Un apèro chez Dr.Johnson

Today entailed four hours straight (with one twenty minute break) of class, a three hour walking tour, and a little pre-dinner party at the home of our professor. The tour was really neat, and it mainly focused on the modernization of Paris. Baron Haussmann apparently came in and tore down almost all the medieval architecture and replaced it with Paris's signature stone and plaster buildings. I personally like his work, but it was weird to see the few building left in the city. We also discovered that there are only two monuments in all f Paris dedicated to the revolution that provided inspiration for so many other uprisings. One is underground in the metro, and the other is currently used as a sort of jungle gym at a children' park. We saw soooo many neat stores and I do believe I'm going to have to find time to go shopping this weekend!

The tour ended at Dr.J's appartment, a lovely 52 square meter place on the deuxième étage (third floor) of an older building. Her building was in the Haussmann style and has the plaster of Paris moulding and marble fireplaces with mirrors above them in every room. Our menu for the apèro included nuts, dried fruit, champagne with a currant liqueur mixed in, and homemade bruschetta. Yum!

Tonight's adventures include nothing but homework and an early bedtime (hopefully). Last night a cat was yowling outside my window until about one thirty am, and a man was whistling a sort of call and response tune with the birds outside at six thirty this morning. Impressive, but really unappreciated.

Things the French do:
-cuff their pants to just above their ankle bones
-wear heels while eight months pregnant
-ride scooters everywhere. Not just motor scooters, regular razor scooters. Those of you who know me well can imagine how hard of a time I'm having coming to terms with this.

Things they don't do:
-air conditioning and water fountains
-speedy elevators, if they exist at all
-move out of your way to let you one a crowded metro unless you yell "pardon!" and throw yourself into the mosh pit that is most metro cars around 8:00 am

Sketchy things I've seen:
-a van full of prisoners being moved to a different location. On a bright note, they thought Molly, Kelley and I looked nice.
-police asking to see our navigo cards in between two metro platforms. This is apparently semi common and a form of immigration control
-random boys coming up in the middle of the street and asking for cigarettes. I'm interpreting this one as an attempt to flirt, but, seeing as I don't smoke, it fails quite badly each time.