Latin Quarter, Posh Parties, Eiffel Tower, Les Puces

Hello, everyone! I had a wonderful weekend, and I'm gearing up for an even better week. Here is a photo update from my most recent adventures.

This is a photo from Saint-Severin, a gothic church that was built in the eleventh century and rebuilt in 1495. It is located in the Latin Quarter of Paris, so named for the Latin students from the Sorbonne who would frequent the area, off of rue du Petit Pont. Unlike the larger cathedrals in Paris, this church was practically empty when I stepped inside. The stained glass is very unique and, in a sense, progressive. It was stunning.

While in the Latin Quarter, I met up with two greats: Louis Armstrong, a hero of jazz, and Albert Einstein, holding a sign that read "Love is the answer." Unique graffiti is always popping up all over Paris. Next week, these two men will be gone... but somewhere else, I may find Audrey Hepburn pasted to a wall. When you see something cool in Paris, you have to take a photo of it immediately. The city changes so quickly, and you never know when a whole store will disappear, let alone a piece of sidewalk art.


I particularly love the Latin Quarter due to its proximity to the Seine. Here, Ashley and I are standing under Pont Neuf, a bridge that was completed under the rule of Henry IV in 1606. It also happens to be the oldest bridge in Paris. Parts of the bridge were recast in 1818, using the metal from two statues of Napoleon that were melted down for the project. Poor Napoleon... he could never be a man like Henry IV, obviously.


Acrobatics are not advised near the Seine... but I had to get a picture of me on the wall!



Ashley and I discovered a fantastic gelato shop in the Latin Quarter, as well. Not only was it delicious, but they shaped the ice cream over my cone so that it would look like a flower. That alone was exciting. In case you're curious, I got coconut and raspberry gelato. I've had some good gelato in my days, but I might sell my family to get another lick of that raspberry. Or just pay three euros for a big ol' cone.


On Friday, our host parents invited us to a to a party, celebrating the new works of an up-and-coming photographer. A studio apartment on the Seine was transformed into a private gallery, accented by tea light candles and a view of the Eiffel Tower from the open windows. There was an open bar and free champagne. Ashley and I enjoyed drinking Diet Coke from wine glasses. Cheers!



On our way home from the party, our host mother wanted to get a picture of us by the river.

On Saturday, I met up with Isabelle, a dear friend from Switzerland. I met Isabelle's family when I was six years old, when they came to the Bay Area for employment. Isabelle's older sister, Nicole, was in my first grade class.

Isabelle and I had fun backpacking in the Swiss Alps together four years ago... and we decided to relive our hiking experience by climbing the stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It was exhausting, but the view was worth all of the effort!


Look at the sky! Look at the Seine! Absolutely incredible.


The view below (under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower) shows Trocadero, and the Palais de Chaillot. The green 'lawn' above the Seine is actually my favorite fountain in Paris. It has to be larger than a football field. However, they turned the fountain off a week ago... and since then, it's been overtaken by algae. At the very top of the photo is 'La Defense,' the business district of Paris. Because inner Paris has been carved out to create the metro, it's not practical or safe to build skyscrapers in the city. Plus, the Parisians insist on preserving the beautiful skyline. So, all of the skyscrapers are being built in the district of La Defense. I visited the area several weeks ago, and I was delighted by its modern touches... but I'm still very glad that Paris is maintaining its historic charm by developing industry elsewhere.


This is one of the many quirky fountains in La Defense, to give you an idea.


And this is the best view of all! Count four bridges back... and see that circular shadow? That's approximately where I live. If you zoom in on this photo, you can also see Parc des Princes. Don't mistake La Maison Radio for the stadium, though.

The large green space is partially les Bois de Boulougne, the largest and most exciting park in Paris. And it's a few blocks from my apartment!


The Eiffel Tower was everything I hoped it would be. Crowded, expensive, and oh-so-classy (as proved by the champage stand on the very top of the tower).


Saturday afternoon, Ashley and I visited Les Puces de Saint Ouen, the largest flea market in the world. Imagine streets lined with furniture and paintings from the time of Henry IV. It was so cool. I was also pleased to see that a British phone booth had made its way to Les Puces... Because I was sick during my trip to London, I was not able to take a stereotypical "red phone booth" photo. Oddly enough, I was able to do so in Paris. We can all pretend it's a photo from London.


My favorite part of Les Puces (which translates to "The Fleas") were the alleys lined with old books. For those of you who are unaware, I love old books. I am working on a little collection of my own (and contributions are welcome). Anyway, I stepped into one particular book shop, and I was quickly glancing at the titles on the shelves... when I saw... "History of Contra Costa County California, Illustrated, Slocum & Co, 1882." You're really not allowed to take pictures while you're in Les Puces, because the store owners are very finicky. They consider photos an invasion of privacy. But, risking the wrath of a portly Frenchman, I snuck a photo of the book. I couldn't believe it-- a book about my home county, in Paris? And what are the odds I'd peruse that particular store? I needed some proof to share with you!


Last but not least... some of my friends back home do not believe that I'm doing homework. In an effort to prove that I'm being studious (in addition to having fun), I took a few photos of my art journal. These sketches represent hours spent in various museums across Paris, contemplating symbolism and writing essays about the mixture of paint. I'm teaching myself how to use oil pastels. These sketches are attempts one, two and three. I have a lot to learn about art...



Claude Monet, "Nympheas" (Water Lillies). Musee Marmatton.



"Bottega" de Donato di Niccolo Bardi dit Donatello. "La Vierge et L'Enfant." Louvre.



Toulouse Lautrec, "Jane Avril and Toulouse Lautrec." Musee Montmartre.

Well, everybody... That's all I have for you. My next post will include soccer, Disney (if all goes according to plan), and a video tour of my apartment. Stay tuned!

Rain, Fontainebleau, Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte

Hi family and friends! As of Tuesday, I have found my favorite pastry. It's called a "religieuse," and it's available in chocolate, mocha, or rose. Now, I have only tried the chocolate religieuse... but it was such a delightful experience that the other two flavors must be equally delicious. It has the body of a cream puff, and it's filled with chilled chocolate mousse. The exterieur is glazed with a smooth chocolate as well, and decorated with a white buttercream frosting. As far as pastries go, it's not the most glamorous... but do not be deceived by its humble appearance. You're looking at a genuine Parisian masterpiece. It's a wonder I'm losing weight.


On Tuesday night, our host family invited us to "Les Dechargeurs," a new club/theatre near Chatelet. Imagine an old stone building, with beamed ceilings and heavy wooden doors. Now, imagine descending into a cave-like wine cellar, using dusty stone steps. This little cellar room was big enough to fit fifteen people, some at round tables and some on velvet benches. The room was dimly lit and the air felt damp. Now, imagine an evening of Argentine and Brazilian-inspired music, two guitars, an upright bass, and an accordian. Not only was the setting posh, but the music was absolutely fantastic. My host mother leaned over to me and said, "Il n'y a pas des etrangers ici, seulement les francais." In other words, Ashley and I were the only non-locals in the joint... and that made it even better.

On the metro ride home, Jean-Pierre quizzed Ashley on her French vocabulary words.

I enjoyed my first French thunder on Wednesday night, as we were hit with a severe rainstorm. Our entire street began to flood, and from our third-story window we could see motorcyclists hydroplaning on the road. With each passing minute, the water crept closer to our front door. Ashley and I quickly threw on our raincoats and ran outside to take some pictures. Below, you can see the beginning of the flood, when the water began pooling on the sidewalk.


I love rain, and I love Paris... and I had this sneaking suspicion that Paris would be beautiful during a downpour. Well, it was better than I imagined. The air became crisp. The trees began to sparkle. It was magnificent.

All of the pharmacies in Paris are marked with an identical blue and green cross. The following picture shows the wet sidewalk reflecting one of those neon pharmacy signs. That was another cool effect of the rainfall-- the sidewalks were splashed with rainbow colors from various storefront lights.


While walking around our neighborhood in the rain, we stumbled upon a boutique called "Megane" (my name is spelled with an 'e' in French). I was pretty excited, and I had to take a photo. My first rainy evening in Paris was a delight, and I'm looking forward to winter!


Today, I visited two castles: Fontainebleau, and Chateau de Vaux le Vicomte. Fontainebleau was an hour away by bus, hidden in the rural suburbs of Paris. Due to the remote location of the castle, it is not a tourist hotspot... and for me, that only enhanced the appeal of the palace!

Fontainebleau has housed eight centuries of French history. The castle has been home to all of the royalty, Emperors, and Empresses since the Middle Ages. A grand array of architectural styles are present in Fontainebleau, which reflect the personal tastes of the many royals who stayed there. For example, Francois I's chambers (I believe) house intricate tapestries.

During the sixteenth century, Henry IV enlarged the castle. At that time, he updated some of the rooms to incorporate the ideas of artists from all over the world. This photo is from one of the guards' rooms.

This gallery is named after Diana, the goddess of the hunt. It served as a library and refuge for Marie Antoinette, who enjoyed strolling up and down the gallery.


Marie Antoinette's bed chamber contains mother of pearl dressers and tables, and it a charming room. She had good taste in furniture, if nothing else.


Below, you can see Napoleon's throne room. Originally, this room served as a bed chamber for Henry IV through Louis XVI. However, Napoleon decided to transform the room into a "throne room," to keep with the guidelines of empirial etiquette. It is the only throne room in France that still displays, in full, the original furnishings. The two posts on either side of the throne are marked with an "N" for Napoleon. The purple velvet hanging over the throne is embroidered with gold bees, which represent immortality and resurrection. Bees are the oldest emblem of the sovereigns in France, dating back to 1653.


The bed chamber of Napoleon I, below, is decorated with deep greens and blacks. The two chairs by the fireplace are interesting: the arms facing the fireplace are low, to allow the seated individual to enjoy the fire's warmth. The arms facing the window are rather high, to block the cold. Despite the quirky charm of this room, Napoleon rarely slept in it. In fact, he rarely slept at all. He put an equally impressive bed in his office, so that he could rest when absolutely necessary.


This is the ceiling of the Trinity Chapel, which was constructed in the sixteenth century. The paintings are by Martin Freminet, and they illustrate the theme of the redemption of man. This chapel dates from Henry IV and Louis XIII.


Upon exiting the palace, I took this photo to capture my joyful, giddy smile. It was too magnificent, and I couldn't control my facial expressions!


This is part of the exterior of Fontainebleau. Can you see me, way at the top of the stairs? One of the girls in my class said, "Megan, run to the top of the stairs and pretend that you live here." I'm leaning against the railing with my arms outstretched, as if watching over a large garden party that I've organized.


That same photographer, Kylie, tried to capture "Megan looking mysterious." It did not work quite as well. But isn't the architecture fabulous?



I signed the guestbook, just for fun. I wrote, "I want to become a queen..." That sums up how I felt after my visit to Fontainebleau. In such an elaborate palace, it's tempting to dream of large ball gowns, horse-drawn carriages, formal dinner parties, and hours of embroidery. Well, not embroidery. I know that my chances of inhabiting Fontainebleau are... non-existent... but a girl can dream.


Next stop was Vaux le Vicomte, a historical landmark that has been preserved by a line of private owners. Vaux le Vicomte was Nicolas Fouquet's project, and he hired a team of artists and designers to help him build this estate. The history of this place is quite extensive, but I'll sum it up: Louis XIV did not like Fouquet, and upon seeing Vaux le Vicomte, he REALLY didn't like Fouquet. He was jealous that Fouquet had created such an impressive and beautiful palace. Louis XIV had Fouquet imprisoned on false embezzlement charges... and then, Louis hired Fouquet's team of designers to build Versailles. True (condensed) story.

Before being imprisoned, Fouquet threw a large party at his new home. Think about the party scene from Count of Monte Cristo, fireworks and all. Can you imagine fireworks being shot off the roof of this palace? Wouldn't that be spectacular?

I'd like you to notice that there are no tourists in my photo of Vaux le Vicomte. It's a perfect, unobstructed shot... almost like a postcard. Isn't that nice?

Vaux le Vicomte is charming, inside and out. Fouquet's dream was to make art habitable, and he succeeded. The palace is a livable museum.


Vaux le Vicomte is significantly smaller than Fontainebleau, but it is equally impressive. My favorite part of the palace was the dungeon-- the walls were dripping with water, and stalactites were forming on the ceiling. Due to the poor lighting of the dank cave, I was not able to get good pictures. But have you seen "The Man in the Iron Mask"? Fouquet, our superintendant of finances, was imprisoned in Saint Mars with Dauger (aka Leonardo DiCaprio). So, in the dungeon of Vaux le Vicomte, a cell was dedicated to Dauger in his iron mask. Quite frankly, it was a little creepy... but the history was sure fascinating!

Vaux le Vicomte offers nighttime tours during the spring and fall, and I would have loved touring the palace by candlelight... Apparently, the whole palace is covered with candlesticks, and each guest carries her own flame as well. Unfortunately, the last candlelit tour is this weekend, so it's not feasible for me to attempt it... But, in case someone else is planning a trip to France next year, it's something to consider!


What a day I've had, huh? These historical sites have been so well preserved, which is a blessing when you consider how many estates were destroyed by bombs during the world wars. Being able to walk through gardens where great men and women walked, and admire paintings that were appreciated by royal eyes... That's really something. France continues to amaze me.

Paris, Mon Amour

I'm back in Paris, at long last! I know I've only lived in this city for a few weeks, but I missed it. Is that silly? I missed receiving daily scowls from my favorite metro employee. I missed the smell of freshly baked chocolate religieuse and spinach-mushroom tarte lurking around every corner. I missed hearing "Attention a la marche!" while hopping off the train. I had a great time in London! But let's be honest... "Mind the gap" isn't quite the same. :)


On the train ride from Paris (Gare du Nord) to London (St. Pancras), we played several rousing rounds of BANANAGRAMS. Bananagrams is a fast-paced word game. No paper or pens necessary! Just 144 Scrabble tiles in a convenient banana bag. It's great for travel, and it can be yours for only $14.50 on Amazon.com. I was excited to learn that other families, outside of the Botts clan, are obsessed with that game. I did my own family proud, I think, by winning a couple intense games. Heather, Anna, Mandy... I've been practicing, and I'm ready for you.


Well, I don't know what to share of my London adventures. I enjoyed two action-packed days in Picadilly Circus and on the Thames, enjoying some fantastic theatrical productions. I revisited Jersey Boys, an old favorite, and soaked in the sounds of Frankie Valli's falsetto from my own personal opera circle box. It was a cheap ticket, and the view and acoustics were unbeatable.



On Tuesday, I caught a matinee of As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. I stood in the 'yard' on the ground floor, just like the peasants of Elizabethan London would have done. The floor is now concrete, but I could imagine it being dirt and straw. Anyway, I was in the very front, getting sprayed with spit. No one was standing between me and the action, and it was a dream come true. If you look at the website, you can see photos from the show. After the curtain call, I caught an evening performance of Billy Elliot. The dancing was spectacular!

Then, I contracted the bubonic plague, and the fun came to a screeching halt. Okay, not entirely. All of Wednesday, I was stuck in bed with a serious fever and a sore throat. By Wednesday evening, the fever broke and I got out of bed to eat an apple. For the next two days, I scarcely did much, for fear of getting worse... and to placate my mother, as well. I did sneak out of the hotel on Friday morning to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and I snapped some good photos. The marching band must have been trying to cheer me up, because they played The Beatles as they marched. "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" makes me smile every time.

Well, It wasn't how I planned to visit London, that's for sure. I feel fortunate to have seen much of the city on a previous visit, because it's a fun and bustling city. But, I'll tell you one thing-- if I had to be sick, I'm glad that I was sick in London. I hope that my London-loving readers will not take offense, because none is meant. Paris resonates with me, and it fascinates me. I am glad to be returning with good health!

My host parents jokingly asked if I caught swine flu while in London. I told them, "No, luckily not. It's just the plague." They laughed and said, "Oh sure. That's a lot better." My host family is such a blast. They don't speak English, so when we sit down to eat dinner together, I am in French mode. I am thinking, breathing, speaking, and living French. I have to, otherwise I wouldn't have a clue what's going on. Well, tonight at dinner, I had an out-of-body experience. It was almost like I was watching myself laugh and joke and converse with my host parents and Ashley. And I thought, "Holy cow! This really isn't ENGLISH!" And it felt completely natural... Natural! I love that. And I love these people...


Well, this has been a long post. I'll finish off with a few photos from Versailles, Louis XIV's fantastic palace. These photos are from the Saturday before I left for London. My roommate Ashley and I spent the whole day just exploring the gardens, because they're so enormous. The palace itself, as well as Marie Antoinette's private quarters, will take another full day.


The gardens at Versailles are perfectly manicured and symmetrical, as a symbol of man's control of nature. Louis XIV played a very heavy hand in designing these patterned hedges and orangeries, and their meticulous grooming almost screams "overbearing monarch." If I had been Marie Antoinette, I would have splashed in the fountains and had picnics on the grass. But that was never the purpose of these gardens, and so those things are still not allowed today. Bummer.


However, while walking through a grove of trees, I broke royal protocol and played in the falling leaves.


Due to the drought, the fountains run for mere minutes each day. We were lucky enough to catch the fountains in action on Saturday. They were huge, loud, and water was shooting up into the clouds. Pretty spectacular, if you ask me. Louis XIV got a few things right.

That's all I've got for you today. By the way, thank you for your comments, friends and family! I enjoy writing these updates for you, and your responses are always so fun. Until next time!