Finality and Sunshine

      Well, I apologize for the long break between posts.  I really have no valid reason other than procrastination.  The semester ended in a fizzle of exhaustion followed by a very long nap and then a big party with lots of tabouli and wine.  We were all so ready for the semester to be over and yet so sad to have to say goodbye.  This being the second time that I had to say goodbye to dear friends, I took the easy way out and was one of the first to leave so that it was me saying goodbye instead of them.

a stolen photo of our Art History class just after H.'s presentation on Yves Klein in the Pompidou

(yes, we all wore blue on purpose)

      

      For my last night with my host family, Paris pulled out all the stops on the sunset; a photo cannot do justice to the neon brilliance of the clouds.  It was a bit sad to sit in my empty room and know that I was leaving, but at the same time it was nice to be one step closer to being home.  My host-parents drove me over to my hotel, and even though it was only a five minute drive, I seriously though I was going to die before I got there simply because of my host-father's complete inability to drive a car much less drive a car and follow the basic rules of the road (ie. stay on the right, red means stop...).  Good times.  

      My four nights at the hotel all went smoothly and were some of the best and relaxing days that I've had in a while.  I successfully managed to not take any photos, but I did get in a ton of walking, reading, coffee drinking, journaling, thinking, museum visiting, postcard shopping, people watching, tourist mocking, pho eating, garden strolling, and sun sitting.  In yet another miracle, the weather took a turn for the perfect and it has been about 70 degrees and full sun the entire time.  There have been several highlights thus far, but I'm far to sleepy to come up with creative transitions from one to the next, so I'll just list them.

1. Visit to the Pinacoteque to see the exhibitions on Art Nouveau and Tamara de Lempicka: who doesn't like art nouveau posters and talented women way ahead of their time?

2.  Pho: cause it's just that good

3.  Falafal eating in the Hotel de Sully courtyard: complete with bird feeding and a lovely conversation with a rather eccentric German lady 

4.  Perusing the Bouquinistes along the Seine: posters, I've got 'em.  

5.  Used-book shopping at Gibert-Joseph: 80 cent used books + recently acquired ability to understand them = a very good afternoon

6.  This pineapple:

chilling in the sink only moments before I ate the entire thing for dinner

7.  Morning visits to the boulangerie to pick up a viennoisserie roll for breakfast and a petit pain for lunch picnic

8.  Giotto and Egyptian writing exhibits at the Louvre

9.  People watching in the Jardin des Tuileries while reading newly acquired book

10.  Ridding a random bus without knowing where it was going and ending up in a part of Paris I'd never visited (fancy way of saying "got lost").

11.  Laying in bed and watching Babar cartoons in the mornings.

12.  Sitting with the hotel's cat on the patio.

13.  Throwing out stuff I didn't need: surprisingly good feeling.

14.  That huge brown paper bag full of cherries I ate while sitting in yet another garden: second best dinner yet (pineapple won first place)

15.  Knowing that I didn't have any homework: never underestimate this feeling.

Anyways, now I'm relaxing in yet another hotel after a lovely lunch and stroll with Aunt Adair.  We leave in just a bit to go pick up the other two lovely ladies at the airport, and then the real adventure begins.  Only six more days until I'm home!  I can't wait to see all yall wonderful people.
Much love,
Kate Alice