A Century of Jazz

"Un moment si libres ne devrait-on pas faire accomplir un grand voyage en avion aux jeunes gens ayant terminé leurs études."


or, In such a free moment, what is holding young people, having finished their studies, back from taking a big trip by plane?


~Matisse





I saw this quote today, at the Quai Branly "Siecle du Jazz," or, "Century of Jazz" exhibit. It was written on one of his paintings that was inspired by Jazz music. The entire exhibit was really great...it showed the history of jazz through rooms with each jazz-era, and how other art forms have been influenced by the music.









I went after having finished my LAST exam today! (I'm officially a college Senior.) I got off the metro at the Champs, and walked across the Seine and to the Quai Branly museum, a relatively new structure that mainly houses cultural and anthropological exhibitions. The outside by the river is covered with glass walls, through which you can see the Eiffel Tower, and the hundreds of plants that have been placed there. Inside, you get the feeling that you are in a jungle in the middle of the city. The building itself is just a huge modern structure that houses several exhibits and films, and today I just went to the one, which was huge!







The layout was very condusive to learning about the chronology of jazz, and there was a lot of mixed media that kept my interest peaked. It was cool to see in a European context, because jazz is an American art form, but it did really influence a lot of movements in Paris especially. Last semester I took a history course about jazz, so it was neat to be able to see this exhibition and already have a background. I could really just go through and enjoy all the art and photography, as well as sound bites and video clips! Even still, I spent one and a half or two hours inside, just looking at all the exhibit.





At the end, when I was leaving, a lady working there asked me some questions about how I liked the exhibit. It was good practice for my French, and almost like having a little class afterwards, because I could articulate my thoughts about what I had seen. I thought it was really interesting how the art in the exhibit reflected the music at different periods, and I thought it was a relevant exhibit to have at the museum because it is not only about music, but culture and human history. There are a lot of racial elements in the history of jazz, which were well included. I took a lot of photos of some of the posters, advertisements, and propaganda, as well as the artwork associated with the music, which are in an album to the right!

I then walked home, because the museum is pretty close to my apartment, through the Champ du Mars and past the Eiffel Tower...I'm trying to get some of my last views of it before I leave Saturday!

A Video Clip from the Museum:

A Hot (Summer?!?!) Day

I’m sitting by the Seine, on the edge of the Ile Saint-Louis, on a ridiculously hot day. It feels like August in LA. I’m not sure if it’s even hotter than 85 degrees, but it is humid and I’ve been walking, and the Seine was the coolest place I could find. By the time I have internet and post this it will probably be cooler, but even at nighttime it’s been in the 70s. I think that summer has arrived. I find it bizarre that all of a sudden it is so hot, after such a cold spring, but it literally has happened in the past two days. I am not accustomed to the heat, maybe that is why it seems so hot, but either way, it is oppressive! I really hope it is not quite so humid at home!

The buildings right by the water have that musty smell that is reminiscent of old cathedrals and moldy cellars…It’s kind of comforting, and in the heat, surprisingly doesn’t smell bad, it’s just a part of the scenery. People are lounging all over the banks, drinking wine, having picnics, and seeking refuge from the weather. It is nice to be a part of it.

Even though it is unpleasant to be outside for too long, it is fun to see everyone baring all in cutoff shirts and shorts all of a sudden. Well, actually there aren’t many shorts worn—I’m not sure how French people survive the heat with their snazzy black pants and tanks. I’m wearing a skirt and tank top and am sweltering! It is also exciting that it feels like summer…I haven’t really experienced the Spring to Summer transition since I was in high school, since LA is always so warm. I feel like all the students at ACCENT (the center where I take most of my classes) are my high school classmates and we’re counting down the days until the end of finals and summertime.

I have the oral portion of my Sorbonne exam in a couple of hours, and I have come here to study, as it was too nice to just go home to the apartment in between tests. I just finished two exams (four essays in total, on an array of subjects: Theatre de l’Absurde, the Nouveau Roman, Laicite laws in France, and the affect of the French media on Muslim immigrants – whew!) and this will be my third for the day. But tomorrow I only have one and at 1 pm I’ll be done with the semester!

I can’t believe Junior year is almost over, not to mention my semester, and that next year I’ll be a senior. I think it will be a different experience than all my other years at SC have been so far, especially after my experience here in France. I am very excited, however, to embark upon the end of college and start getting ready for the future. <-- That is a bit scary, “end of college”…I can’t believe I’m actually saying that with myself in mind!

What I’m listening to right now: Shiny Toy Pistols, “I Owe You a Love Song.” This group has been the soundtrack to my wanderings in Paris for the past couple of weeks, along with Queens of the Stone Age, and they are the perfect summertime bands to listen to, if you have a chance

Biz, Ashley

PS - Just got home from my exam, and my teacher said I spoke perfectly! What a relief. Luckily for me, it was on "L'Invitation au Voyage," a poem by Baudelaire, that I have studied and know well. Now just one to go!

Saint Chapelle and Late Spring Wanderings

Lo and behold, the past week has had beautiful, sunny, and warm days. Leaving will be harder than I thought! While I've been spending a considerable amount of time inside, studying for my exams and writing, I've managed to get outside and walk around a fair amount this week.

On Wednesday after my last class, I went to Saint Chapelle on Ile de la Cite, something I've been meaning to do for months. The line was very long, mainly because there is a full security check inside. The reason for this is that the French Supreme Court is in the same courtyard as the church, so once you are on church property, you are on French Government property as well. A funny moment: my bag went off in the x-ray, and I wondered to myself what I could possibly have in there that was a high alert...Out of my bag comes the curling iron that I had borrowed from a friend that morning. The security guard gave it a quizzical look and after explaining that it was for my hair, he shrugged and let me through. Oh, French security -- only the best!

Saint Chapelle has the most glorious stained-glass windows I've ever seen. I remember visiting once when I was younger, and loving it. On this particular day, the sun was out full-force, and the light was coming through the windows to produce an incredible effect: beautiful colorful kaleidoscopes all over the tiled floors. We spent some time taking pictures and admiring the artwork and colors, and then headed out. We walked through the island towards Notre Dame and Saint Michel, and then headed home.

On Friday morning, after having studied at Morgan's and spent the night there, we woke up to another amazingly crisp and clear day. We had to stop by my apartment before going to the library for a study session, and decided to walk because it was so nice out. On the way, we stopped at a fountain in Square Lamartine (in the 16e) that is known all throughout Paris for having the freshest water in the city. After filling our waterbottles, we walked down the hill, through Trocadero and past the Eiffel Tower, and along the Seine to my apartment. It was nice to spend even an hour outside on such a nice day, and not let it go to waste.

Today, I had my Sorbonne Exam (yes, on a Saturday!) in a Parisian suburb. Not wanting to start studying again right away, we went to the Marais and got Falafels and gelato, a wonderful treat (my stomach is acting up a little but it's worth it). On the way there, we walked through Ile Saint-Louis and Rue de Rivoli, and stopped in some cute shops along the way. On the way back home, we stopped to listen to a street-performing jazz band for a while, and then headed to the Metro. I am currently taking a wee study break, and tonight will say goodbye to a French friend of mine since I won't have any time during the week. Saying au revoir is hard to do! It makes leaving more real. But more and more, I am so excited to come home :)

For some AMAZING pictures of Saint Chapelle and pretty days in Paris this week, check out the albums! -->

PS - forgot to mention that last night, as I was studying at Morgan's around 10 pm, we heard a monstrous whirring sound, and several people shrieking. The 16e, where Morgan lives, is a very peaceful and quiet neighborhood, so of course we rushed out to the balcony to see what the commotion was. Down below on the boulevard, there were THOUSANDS of people rollerblading together, some wearing silly glowstick costumes, others funny hats, and followed by police vans and police on bikes! Rollerblading in unison is a popular form of entertainment in Paris, but usually, the weekly rollerblading frenzies are during the day. This was very interesting and highly entertaining to watch...as well as bizarre! Video below!:

Dix et Dix

With twelve days remaining in my semester here in Paris, I can't help but have mixed emotions about leaving...Part of me is so excited to come home and the other part feels like a week and a half is not nearly enough time to have left...So, I've created a list of ten reasons why I wish I could stay longer and ten reasons why I'm excited to go back to California...aka a top and bottom 10 of Paris, if you will:

Top Ten Reasons I Am Not Ready To Leave:

1. I haven't done everything I wanted to yet! I'd have a good amount of time left if I were just spending it sightseeing and traveling, but the large part of my time here will be spent in the library, writing papers and studying for my five exams. While I don't mind the work, and I've been lucky so far with not having as much of a work load as I am used to, I feel like I won't get to see everything I wanted to see, or learn as much as I could have.

2. The good weather is just starting...Spring has arrived, certainly, but a lot of what makes up spring here is rain. I arrived in cold weather, and it has lasted most of the time I've been here. While there have definitely been a few gorgeous days, most of the time it is overcast. The weather has been a beautiful backdrop to Paris, but I wish I could see Paris in its summer beauty as well!

3. I haven't perfected my French yet, and I feel like a few more months would really help. The process of becoming fluent has been stop and go...sometimes I accelerate in my learning, and other times I feel like I can't speak at all. I have improved SO much since arriving and can speak French with much more ease now, but I still haven't quite reached the point where I can speak without really thinking about it. I will need to find ways at home to keep practicing.

4. Paris is a great city to live in...the public transportation is fantastic, there is so much to do, the buildings and streets are beautiful, and it is easy to walk here. I love stepping outside my building every day and being in such an amazing city!

5. The food...I will definitely miss the food. The cheese especially is a new experience every time. Madame buys different types every week at the market, but I still haven't yet been able to try all 365+ kinds of French cheeses! And Madame's cooking will be sorely missed when I return...my parents are great cooks, but Madame makes me a multi-course meal every night for dinner, I'm so spoiled.

6. The boys. Ok, at first I didn't really like French boys, I thought they were weird and their clothes were too tight. But they have totally grown on me. Now I look at them and see style and elegance, and of course, great accents! When I come home, American boys will probably seem a little sloppy. Where else but France will a boy ask if you want water, and bring it to you with a glass pitcher and two glasses on a tray? Neurotically fold your coat and drape it over a chair when you dump it on the floor? Speak in poetry about your eyes and the wonders they behold...?

7. The easy accessibility to the rest of Europe. When you're in Paris, every other European country is a hop, skip and a jump away. It is so easy to travel places for just one weekend, and to experience so many different cultures, something that is much more difficult in the US.

8. The language. I truly think that French is the most beautiful language there is. After being surrounded by it for four and a half months, I have developed a love for listening to it and the nuances it acheives. Anything you say in French sounds ten times prettier than in English. And simple sentences can be like poetry. Tonight at dinner I said "April showers bring May flowers" in French: "Les giboulets d'Avril ammenent les fleurs de Mai," and Madame almost shed tears for the sentence's beauty.

9. Proximity to literature and culture: Everyone in France knows so much about their own history and the artists that have lived here. People are so much more knowledgeable about intellectual topics than the average person at home. They are also much more inclined to be politically aware and know what is going on all over the world, not just in France. At first this seems like a sort of pretention or opinionism, but French people are simply in tune with knowledge, and I really respect that.

10. The magic in Paris is everywhere you go, and overwhelming. Walking through the city is a picture-perfect experience, no matter what the weather, who you're with, or what time of day it is. There is so much to discover, and to see, and to hear and smell and learn. It is truly the perfect, and most amazing city in the world, in my opinion.

Beauty around every corner:

Top Ten Reasons I AM Ready To Leave:

1. I can't wait to see my family! While I get to skype them often, and keep in touch well, it is simply not the same as being together. I've never gone so long without being home, and I'm really looking forward to returning to my own bed, and my own house.

2. My pets! Kind of ties into number 1, but I am so excited to see my babies, they must think I abandoned them! After seeing so many people in Paris with their pets, it makes me jealous that I can't be with mine, and I have to fight urges to steal peoples' lap dogs.

3. On that note, I will NOT miss French people letting their dogs poop everywhere and not picking it up! It is a hazard! I have only experienced one mishap with this, but it is really quite disgusting and I wonder how such a clean city full of clean people get away with this. This is an example of how French people can sometimes be a bit publically rude, and it will be nice to step away from that.

4. The people in California are so friendly! I have grown to like the kind of anonymity you can have in a city like Paris, and I think it is nice that Parisians are not fake-friendly before they really get to know you, but it can also feel lonely, and I'm so excited to be in friendly California where you can smile at a stranger and not be followed by them for four blocks...

5. The WEATHER! When I come home, it will be summer time, and while I will not be used to it, I will be so happy to be in constant sun. I'm definitely a victim of the weather, and so while I am happy to be in Paris, the gray sky can sometimes get me down.

6. Speaking English...while I do want to continue to learn French, my brain will hurt a lot less when I get home. It will be strange not to have to think about translating words in my head for the first time in months, but it will be a great brain vacation, and I can free it up for other things!

7. FOOD: I know I said I would miss French food, but I'm also really happy to finally eat good Mexican and Japanese cuisine! I have been craving Chanos, my favorite LA Mexican drive-through, since February, and I can't wait to eat some decent, well-made and fresh sushi. I'm even looking forward to my parents' scrambled eggs!

8. Driving. I love the metro, and I like being able to be green by taking public transportation and walking everywhere, but I do miss driving. While I'll probably need a week to actually remember HOW to drive again, once I do, it will feel so liberating to be able to go wherever, whenever!

9. Being able to have a job. Here, I only have a student visa and cannot work. But when I get home this summer, I'll be able to work and make some money, and my parents won't have to shell out as much. Paris is SO expensive, not only because of the exchange rate, but because the city itself has an astronomical cost of living. So when I get home, everything will seem so much cheaper!

10. Being in the place I love best, and taking all my experiences with me will be so great. I feel like I have an entirely new perspective on life now, and I will love to share it with my friends and family, and be home in Sunny California, continuing on with my life there. This experience in Paris was amazing, but overall I am ready to return, and I know that I'll come back here one day soon.

I will NOT miss all the greves, or strikes:

All in all, I think I will be ready to come home when May 30 hits. But for now, I just have to live it up while I can! Today was fabulous -- for a while it got very warm and sunny, and I walked to Sorbonne from my apartment for my last class there, on the way buying some antique postcards, an poster of an old drawing of a map of Paris, and a straw hat! And here is a picture of my Sorbonne class...my professor is in the middle with the white collared shirt, and I'm on the bottom right:

Until next time, A bientot!

Nuit des Musees

Last night was a Europe-wide event, called "Nuit des Musees" in France. All over Paris, and in cities all over Europe, museums opened their doors for free in the evening. I love how Europe has so many cultural events such as these -- they really encourage people to come see art and cultural artifacts, and give everyone the opportunity to experience all the exhibits. In Paris, hundreds of places were open, but we chose to go to the Louvre, because at night it is simply exquisite.

We arrived at about 10:30, and wandered the halls until midnight. We started in the Egyptian exhibit, and then moved on through Ancient Greece and Rome, and then the Classical period. It was really cool to see these rooms at night, because all the statues and artifacts were lit by only the indoor lighting, and the windows were dark except for the lights of the building coming in. We saw sarcophagi, an actual mummy, mummified cats and animals, and then statues and busts and masks from the Ancient Greek and Roman period, not to mention a plethora of other statues and bronzes. It was so incredible. I've been to the Louvre several times before, but coming at night like this, all dressed up, felt so glamorous, and made everything even more exciting to see!

(really excited about the mummy)

At midnight everyone was shooed out, and on the way out we passed the Winged Nike, my favorite part of the museum. Outside it was raining gently, and the Louvre and Pyramid were lit up...it was a gorgeous experience!

Pictures on the right in an album!

Monet and Van Gogh

Today was a fantastic, long, tiring, and beautiful day. We went on a day trip for 8 hours from the morning to early evening to Giverny and Auvers, north of Paris. In Giverny, we visited Monet's last home, and the site of his famous Japanese and European gardens. Our Art History professor led the way and showed us the actual inspiration for the impressionist paintings we have been studying in class.

We first wandered through Monet's Japanese garden, which was where he painted his series of hundreds of water-lily paintings, and well-known paintings of the Japanese bridge over his pond. He directed a small stream off the Seine into a man-made pond, and spent months cultivating flowers, trees, and water lilies in the garden there. Now, the pond has enlarged since Monet painted in the garden, but the effect is still breathtaking. The plants and flowers were in full bloom, as it is the height of Spring, and the tricks that the light plays on the water are incredible. We walked all the way around the pond and over the bridge, and I took so many amazing pictures. It was a fairly cloudy day, but at one point, as the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the pond, there was a huge GASP from the crowd (it was a particularly crowded day)...the sunlight reflected off the water and was absolutely breathtaking!

The European garden is equally impressive. Our teacher told us that since there are several gardeners now, versus just Claude, there have been several more flowers planted than there were in Monet's time. They spill over the walkways and explode in hundreds of colors...it is so beautiful. The house, with its green shutters, is a quintessential pictureseque French country home. Most of the rooms inside are painted a cool blue, but the dining room is bright yellow, and so cheerful. The entire house is filled with Japanese blue and white pottery, and reproductions of prints, all pieces of art that inspired Monet when he painted.

The gift shop is actually interesting as well, because it is the special studio Monet built to create his huge murals of water lilies for the Orangerie, in the Tuileries garden in Paris. We saw the murals a couple of weeks ago on a museum visit (there are 8 in total), and they are exquisite. I never quite understood the draw to these paintings before coming to France, but when you see them in person, they are the most soothing and colorful pieces of art you can imagine. Additionally, being at Monet's home and looking at the Seine helps one to imagine what he saw, and the light that he was inspired by. It was a fantastic visit, and I bought a small reproduction of one of my favorite paintings of his -- The Hotel des Roches Noires, in Trouville, where he went on his honeymoon with the famous Camille.

After our visit, we picked up lunch for the group at a boulangerie in a town nearby, and stopped at a lovely lady's home (a friend of our professor), where we ate in her beautiful garden. She is British, but has lived in this old country house for 30 years, and the house itself dates back to the 19th century. Its layout is very interesting, and she has left all the timbered ceilings, different stone and brick on the floors, and whitewashed walls intact. The garden has a wild-looking lawn and beautiful trees, and after lunch, she made us all cafes! It was a lovely place to stop for a meal, and so sweet of her to welcome 30 of us into her home!

We stopped in Auvers after lunch, the last town that Vincent Van Gogh lived in before he killed himself. All over the town are framed reproductions of his paintings in front of the actual site that he painted, and it was so neat to see the aspects of the land that inspired his wild and turbulent style. The church in Auvers was covered in scaffolding, but the slightly tilted roof was visible, which is highlighted in Van Gogh's famous painting of it (which we saw last week at Musee d'Orsay). Up on the hill of the village is a large plateau, covered in wheat fields, where the sky seems to touch the horizon. It was ominous and a little gloomy, but very magnificent. Also on the plateau is a cemetary, where we saw the gravestones of both Van Gogh and his brother Theo, who is buried alonside Vincent.

As we were getting back on the bus, it started to pour...we were so lucky to have a rainless day up until that point to see so much beauty and inspiration for impressionism!

As usual, lots of pictures to the right, I took about 150 and had the HARDEST time deciding which ones to put up, so I posted the pictures that capture the broadest ideas. But really incredible shots in my albums as well!!

Let the Countdown Begin...

So, only 14 days remain, and I still have so much to do! Today, I got one thing that wasn't necessarily on my list but was still very interesting out of the way...I went on an "excursion" of sorts with my International Relations "Islam in France" class to the 18e Arrondisement, in the Northern part of Paris, right near Montmartre. The area has a very concentrated immigrant population, and has since the beginning of the 20th century; however, the make-up has changed. While when the trains were being built in the early 1900s, the immigrants were mainly from Belgium, Germany, Italy, etc, now they are primarily Muslim peoples from North Africa and that area. It was interesting to see the vast difference between this arrondisement and the more central areas of Paris -- from the market stalls, to the people walking about, to the buildings, everything was much more gritty and cheaper (and to be honest, not a great area to be walking in alone...luckily we were a group of 13).

I got some great pictures, and we got to stop at the Mairie de Paris' Institute des Cultures Islamiques, which had a little exhibit on the history of French attitudes towards Muslim immigrants through propaganda and photography. It was a gloomy day but towards noon the sun cleared, and I spent the rest of the day at the library, lucky me! But on my walk home I got to walk through the Champ de Mars which is always a treat, and enjoyed a nice view of gymnasts posing in a pyramid in front of the Eiffel Tower. I will miss the bizarre sights like these that have made my experience here quite spontaneous...

more pix in an album to the right!

Parisian Weekends

This weekend was my third to last here in Paris. Since finals and papers are coming up, I decided to take advantage of the fairly good weather, and do some more sightseeing that I haven't done yet. I feel like I've been so busy in the past months on the weekends, it was great to not have any pressing engagements.

On Friday, Morgan and I went to Notre Dame and waited in a very long line to climb the stairs to the top. I've tried to go up about four times, and each time the line is too long, so this time we decided to just wait it out. After about 45 minutes, we got up, and it was well worth the wait. I haven't climbed the stairs to Notre Dame for about five years, but now I remember why I had wanted to so much. I think Notre Dame offers the best view of Paris...the height is high enough that you can see everything, including the Eiffel Tower (which you can't see of course going up it), but not too high as to make the panoramic view fuzzy.

It was a nice day -- a bit cloudy but not hazy, and with big patches of blue sky showing through. It was also warm. We spent about an hour on the south tower of the church, and then decided to head down for lunch.

We ended up wandering around Paris for four hours instead of eating! We looped through Ile-Saint-Louis and watched a jazz band play for a bit, we went across the river and through the Marais, then through the Chatelet area, and then down through Palais Royal to the metro. It was a beautiful day, lots of people were out enjoying the weather and holiday, and it was nice to just walk around, something we haven't had the time to do in ages.

That night, we made a delicious dinner of steak, potatoes, and salad, and watched a movie at Morgan's because her host family was out of town.

On Saturday night, Madame took me to the opera at the Opera Bastille! It was "Un Bal Masque," and was absolutely beautiful. The opera was in Italian and the subtitles in French, so it was great practice for me to read the subtitles and understand the story that way. It was actually my first real opera, and what a way to start! The Paris Opera is one of the oldest establisments in the city, and the performance was unbelieveable. It is hard to believe that those voices are coming out of people, and the music really transports you elsewhere. The opera lasted three hours, but it felt like nothing!

On Sunday, I went with some friends to one of the Paris fleamarkets. It was a little picked over and I only found one shirt (I was looking for a hat, but they were all too small!), but it was very interesting to see another side of Paris. The flea market was all the way on the East side of Paris, actually right at the periphery, and there were all sorts of people there. After an interesting perusal of items, we went to the Marais and wandered around, smelling all the falafel being made in the Jewish bakeries and markets. There are all of a sudden a lot more English-speakers and other tourists here...it's as if as they filter in, they're pushing me out and are signalling my time to leave. I'm so glad that the time of year I came was fairly "authentic" in terms of how few tourists there were! Now I can really see the difference -- people are wearing less as it becomes warmer, and there is more movement and boisterousness in the crowds.

We got some falafel and fries and sat in the Place des Vosges to eat it, and then headed home. I love the Place des Vosges right now; it is warm and sunny on a good day, and everyone goes there to have lunch. Last week we went there on a week day and there were students, business people on lunch breaks, older couples sharing benches, and a few scattered eccentrics here and there. The birds love it there too...lots of free food!

I'm sad to be leaving in 18 days, but as the atmosphere becomes more summery, I am becoming increasingly excited to be back in California...that will be very soon!

On the right are a few new photo albums from my walking in Paris recently! Please check them out, I got a lot of great shots!

Bisous,

Ashley

Boran in Springtime

This past weekend, Morgan's host-family once more invited me to come spend the weekend in their chateau in Boran, north of Paris! Morgan and I took the train there on a beautiful, perfect spring day (Friday), and arrived in Chantilly around noon. Her host dad picked us up in an open farming truck, which is probably about 30 years old, and we took a nice 15 minute ride through tree-covered country roads, and flowering fields, past barns and chateaus, to their home.

Friday was a great day weather-wise, and unfortunately I didn't manage to get any photos that day. But the rest of the weekend was warm and fair, and it didn't rain at all in Boran. When we arrived Friday afternoon, we had a lunch outside on the sprawling lawns behind the house, under a tree. It was so nice to sit outside on iron garden-furniture and leisurely enjoy the day...it reminded me of a movie! After lunch, we helped weed in the garden for an hour, and then relaxed for the rest of the day. We ended the day with a hearty dinner and a viewing of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in our room. We also took an evening walk, and it was beautiful to see the white horses on the property lit by just the moonlight, and to see the Chateau from far away, its windows warm and inviting. We also saw a hedgehog! It was so cute and scared, and it curled up in a little ball when we got close to it!

On Saturday, we took several long walks -- in the woods around the property, in the fields behind the lawns, and along the Oise River, by the town. We also spent time reading, journaling, and scrapbooking in the late afternoon when it got colder, and played with Morgan's host sister, Valentine, and her friend Claire. They are 12 years old, but they speak English quite well. I was impressed with how easily we all could communicate with them speaking in "Frenglish." We also played Petanque, or Bocce Ball, on the front lawn, played with the three dogs, and tried to redirect the local swarm of bees into a bee-box so that the farm can harvest the honey (the family's Chateau is also the location of a working farm).

Sunday, Morgan, the girls and I walked down to the town, where there was a twice-annual flea market. I was able to find a couple great bags for very cheap, and some other neat finds. We all ate cotton candy and wandered around, people-watching and smelling the amazing saussicons, burnt sugar, and rotisserie chickens. When we returned to the house, we spent some more time outside, and then came back to Paris in the evening.

I'm really glad I got to come back to Boran once before coming home. It was beautiful in winter, but a completely different place in the springtime. The trees and grass were all so green, the flowers were gorgeous, and all the animals even seemed happy. It was a very relaxing weekend. To the right is a photo album of my weekend!

Xx, Ashley

Spring Break Greece Part II: Paros

On our second part of Spring Break, Morgan and I went to the island of Paros, about a four-hour ferry ride from Piraeus, the port near Athens. The night before we left, we tried to call a taxi to come pick us up at 6 in the morning so we could get to our 7:30 ferry in time, but all the companies told us to try in the morning, due to reduced taxis during the Easter weekend. We did call in the morning, and no one had taxis available! So, we rolled our suitcases a few blocks down the street to a main road and waited there for a cab. We were really lucky, there were barely any out at that hour, but finally one swerved over to get us and took us to the boat.




The ferry was actually rather nice. For an economy class ticket, it wasn't too crowded, and we were able to find a table to ourselves and spread out our books and journals. The ride was a good opportunity to read and write and prepare mentally for relaxation! When we arrived in Paros, in the port of Parikia, it was about noon, and a man on a moped was waiting to show us to the hostel.




We stayed at Pension Rena, which was about two blocks from the harbor. It was an adorable little hotel, and our room had a balcony, tile floors, its own bathroom, and a refridgerator! The balcony looked out over the hotel's garden courtyard, and towards the ocean. The location was also great -- the hotel was right between the beaches in the area and the old town of Parikia, which was very picturesque.






The rest of the day was spent exploring the little town, which is a quintessential Greek Island village replete with white-washed walls, blue shutters, windmills, and bouganvilllea vines. There were several cute shops with olive oil and honey made on the island, and stores with hand-made leather craftswear. We took a long nap with our balcony windows open, and let the fresh breeze and sounds of birds singing come in. At night, the town we stayed in was fairly quiet, but there were plenty of little tavernas open and we had dinner, then went to bed.


On Tuesday, we rented bikes down the street, which only cost 5 euro for an entire day! We took the bikes all along the coast of the bay of Parikia, and rode through farmland, ocean-view hills, and gardens. The weather was warm and humid, and if you didn't know where you were, you could be tricked into thinking it was Hawaii. We stopped at a beach north of Parikia, and laid in the sun for a few hours. I was so engrossed in my novel that I didn't turn onto my back the whole time, and got a little burnt! When some clouds started to roll in and cover the sun, we decided to bike back to the town and had lunch. After, we rode the bikes south of the town, where there was a lot more lush vegetation, and hung out at another beach for a while, before heading back and returning the bikes. We had dinner that night at a cute little taverna with an adorable owner, who talked to us the whole time. Everyone in the town so far had been so nice and friendly, and it was starting to feel like a very relaxing vacation. I felt so far away!






On Wednesday, we took a bus to the fishing village of Naussa, which is on the northern end of the island. The town was so picturesque, and all the fishing boats really completed the picture. There was a beautiful old Venetian "castle" at the port entrance, from which you could see into the shallow parts of the water. The sea was so clear and blue, and absolutely beautiful. We walked through the village and then to the other side of the bay, where we walked for about an hour along the rock edges, where it was very windy but perfectly clear and just gorgeous. After lunch on the rocks, we sat down at the beach and had a few hours of perfect bliss in the most amazing sun. I think that after being in colder weather for so long, we appreciate warmth and sun even more! We found a bottle on the beach and put a note in it and sent it out to sea...maybe someone will reply one day! (I put my email on it haha--what a funny blend of nostalgic past-times with modern technology!) After a few hours, we went back to the town and had milkshakes while we waited for a return bus to Parikia. And that night, we had another delicious dinner in town--I had Moussaka, one of my favorite Greek dishes!





On Thursday, our last full day on the island, the weather was a bit more windy and cool than it had been, so it was the perfect time to explore the inner part of the island, away from the beaches. We yet again took a bus, this time to the mountain village of Lefkes, where the Greek Islanders had escaped to during the Turkish invasion. The hills and trees were absolutely beautiful, and there was a gorgeous church on the summit of the town. We took a 5 km hike down an old Byzantine stone path that leads from Lefkes to the seaside town of Prodromos. I picked amazing wildflowers (which I pressed in my journal later), and we saw incredible foliage and tons of sheep, goats, and olive vineyards! When we got to Prodromos, we took another bus to the Golden Beaches, the most beautiful sand beaches in Paros. While it was too cold to sunbathe, the weather was still gorgeous, and we had a delicous lunch at an outdoor taverna by the beach. After a long, luxurious meal, we took the bus back to Parikia and walked around the town a bit more. Then that night, we had our last dinner at a great restaurant with an immense menu and romantic ambiance.





On Friday morning, we took the ferry back to Athens, and after dropping off our belongings at the apartment, we headed to the Acropolis. It was the perfect day for photos--there were lots of intimidating clouds in the sky, interspersed with bright patches of blue. The marble monuments on the hill are absolutely incredible, and being there, one feels transported back to Ancient Greek times. It is so incredible that these structures have lasted so long, and through so much history. We were also very lucky because there were not many people there, so it wasn't very crowded. We spent a couple hours there, then headed back to Soulis and Voula's, where we had a delicious farewell dinner with several types of meats, and of course, Voula's famous "Greek" Fries--cooked in olive oil, bien sur!


On Saturday morning, we had to get up at 4 am to catch our plane home to Paris in time, but although we were tired, I still felt very rested when we returned. It was such a relaxing and glorious vacation, and I feel so lucky to have been able to go to Greece. The island was everything I had imagined, and more--the people were friendly, the wildlife and nature were astounding, and the ocean was the most pristine blue I've ever seen. I came back with a little bit more golden skin than I had before, and I felt great. Coming back to classes wasn't even a challenge, because after a two-week long vacation I felt ready to get back into the swing of things.




In a bit, a post on this past weekend: my return to Boran, the French countryside! But for now, please check out my pictures, they're on the list to the right!


xoxo, et a bientot!


Ashley