I just got back to the hotel after a long day of wandering around the city. We headed to the Latin district and found a market right by the metro station. I found some local artists there, bought some gifts and then wandered around the surrounding streets where we found lots of unique boutiques and restaurants. I was planning on going up to the Sacra-Couer by our hotel but I didn't have time to do that and then be ready to be at the Eiffel Tower by 4:30 for our group photograph. 

I can't believe I'll be in Tuscaloosa tomorrow night! I feel like I've been gone for a month! I'm so sad to be leaving France but I'm looking forward to my own bed, clean clothes and most of all, Taco Casa.

Sorry I haven't uploaded photos, I have misplaced my card reader somewhere between my room and another photographers- I'm sure it will show up when packing tonight. I did, however find my journal (hell yeh!) I thought I'd left it in the rental car from Normandy. 

Its been cold and rainy today, 45 degrees with clouds. I decided to wear flats without socks today-quickly regretted this decision within 5 minutes of leaving the hotel. I'll be sure to put socks and boots on for tonight. I've also decided that I should have at least one day where I'm not strapped to my camera bag-I've got the worst pains in my neck and shoulders from all of the walking up and down hill with a 15 lb. baby strapped to me at all times. I feel like I haven't seen everything I wanted to see in Paris, but am looking forward to a trip back to pick up where I've left off. 

Things I'll miss from France:

BREAD

Crepes- with Nutella, an enemy of mine until this trip

Cheap Rouge Vin

Accents

Cologne- contrary to popular belief, the men here smell wonderful

Trains

People watching

Things I WON'T Miss from France:

Bread

Language barrier 

Luggage

Cheap Towels

Creepy Latin women pick-pockets

Cold Weather

Walking 10 miles a day

Our flight leaves at noon tomorrow, and we'll be arriving in Atlanta at 4:30pm. The flight will technically be 9.5 hours due to time change but hopefully I can sleep through most of it. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone so if anyone's up for hanging out tomorrow night, let me know- I will have my phone around 7:30pm central time. 

thanks to all who have been following this, I hope its been some what interesting. I've left out many stories so I'll have to fill you all in when I get home. I will try to upload many more photos when I get home so that folks outside of Tuscaloosa can see what the hell I've been doin for 2 weeks! 

AU REVOIR! 

True Life: I Survived My First Eurotrip

We just got back to the hotel...alive.

Bobby, Allyson, Lacey, Laura and I made it to the train station to rent a car at Avis at 7am. We hit the road and made it to our first stop: Mont St. Michel- took a quick tour, walked up probably 2,000 stairs at the least and got some good photos for Allyson's story. 

Then we headed straight to the D-Day Memorial at Omaha Beach- walked around the grounds and then hiked down another 5,000 steps to the beach...well worth it. We took a bazillion photos, that I will upload later...its been a long day.

 After a LONG, WONDERFUL DAY in Normandy, we hoped back into our hatchback and hit the highway straight to Paris...who would've thought 5 U.S. college students could successfully drive themselves from Paris to Normandy and back without trouble? we spoke too soon. 

Someone in the car had the bright idea to drive into the city and under the Arch de Triomphe  to see the city at night rather than go straight to the train station to drop off the car.....bad idea.

After 2 hours of weaving in and out of 12 lanes of traffic and making our way around 3 million round-a-bouts, we finally pulled into the Avis parking deck, safe and alive. 

My shoulders are stiff with stress and I still can't figure out why we thought that we were prepared to drive alone in one of the biggest cities in the world. 

Needless to say, I'm at the hotel....headed out for a well deserved victory "I'm alive" beer then headed to bed. 

Will post photos tomorrow, after I clean the squished banana out of my backpack and can wrap my brain around literally the craziest night of my life. so far. 

 

Escargot 

PARIS

March 23

me at the Eiffel Tower....its a little bright but oh well! 

 

Eiffel Tower at 9:05pm tonight.

PARIS

March 24

so i guess the videos aren't working- I'll try again later.

Here's a video of us frantically getting onto the train from Avignon to Nice...we had 3 minutes to get:

18 people

25 bags

onto the train. CHAOS!  I had the camera velcro-ed to my headband- notice the suspensful music from the speakers. haha

 

 

VIDEO OF NICE

Its not great, but hopefully will be fun to see.

 

On the beach in NICE....it reminded me of Katie and me in Gulf Shores.

Check out Laduree.fr to see whereI had champagne and dessert this afternoon.....awesome!!!!!!!

I'll update with Paris photos tonight...I'm headed to the Eiffel Tower tonight. LOVE YALL!!!

Trying to Keep Up...

 

Musee' International de la Parfumerie

we toured the recently remodeled perfume museum in Grasse today, the perfume capital of the world! I was in heaven!! We saw Marie Antoinette's travel case that included silver flatware, porcelain dishes, lighters, candles, etc. We couldn't take photos inside, but I did think of you, Katie when I saw it :) 

GRASSE

March 21

 

Beef Carpaccio for lunch today. 12 Euro, but worth it.

GRASSE

March 21

 

Potpourri in Grasse at a perfume shop.

GRASSE

March 21

Today I went with a group to Grasse to see the perfume capital of the world!! After the tour, we had lunch at (insert restaurant name here-I can't recall the name). We wandered around the city, stopped in a few perfume shops then found our way to Guy Bouchara's botique. It felt like a French version of Everyday Indulgence- his wife, Lynne was there and let us see their "laboratorie" - blending room. It was AMAZING. It was the motherload of essential oils. She let me look through her shelves, I found Chamomile, my favorite. I didn't buy any perfume and am regreting it thoroughly. Its available online, so I guess I'll have to buy it when I get home. I went with Tyler to listen to a "folk band"....it turned out to be one guy outside with a guitar singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper. He got a decent interview out of him, but it wasn't exactly what we'd hoped for.

Yesterday we toured Nice, just wandered around until we found the beach. Although it was like 40 degrees and windy as hell, we took tons of pictures and videos. We went to the Monoprix to get bread, cheese and sliced chicken (we couldn't remember the french translation of turkey so we went with the "poulet"). I've had 3 sandwiches so far-so I spent 9 euro for 3+ meals...trying to save money for Paris.

I'm headed out in the morning to A. find a washing machine. B. find potential cover shots C. head to Antibes to see Market Hall

Wish me luck. Love ya'll!

Cezanne Studio

Everything here is exactly the same as he left it the day he died. His family purchased the house and turned it into a museum to showcase his life. From the window in the hall you can see the mountain scene that he painted numerous times. 

AIX EN PROVENCE

March 19

 

Tyler being....French.

Avignon

March 18

 

Megan's Gelato...Tiramisu flavor

NICE

March 20

haha.  

 

awesome.beach.

Mediterranean Sea

NICE

March 20

 

haha, sorry....I had to do this.....

Mediterrean Sea, NICE 

March 20

sketchy Bichon Frise roaming the streets of Annecy. We saw him 3 different times in 3 different places! haha I should've stowed him away in my camera bag. There are dogs all over the city...They sit AT restaurant tables with their owners, in chairs. I love it. I've seen mostly Bichons, Yorkies, Silkie Terriers. LOVIN IT!

Annecy March 16 

Vendor serving cheese.

Annecy March 15 

this is for Angela....who loves little rat dogs! haha 

Annecy March 15 

little girl enjoying a treat from a local vendor in Annecy on March 15th. 

More Scottish Clan......sooo cool!!! 

A view of the Palace of the Popes in Avignon on March 17th. 

 

Avignon Bridge on St. Patrick's Day---Jessie sang the song for us, but we didn't dance, unfortunately. 

salad from O'Neill's Irish Pub in Avignon on St. Patty's Day. Chicken, Cheese (looks like french fries), tomatoes, olives, croutons, green, yellow and red peppers.

soooo delicious! 

 

This is me on Lake Annecy with the Swiss Alps behind me. too bad its too cold to go out on the boats!

Check out French girls eating McDonalds! haha

Just one of the many HOTTIES around France.....YOWZERS!!

KISS MY BLARNEY!

Mr. McAllister playing the bagpipes for St. Patty's day!


Palace of the Popes tour....

Flowers outside of the city center in Avignon!  I look rawnchy- long day!! 

Today we woke up at 6am to catch a train to Avignon….we arrived finally around noon and immediately hopped on a bus to the center of town. Our hotel is about 8 miles outside of the city so we will be walking down the highway around 10 minutes each morning to get to the bus stop---lots and lots of walking!!

 

Once we got to the city, we stopped by O’neill’s Irish Pub to have a lunch to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We laughed that we were in France, eating at an Irish pub, listening to a mariachi band across the street.

 

After lunch, we rode a double-decker Carousel and then headed to the Palace of the Popes. I took a lot of photos of the museum and afterwards hung out in the center of the town to take people pictures. We wound up right next to an Scottish band playing in the streets, later to find out their head bagpipe player’s name was Mcalllister ( I didn’t hear his first name). They called themselves the Claymor Clan. I was so excited!! I took a bazillion pictures of them and can’t wait to show everyone!!!

 

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at El Rancho- yes, that’s correct….a MEXICAN RESTAURANT by our hotel!! We were served Cool Ranch Doritios with salsa and we all ordered chicken quesadillas. It was so nice to have something besides ham and swiss croissants!

 

We’re headed to the wine Safari tomorrow, can’t wait!! Its at the Palace of the Popes, so we’ll be back where we were today!

AU REVOIR!