Almost Done :(

In Roma with Caitlin for the weekend.

then the family comes, springbreak in Switzerland, a long weekend in Praque/Berlin, a short weekend in Nice/Provence, Matthew comes, a huge written/oral French exam, a trip to Germany and I'm home.

That's insane.

La Belle et the bad boy

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Mmmm – so Paris. Paris is swell. I mean, I’m not going to start winking at people on the street or anything, but it’s very nice. Let’s see – I’ll try and go back two weeks. Architecture class on Monday was ludicrous – I’ve decided to stop going to class and will just write my final on my thoughts of the ridiculousness that is “Paris History and Architecture – The Sorbonne Version”. Tuesday was our second night of wine class and although we tasted some, well, interesting wine, we didn’t exactly learn very much from our rather eccentric professor. The rest of the week was pretty dull – just normal stuff – trying to figure out spring break plans and such. Thursday Caitlin and I made our way out to La Defense, the business district of Paris. We thought we were in another world. Tall buildings. Blacktop. Companies. I also managed to find infamous “The Thumb” of Max, Claude, Axel, and Matthew’s trip to Paris that I have been looking for for quite some time…Friday we rode 56 floors to the top of the Montparnasse Tower to look out over the lovely city of love. We were impressed at how many monuments we knew and could point out – I guess we do really know Paris! Saturday I took a nice little day trip to Chartes – one of the most well know cathedral’s in all of Europe. It was beautiful, but raining – so back I came. After being kicked out of my room to insert a “bibliotechque” (which translates to library in English, but in actuality is really just a bookcase) I called it an early night and although I was “too excited to sleep” I did so quite nicely. Saturday I woke up early and rushed, excitedly, to the Charles De Gaulle airport to meet Steven and Felicia. I thought I might have missed them because their plane landed earlier and was waiting nervously and asking people where they were coming from and finally – the arrived. Imagine happiness like you’ve never experienced before. Gosh. It was wonderful. So we went to the hotel and then just explored Paris for the rest of the day. Monday we went up the towers of Notre Dame, went to the Saint-Chapelle, went to Shakespeare and Company, and then, um, went to Crazy Horse – a, well, Cabert. It was quite, um, interesting? This was after I sent Steve and Felicia to the wrong metro stop and then ran there to try and find them (which I did – but panicked the whole way). We ended the night watching the Eiffel tower turn all sparkly. Mmmm. Tuesday we went to the Musee D’Orsay – the Eiffel tower – the Champs and then dinner. Wednesday I got an apartment for my family’s stay in Paris and then met Steve and Felicia for the Tulieries gardens, the Louvre, the Latin Quarter (more crepes) to be followed by Steven and I taking in a club on the Champs and braving the Night (not Knight) Bus home and taking a test at 9am the next morning. The test went well (it was about Napoleon) and then we ate at a very cool restaurant on top of the Centre Pompideau, visited the museum, rode my favorite metro line (the 14!), checked out Bercy Village, and ended our lovely trip with another view of the sparkly Eiffel tower. Friday we went back to the airport and I returned to Paris very teary eyed – but looking forward to a short two weeks before the arrival of my family! Saturday we took a little trip with AIFS to Fontainbleu and Vaux de la Vacome – two beautiful chateaus just outside Paris. Caitlin and I then braved the rain and got some coffee and then each went our own ways and eventually to our beds. Sunday was the first nice day we’ve had in Paris for about a week – so I ran a nice little 40 minutes along the Seine from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre and back. I then tried to go grocery shopping – but Paris doesn’t shop on Sundays so I met Caitlin to check out the Paris Flea Market – which let’s just say – we won’t be going back, but Caitlin felt very “at home”. The rest of the day was spent in frustration trying to figure out how people get to Zermatt (Switzerland) which I finally did. This evening, much to Annie and my dismay, we were subject to wall drilling, fiddler on the roof music, and dinner at 11pm. It all ended well and we are ending our night watching a glorious episode of the “West Wing”. Bonne Soiree!

Oh boy, Oh yeah

1- Yay for CLAUDE! (both Monet and Drehfal)
2 - The most beautiful - Louvre...
3 - The Louvre again, but this time even more impressive with Steven Guns...
4 - La Sorbonne (my school)
5 - Arc de le Grand Army - another arc by Napolean
6 - Notice the name of the road...Nicholas Flamel....ring any bells?
7 - Max, Matthew, Axel, and Claude: I finally found the thumb
8 - The best flying butresses I have ever seen...
9 - The exact center of Paris

Update to come...

People come to visit....

STEVEN GUNS IS HERE....

You can expect an update, well, you know....whenever it comes....

Captions to match the pictures to match the post

1 - In case you were wondering, Europe is thataway...
2 - Caitlin, Jackie, Claire, and Katy in CHAMPAGNE!
3 - I'm from Wisconsin - I LOVE cows... (not eating them, just being with them)
4 - Football is big here in Paris. It's even bigger when Katy and Caitlin decided to use it as a photo shoot.
5 - Yay Paris!
6 - J'aime le Louvre
7 - This is how Paris goes out on Friday nights - or maybe this is just how Katy goes out on Friday nights...
8 - The 14 is my FAVORITE metro ligne. If you're coming to visit me we are going to ride it from one end to the other - i love it that much. Pele is making an appearance as well.
9 - I think I'm ready for the Tour de France.
10 - Notre Dame de Reims - we're being nuns...

Pics to match the Post

Spring has sprung

I know you're all thinking - wait a minute - Katy just updated last week - what's going on?!! I'm simply putting off studying for my tests - so here we go.

Well I guess I'll start with yesterday - yesterday was simply the best day that I've had yet in Paris. I woke up at 10am, had a nice breakfast, checked some email, and met Claire and Caitlin at the Eiffel Tower. There were approximately (I actually have no clue, but you get the point) 2000 people at the tower - just hanging out in the grass and enjoying the clear blue sky and 60 degree weather. We played a little soccer, read, listened to MY ipod (as Claire has sent hers with Billy...) and stayed for about five hours. Afterwards we walked around Paris a bit and then went on home. What a wonderful spring day here in Paris. Today was much of the same although I had class and that was a bummer. In the afternoon I went to the craziest grocery store in Paris - Le grand epicerie de Paris (i think...) it's connected with Le Bon Marche. Anywho -then I took the metro to the edge of Paris to check out this huge park called "le Bois" - I went for a 35 (yay!) minute run which was wonderful although I learned that Paris has alot of prickers...

This weekend: Friday I had class and then took a little nap and met Claire and Caitlin and Jackie for dinner - we then attempted to go to church but there were no seats! So we got gelato instead and talked about God ourselves....Afterwards we went to the Latin Quarter and shared a bottle of wine in this cute little (and smokey) wine cellar. Caitlin had been there before and she was trying to tell me about it and the first thing she told me was that, "I wouldn't want to be there in a fire, but it was pretty sweet" - well - I would have to agree with Caitlin and say that I wouldn't want to be there during a fire...Next we headed to an Irish Pub for some dancing, but wanted to make it home before the metro closed so we didn't stay long....The next part of the story is pretty hilarious and pretty unKatylike so get ready....SO, the four of us (LA and Annie were in Ireland) were planning on going to Reims (in the Champagne region of France - to say the name you have to actually say the word "Prince" without the p and then gargle the r - the french language, i tell ya) Saturday morning by train. We planned to meet at the train station at 7:30am (it's an hour and a half by train to Reims). So what happens? I get a call at 7:40 being like, where are you? Where am I? Oh, still sleeping....So I jump out of bed, throw clothes on, grab my toothbrush (just in case) and RUN to the metro. I then proceded to RUN through two metro changes and made it to the station for the 8:21 departure. That's one way to wake up in the morning....Reims was very neat - we explored the city - toured a champagne cellar (Champagne is the only region in the world that can produce ACTUAL champagne - international law) - ate some Barbe de Papa (Cotton Candy) - and then came the planetarium. Caitlin really wanted to go to this planetarium so we all agreed to try it out, although I warned everyone I was pretty tired and would probably fall asleep if the chairs were comfortable. As it turns out - we were all pretty tired because ALL FOUR OF US FELL ASLEEP. We were awaken by several french people laughing at the four american girls sleeping in the backrow. Oh goodness. We quickly lefted - grabbed dinner - and headed back to Paris.

The rest of the week before the weekend was good. Caitlin and I studied outside Le Louvre one day. We met Robin in Le Marsais for Falafels. I ate some crossiant de amandes (almond). Ran twice. Slept some (not alot). And that was about it I believe. My bestest friend, Steve Guns and his mom are coming to Paris on Sunday and I am BEYOND excited. In fact - I might cry at the airport. Of course I have two tests the week that he's here - but no worries - school doesn't count in Paris, right?

Two posts in one day? Oh gosh!

1 - Paris makes you think alot...
2 - These bird things (Gargoyles) are scary...
3 - The Pantheon!

I know, I know...

March 6, 2007
Paris, France

Oh Gosh Guys – I’m so sorry that it’s been an amazing three weeks since I’ve last updated…People have been reminding me that I even HAVE a blog so I guess it’s time to update…

Carneval in Deutschland

Let’s see – three weekends ago I took the train to the Kalisch Haus to see my two favorite Germans – Max and Axel (three if you count King Louie the Hip Hop Carpenter). The train was very pleasant – only a four hour ride and although I had a bit of trouble finding my actual seat and got yelled at (in French) for putting my feet on the seat –overall – I love traveling by train! Got to Strasbourg in Eastern France, which is approximately 15 minutes from Offenburg, was met by a frantic Max and Axel and accordingly rushed to the car, hopped on the autobahn, and drove very quickly home to get ready for “Hexeball” this huge party in Offenburg. Max’s mom borrowed a flapper costume for me and after a small kitchen party with two doctors, santa claus, and a pilot we headed to the craziest mix of Halloween/spring break that I’ve ever seen. Carnival in Germany is absurd – there are just no words to describe it – we have nothing like it in the US and A. Everyone is dressed in costumes and drinking and dancing and listening to music and just having a grand time. After staying out until approximately 5am we headed home and slept until an early 1:00. I was then awoken by a certain “super sexy” kid who told me it was time to run – so Axel and I went on an hour run (I can’t believe he lasted that long…) around the beautiful town of Offenburg. After a wonderful breakfast of fresh bread, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, and nutella I got to meet some of Axel’s friends for coffee (oh boy – Trisha and Kaitlin – you would have loved it…) Anywho – so then it was time for the next party – another Hexeball in a town over. This wasn’t as nearly as amazing as the show that O-town put on so Max and I WERE going to call it an early night but when we turned home we found Reinhard, his friends from Hamburg, and King Louie in the dinner room. We joined them for awhile and then decided to go into town for more crazy. We started at a small bar and ended up drinking champagne at this “chic” club over the huge HandM downtown – home this time by 4:00am – I didn’t think things could get any better. BUT as it turns out none of this was actual “carnival”. Saturday started with a “garden party” in the Kalisch backyard and then the night began….Max, Reinhard, King Louie, and the Hamburg gentlemen and I headed into the town square where there were all these tents set up with food and drinks and music and of course the ENTIRE town of Offenburg. So into the wee hours of the morning we moved from tent to tent dancing and partying and marveling at everyone’s costume – it was wonderful. Sunday, Max and I went to a nearby town for another festival before enjoying another garden party (mmmm, lots of sausage…) and then realized it was time to RUSH to the train station (and when I say rush, I mean I got on the train one minute before it left…) and that was carnival!

The Next Week

Had our first “phonetics” class this week. Basically it just consists of a teacher saying phrases aloud and the class repeating them – but what’s really cool is that we use this special audio system where we record our voices and then listen to them to help us improve. The teacher can also listen into our tapings and help us out individually. I really enjoyed the first class – and continue too – but five days of repeating phrases such as, “I met the Russian girl in the road” and “Do you have a cell phone?” gets a little old…Tuesday was mardi-gras and thus the end to Caitlin, Claire, LA, and my days of eating chocolate and candy so of course we had to celebrate with a nutella crepe and a trip to “Frog and Princess” this English/French bar. The best part to the night was the ride home on the metro which consisted of me falling down the stairs and Claire attempting to get one last chocolate bar out of broken vending machine – oh it was great. And I have it on video… Let’s see – Wednesday was Ash Wednesday so I made a trip to the Sacre Coeur which was amazing. Thursday Caitlin and I went to this “Soiree Privee” or “private night” at a club on the Champs. We both dressed up pretty poshy and danced the night away. And then came Friday

AM-DAM

Friday night at 11pm Claire, Caitlin, and I took a nine hour bus ride to “Pay-Bay” aka the Netherlands. We arrived in Amsterdam at 7am and dropped off our bags at the botel (yes a hotel on a river aka BOtel…) Saturday we visited the Anne Frank Haus which was incredible…It’s so hard to comprehend that only 60 years ago this little girl actually lived there. The coolest parts were seeing her actual diary and the pictures that she had pasted on the wallpaper in her room. After a nice coffee break we headed to the Heineken Experience. You may think that it was a just a museum – but you would be sorely mistaken as it was much more – as you can see from the pictures…After a quick lunch we jetted back to the botel to take a MUCH needed nap. Dinner consisted of pancakes and then we explored the city for several hours. About the time we decided to head home it started to DOWNPOUR and although you would think we would be used to rain living in Paris – this was more than rain. A very nice Dutch man actually gave us his umbrella (which turned out to have a picture of a dead woman on it as it was from a funeral – but it’s always the thought that counts right?) This is the point in the night where we got really lost and found out it was 2am and flagged a cab. Sleep. Sunday morning we woke up and took a bus to the nearby region of Holland. We visited an actual Dutch windmill, a fromagerie, and a little fishing village. Of course I bought some real wooden clogs and you will all love them, of this I’m sure. The rest of the day we spent in a torture museum, a dutch grocery store, a tulip market, and waiting for the bus. And while I didn’t sleep very well on the way TO Amsterdam – I passed out hardcore on the way home- like I didn’t wake up at all – well at least not until we arrived in Paris at 5am and had to wait in the cold for the metro to open…Annie was the greatest friend anyone could ask for and let me in to the flat at 6am (as we only had one key at this time – no worries we have two now…)and I appropriately skipped my 9am class to catch up on a few winks.

LAST WEEK

Okay – well last week was pretty full too – we went to the Ballet, which was pretty cool, a play, which was not, (we left at intermission – I mean, it had already been 2.5 hours!) danced with this pretty sweet person, and Wednesday I spent studying (or attempting to) at Le Louvre. Friday I had my first French test which I didn’t think went so well but I got a “bien” aka around a B- so not too shabby! This weekend I hotel searched for certain individuals who might be coming to visit me, went to a fondue restaurant where they serve wine in baby bottles, met Claire’s BF , and ended up racewalking in the Latin Quarter (we even have it on video). The weekend ended quite nicely as the monuments and museums of Paris are free the first Sunday of every month so Caitlin and Jackie and I went up the Towers of the Notre Dame, visited the Pantheon (home to Marie Curie and Foucault’s Pendulum (proving the rotation of the earth)), got a falafel in the Marasis, and ended the day by walking to the top of the Arc D’Triumph. Although there are definitely hard days here in Paris and days where I would much rather be anywhere else – it’s the little stuff like looking out over the entire city of Paris from the top of the Notre Dame de Paris and passing by the Eiffel Tower on my way to school that reminds me to thank God for this wonderful opportunity and to take in as much as possible as life moves just too fast…

Am-Dam Pics

So there were once three little girls who decided to take a bus ride to Amsterdam...Here's what happened:

1 - The best looking Heineken I've ever seen...
2 - Two of my favorite things : Cheese and Clogs
3 - You ask where we spent our time? Right now I think we're checking out aka being completely alarmed by the red light district
4 - This is actually not Amsterdam - but rather the Latin Quarter - but Caitlin and I are very sad - it's 12:01 on Ash Wednesday and this means we can't eat any more chocolate...
5 - The Sacre Coeur
6 - Three good looking gangstas getting ready for Amsterdam...Salut to the East Side of Labelle
7 - Holland is just so much fun!
8- You might wonder where we stayed after our bus ride - oh, just the BOTEL. yes - a boat and hotel hybrid - the wonders...
9 - An actual Dutch windmill!
10 - A Fromagerie! A wisconsin girl's dream...
11 - Two of the classiest things in Paris - the Arc d'Triumph and me!
12 - Yay for a 9 hour bus ride! (oh, and that's my new sweatshirt!)
13 - Do you think they'll find us?
14 - My new fashion...good, non?

Are you sick of me yet?

Captions!

Bottom Post:
1 - A little Valentine's Day fun at the Louvre...
2 - Claire and Caitlin are so EXCITED to be spending Valentine's Day in the City of Love
3 - The stained glass of the Saint Chappelle
4 - Katy at the Conceriege - I'm tearing up while standing in Marie Antoinette's prison cell

Top Post:
1 - Katy and our (aka Trisha and Kate) favorite German (behind the Kalisch Family) King Louie, the Hip Hop Carpenter for the fourth and final day of Carneval.
2 - Ready for the Offenburg "Hexeball" - I think I see Santa, two doctors, a flapper, and a pilot, but don't mark my words...
3- Gossssshhhh - that's cute
4 - I believe the quote for this picture would be: "get your sexy on"
5 - Night #2 - second Hexeball party
6 - The club AFTER max and I already called it a night...
7 - Night # 3 in Offenburg - a few of the Kalisch famliy friends and me!
8 - I would say Axel Kalisch has never looked better...

See....There's this thing called carneval...

Where has the time gone...

Pictures first, explanation later...