"I sought to see the amazing as normal, and the daily as unique, and in that swirling paradox 

I found the joy of travel." -Mary Poxon

via

SaarLorLux

My past two Saturdays have been like this--I wake up. Walk to the Hauptbahnhof and meet Youlia. Choose a city in France that we’ve never been to before and buy two tickets there. Stop by the Bäckerei and pick up a coffee and pastry. Hop on a train and go to France. Roam around a new city without a map. Get lost. Drink coffee. Drink wine. Repeat. Buy a bottle of our favorite French shampoo and a baguette. And at the end of the day, head back to Saarbrücken. I could get used to use this.

One redeeming quality of the Saarland is its close proximity to France. It’s almost enough to make me forgive it for the streak of unlucky weather this summer. Almost. With a SaarLorLux ticket, one can use unlimited train travel in the Saarland, Luxembourg, and Lorraine territories for a day. This ticket allowed me to explore two cities in Lorraine (Metz and Nancy) during the last two Saturdays of my internship.

Metz and Nancy are lovely cities built around rivers, with gorgeous architecture and old churches. It amazes me how these two cities, which are less than two hours away, can be so drastically different from Saarbrücken.

METZ

NANCY

Youlia and I make great travel companions because we enjoy the same things. She shares my philosophy that a city is best experienced without an itinerary and from the views of different café tables.

I don’t know when I became such a Francophile, but I’m afraid that I came to Germany and fell in love with France. Perhaps my fascination with all things French began after my weekend in Paris. The culture just seems to resonate better with my personal taste and flair. I think France just does some things better—like food, wine, fashion, music, and language. Even the toilet paper is more stylish—it’s pink!  I am starting to wonder if I chose the wrong language to learn.  Then again, maybe I just find France so appealing because it is a refreshing escape and contrast from my life in Germany. It is too soon to tell if this is just a phase or a long-lasting obsession.

An American in Paris (part deux)

After our late night of celebrating, Ardena and I slept in past the breakfast hours at the hostel. We decided to go for brunch in a quieter neighborhood of the 17th district. As it turns out, brunch is only offered on Saturday and Sunday, but we happened to find this quaint little bar/coffee shop that was serving a typical French breakfast of bread and jam, alongside fresh-squeezed orange juice and espresso with cinnamon sticks. The place had lots of character with mismatching bar stools and tables, a hodgepodge of art, and interesting local people which gathered there to socialize and sip coffee.

We passed through the Luxembourg Gardens again and walked through the carnival there. Riding on the giant pink swing offered some pretty incredible views of Paris and allowed me to feel like a little kid again. Afterwards, we rented bikes and rode them along the Seine, past the Notre Dame, and to a really eclectic shopping area. It's been at least three years since I've ridden a bike, so trying to avoid people and cars on the busy streets and sidewalks of Paris was a terrifying thrill. But it was so much fun and certainly an adventurous way to see the city.

"I love Paris in the summer, when it sizzles." -Cole Porter

We window shopped for a couple of hours and shared a quiche, salad, and gazpacho for dinner. Afterward we took the metro to La Tour Eiffel in hopes to view the sunset from the top. Unfortunately, the lines were miles long. Rather than spending five hours of our short weekend waiting in line, we plopped down in the grass of the Champ de Mars, people watched, and bartered down a bottle of rosé from 15 euros to five. Back in the Latin Quarter, I satisfied my sweet tooth with a nutella and banana crepe and then we went out for drinks with our new Brazilian friends. Two beers and 16 euros later, I headed back to the hostel to crash for the night on my rickety bunk.

Saturday morning we woke to a rainy day in Paris. After eating breakfast at the hostel, we took the metro to the Marche aux Puces Saint-Ouen, one of the largest markets in Paris. There were lots of antique shops, vintage clothing, and specialty stores. The prices weren't exactly what I would consider flea market prices, but it was still fun to look around at all the pretty little objects that each stall had on display. I could have spent an entire day at this market.

Since the weather was less than ideal, we saved all of our indoor activities for Saturday. We went to the Musée du Louvre, the largest art museum I have ever seen and the most visited one in the world. The museum is in a former palace, which is like a work of art in itself. Inside there are more collections than a person could see in one day. I found the museum to be completely overwhelming and overcrowded.

But we couldn't leave without paying the Mona Lisa a visit. There was probably a hundred people in the room trying to crowd around one small portrait of a smiling woman. I would have had to swim through a sea of tourists and flashing cameras to try and get a closer look at the painting. It wasn't worth it to me. I still do not understand all the hype about this simple portrait. I recognize that Da Vinci was a brilliant man in all domains, and I may sound like a snob for saying it, but I think the Mona Lisa is a tad overrated. There are hundreds of other pieces in the Louvre which arguably deserve equal attention. Exhausted from dodging hordes of people and walking for kilometers, Ardena and I had a picnic of bread, cheese, fruit and cookies on a bench in the same room as the Mona Lisa.

Next we went to the Musée d'Orsay which features art from my favorite Impressionist artists--Renoir, Monet, and Degas. The museum is housed in a gorgeous 19th century railway station with many windows that let in a lot of natural light. The museum layout is smart and categorized by artist, and it was far less busy than the Louvre. I enjoyed being able to examine the art up close and in an unhurried manner.

In the evening we took shelter from the rain by ducking into the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. It was definitely one of the coolest bookshops I ever been in and a great place to find books in English. Afterwards we went to see Woody Allen's latest film, Midnight in Paris. It was fun to count all the places I had seen earlier that day which were featured in the film. The movie captures the exuberance of 1920s Paris and all the artists which made the city their playground. When we left the cinema, it was midnight in Paris and raining. We ended the night with a glass of Sauvignon blanc and live music at a little bar called Moliére.

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."  -Ernest Hemingway

"You can't escape the past in Paris, and yet what's so wonderful about it is that the past and present intermingle so intangibly that it doesn't seem to burden." -Allen Ginsberg

afterwards the tourist wearing the beret in the background, picked up a guitar and started playing with the band

macaroons, pastries, and Kusmi tea :)

Ardena and I had fun imagining what our lives would be like living in one of these dreamy Parisian apartments

It's impossible not to fall for the romance of the city.

breakfast on my last morning in Paris: cafe eclair and an espresso. Yum!

My time in Paris was short but sweet. I now understand why it is the number one travel destination in the world. The city has so much to offer. There were many things I did not have time to see during my weekend visit, but all the more reason to return one day. And hopefully next time I'm in Paris I won't be a broke college student with an unpaid internship, so that I will be able to experience other things like shopping on Champs-Élysées or sampling fine French cuisine instead of feeling like Aladdin for stealing extra pieces of baguette from the hostel breakfast to save for lunch. I had a fabulous time in the City of Light-- experiencing the French culture, catching up with a close friend (check out her adorable blog), making new friends, and enjoying all things Parisian. Until next time...Au revoir Paris!

"Oh, but Paris isn't for changing planes, it's for changing your outlook! For throwing open the windows and letting in... letting in la vie en rose." -Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina (1954)

An American in Paris (part une)

Notre Dame

I arrived in Paris on Thursday morning and met up with Ardena in the Latin Quarter. Reuniting with an old friend is always a good feeling, especially when you haven't seen the person in over six months and when you've spent an entire summer away from everything that is familiar.

We spent the afternoon roaming around the city. After admiring the gorgeous architecture of Notre Dame and the Opera Garnier, we stopped for lunch. And while eating sandwiches in a cafe, we spotted a kid wearing a TCU shirt. I introduced myself and learned that he was an incoming freshman. What a small world. Then we spent some time at the Jardin du Luxembourg where it seemed like half of Paris had come to enjoy the sunshine on their day off of work.

July 14 is Bastille Day, a national holiday in France so there was a lot of free events and festivities around the city. We had to skip out on the military parade at Champs-Élysées, because my train did not arrive until 10:00 am. But we decided to join another million people and watch the fireworks show at the Eiffel Tower. Ardena, Gabi (our new friend from Brazil that we met at our hostel), and I pitched in for a baguette, cheese, and wine at the nearest supermarket. Then we picnicked on the Champ de Mars, listening to live music performances and waiting on the sun to set. Finally the sky went dark, the tower began to sparkle, and the fireworks ignited. This year's theme was "From Broadway to Paris," so the fireworks were accompanied by popular Broadway tunes. The French are funny. On one hand, they are booing the announcer when she welcomes the crowd a second time in English; and on the other hand they choose to end the firework display with West Side Story's "America." Nevertheless, there we were-- a Brazilian, Spaniard, and American cheering and celebrating a French holiday with the rest of Paris.

Jardin du Luxembourg

J'adore these vintage cars

Bastille Day celebration at the Eiffel Tower

why this song was chosen for the finale, I'll never understand

As an annual fundraiser and to commemorate the holiday, the fire stations of Paris open their doors in the evening for a fireman's ball. So after the show, Ardena and I headed to the station on rue de Sévigné. The line was out the door and the entrance fee was donation-based. The party took place in two open courtyards of the fire house--one with live music and the other a DJ. We were showered with attention (often unwelcomed) and free beers from many of the men there including two extremely tall British chaps, two short Italian guys, and two bald spectacles-wearing men that looked like they were old enough to be our grandfathers. Needless to say it was a ball for everyone; the locals and tourists, firemen and citizens, young and old partied until the wee hours of the morning. It was a great way to end my first day in Paris and first Bastille Day!

Paris is Always a Good Idea

Today I bought a train ticket to Paris and I could not be more excited! I have dreamed of seeing the City of Light since the first time I watched the movie Funny Face or Paris When It Sizzles. I am even more overjoyed because I get to see my good friend Ardena! She has a long weekend off from her internship in France and I'm only two hours away by train, so it is the perfect time to visit. I can't wait to explore all the city has to offer--the landmarks, museums, gardens, markets, shops, and cafes. Not to mention all the festivities for Bastille Day on July 14. Only four more days until I leave!

fun & games

Last week at work, the interns (and Daniel) took a "short coffee break" which turned out to be a couple of hours long. We decided to go shopping for a present for Guy's newborn baby. And when we stopped into a toy store, we got a little distracted...

how cute are these hand puppets?

Ludivine teaching Jesus & Diego some German (from a baby book)

Jesus and Daniel battling it out with wooden toys

On Wednesday, Annika invited me to go with her and her friend Verena to a party in Saarlouis. We had to take the train there and since we were running late, we sprinted so that we would not miss it. When we hopped on board, panting from exhaustion, the conductor announced that the train would be running five minutes behind schedule. Of course. Twenty minutes later we met Annika's friend Christian at the station and walked to his grandparents' house which was really cool. My inner design nerd was loving the earthy art pieces, exhibit lighting, and giant bookshelf. The house felt like a cottage and an art museum at the same time. I enjoyed the opportunity to interact with German students and practice the language, but after more than five hours of straight German, my head was spinning!

Annika, Verena, & Me

with Annika & her friends (Breton stripes are clearly in vogue)

Thursday was a holiday in Germany. I love that Germans get a lot of holidays and vacation time! I spent the day off with a few of the interns. We decided to take a day trip to... FRANCE! Okay so it's really not that exciting. We just went to a swim center in Sarreguemines (which is only a 20 minute drive from here.) I'm not even sure if I can count it as my first trip to France, but it was still somewhere new nonetheless. The sky was cloudless, but the water was too cold in the outside pool so I only swam indoors. We packed a nice picnic. Raafi made chicken curry and I made everyone try PB&J sandwiches-- sophisticated American cuisine, I know. We played volleyball, soccer, frisbee, and several games of cards. Ludivine taught me a few French words and I practiced them twenty times before I felt brave enough to go up to the concessions window and say "Je voudrais un café s'il vous plaît." Now if I go to Paris later in the summer, I can at least order a coffee. I ended the day with a nap on the lawn. It was a perfect, relaxing way to spend the holiday and I came home with a slight sunburn to serve as a souvenir from the day.

Ludivine and Raafi playing badminton

my French skills are about as good as Joey's on FRIENDS :)

"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." -Kahlil Gibran

(Photos 4  & 5 courtesy of Annika)