I sure know how to keep myself busy. It really seems like there is not a spare minute in my day, but that's okay! Yesterday was a beautiful day. After class I went to a coffee shop with an upstairs seating area and started studying for my test that's tomorrow. Then, met up with some friends for lunch at one of the student restaurants (only 2.85 euro for a pretty decent lunch!).
We decided that since it was a gorgeous day we wanted to do something outside, and ended up heading to Père Lachaise, which is a giant cemetery in the 20th arrondissement (east Paris) and is also supposedly the most visited cemetery in the world. Everyone buried here has a tomb- it's a huge contrast from cemeteries in the U.S.
There are a ton of famous people buried there, including Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Eugene Delacroix, and Heloise & Abelard. There's lots of normal people too- apparently you can still purchase plots here but they are very expensive. I forgot to bring my camera but here is a picture I found online of Heloise & Abelard's tomb:
Even though it seems creepy to go to a cemetery (it kind of is...), it was very peaceful and beautiful- the cemetery is massive and full of hills, staircases, and tons of different tomb varieties. Afterwards a few of us just sat in a cafe talking for a few hours, then headed home and I studied some more.
Today after class I went to the apartment of the other American girl in my class (she has her own apartment here for the semester), had lunch and studied some more. It was beautiful and in a great location, but it also made me glad to be in a homestay because I am much more immersed in the culture and the language.
Then my Paris Civilization & Culture class met at the Cluny Museum. Some of the walls are restored from the Roman baths present there when Paris was Lutetia- part of the Roman Empire. Then, other parts are from the medieval castle built on the grounds in the 1500's.
The main focus of the visit was seeing the Unicorn Tapestries, as we just read a novel about them. The intricate detail is amazing but it was very challenging to capture it in a photo, because the rooms are dimly lit and no flash is allowed in order to preserve them.
It also featured the original heads of the Kings of Judah which are some of the sculptures on the outside of Notre Dame. During the French Revolution, all of the statues were beheaded and the original heads were found only a few decades ago.
Now I am off to study a bit more before meeting friends for happy hour and to go out to fondue for dinner! I've only had 'real' fondue once in the states but I am interested to see what it's like here.
Random, but one of the little things I've noticed is that in the U.S. "bonjour" is taught to mean "Hello." It does mean that, but if it could technically be considered evening and you say "bonjour" it's like saying "good morning" (means good day) and you are supposed to say "bonsoir" instead. All of us Americans are struggling with remembering to switch over to bonsoir.
Bonne Soirée! (Have a good night!)
