EuroTrip Day 11-14: Paris

May 7
After a rough night in Bordeaux (see previous post, and read more below), I was so glad to make it to Paris to see people who I knew - my family.

I arrived at Montparnasse Station in the early afternoon, where my cousin Geoff picked me up. We took the tube back to his house, just outside Paris, in the suburb of Courbevoie. I dropped off all my stuff and we went to Champs Elysees get macarons and chocolat.

What a treat! The macarons are a stunning creation, which I am super pumped to try to recreate. We bought 2 dozen, to share with everyone when they got home. I was feeling dirty as heck from Bordeaux, because they didn't have hot water to shower and I managed to get an unclean room (READ: bugs), so I needed to shower PRONTO. All of my clothes were in the washing machine to get rid of anything nasty, so I was left with one set of clean clothes. I switched into those, and headed across the hall to my uncle's wife's family's place for dinner.

I met the last of the cousin on that side who hasn't been to Canada yet, and finally got to see the grandmother on that side. Never in my life in 3 days have I been told repeatedly so many times by so many different people that I am a cookie cutter image of my mother. Because I think my mother is gorgeous, I don't mind the fabulous compliment.

The rest of the night was left to call my mother and grandmother back home from my uncle's.

May 8
My cousin Flo had a university entrance exam at Versailles in the morning, so I accompanied her there so I could go to the palace. Her examination was all day, so we went back into Paris where I toured all the "must see" sights. Geoff was sleeping (it WAS a Saturday...) so my uncle took me to see everything. Espace Grande Arche, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Musee d'Orsay, Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Pont de l'Alma and many many more.

Of course, all the sights were fantastic and breathtaking. My favourite photo I managed to get was this one of the Eiffel Tower. The unfortunate thing about Tour Eiffel is that they have the netting on the tower all year round because people throw things off from higher up, and there are attempted suicides all the time.

After a longgg day of walking and tubing everywhere around the city, we were dining at a one-star Michelin ranking restaurant (READ: YUM!). The view is also fantastic, as it is virtually outside the Tour Eiffel. Dinner was FABULOUS, I don't think I had lamb that tasted that good ever, it almost melted in my mouth... I'm drooling just thinking about it.

After a super stuffing meal and a huge dent in the wallet, we tubed it back home again and called it a night.

May 9
I went shopping with Flo and Camille in the morning at the la Defense shopping centre by their home. After having a yummy lunch of kebab and frites, Geoff took me to the Louvre. I found all the pieces I wanted to find (unless The Last Supper really IS at the Louvre)...

After the Louvre, we went back home where I changed and got ready for LCD Soundsystem at le Bataclan. The show was pretty great, but it was disgustingly hot in the cafe. I had to leave early because I was drenched in sweat and ready to pass out. I got out to the back and found it significantly cooler than up front row, but I could no longer see the stage so I just decided to leave. I also wanted to make it back home before my aunt and uncle went to sleep because I wouldn't be seeing them before I left Paris.

LCD Soundsystem rockin' out.

May 10
As it was a Monday, all the cousins went to school and all the parents went to work. Geoff didn't have class so he was kind of lazing around doing nothing for the day, while I decided to relax at home and catch up on internet life.

For lunch we headed across the hall to the other side of the family's where my aunt made us lunch. The cousins come home for lunch so I got to see them one last time. I said my goodbyes to them all, to the aunts and uncles and to the grandmother on that side as well, before Geoff took me to Nord Station to catch my train back to English speaking areas - London!