Crazy French Keyboards!

22-24 August 2006:

Oi! Oi! I left the Eternal City (Rome) and am now in the City of Lights (Paris) enjoying more pastries than a girl of my size should. As far as I am concerned, the French can keep their language, their pride, and their courtesy (or lack thereof) but they gotta share their pastries! For all of you who have ever studied for a graduate school exam, you may recognize one of these: France is to Pastries as Italy is to Gelato.

Enough said.

All right, I will elaborate a bit. In Italy I had the poor habit of eating gelato 2 or 3 times a day (I blame it entirely on my Italian teacher who told us that when she is there, she does not waste her money on pasta and pizza. Rather, she lives on gelato and espresso!). Well, I have tried their ice cream here (even the city's best ice cream) and it doesn't even come close to comparison. My friend, Jen, told me to think of them as two different foods...which is true, cuz they are VERY different (gelato is SO much better). HOWEVER, the pastries are AMAZING! Let's just say I ate a lot of them today...and leave it at that.

Paris is beautiful and not terribly relaxing. It is my own fault, though. I have one short day left here and only allowing for 2.5 days in Paris is my own folly.

My hostel is in the heart of the Parisian red light district...so, if I ever feel the need to step out for a peep show or run down the street to the sex shop, it's nice to know I don't have to go far. Actually, it is quite repulsive. I haven't even *seen* anything, but just knowing what goes on behind those neon-lit exteriors is enough to make my stomach turn. However, my hostel is nice and quiet and clean. I can't ask for much more than that.

The Louvre was overwhelmingly AMAZING!!! I wish I had days to be there...preferably days that are not in the month of August (there are SO many tourists...and yes, I know I am contributing to the chaos). I did a speedy self-tour and saw the biggies. I booked through MANY rooms just looking for things I recognized. It was a pitiful way to see the most amazing art museum in the world. Being somewhat of an art zealot/pilgrim, the pilgrimage I made seems slightly blasphemous...considering how quickly I did it.

I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The view was all right...pretty hazy. I can only imagine that after the rain it is incredible. But 11 euros to do it! Ouch!

I was exhausted today, so I rested a little on the lawn under the Tower...dozed a bit and read a book. I REALLY needed that! If I had more time, I would spend days people-watching, lounging, and reading Jane Austen (Mansfield Park) in Paris.

So, Paris has been nice. Nothing too exciting to report. But, I can barely write anymore because this keyboard configuration is so bizarre!

Au revoir!