Paris in the snow!

Snow all Thursday and Friday--so much that kids decided to cut class! Fools!

Now, I must define what will now be known as "pulling a Pierre-Antoine": one lets one's friend get on the metro and chooses not to get on with said friend when the noise sounds and the doors close, so the friend rides alone without saying a proper goodbye. Used in a sentence: "Pierre-Antoine pulled a Pierre-Antoine on me Friday afternoon." Tsss...

Apart from that on Friday, I didn't do much except enjoy the snow and meet some assistants for drinks--British, Spanish, Guatemalan, and Mexican. I tried a beer with flavored syrup in it, choosing kiwi over banana, peach, passion fruit, violet, and more.Good but too sugary to drink a whole pint of it.

Saturday I took a day trip into Paris to meet Caitlin who was there to visit Versailles with her students on Sunday. My main wish was some Christmas shopping, but there was no time!!! Let me start from the beginning...

I caught the 9am TGV (fast, direct train) from Rennes to Paris, supposedly arriving at 11:10. My train was late because of snow, Caitlin was late meeting me, then the quickest metro to the museum where we were meeting another Paris assistant was shut down so we had to take another and then walk. We arrived at almost one!

In the meantime, we walked though the falling snow from the edge of the Louvre to the museum--really super snowy! We saw a Chrisrmas market on Champs Élysées as we hurried past. The museum, Palais de la découverte, was ok. It is a science musum with exhibits from the human body to magnets, but I've seen better presentations. We did see the planetarium show and a show on training rats in mazes which were interesting. And at the fencing exhibit, you could try different moves in a box with an electronic target! Afterwards, we walked back through les Tuileries (gardens at the Louvre) to the Starbucks across the street from the Louvre. Caitlin and I sat there for an hour to warm up and eat since we had not gotten lunch. Then, it was past 6 and time to head back to the train station. My train left at 7:30 and I was back in my apartment by 10. I'll go back to Paris 18-22 for shopping and enjoying, I think. Maybe Disneyland too.

Me and Caitlin in the Tuileries gardens.

I was so glad to get away for the day. I was getting to the point when I feel like my life is the whole world... so it's nice to get away and get perspective that my little 'problems' amount to nothing in the grand scheme of things! It makes them seem smaller and more manageable. And despite the annoyances of time lost and a mediocre museum, I was so happy just to do something different and have a little adventure. The Starbucks Caramel Noisette Latte was also super delicious with a blueberry muffin ;)

I was too wound up to sleep after a fun-filled day. First, I took some pictures of the Christmas lights in Rennes, which have officially been turned on! I found some people at bar Angélus, a classy wine place at the Mairie, and had a kir and conversation. Then, on the way home, I grabbed a kebab to nourish my tired body. It was a satisfying day.

Lights on Rue le Bastard, a shopping street behind my apartment.

Today's plan is to finish my music lesson for the week, write Christmas cards, and watch Into the Wild so I can return the dvd to the prof tomorrow. A hard life, I know ;)

A few more pictures are in my Winter album, link on the sidebar to the right!