Weekend Wonders!

My supper tonight..Yummy!

Mont Saint-Michel

American WWII cemetrey in Normandy

American cemetery in Normandy

Bomb and explosion craters from D-Day on Omaha

Outside the Louvre as the sun was setting

• This weekend brought us many wonders, one reason why I haven't been able to blog in a few days - we've been busy! Friday morning was my first French test and then the second half of the class time we filled out a worksheet while walking around the Luxembourg Gardens (only a few blocks away from our school!) After class was finished, I walked down the street, several blocks, to the Foundation Cartier - Center for Contemporary Art, where there was a photo display by William Eggleson. It was awesome! The other artist's who's work was also on display was fantastic also, but unfortunately I didn't stay long because I was meeting other members of our group for lunch at a cafe. And what a wonderful lunch we had! After finishing a meal of various omlettes and baguettes, the four of us took the Metro to a different part of the city, much closer to the center to the European House of Photography and saw 5 different photographer's galleries. They were incredible!
• After we were finished there, it was time for The Louvre. We met our group and guide by the upside down pyramid in Napoleon's Hall, which is underground and created to handle museum goers. We were led through this huge museum by our guide Edith, seeing the Venus de Milo, The Winged Victory, The Mona Lisa, and many other great and historical works of art. Near the end of our guided tour, I was surprised by a friend! My friend Paige also from Minnesota who I worked with at camp this past summer walked right past me! In the Louvre! What a surprise! A great way to end my Friday night at the Louvre!
• Saturday morning brought our group an early morning train ride to northwestern France. We met another guide at our coach bus outside the train station and then proceeded to go on a day of visiting WWII sites. The first stop was a German cemetery, then we stopped at a part the Omaha area to see remainders of craters left from bombs and explosions on D-Day. We then headed to Omaha Beach itself to see it and eat our lunch here. After that we visited the American cemetery, where over 9,000 American soldiers are buried. All those white crosses so perfectly lined up right next to the Atlantic Ocean - what a sight. We also stopped to see some German bunkers that are still standing and contain their large guns that were capable of shooting some 12 miles. Our last stop of the WWII sites was seeing the remainder of the harbor that was built in order to receive supplies to the area after the D-Day attack. We ended the night by arriving at our very quaint hotel in Bayeux and had a delicious supper at a bed and breakfast just down the road.
• This morning we started off the day by eating breakfast again at the previously mentioned bed and breakfast and then hopping on a coach bus to go towards the very edge of Normandy, to Mont Saint-Michel. Mont Saint-Michel is an old monastery built on what becomes an island whenever there is high tide. There were many steps to be climbed today! After seeing the buildings which were very castle-like, we had a chance to grab some a quick bite to eat at one of the shops and restaurants that are at the base of Saint-Michel. Many of us tried a galette - a buckwheat type of crepe that is more salty and is unique to the Normandy area. I also had a sugared crepe for dessert . .Mmm delicious! After our lunch, we also got to see the end of a marathon that was finishing on the causeway to Saint-Michel. Then we got back on a coach bus and headed back to Paris!
• This evening, Jayna, Karen, and I had supper at a wonderful Italian restaurant on Wagram Ave (one of the roads leading out from the Arc de Triumph). I'm beginning to notice just how much I love the rich, flavorful food here! Its hard to explain, its just really good! Afterwards, Jayna and I once again went to see the twinkling Eiffel Tower..we just can't get enough of it!
• Please feel free to leave comments, I would love to hear from you!!! Tomorrow is another day of class...yippee!!!