Unfortunately, despite my best attempts, I have gotten behind on the blog posts. So, here’s a quick recap of the past couple of weeks!
I had a few days off before classes started, so I tried to take advantage of the free time. I went with one of my roommates to the Musée Rodin, which is only about a 15 minute walk from my apartment. It was a little rainy and gloomy that day, but even the ugly weather couldn’t ruin the beauty of the gardens. It was incredible to see Rodin’s works, and I can’t wait to come back in the spring!
After the museum visit, we made our way to les Invalides, which houses military museums and is the burial site of Napoleon. It’s amazing to be able to walk around a place where so many other historical figures have walked before.
Later, we walked along les Champs Elyseés and to the Arc de Triumphe. The arc is so massive, when you are standing below it all you can do is marvel at how amazing it is. Apparently it’s so big a small plane once flew through it (that’s right, I did my research). And, I found out you can go to the top for free as a student (the number of student discounts available in Paris is amazing!) so I will definitely have to return.
I also went to Musée de l’Orangerie, home of Monet’s famous Water Lilies. It’s a small museum, but the paintings were absolutely breathtaking! Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed inside, so you’ll just have to look it up – they are amazing! The only downside to my visit to the museum was that it was absolutely freezing outside. Paris has been experiencing some of the coldest temperatures in years – walking to class in under 10 degree weather is no fun for this southern California girl (although the snow has been beautiful). In fact, it was so cold that day that the fountain at the Jardin des Tuileries was frozen!
The more I see in Paris, the more I find myself simply having to take a breath and marvel at the beauty and history of the city.
À bientôt!