So by popular demand (or something like that), I thought that I'd restart a little blogging while I'm in Europe for these 3ish weeks.....I guess a week has already passed -- so make that 2 or 2.5 weeks.....and then who knows!
I started this blog post yesterday, and while I feel like there's a lot to say, I am struggling to force myself to sit still and write it. I'm sitting in my old room in Paris, chez Marilu and Alain, with both of the windows wide open. It's 9:30pm and it's still incredibly bright out -- very disorienting, especially since I'm already somewhat confused about where I am, why I'm here and what's going on around me.....
Today marks exactly one week since I graduated from college -- a surreal but great thing. The last 4 weeks seem like a complete and utter blur, though. I recovered from having mono at the very beginning of May, and then from there, I launched into going to senior dinners and cocktail parties and oh right -- seemingly endless papers and exams (okay -- only one exam, but still). After finishing my last paper (a 20 pager on the workings of Inuit society and economy) at 2:30am, I flew off to Myrtle Beach with a flight leaving at 5:20 that same morning where I spent 6 days with my fellow swimming seniors and many of the juniors -- and almost every other Amherst athletic team. It was fun -- but crazy, and not exactly restful.
After getting back from Myrtle Beach at the reasonable hour of 3:30am last Friday, I jumped right into graduation weekend festivities - which again, were great but not exactly restful! After that jam-packed weekend, I caught a flight to London on Monday night where I arrived, tired and delirious, at 9am.
I would love to say that I had 3 days in London of seeing all the great sites -- but I spent more time sleeping than anything else. Turns out that 4 weeks of craziness can take its toll! My first day I didn't even leave my cousin's apartment......day two, I did, however. I met my friend Melanie at the Old Street tube station and we ventured off on what turned out to be about an 11 or 12 mile walk! It was great -- we went through Regent's Park and then up to Primrose Hill where we could look out over the city (as best we could in the clouds) -- and then kept walking north up to Parliament Hill and Hampstead Heath which was amazing.
I started this blog post yesterday, and while I feel like there's a lot to say, I am struggling to force myself to sit still and write it. I'm sitting in my old room in Paris, chez Marilu and Alain, with both of the windows wide open. It's 9:30pm and it's still incredibly bright out -- very disorienting, especially since I'm already somewhat confused about where I am, why I'm here and what's going on around me.....
Today marks exactly one week since I graduated from college -- a surreal but great thing. The last 4 weeks seem like a complete and utter blur, though. I recovered from having mono at the very beginning of May, and then from there, I launched into going to senior dinners and cocktail parties and oh right -- seemingly endless papers and exams (okay -- only one exam, but still). After finishing my last paper (a 20 pager on the workings of Inuit society and economy) at 2:30am, I flew off to Myrtle Beach with a flight leaving at 5:20 that same morning where I spent 6 days with my fellow swimming seniors and many of the juniors -- and almost every other Amherst athletic team. It was fun -- but crazy, and not exactly restful.
After getting back from Myrtle Beach at the reasonable hour of 3:30am last Friday, I jumped right into graduation weekend festivities - which again, were great but not exactly restful! After that jam-packed weekend, I caught a flight to London on Monday night where I arrived, tired and delirious, at 9am.
I would love to say that I had 3 days in London of seeing all the great sites -- but I spent more time sleeping than anything else. Turns out that 4 weeks of craziness can take its toll! My first day I didn't even leave my cousin's apartment......day two, I did, however. I met my friend Melanie at the Old Street tube station and we ventured off on what turned out to be about an 11 or 12 mile walk! It was great -- we went through Regent's Park and then up to Primrose Hill where we could look out over the city (as best we could in the clouds) -- and then kept walking north up to Parliament Hill and Hampstead Heath which was amazing.
Queen Mary's Gardens in Regent's Park
View from Primrose Hill
Hampstead Heath
My time in London ended on Friday -- I ate lunch with my cousin on the balcony of the Members' Room at the Tate Modern -- unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit the museum, but lunch was still great -- and the view was even better.
View from Tate Modern
From there, I headed to St. Pancras where I took the train to PARIS. Somehow I ended up in the "family" voiture -- I think out of the 16 seats in my section, at least 6 of them were taken by kids -- small and noisy kids at that. But, as cheesy as this sounds, stepping out of the train, it literally felt like I was back home. I seamlessly made it "home" to Marilu and Alain's -- where I was greeted with open arms. Such an interesting combinations of feelings that I can't even really begin to describe.
We had dinner "en famille" as always, and then I went to bed somewhat shortly after that. I woke up early yesterday and went to the Piscine Georges Vallerey to see all of my old teammates who were competing at a swim meet this weekend. Quite the experience! Very weird to be back at that pool - but not competing, and to see everyone. It was quite a relief to see that they hadn't forgotten me! I had lunch with my friends John, Tia, and Alexander (an American family that I got to know well last year) in the restaurant of a hotel called Mama Shelter -- which is this really cool and trendy place in the 20e arrondissement. It feels almost like being in New York and apparently, they're trying to open similar hotels all over Europe. I had a pizza with chorizo and little cherry tomatoes -- delicious! We soon headed back to the pool where I attempted to "swim" during warm up -- I made it (somehow) through 1500 meters.
Since it was a beautiful day, I left the pool around 3 -- and I took the bus in the general direction of home and ended up getting off around Ile de la Cite. I decided to walk over to Berthillon on Ile Saint Louis (since I'm only here for 5 days, I have to make sure I fit all of the foods on my list, right?).
Dark Chocolate and Salted Butter Caramel! Yummmmm!
From there, I meandered my way home (which was about 5 km away) -- Paris is FULL of tourists, which I guess makes since given that it was beautiful out and a Saturday!
I think that's all for right now -- I've realized that I've done most of the "things to do" in Paris -- and also that I will never really be a tourist here. All I really have the desire to do is spend time with the people I want to spend time with -- and eat the foods I have missed quite a bit! Not really the best place to start my post-graduation diet plan....
A bientot!
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