Honeymoon

The whole trip went really smoothly, once I transferred items from my large suitcase to my smaller one (twice), and then paid a $55 fee to check both bags, because even though you may measure your suitcases according to AirFrance’s specifications, it will not fit in the tiny luggage basket. After two hours of waiting, 6 hours of flight, and another hour of customs, baggage, and chaos to find the API meeting spot, I could finally relax.

Annemarie, the RD for API, greeted me with a hug and a croissant. She was helpful and talkative and understood how overwhelmed I was. After waiting another hour or so, more people began to arrive. I was able to take a shuttle with three other girls to our hotel. It’s a nice set up, a toilet in a room by itself (very common over here) then a room with a sink and a shower, which I almost fell into last night. the glass doesn’t go across the entirety of it and the shower head is one that you move around yourself. Something to get used to.
Although we were dying to sleep, we decided exploring Paris would be more fun.  The day was all you could hope for, for one’s first day in a city like Paris. The sun was smiling down and its seemed clouds did not want to blemish the sky. We ordered paninis (only 5e!) and had lunch in a petit jardin close to our hotel. We started to wander about the streets with their white buildings and black wrought iron balconies dripping with flowers, much like London. We made our way over to Notre Dame which was like a picture. I couldn’t believe I was really there. Sometimes you see a place so often in movies or pictures or art, when you see it for real it seems fake, like other times you’ve seen it. I thought it must’ve been a dream or a picture or someone was painting really fast. The architecture was so intricate and amazing. The saints stared down at us with glazed un-pupil-ed eyes. Were the judging us for entering for free Well, everyone else was doing it. there were TVs at the end of each pew, which made me a little sad. Whoever built Notre Dame would roll over in their grave if they saw that, it’s just not how it was intended. We could take pictures inside and oh, did we. The stain glass was so beautiful and rich. It was amazing to see it in person.
Later on was a dinner with all API students (and paid for by API!) where I tried to expand my pallet. I tried pate for my appetizer (entrée en francais) and it wasn’t bad! It’s like a bunch of different meats in one patty-like substance, and it goes great on bread. If it was a little smoother, like a spread perhaps, it may have been even better. There’s a texture thing you have to embrace. But I really liked it, and after my chicken and mashed potato (I know, I know) I tried crème brulee as well. It was amazing. I wish I could’ve eaten it all! The top was a very odd texture, almost like an eggshell but it melted in your mouth as you bit into it, if you can imagine. The custard like crème inside was bliss. Definitely a dessert to have more than once
After dinner and before my much longed-for shower, I went out with a few of the students for my first legal glass of wine from Provence. It was so fun to relax, have a glass, people watch and talk. There were bikers and motorcycles going by, as always in Paris, and of course many people walking by. Of course, some gave us withering stares as they heard us talking in English, but how authentically Parisian! Everything seems to be amusing and amazing now.
Even though I slept decently after persevering for 32 hours, I’m still a little sleepy.Before my next walk around Paris I think I’ll have a lie down.