Day deux (two)

I started the post immediately after I posted day one and saved it to drafts so hopefully I could get it to you sooner!
    On this day we had orientation which was kind of a waste of time in my opinion. I forgot to mention that my roommate did not show up the first day! The documents they sent us were very confusing because they were made in 2006. I actually got confused at one point myself but got straightened out by a later email. Those of you who know about the bad roommate experiences of the past can share in my relief when I discovered that this roommate is actually pretty awesome and we click pretty well! Yay! This is especially good since we share a one room apartment and have bunk beds.
     Anyway! On day two after orientation we met with our styling professor who seems pretty awesome. He is a designer, photogropher, stylist, artsist and very randomly a taxidermist. He has styled for movies and also shoots for Vogue! I also think at least half of our class has a crush on him, including yours truly. Ill post a picture. One of the heads of our program (the college that my program is taught by), is also here and she use to work for Luis Vuitton! After that meeting we walked to Notre Dame and then to catch the boat for our Seine river tour where we got our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower along with everything else that was along the river that I cant remember at the moment but will post pictures. Unfortunately that day was very cold and I hardly packed any warm clothes. The boat ride didnt make that cold any better either so some of that was not very enjoyable.
          We then made our way to the Latin Quarter (5th Arrondissement) which has a ton of small shops and eateries/bakeries, pretty much like the rest of Paris and explored for a while. We ate at an amazing crepe place that was suggested to us by the event coordinator is London. It was called Creperie De Cluny. I got a hazelnut creme crepe but I would have been perfectly satisfied with just the crepe alone. I highly recommend it!

 

The view from my room - into a courtyard.

 

A few pictures of the room

 

Please excuse the mess, I took this picture minutes after I walked in and had dumped most of the contents of my suitcase onto the bed. 

 Opera house in the Bastille district, being guarded by their police that look like military.

 

This is an apartment building in the Bastille district that has an outside layer that the residents open and close. When they do this it changes the facade. 

 

Seine River

 

Notre Dame

 

There is a lot of this

 

I cant remember what this is 

 

Just a random building that didnt fit in

 

The Gargoyles of Notre Dame!

 

First sight of the Eiffel tower!

 

 I got a tad obsessed..

 

This is Erin and an interesting statue

 

This was across from Notre Dame but I forget what it is now also.

 

Front view of Notre Dame

 

Sorry Lindsey and Laura!

 

If I remember right, this is the oldest bridge in Paris.

 

I capture great pictures of my classmates in the foreground.

 

I find it very interesting that they put these huge ads on the side of these ancient buildings 

 

More Eiffel Tower and the Alexandre III Bridge 

 

The french crest is the middle golden part

 

More Eiffel.. 

 

Grand Palais - Childhood home of King Louis XIII AND Chanel fashion shows. The later is obviously the most important. :)

  

The oldest monument in Paris at 3300 years old. Decorated with hieroglyphics exalting the reign of the pharao Ramses II and III. It is one of two that previously guarded the Luxor Palace.

 

Where the amazing crepe's reside 

 

Saint Michel Paris Fontaine in the Latin quater

 

The Metro, I was trying to show how fast it goes but this isnt a very good description.

 

The first dinner made in our tiny apartment. There was wine, of course. A decent bottle is $3. Im going to have some issues paying $15 - $20 for one when I get home. 

 

This is my professor Georg (pronounced gee like geese and org.. excatly like that) Hes German, lives in London, and speaks French. Much better than those American Professors. 

and again

Fun facts:

-Parisians are NOT rude. Most of them are actually very helpful and friendly. Even when you hardly speak any french.

-Its really frustrating knowing hardly any french

 - So many people in Paris smoke cigarettes

-Pick pockets are all over Paris, not just the tourist places

-People actually do walk around with full bagettes

-Ive only seen two barrette's

-Everyone drives like maniacs because there are no lane lines.

-Everyone eats pastries constantly. Its the norm with a meal, especially sandwiches.

-The pastries are all as amazing as they look.

-Hardly anyone here is overweight which is very confusing considering all of the pastries/carbs.