Au revoir California, Bonjour Paris!

Last Monday, I started my journey from San Francisco to Spain (with a few stops along the way). I spent last weekend saying goodbye to the people I will miss and think about every day. Saturday night I said goodbye to the Lauck’s at our bbq, Sunday I said goodbye to my grandparents at their annual block party, and Sunday night I said goodbye to Remi, Sarah, Grace, Janet, and Anna. Finally, Monday, I said goodbye to my family at the airport. Luckily, Mom, Dad, and Jeff always know how to make me smile. At the airport, they must have said goodbye (waving, smiling, and making funny faces) at least 50 times moving from one side of the security line to the other to make sure I saw them. Saying goodbye was as it always is—ultimately sad, but the excitement always seems to overshadow the gloom. I said goodbye, but it was more of a “be seeing you” kind of goodbye. I am also lucky to be greeted in Europe by good friends that feel like family—Clo in Paris, the Caruso’s in Italy, and Jesús in Madrid.

I arrived in Paris via London on Monday evening and was so happy that I actually made it to Clo’s apartment. I had to ask the taxi driver (in French) to take me to her apartment. Now, my French is barely comprehensible, so saying "Bonjour, pouvais-vous m’amener a cette adresse s’il vous plait?" correctly was no small task. I must have asked the question somewhat correctly because I arrived in Paris about an hour later at Clo’s place. The apartment is just outside of the Paris city line (Paris is one street over) in a non-touristy part of town. There is a school next door, a pharmacy on the corner, a market on the other corner, and a boulangerie not far. That night we were both exhausted from flying, so after a mozzarella and tomato/croque monsieur dinner, we went to sleep…and woke a few hours later at 5:00am. I hate being jetlagged.

DAY 1 EN PARIS

My first day in Paris was the perfect “lazy day.” I spent the morning reading, listening to the fire truck test sirens that are sound every first Wednesday of the month, and eating a typical French breakfast—croissant and pain au chocolat. That afternoon, Clo and I walked around the Galeries de Lafayette—a ridiculously luxurious shopping mall filled with make-up, jewelry, and purses that make you wish that, just for your week in Paris, you were a millionaire. I fell in love with a Longchamp purse—one that is simple, fashionable, and practical all at once. This bag is beautiful and almost every girl in Paris has one. I am excited to say that I finally bought one today with the money my Grandma Gloria and Grandpa Pat gave me to spend in Europe.

After walking around the Galeries, we went to Ladurée (http://www.laduree.fr/) to buy macarons. These are no normal macaroons—they taste like heaven and I’m quite sure they were made by God himself. These specific macaroons are typically Parisian—all the locals know that macaroons from Ladurée are the best you will ever find and they are only in Paris. They are expensive and there are many different flavors. I bought 6 different flavors, including Framboise (raspberry), Citron (lemon), Vanille (vanilla), Caramel á la fleure de sel (caramel with salted butter), Cassis violette (blackcurrant violet), and Fleur d’orange (Orange blossom). We brought our macaroons to the Café du Capucine in the quartier de l’Opera near the famous Opera house in Paris where we sat down for a cup of coffee that came with a strawberry meringue and a piece of chocolate.

We then met Clo’s boyfriend Daniel at his school and went back to his apartment for an evening of good food (appetizers—bread and paté & dinner—salmon pasta) and good (mostly French) conversation with Daniel’s roommates in which I tried to understand but struggled to participate in.

It was a great first day en Paris and I can't wait for more adventures to come.