Last Tuesday Trip in Paris

The end of my block in the morning

Yesterday was my last Tuesday in Paris!! Taylor and I woke up bright and early to fit in the gym before making the most of our day. We finally checked out an exhibit at Hotel de Ville that I had tried to go to at least three times. Unfortunately, every time the line was too long. 3 days before it closed, we finally checked out Paris vu par Hollywood, an exhibit full of clips, costumes, posters, props and photos of American films that showcase the beauty of Paris. After quoting her so many times, it seemed only fitting to watch a clip of Audrey Hepburn in Charade on my last tuesday in Paris. After gawking at the eternal beauty of this city, we hopped on the metro up to Montmartre to our favorite spot to do a little work. We then popped back down to our neighborhood to pick up goodies at Le Bon Marche and check some more errands off our list of lasts.

For dinner, we had our final girls night at Maddi's apartment, filled with our usual baguette, goat cheese, etc... with the addition of champagne and homemade vin chaud. After sufficiently stuffing ourselves, we snuggled up to watch Midnight in Paris. While I loved this movie the first and second time, I now have a whole new appreciation for it. We were able to name every shot from the opening sequence, we have stood in front of each monument they marveled at, and we have studied each artist Owen Wilson encountered.

Watching this movie reminded me of all of the amazing opportunities and adventures I have had in Paris. Although it has been different than I would have imagined, I am so much happier with the experience I have had. I'm sure many of you who have been reading this blog from the beginning and chatted with me about this adventure before it began have been waiting for the posts detailing the vespa rides, parisian boyfriend and glamorous lifestyle. I was expecting to write them. However I quickly realized that those were not the most important aspects of this semester. Instead I have totally and completely fallen in love with Paris, which has built a relationship that will last much longer than any fling I would have had in these four short months. I am reminded of this every night on my walk home as I walk towards the illuminated Eiffel Tower. It has also fed my sense of adventure and desire to travel more than I could have imagined. I cannot wait to keep feeding it in Vienna and Budapest this weekend, and then in Australia in 2 weeks!

Today, after making pumpkin pancakes for brunch, Taylor and I went to the Rodin Museum which was absolutely stunning! The sculptures themselves were marvelous, however the backdrop of Invalides and the Eiffel Tower add a certain je ne sais quoi! Unfortunately, I now have to study for my final exam,  but posts about my last 8 days in Europe to come!

From Left to Right: Invalides, The Thinker, Eiffel Tower