I Could Have Danced All Night

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted but things have been very busy over here!  I have class for three hours a day and in the afternoons our group usually offers at least 2 excursions a week. I have had many life altering moments since my last post.  Last Friday we went on a walking tour of Montmartre.  This area of Paris used to be a separate village that had cheaper wine than Paris, therefore all of the citizens of Paris would go to Montmartre on the weekends for their night life.  This reputation has stayed with Montmartre as it now houses the red light district of Paris, including the famous Moulin Rouge.  However, on the other end of the spectrum, Montmartre is also home to many artists of Paris as well as the beautiful church Sacre Coeur.

Montmartre is a giant hill, so the hike to the top to see Sacre Coeur was no joke.  As we all rounded the corner at the top of the climb, gasping for breath, we were faced with the awe inspiring Sacre Coeur. As we absorbed this sight and the best view of Paris, a street performer was singing "Hey Jude." Seeing this view while hearing the chorus of many visitors joining in to sing "nah nah nah nah Hey Jude," was enough to give anyone goosebumps.  Just when I thought the moment could not get any more powerful, the street performer began to play a very familiar riff. He was playing one of my favorite songs of all time, "Wish You Were Here," by Pink Floyd. This song has definitely taken on a whole new meaning for me these past couple of months.  As I stood there with a group of my amazing new friends, staring at a view of Paris that was better than any postcard I had ever seen, with the sun warming my skin, listening to those lyrics, it felt like time stood still. The line "How I wish...how I wish you were here," may or may not have caused a couple of involuntary tears to fall. Although I have never been more certain that grandma WAS with me as I was in that single moment.
         Last Sunday I had the afternoon to myself so I decided to visit the Pompidou Center of Modern Art. The building itself is unique because all of the pipes are on the exterior of the building.  It was a very relaxing way to spend the afternoon. Some of the art I found fascinating while others left me puzzled. Each one did, however, evoke an emotion of some kind, even if that emotion was confusion or disgust, and I suppose that is the overall purpose of art; to cause you to FEEL something. Monday evening some friends and I had a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower.  It was a very relaxing, surreal evening.  Just eating some baguettes, cheese and sipping some wine in front of the glittering Eiffel Tower, you know, just another Monday night :) Then on Wednesday of this week our group went to the Rodin Museum.  I got to see the famous sculpture, The Thinker.  That was really neat to see. There were also some very unique roses in the garden surrounding the sculptures that were absolutely stunning! This garden was so quiet and serene, which is a miracle since it is located right in the heart of the city. It was like a mini escape from all of the hustle and bustle of city life. It was wonderful.
     That evening a group of us went and saw the final Harry Potter movie! It was a very bittersweet experience. The movie was very well done. However, the idea that I have no more Harry Potter book releases or movie premieres to look forward to was devastating.  The fact that I was seeing the film without mom (who usually comes to the premieres with me), in a foreign country, with french subtitles scrolling across the bottom of the screen seemed to make the transition all the more apparent.  My childhood, c'est fini.
      Yesterday, Thursday, was the French Independence Day, otherwise known as Bastille Day.  A bunch of us got to the Champs de Mars around 1pm to claim our spot for the 11pm fireworks display by the Eiffel Tower.  We spent an amazing day in the sun full of snacks, live music (a free concert for equality started around 5pm), and making a lot of new friends. The people behind me in the crepe line turned out to be from Belleville, IL which is only 20 minutes away from SIUE! The daughter was actually taking summer classes at SIUE this summer. It seemed surreal to be discussing things like the MUC and Dunham hall with the Eiffel Tower right behind us.  It really is a small world. Once the concert was over and the sun finally set, the fireworks display began. It was the most incredible show I have ever seen! We def. need to take some notes from the French in this regard.  The fireworks were set to songs from famous musicals.  It was really cool to sing along to "All That Jazz," "New York, New York," (interesting choice for a french independence celebration) "Don't Cry For Me Argentina," and my personal favorite "I Could Have Danced All Night."  Hearing one of my favorite songs from my favorite musical of all time, starring my favorite actress of all time (Audrey Hepburn), in my favorite city of all time, with fireworks surrounding the Eiffel Tower seemed too good to be true.  That is probably the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.  It was a once in a lifetime experience.  I did have to laugh  when the finale was the song about wanting to live in America from West Side Story, it just seemed a little out of place. My time here is flying by. I have mixed feelings about this because I am having the time of my life on this trip and still have so much I want to do and see. However, I do miss my friends and family back home and miss some of the conveniences of the States (such as ice and ranch).  So, for the next 28 days I am going to fill each day to the brim with activities and experiences to ensure I get everything accomplished that I want to. After all, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."