Part One: I’m Baaaaaaaaaccckkkk.

I haven’t posted anything for a while because last week was my last one in Paris. *tear* And instead of packing, preparing, and doing all of the things I didn’t get done during the summer; I played tour guide for some visiting friends. It was fun—but exhausting. We visited several sites each day and my digital camera was stolen.
Last Friday, the girls’ first day in Paris, we saw almost everything there is to see in this great city. We started at the l’Arc de Triomphe, walked down the length of the Champs Elysée (where the girls had their very first authentic Parisian café experience), stopped by the Place de la Concorde for pictures, crossed the street to the Seine for (more) pictures of the Eiffel Tower and the Alexandre III bridge, the re-crossed the street and the Place de la Concorde to the Madeline Church by way of some very expensive window shopping (Hèrmes, Chanel, Dior, Valentino, ect.). It was there—at the church, that I set down my camera to consult my guidebook. We were headed to the Opera next and I wanted to make sure we took the shortest route possible (it had been a long day of walking thus far). I got up and left with my guidees, but left mon appareil de photo resting on the seat. When I returned for it, it was gone. This sucked for several reasons: 1.) It was one of a very few gifts from my father I actually like, 2.) It will take several weeks for insurance to replace it, 3.) I had to go to the Police Commisariat to fill out a police report for my insurance claim, which wasn’t awful, but finding the damn place took about 2 hours or walking around the same city block over and over again. 4.) I was broke and had no way of replacing it myself before I left for Ireland (Captain Obvious says: “leaving you without a camera for your big trip!”)
“Why was I broke?” you might ask. Well, because my financial aid had been spent on a program I was not participating in. I am an exchange student. I pay normal tuition—unlike study abroad students who pay for special programs (which tend to be much, much more expensive).
That night, we also filled two and half hours with 2 days worth of art at the Louvre, went to Trocadero and had kir while waiting for the Eiffel Tower to sparkle. It was the first time I'd seen sparkle-- and Trocadero is the best spot to watch it. We got home around 2 a.m. and were up early the next day for more.
All of my money woes were all taken care of on Tuesday before I left. I had sent a rather seething e-mail to my financial aid officer letting her know that I was close to panhandling in the metros, and that I needed my money pronto. It was waiting in my bank account Tuesday morning. So, after seeing the girls off (to London), I headed to the FNAC digital…and I bought the most amazing toy in the world. It is a Casio EXLIM It weighs less than my cell phone, is about as long and thin as my index finger, and the screen is almost twice the size of my old one! Yea! Toys! It came with a 5 year warranty, extra lithium battery, memory card (512mb SD). It is 5 mega pixels—3 for film. I am still learning how to use it, but I really, really love it.
I also took advantage of my newly acquired wealth and bought a 250 euro pair of Vera Wang* sunglasses I had been lusting over for a few days.
I finally got packed up and ready for my 2 week adventure in Ireland, but even on the plane over, all I could think about was leaving Paris—a city I have absolutely fallen in love with; I don’t want to move.
I am moving because I am registered at the University of Caen in Basse-Normandie for the Fall/Spring 2005-6 school year. These plans were made long before I ever arrived in the City of Lights, and cannot be changed now.
Anyway…..
I flew from Paris’ Beauvais Airport to Dublin last night at 11 p.m. courtesy of RyanAir.
I had no idea how far away Beauvais is from Paris—about 1h20mns by shuttle bus (which is not free contrary to what several guidebooks claim. It costs a whopping 13 euros and they don’t like to wait while you rustle through your pack to find change). I left Paris around 4 p.m. with hopes of dropping my very heavy backpack off in an airport locker, and returning to the city for a movie, and one more sentimental good-bye, but when I realized the effort (and expense) that would require, I just stayed at the airport—if you can call it that. It is tiny—teeny, even. It’s great because it cuts down on airfares, but there isn’t much there to do.

*Fun Little Fact: no one in Paris knows who Vera Wang is. I think this has to do with the fact that there are so many couturiers throughout the city, a Vera Wang wedding gown (or any of her other fashions) are much less impressive/important.


No points for this one... too obvious.
“We’ll always have Paris.”