C'est pas au revoir, c'est a tout a l'heure!

I’m sitting in the Heathrow airport only two hours after leaving, and I’m missing Paris already. I’ve said “Pardon” at least 5 times to random Americans on my plane and I got a little bit defensive when my Wagamama noodles waitor kept checking on me (and who would’ve thought after all this time longing for attentive waitstaff, I would miss the cold and neglectful French waiters who refuse to bring your check, leaving you at lunch for two and half hours on your last day in the city).

I’ve also started watching Love Actually in the Heathrow airport during my 5 hour layover. I felt pretty ridiculous watching the opening scene as people greet each other in this airport. Watching Hugh Grant in London, so typical American.

I met up with Katie Lee, another Chi O, a few days ago to take a walk around Paris at night and drink some beer on the seine. She kept telling me that I seemed like a big ball of energy and was super enthusiastic. It could’ve been that I decided to spend the afternoon at Versailles that afternoon or had taken so long at the Bastille market that morning, I managed to make it there for breakfast and lunch. Whatever it is about this city, I like who I’ve become here. Now I realize that this is probably a result of a five month vacation without real stress and easy traveling. I always thought I would hate living in a city and found myself to be a smaller town girl. Now, I’m not so sure. I don’t know how I’ll live without the everyday excitement of stumbling upon street performers and the metro people watching.

As we went for one last dinner at Bistro Paul Bert, completely overdressed for the casual feel of the restaurant, Theresa proposed a toast. “To love. We may not have found it in Paris, but we found each other.” These girls have been my family here, and I’m a little scared about what I will do without Gulfem to walk me home at night and to force me to eat late night ice cream, Diana to share my mushrooms and twisted sense of humor, and Theresa to show me funny youtube videos of puppies and her reassurance that I am properly dressed for whatever club we’re going to that night.

In the words of my new-found friend Sabrina, “Paris is always a good idea.”

Red Wine

Today, Diana and I went to the French Pantheon. There are old paintings of Joan of Arc and a huge pendulum. All of the important people buried there really made me wish I knew more about French history. In the crypt, complete enemies Voltaire and Rousseau are buried across from each other.

Then we headed to Chez Gladines, the only restaurant I've eaten in three times in Paris. We shared a pitcher of red wine, a huge salad, and escalope of veal (veal wrapped in ham, wrapped in potatoes, covered in cheese, and a creme fraiche sauce with mushrooms). We sat around to finish our wine and then realized that we were the only ones left in the restaurant.

After lunch, pretty tipsy after all the wine, we headed to where else? The Musee du Vin! The whole thing was basically a wax museum and pretty strange. It was collections of corkscrews from the 1800's and tools used to harvest grapes. There was even a wax statue of Napoleon taste testing wine. The tour came with a glass of wine at the end so we chose to try a red wine from Bourgogne. It had a kind of smokey flavor and you could definitely tell the difference between our two euro Nicolas bottles and this one. And once again, we were the last people in the museum and the woman had to tell us that they were closing and we needed to leave.

Then I come home to an email from my mom telling me that British Airways canceled my flight this weekend. Hopefully I will be able to make it back Tuesday and start work next week. In the meantime, I guess I will be making it to Versailles for a picnic this weekend!