Paris, mon ami

Four weeks have passed, and the final official weekend excursion for the program was in Paris, but was almost going to be Bonn. After the scheduling fiasco in the Reisezentrum (which would have left me grounded in Bonn) was sorted out, we headed out of Köln hauptbahnhof on a 5 hour train bound for Paris. The ride was eventful as any other that we have had, with loud talkiung and even louder laughing all the way to the destination. Getting directions in the station as easy, and upon exiting the subay, after a massive group effort to purchase our tickets, the first thing we saw was the meon lights of Paris. All around were signs flashing this way and that with the entire display culminating in a red and yellow windmill with the words "Moulin Rouge" stretching across the front. Oddly enough the hotel was right down the street, and despite the outrageously small bathroom facilities in my room, it was a delightful place to stay. Either way, we made it to the hotel in one piece, but unfortunately one of the crew was missing, which I know has been expoundd upon in other blogs...its still funny though.

The next day was jam-packed with sites to see and souvenirs to buy. We hit what seemed like all of the typical Parisian hotspots; the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower summit, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, and a brisk walk down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. It was phenomenal to see the sheer size of the structures becaue we have sen pictures our whole lives, but standing at the foot of such things had an effect that made me feel very small. Also, being able to see the artwork and diplays in the Louvre, such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, or the Code of Hammurabi was something that I never thought I would be able to do. It was almost surreal to see the size of the Mona Lisa painting because it was so much smaller than I envisioned it. Two hours in the Louvre is definitely not enough time. Basically we were all touristed out by the end of the day.

The night scene consisted of a splitting of the group, with one party attending a Moulin Rouge showing and the other returning to the Eiffel Tower in order to see it in its illuminated state. I have to say that this iconic landmark of Paris had completely different looks when comparing the night and the day. The most incredible part of the night viewing of the tower was the occasional flashing/sparkling of the flood lights that cover the exterior of the structure. The scene reminde me of a fireworks show and was a awe-inspiring to say the least. Overall, I think that the weekend was filled with the quintessential sights and sounds of the Paris esperience. The only downside to the weekend was the costof everyday items. My host mom told me that i would be broke when I left that city...that wasn't very far from the truth.

This weekend was fun, but the last week of the program should prove to be a most exciteing adventure in the capital city of Germany...Berlin!

Until Then,

Matt