Halfway Point

Quick update on what I've been doing:

Have one more midterm to go, on Tuesday, and a presentation. But this weekend I am going to Cork, Ireland to see my sister; couple of friends are coming with me.

I have been busy with classes and life here in Paris. It is odd how quickly France became normal. My day here is pretty normal, with the occasional adventure. I've been to the Louvre, the Orangerie, and the Musee d'Orsay; my art class met at these museums several times. It has been strange to see paintings that I have studied in class in the States. I've seen the Grand Odalisque by Ingres, and Olympia by Manet, two paintings we studied in Lenora's class last year. I have absolutely fallen in love with Impressionism. I've always loved Monet, but seeing the water lily paintings at the Orangerie was a beautiful experience.

I went to see some of the Loire River Valley chateaus with the group from Chicago. Hopefully will add more later, but basically they were gorgeous, particularly Amboise, and the gardens at Villandry.

My sister and her friends came through Paris last weekend, and I dragged them all over the city. We walked from the Musee d'Orsay to the Notre Dame Cathedral, then to get the best ice cream/sorbet in the city, then over to the flower market. Then after they got settled at the hostel, we went out to get something to eat and see Bercy Village (a cute little shopping area near my apartment). Then we met up with my French friend on the Ponte des Arts, then off to the Eiffel Tower, then back to the Latin Quarter to meet up with another friend. On Saturday, my sister and I chilled in the park of Bercy, then walked through the Latin Quarter after eating lunch in the garden of Luxembourg. We met up with her friends who had gone to Versailles. Then we went to get something to eat at a creperie, and meet up with some of my friends for wine on the steps of the Pantheon. While I was slightly tipsy that night, I decided that we should go visit my sister in Ireland... On Sunday, we climbed to the top of the Notre Dame Cathedral, then walked to the Arc de Triomphe. I was exhausted. But it was good for me to see some touristy things that I haven't bothered to do.

Hem, hem. BY the way, for anyone who actually reads this, I will be going to the Cannes Film Festival in May. To actually see films, not ogle movie stars. While we're on our trip to the south of France.