Because I Have No Camera...

So the last few days have been quite nice, low-key but full of learning and camaraderie. Our friend Grayson happened to be staying with us before she heads off to India for a few months. My friend Sasha who is also studying here is a good friend of Grayson's (as well as an amazing photographer). She said I could post some of her pictures, and I think they perfectly capture the simple beauty of the last few days.

Grayson made us a beautiful meal of tomato, mozzarella and basil salad, toasted baguette with goat cheese, honey and raisins and then goat cheese and spinach wrapped with fried eggplant. Amazing.

View of my room from the living room.

The next day started at 11am at my apartment, where I made omelettes for everyone. I've learned how to make the perfect french style omelette and I am very proud of it, I've always found eggs hard to get just right. Sasha and I had our Paris Monuments and Political Power class at 1pm, but Thursdays we visit monuments, and this time it was the Pantheon. The buiding is right around the corner from my house, maybe 5 minutes walk. It's been a church, then secular temple devoted to the great men of France, then a church again, then secular, too many times to count (look up pictures of the building, I'm not going to taint this post with anything other than Sasha's amazing photos). We headed there at about 1pm.

That hand is that of amazing Christina Von Koehler, the smartest professor in all of Paris. And though I can't be sure, she looks as though she has the softest skin in the city as well.

View of our apartment from the courtyard

That night was more of the same, wine and talk and general easy good time. Then Benj, Molly and Grayson headed off to Amsterdam! What fun. And since I know you now want to see more of Sasha's photos of Paris, her blog is 'Hour of Departure' linked there on the right.

Eiffel with an E

Mondays and Tuesdays I have class starting at 9am, then two strange breaks between my three classes of the day. I end up not leaving our beautiful little campus until 7:45pm, after my last class on those evenings.

But I don't mind walking through the Passy neighborhood at night. Each week I've noticed it getting darker and colder, and it's coming out of those classes at that time of day and weather that reminds me that winter is coming. I like winter.

BUT HERE IS MY FAVORITE PART. The bridge that I either ride my bike or take the metro over crosses the Seine very close to la Tour Eiffel. And at 8pm when I am crossing, they light her up, and it is a spectacular show. It is flashy (literally blinking) and tacky and JUST RIGHT. It also happens to be my favorite part of that tower.

You know who it reminds me of?

Which is why I love it.