. So detailed and magnificent. I was not able to go to the top YET, but I will. We are doing things as a group first, but I will get some free time later where I can go back to things I missed.
We strolled down the Champs Elysees and did some window shopping. I have a bunch of pictures, but I'd prefer not to clutter my post with them all. This famous street is filled with designer stores. Leah, you gotta come see it!
At the end of Les Champs Elysees at Place de la Concorde is l'Obelisk, a tall obelisk given to France as a gift from Egypt. It is really beautiful with lots of heiroglyphics, and it is joined by two fountains on either side representing Poseidon and his aquatic "crew".
We also visited Le Petit Palais (not enough time for Le Grand Palais) where there was an exhibition of Yves Saint Laurent (Leah, I think you would've liked that, too). Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed here.
Day 2: Les Jardins du Luxembourg are beautiful! This is a great place to sit, relax, and maybe even draw. I gotta say, I wish I talked to this cute guy who was drawing a picture there. I could've shown off some French!We also went to visit Notre Dame that day. What an amazing cathedral! Wow. And so much history. The rose windows are truly beautiful, and they each have representations of different biblical parts. We were able to get a guided tour.

Day 3: Today we took a cruise on La Seine! It was a nice day, perfect for a boat ride. We had a relaxing morning/afternoon (without so much walking!), and then we went to Place des Vosges where there were so many great artistic galleries. I got a few artist books as souvenirs. I'd love to visit there again!

Time to go home. Another day awaits!

A bientot, mes amis!

The Arrival

I'm in Paris! Yay! I am finally in France after a long, overnight flight from Atlanta. So where do I start? How about with a some pictures.

Here I am with my friend Humaira at the Atlanta airport getting ready to board our planes. The anxiety builds as the unknown awaits. The excitement, and some fear, grip us as we prepare to embark on our journey. Unfortunately, we were not even gonna be on the same plane. However, I met Dahlia a little while later, who coincidentally was flying on the same plane as me. Phew! I had a friend to travel with. We were not sitting together, but that was no problem. I was able to journal a little bit.

I wasn't quite sure how long the flight would be, but I decided to watch a movie in the meantime. I watched 2012, which was a little boring. They gave us a lot of food, which was really nice. I was tempted to get some wine since the drinking age is lower in France, but I wasn't sure if they'd let me since we weren't technically in France yet. I played it safe and stuck with water. I probably want to be clear headed in the airport anyway. I tried to sleep because I knew it was really late in Georgia, but it was difficult. I probably got a couple hours of sleep before deciding to watch Sherlock Holmes which I had seen before. I didn't get very far before the plane landed. Wow! I was in France! I got out after a long period of waiting since I was on such a big plane. Oh, I didn't mention that? I was on the second deck! That's how big it was. So after getting off, I ran into another member of my party: Pat! How wonderful! I'm finding my friends every step of the way! We meet up again with Dahlia and wait for Debra. We were forming most of our group.

Finally we got out of the baggage area and Voila! There was JayPee waiting. (I hope he didn't have to wait too long.) Yay! More help for me! Long time no see. Now it was time to wait for Dr. Francis. She was a little held up because, poor Erika and Julia's flights were cancelled! I guess just because the volcanic ash didn't affect my flight doesn't mean it didn't affect others in our group. So we stuck around the airport a little longer to make sure we got who we could.

Time to take the RER. Hmm. Interesting. I haven't had much experience with public transportation. It was pretty straightforward, though. The worst part was carrying all of our luggage. (You're right Debbie: you never wish you brought more stuff!) Man, carrying bags up and down the metro steps. What a hassle! The metro was interesting the look at, though. There are artistic things all over.

Going to the school, and we're dropping off our bags, thank goodness! Then a little stroll in St. Michel. It's so cool! Wow, I love the architecture. Oh, so this is a real crepe? Yum! Jambon et fromage, delicieux. Exchange a little money, then go back to school to pick up our bags. Soon, we will me our host families. And this is where we would be on our own.

I leave the metro...Now what? I know the street, I look around. Where do I go from here? Ok Kelly, don't look like a tourist. Uh.... ring ring. Time to call my host. "Je suis perdue." She was nice enough to come find me! Merci beaucoup, Madame Cholet! I continue to be fortunate. I am never alone! After a quick dinner and a little trouble with the internet, it was time for a much needed rest. Eight hours later, I would be starting my first day in Paris. I will save that for another post!

A bientot!

It's been awhile...

It appears that I haven't been here at all lately! Well, it's time to get this going again. I am going to have much to discuss because I'm going to travel! and I have a duty to keep you all informed of my excursions.

So "where to?" you may be wondering. Pairs, France! Visiting France has been a dream of mine for awhile now, and finally I'm going there! A whole month in France. Wow, c'est magnifique! Look, there I am! (Too bad that picture is only photoshopped.)

It was a little scary for me at first, the idea of visiting a different country without my parents beside me. But friends and family have reassured me that it really won't be that frightening at all. I just have to think of it as an adventure. Sure, my parents are not gonna be in charge, holding my hand, and taking care of everything for me, but I'll be with friends and classmates. Not to mention that I already understand the language. It may take a little getting used to, but isn't that always the case with new things? The scary part is really just the unknown, but that will change in a couple of weeks! Anyway, the excitement of going there far outweighs my fears, so I am going to fully embrace this opportunity. It's time for an adventure!

A la prochaine!