A Weekend in Normandy

This weekend my group went on an excursion to Normandie and Bretagne, on the Northern coast of France.  It was great to see the Northern countryside, which was in stark contrast to Paris.

Below is Omaha beach, of the June 6th, 1944 D-Day invasions.  Above it on the bluffs now stands the American Memorial Cemetery, a serene dedication to the American casualties of the attack.  It was a perfect Fall day when we visited, with just the sound of the waves in the background as you wander through the perfectly symmetrical rows of white crosses.  

The German stronghold at Point Hoc still bears the artillery craters.

Mont St. Michel, the view from the bus, and the incredible view from the Abbey terrace.  According to legend, the tide travels at the speed of a "galloping horse," varying 14 meters.  There's a sign when you walk in that says by what time you have to move your car lest it be swept away by the rising tide. 

The Abbey at Mont St. Michel.  The first picture shows some of the large photo displays currently at Mont St. Michel depicting spiritually significant sites around the world, a distinction that this Abbey shares.

The town of St. Malo in Bretagne.  If I'm impressed by a beach, you know it must be pretty spectacular.  I hiked up a bluff to take in the whole view, and the incredibly vast scope of the beach was comparable to Hawaii.  It stretched as far as you could see in either direction, with huge stretches of sandy beach, seaweed, and people digging for mussels, the gastronomical specialty of St. Malo.  

A Day in Paris

Saturday was France's annual Jour du Patrimoine, where all the normally private government offices are open to the public. I let myself get talked into seeing the Palais de L'Elysee, which is essentially the Frenh equivalent of the White House.
Unfortunately, no one warned me about the line...



Finally, finally, finally--The view from the inside: the dining room, Sarkozy's desk, and right below, Jean-Phillipe, the French dude who kept us entertained the whole time.


What could be more gratifying after a five hour line than the annual Techno-Parade? I think we were the only ones not drunk/high...

La Tour Eiffel and such

The classic Parisian landmark.  It was surreal to actually be sitting under it! 

Hotel des Invalides and the Army Museum

Modern Art at the Gardens of Luxembourg.  Can you read the word in the sculpture?

Paris!

I've arrived in Paris! It's taken me a while to get my act together and write a blog, partly because this city is absolutely overwhelming, and partly because my internet connection at my host Mom's house blows.  Instead of a family this time, I'm with a sweet older woman, so it's a bit of a change of pace.  I'm learning to take the metro and figuring out school stuff, which won't start for another week or two...I say that because the French University system is so messed up that they haven't even decided at the Sorbonne what their class schedules are yet.  But whatever, I have plenty to occupy me meanwhile.  This weekend, my friend and I went all around the 18th, or Montmartre and Pigalle, and here are some photos:

We scoped out some open markets...

We spent some time walking around the cemetery in Montmartre.

           Emile Zola's Grave

Next, we checked out the famous landmark, Sacre-Coeur.  It's a huge tourist attraction, so it was really crowded, but spectacular nonetheless.  I even saw some guy get taken out by a vigilante crowd after stealing a purse.  The poster below is for the Pope-he was in Paris this weekend, although I didn't feel like fighting through a million French Catholics to try and see him.  

After Sacre-Coeur, we walked to the Moulin Rouge, the famous cabaret situated on a street with nothing but sex shops, strip clubs, cabarets, and the Museum of Eroticism.  It totally came out of nowhere; I was using the bathroom in a subway, and I walked out and the store next to it was a "Sex Supermarket."  I checked out the Moulin Rouge (they had a photo history of the show) and it looked really over-the-top and cool, but you have to be a high-roller to go see a performance.  It's like 145 euro for a show and a bottle of champagne. 

Chateaux

First of all- Tomorrow I'm off to Paris! Yay! I just found out I'll be living in the 17th arr.  I don't know really if that's good or bad, but I'm stoked about it!  Give you the update soon...

Saturday I went with the group to the Chateau at Chenonceau, which is built right over the Loire.  We took a boat ride right under it, walked around in all the fancy rooms, and picnicked on the grounds.  This weekend was my first experience with Chateaux, and both that we visited are so reminiscent of another era, with the grand salons and huge properties with meticulously kept grounds.  

This weekend we went on a (31 mile!) bike ride out to the Chateau at Villandry, with its sprawling, intricately designed gardens.  There's a bike path between Tours and Villandry, so we got to ride through the French countryside, through parks, alongside lake, and in little villages.  I still can't sit down comfortably, but it was worth it.