This was a busy weekend! Saturday my friend Jessica and I hopped on the train to Versailles. We got off the train and you walk a few blocks and see this enormous monstrocity! Versailles is HUGE. We walked in the main building and saw the famous hall of mirrors. There are several churches inside the compound because the King went to church every single day (cant imagine!). The gardens were even more amazing, they make up the size of a normal town-- so big! We walked around the gardens and the several fountains. I immediately felt like we were in sense and sensibility, the movie :-) There were even a small pen of sheep! Next was the chateau of Marie Antoinette which was some what humble compared to the rest of the estate and PINK! (and was far away from the rest of the estate), but if those walls could talk...! She also had a miniature theater built for her so she could take acting classes to improve her French (she was Austrian). The whole trip was fun, but tiring and defiantly recommended. I cant imagine living somewhere like that, it was really amazing.

This Sunday we headed off to Honfleur, a small town in Normandy. My friend Pascal drove and it took about two hours from Paris. I have driven the french countryside and it really just looks like driving through America. Similar to areas east of San Francisco. Its this cute town with very old and narrow streets, built on a hill. We got there and had lunch at a nice restaurant (well they had lunch at a nice restaurant, I had my sac lunch on a bench). Then we walked around the town. There was a really pretty wooden church. It was built 100% out of wood, which is very uncommon here. Then we walked along the harbor in a few little shops. Then it started pouring rain! So we ducked into a small tea shop, which was straight out of Alice and Wonderland. It was this very narrow building with about 4 stories. They had a large selection of tea and delicious looking pastries. After our round of tea we headed back to the car and started the drive home, which turned out to be very long! Sunday night every Parisian drives back into the city from the countryside and there was ALOT of traffic. I did get to see a French fireman, and they wear the funniest silver, chrome helmets with like a little skirt around the bottom of the hat. I took a picture, but I dont think that it was very clear (as we were driving).

Yay! So a few weeks ago I wrote that I would be going to Normandy with a group of people from my church. Well for some reason they canceled the trip and I wasnt going to be able to go. This year is the 25th anniversary of D-Day (June 6th) and they are having a week long festival and ceremonies-- which made it even more sad that I wouldnt be able to go. Well this morning I got a call from someone (Pascal) I had met a few weeks ago at an International meet up event and he said he would be going to Normandy on Sunday and asked if I and a friend would like to come. So my friend Jessica and I will go with Pascal to Normandy on Sunday. France road trip!

Last weekend I made my way out to the famous Paris Flea markets. I went to one (Saint Ouen) out by the Sorbonne (not the niiiiicest area by the way). It was alright. Most of the market is overridden with modern day brand names and clothes. Its a good place to get sneakers or random clothing items, but it wasnt the antique gold mine I had thought it would be, which was a little disappointing. The sales people were very un-french like. They tried for a hard sell and basically chased you down the street. Typically in France sales people will only talk to you unless you approach them. They think it is rude and bothersome (and i agree).
It was a glorious day. I walked around in the sun for a few hours and checked out the area. I ended up buying a pair of linen pants, nothing special but will be good for school on hot days. I think maybe smaller markets might have more unique items....all that means is that I have to go to those too!

I think that speaking French is having a negative effect on my health. I have had some serious TMJ (my jaw hurts) the past week. It might be from stress-- when I get stressed out I grind my teeth in my sleep, but I Reeeeeallllly think its from speaking French and trying to pronounce all of these words. My Rosetta Stone is wearing me out!

I'm going to Madrid! YAY. My lovely friend Brooke will be going on a trip through Spain and I will meet her in Madrid. I will be there for 31/2 days in between classes. I leave Thursday the 18th and will be staying in a hostel near the Pardo Museum. I am a little worried about speaking Spanish as I have tried my hardest NOT to think or speak in spanish because it makes talking in French very difficult, but I will figure it out. This will be the frist time I am traveling to a place without a kitchen so I will be eating ALOT of canned tuna, nuts and fruit since I cant eat out (so that part will be interesting). Any ways, cant wait to go and I'll let you know about the trip!

Today in Risk management (which is really boring) my lovely French friend Monet was asked to solve a question: if his wife was on a plane and it crashed, what would be the monetary value of his wife and what is the probability his wife would die? He sat and thought for a few minute then asked- "which wife?" we all laughed and Gianluca (Italian) immediately raised his hand and asked "what is the possibility that he will get a new wife". The American teacher just kind of sat there a little confused. But I thought this conversation summarized European Men's point of view.