I love Paris in the spring time

The second weekend of March I was lucky enough to spend in the city of lights with two of my good friends from Lincoln, Sarah and Krista. Sarah is studying this semester in France and Krista studying in Spain and we decided to meet one weekend during the semester and we chose Paris as our destination.


Krista and I arrived by plane Thursday night and met in the airport. This was very good otherwise I would have probably gotten lost in Charles De Gaulle (which is huge) and still be trying to figure out the RER transport system that gets you into Paris. But Krista and I conquerd it AND the Paris metro (two very different things). It took about an hour to get from CDG to our hip new hostel Sarah found for us. I was able to practice my french when Krista and I went for dinner and the waiter said I spoke very well! And I should hope so after almost 3 years of college French.


Sarah arrived the next morning and we were off to explore the city. We visited the Arc de Triomphe, which in my opinion (and Sarah's), has the best view of Paris because you can see the Eiffel Tower. We gallavanted down the famously expensive and ritzy Champs Elysses and paused for some brief window shopping at Cartier, drawing looks from passers by with our ooohs and ahhs. We ate some delicious French food at an outside cafe. Then we took the metro to Sacre Coeur. We took a turn around the bohemian and artsy Montmartre quarter, looking at artists' paintings. I've been to Paris before but it's still very surreal to see all the famous monuments and realize I'm in Paris with two of my best friends! Krista kept wondering how we got to be old enough to do something like this.


The Louvre is free for students on Friday nights so we headed there next. I think I could spend weeks in this place. We saw the famous works of art for Krista, whose never been here before. We looked at the ancient Egyptian artifacts for me, who still secretly wants to be an egyptologist. After they kicked us out of the museum we walked down the Seine to the Latin Quarter, traditionally where the students hang out. The streets are narrow and filled with bright colors and the breaking of dishes as waiters try to entice visitors into their restaurants. We ate an amazing dinner of coucous, vegetables, and beef and shared my first bottle of French wine at a Moroccan restaurant.

Paris from the top of the L'Arc de Triomph

Me, Sarah, and Krista. We're in Paris!

You can buy chocolate crepes on the street. Mmmm. This picture is in Montmartre.

At the Louvre in front of the glass pyramid entrance designed by I.M. Pei.

Me trying to be artsy with the camera.