Today was such an awesome and FREE day! Here is a wonderful tip for anyone ever wanting to visit Paris: On the first Sunday of every month, all monuments and museums are FREE for anyone wanting to visit. Knowing this special tip, my friends and I decided to go and see some of the places we had wanted to a few weeks ago, but couldn’t afford on our poor college-student budget.
First off was the Rodin Museum. I have never taken much notice to Mr. Auguste Rodin as an artist besides “The Thinker” and “Hell’s Gates.” After going through this museum, however, my attention has shifted 180 degrees to his works! The museum itself is probably a lot more appealing in the middle of spring, as there is a large garden hosting many of his sculptures between fountains and gardens. Inside the museum, his paintings, moldings and sculptures are on display.
A couple getting engaged in the gardens of the Museum. 
Next we were onto the Centre George Pompidou. A museum known for it’s outside artistic structure, the Pompidou is a contemporary/modern art museum. The fourth floor was the FREE entrance of the day, and the exhibit was done entirely by female artists.
The famous escalator to get to the top of the museum.
Now, I consider myself to be open-minded and somewhat artistic, but a lot of what was on display was not to my liking. Many things I could not even post on this blog, as I don’t consider it to be for the general public to read or see! It definitely made you think throughout the exhibits, however.
After Pompidou, we were all a bit starving. At the mention of falafel, we were off! I had never had falafel until arriving in Paris, and it is definitely something I will continue to search for when getting back to the States! The Jewish area called The Marais is known for it’s falafel stands, and rightfully so. We eagerly stuffed our faces, and walked a short way to our next FREE destination of the day: Notre Dame.
Now, going inside the main cathedral of Notre Dame is FREE, but going up in the towers is not. I had always wanted to actually go up into the top of the two towers, so we waited in a freezing line to get our FREE chance. We climbed over 400 steps in spiral staircases, and finally reached the middle of the church. Seeing all the famous gargoyles was so amazing! Next, we climbed a little further to see the main bell of the south tower. After that, we trekked up more staircases to reach the very top of one of the towers. The view is brilliant, as is the architecture itself.
I would like to point out that this is the same picture as the one in my blog title, but now I have taken it myself!! So cool to find the same location.
The view from the top of the south tower of Notre Dame.
Finally, after spiraling back down to the streets of Paris, my roommate and I decided to check one more place out before heading home for dinner: St. Chapelle. Thankfully, we made it just as the doors were closing. (That is another tip for all who want to travel here; realize that most museums and monuments close in the early evening, some as early as 16:45.) The inside of the church is one of my favorites sites in the city, and always is a great surprise to see as you come out of the small spiral staircase.
The amazing windows of St. Chapelle.Tired and windblown, Erik and I headed home, where we had an amazing dinner, once again. We always have great food, but tonight I felt like I had finally eaten like the French. My host mom prepared boeuf bourguignon! Man, was it delicious. One thing I won’t get sick of? Food.
An awesome street performer from New York. He had a myspace! haha.
This week my friends from the Forensics team back home are coming! I am so excited to see familiar faces and catch up. All is well.
Affectuesement,
George
Sunday 7 March 2010
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