Paris, enchanté

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Today I went to see the Pope. I'm not Catholic, I'm not even that religious, but how often does one get the chance to see the Pope? Unfortunately, due to the high security such a figurehead requires, all of the Metro stations in the area were closed. I figured that it wouldn't be too much of a walk to go from Chatelet to Notre Dame, and I would have been right had I not headed in the wrong direction out of the metro. While wandering, it did cross my mind that a lone little white girl, wandering lost in a strange new city towards a mass of thousands of people, was probably not the safest thing to be doing, but I continued onward. Forty-five minutes later, and I find myself in the flow of people around Notre Dame, leaving just after the service was finished. I never saw the Pope, but it was still pretty cool to be among thousands of people, most of them chanting and singing and yelling "Jesus vous aime! Jesus vous aime beaucoup!" Not your regular mob, this. It was fun, and celebratory, and it was just neat to be pushed along by this multi-lingual mass along the Seine and around Notre Dame.
As the nearest metro stations closest were closed, I decided to take a long walk along the Seine back in the direction of my apartment in the 16th. It was beautiful. Just, everything. The river, the lights, and tonight the Eiffel Tower sparkled. I almost started crying just from the sheer beauty of everything and the fact that I was here. It was just one of those moments where I felt the endless possibilities of everything blowing through me and around me, where I knew deep down that I really could do anything, that life is beautiful and terrifying and majestic and short. And there was the Eiffel tower, sparkling. And the Seine and the golden statues over Invalides, and happy Catholics singing songs for Jesus and God and Love.

I have finally found the cheap grocery stores in my neighborhood, and realized that the miniature Statue of Liberty that is on the Seine is just down the street from my apartment. So that's neat. I've been trying to take a nice walk everyday, to get accustomed to the streets around here. I have to say, being in France had made me really miss squares. In America, streets run in squares, you are either going North-South, or East-West, go up a block and over 2, or whatever. It's easy, at least in modern cities and towns. But here, things run in circles and triangles and ellipses and you can turn a corner and instead of being perpendicular to how you were before, you are now back-tracking. It's fun, don't get me wrong, it's great for exploring and enjoying, but my sense of direction was never that good in the states, and this just throws a whole new wrench into the works. Slowly though, I'm starting to get the hang of it, and if all else fails, the Eiffel tower stand like a sentinel over the roof tops, and if I can see that, then I can't be completely lost.

Things are going well for me and my little chambre do bonne. The kids that I watch are fun, I am expected to speak English to them, but then they speak in French amongst themselves. It's been interesting talking Chloe out of her hissy fits with her complaining in French and me responding in English "I know, brothers can be annoying." "Mais il fait ca tous les jours! Il est toujours comme ca!" "Well, that's just how brothers are. They tend to always be annoying. I know, I was the same way to my sister." etc. I taught them the drawing game where you fold a paper into 3, someone draws a head, passes it, the next person draws a body and the last person draws the legs. They loved it, and no one gets upset because whatever you draw works, it's supposed to be silly. On another cultural note, I had my first official French date last night. Well, perhaps I've had a few French dates by now, but was just to oblivious to realize what was going on. Wouldn't be the first time. That was.. well, it was rather difficult, I'm not gonna lie. We spoke French, so with the language difference, plus the fact we were in a cafe with other noisy patrons, and the fact that his voice is rather low, I didn't really know what was going on most of the time. I thought we were having a conversation on learning another language, and then he said something and then was kissing me. I don't know if it was a "wow, you're so captivating and charming, I'm going to kiss you" sort of kiss, or a "please, stop butchering my language" sort of kiss, I rather hope it was the first, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. I'm still rather confused by the whole thing, because, well, I really didn't know what was going on for most of the date, and I hope the sentences I managed to construct were at least somewhere near on topic. One can only hope. But I guess it went well, all things considered.

Through these dates and the scavenger hunts MICEFA has organized for us, I am slowly getting to know this city and find wonderful little enclaves within it. I saw where Victor Hugo lived today, and found some adorable little parks, as well as the best falafels I have ever had, in my life. If anyone comes to visit me here, we will get falafels from this place. Amazing. Tomorrow we go to Fountainbleu, and Sunday I am going to the catacombs with some friends. So much to explore, I better get some sleep so I will be ready for another exciting day in France!

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Photos

For the love of God
That is why everyone is here, for the love of God, and a desire to see the Pope.

Faces
Pont Neuf is probably my favorite bridge in Paris. It's just lovely.

Saint Eustache
There is an egg head here, and I wonder if it's by the same artist as the ones in Davis?