wrapping up...plus one other crazy adventure

once again, just a few minutes online. I can't believe how fast these past 6 weeks have gone and how long they have been at the same time! I have loved europe but am ready to be headed home soon. It is crazy to think of all the places I have been and all of the amazing experiences i have had. I have learned so much about so many things.

Well, today is my last day in Paris and we head to London tomorrow. We were supposed to go to the Musee d'Orsay this morning where I was going to give my presentation on Courbet's "Burial at Ornans," but we got there and it was closed! Because we are leaving tomorrow, we wont be able to go. I am kinda sad that I dont get to see the painting I studied for! sad! Oh well--at least I get free points for it. :) We filled the day up with other fun things. Oh, I made another purchase...my favorite from Europe! I got a pair of green and white floral print flats. I will have to post pictures when I can load some. Love them! Yeah, I am obsessed with shoes, but then again aren't most girls? back to today...We will end the evening, and our adventures in Paris, with a 4 hour tour tonight. It is mostly bike riding, but ends with a boat ride down the Siene River. Of course I will take lots of pictures. I wish i was able to post some pictures, but I have no way to load them at the internet cafe. Hopefully we get internet in London on Torrie's laptop.

I can't wait to be home just so I can take time to blog all about my adventures...there have been many. The latest one happened three nights ago. Rachelle and I wanted to see Paris at night, mainly the eiffel tower and the Paris Opera house, but Paris doesnt get dark til 10- 10:30, so we took naps earlier with plans to go out at night. We were concerned about getting back in time, so checked the train and metro times. (we have to take the metro to the RER (residential train) then take a short tram from there to the hotel...quite a journey). The metro closes at 1 am and the train closes at 12:30. Well, after seeing the opera house and walking the champs elysee we ran to the metro a t11:50 and took it to the eiffel tower, which is conveniently at the RER stop. we stopped to see the tower for literally 3 minutes and ran to the RER. With our luck, the gates were bolted shut. it was only 12:17...but of course we forgot that it all shuts down at 12:30 meaning trains leave before that. we hd already come up with a plan b, just in case, so ran a few blocks to another metro so we could switch lines to the metro that goes closest to our hotel. Because we were laughing at ourselves and trying to rest from sprinting, we missed the stop to change trains. we had to get out and backtrack at the next stop. we made it out to the end of the metro around 12:45, grabbed a "lame-excuse-for-a-map" and headed on foot toward the river, because we knew it would lead to the hotel. Luckily streets were well lit and we never felt in danger, except for one small section where Rachelle told me to put my hood on so we didnt look like american girls...not that hoods changed that...haha. Anyway, we ended up at the tram stop and saw it ran til 2, thank goodness, we thought. the moniter listed two trains. the first didnt stop...the second stopped, but the lights went out and the driver sprinted away, trying to avoid us. ugh! 2 am, and back on our way on foot. I think the best part was when Rachelle put her iPod on random (while waiting for the tram that didnt take us) and it came to The Ataris, "In this Diary..." It has become our theme song. lyrics:and the only thing that matters is just following your heart and eventually we'll finally get it right. i will have to post the rest of the lyric later; so fitting. . . .Long story shorter, we ran into a nice group of people. It looked like a mom and dad with their 4 year old and another man. we showed them our map and asked for directions. after looking at it for 10 minutes, their other friend came out and tried to help as well. in the end, one man said we should just go with the third guy, because he has gps. I realize how sketchy this sounds, but really we had such a good feeling about it. yes, our number one rule on study abroad is to not get in the car with strangers, but it was past 2 in the morning and who knows if we would ever make it home. we felt even better about it when he moved his carseat over and apologized for the crumbs. I got in the front and tried to speak french...somewhat successfully, but he said he wanted to practice english. really, i think he was trying to make us comfortable. he was the nicest man. with the gps we went straight to the hotel, arriving at 2:28. it was a crazy adventure. to make it better, yesterday rachelle and I were waiting for the tram and realized it would be 15 minutes (because not many come on sunday) so decided to walk because we now knew the way, and it was basically a straight line to the train and took about 9 minutes. oh goodness. I am just glad we are safe and got some good laughs about it, and a good nap the next day. :)