Paris from my bedroom

It's so GOOD to be out of bed for more than 10 minutes!

I'm finally sitting in the accueil using the computer, after 3 days of hurriedly checking my email in the little spot outside that gets internet. (I'm not quite as terrible to look at today) The chicken pox. Who gets the chicken pox at age 20, in a foreign country, on their spring break? Yup, me. No marathon either- it's totally shot my immune system and this was a big run week. Seeing as someone else is getting my groceries, I guess I can't do my 15 miles. Oh well, another one will come! 

Not much to report of the French life as my spring break has so far been spent with a high fever, some strange nightmares (including one with eggs exploding out of my refridgerator) and getting to experience the life of a teenage boy with terrible acne problems. I've watched all of season two of the Gilmore Girls, Scrubs and finally finished Sex and the City! (The last 2 episodes take place in Paris, so I guess that counts for something!) Today Katie was back and we ate jelly beans and watched Grease. Fun day. :) 

Besides staying in bed and out of Paris, I've realized that the week of solitude has also minimized my speaking time. I think it has given my brain a little rest too- it's the first week where I haven't had to always search for words to express myself. I wasn't really thinking about that when I was lying in bed debating on where to put my arms because any place was painful (ugh), but looking back (and feeling a little bit better, with some food and lots of meds in me) I guess the communication break was nice. Besides my roommate the only person I said any French to was my doctor, who (in English) kept telling me I would be contagious until all of my "buttons" are gone. Trust me, these things do NOT deserve a name as cute as "buttons." 

New topic. I'm ready to not be miserable for a few minutes! Or maybe even the rest of the day... (here's hoping).

It is so beautiful out! I still don't have much energy so I've been opening up my windows completely and it almost feels like I'm outside. My room is so nice in the afternoon- the sun comes in at the perfect angle and despite the terrible construction racket they seem to cause

 from 8am until dusk, there's not much other noise. Yesterday I heard a band playing though.. I totally knew the song too! No idea of the name. I can't wait to go back out and explore all the rest of the parks... I found an excellent coffee shop that's good for sit-in and take-out: it's got an amazing little atmosphere with great food (even for vegetarians!).. and it's not too far from the

 Hotel-de-Ville. 

Since it's finally nice all the time I want to go eat lunch on the Pont des Arts- a bridge just past the Pont Neuf, right on the Seine before the Louvre. It's an old wooden bridge that seems to always be full of people- couples, friends eating lunch, artists, bikers, runners (usually me) and lots of kids. It's also (recently discovered, but is not my purpose for loving the bridge) the bridge Carrie is standing on at the end of Sex and the City. So I kind of visited it today, right? 

je suis un poisson d'avril...

What an INCREDIBLE week to change my mind about things! 

Even Paris doesn't look pretty in cold, rainy March days. But when the sun comes out, the fountains of Versailles all come on and the noise of the Paris Marathon wakes me up on a Sunday morning, it's definitely time for spring.

My friend Amber came to visit this week, bringing two of her friends (one from school, and the other from her program in Denmark). It was perfect timing for me to explore some of the more touristy parts of Paris. The first night I took them to my favorite Creperie by Montparnasse- one of the bigger districts with lots of lights and movie theatres. We ate lunch next to the Seine on Ile St Louis, with hot baguettes, fromage de Savoie and Camembert, and finally wandered over to the Centre Pompidou (or Beaubourg)- Paris's modern art museum. We didn't even make it inside- it was so beautiful out, we just napped in the sunshine. There was a guy attempting to sing Beatles songs on the guitar (Baby's good to me, she's happy as can be, and I feel sad. what?!) 

Just like our April 1, the French have le Poisson d'Avril, where on April 1 people take cutouts of fish (they used to be real fish) and pin them on strangers' backs. It was funny to watch outside that day- especially in the more crowded districts there seemed to be some "fishy" situations. (haha..)

Saturday we finally went to Versailles! Aside from the 2 hour line (that's what you get for going on a Saturday) it was absolutely beautiful. There was an exhibition on Court dress during Louis XVI's reign- which was pretty interesting because most of the clothes were from other countries. Apparently the French didn't save very much in terms of apparel from the Louis periods. 

The Hall of Mirrors was so beautiful- it was really cool to see how all of the mirrors on the one side (overlooking the gardens) reflected the daylight and illuminated the entire hall. On either side of the hall were the rooms of Paix et Guerre (peace and war). It was supposed to help represent a transformation, as well as an equality among the two ideologies. One room had symbols of peace and tranquility, and the other used to house all of the war trophies and victory paintings. 

But SUNDAY. Best day of the week. I woke up, after an excellent 11 hours, not really wanting to get out of bed, but not exhausted either. Sundays are my long run days, so I finally made myself get up and go downstairs to make breakfast. As soon as I got outside I could hear the music and the chanting- and in the kitchen there it was. The Paris Marathon. The very one I was hearing outside of my door...

Right after I watched the winner of the 26.2 (or.. 42.3 here) finish in 2:05 (yeah... that's a five minute mile) I decided I was inspired enough to go on my own long distance. Of course, mine was half the length in the same amount of time- but it was so great! I could see the remaining marathoners finishing the race- people rollerblading next to them, and everyone watching from the bridges as they passed underneath. I forgot how great sports are- how unifying they can be for a city. For me! I even got some lucky droppings on my shirt/down my arm just as I started the run. Gross. 

This is the last week before Spring Break! It's a crazy week of Phonetics, classes, and thinking about next semester. It's very strange to realize that life will actually continue after I leave Paris... I feel like I live in another dimension!

A toute!