Paris

Paris

Our arrival into Paris was by far the scariest 5 hours of the entire previous 4 months. The sequence of events went like this:

-Arrived around 8 PM

- Witnessed a crazy man verbally abuse the Airport information desk worker who, bless her heart, held up pretty well, but was pretty darn shaken up by the time he was hauled off by security. 

- Found out that the house was much further than we had thought from the airport PLUS didn't have any great directions

- Decipher directions, which to our dismay, included train, metro, another metro, and another train 

- It was getting later

- Met a wicked awesome French man on the first train who helped us out insanely from the kindness of his heart

- Got on the next train after waiting a good half hour in a dark, cold, foreign, dirtier-than-the-usual European train station. 

- Struggled with all communication (my Jr. High french just would not come back to me! Fail.)

- Finally got on the last train, only to have it break down and put us out in the cold for another hour or so in the dark surrounded by nothing even somewhat familiar (By now it's at least midnight)

- Got to our stop off the train, walked the wrong direction in the dark, cold, abandoned neighborhoods (gripping my pepper spray through all the small walk-ways and alleys. THANKS MA!)

- Attempted to communicate to a few people out in the streets and long story short FINALLY found the  garage we were looking for through using someone's phone (lots trickier to ask to use in Europe $$$), pulled the old thing up and stumbled past an old man smoking in the dark garage up to our blessed safety of a house. 

- Some tears were shed and possible kissing of the floor once we realized we were finally safe

For this final destination, Kace had found us a room to rent in a woman's home so it was a nice comfortable place away from hostel-style beds and shared bathrooms. 

First stop the next day:

THE Louvre

This place was beyond ginormous and we by far too exhausted from the trip so far to spend deserved amounts of time in the Museum. But, we did see the most important work of art which happens to be one of my favorite photographed moments of the trip:
(self-explanitory)

Leaving the museum we had a nice long walk to the long-awaited...

the beauty herself

The Eiffel Tower

Growing extremely familiar of these rails.

Notre Dame 

We became the favorites at our new french hot spot - A Turkish Cafe

... totally normal to dine middle-eastern in Paris

fortunately I got to experience a good sweaty armpit in the shoulder, what would I have done?

A few attempts at the classic photos...

The site of the "twinkling" tower by night was breath-taking. What a way to end this backpacking excursion of a lifetime!

Versailles

And then there was the food

you didn't really think I wouldn't give tribute to the delectables of Paris??

The baguettes were the perfect combo of fluffy inside/crispy crust & made for yummy sammy lunches

We stopped in every bakery we came across - that makes for about 6 every 8 minutes

 

This was my awaited treat of the city and it most-defintely lived up to my expectations. Changed my life for a good 15 seconds while it lasted.

The chocolate croissant.

I'm surprised I was able to pause long enough for a picture, seriously

                   
yummy vege quiche, so great!

What I came out of the markets with, some dried blueberries & giant cashews. (YUM)

Apologies for a detail-lacking post, but in a nutshell, Paris was a success! 

London

To London!

 

Benny boy

The classic trademarks - 

 

The markets, oh how I loved them.

Betcha can't guess this beauty?

A play was a must while in London so we treated our "student" selves to none other than...

You bet!

Love. Love. Loved.

 Buckingham Palace

 HYDE PARK

Bird Woman Kacey

Crumpets and Tea at Vanessa's!

In London we stayed with sweet Vanessa and her children. I've mentioned so many times how the people I've met along this journey are the ones that have made it possible and taught me about the kind of life I'd like to live. Vanessa and her family are prime example. They were beyond generous to give up their own bed & bedroom to house 3 travelers for 3 nights, unbelievably kind family. Thank you, thank you, thank you, you'll forever hold a spot in my heart. Lots of love!!!

Portobello Road 

(Never-ending market street featuring antiques/food/music/etc)

 

And finally one of my all time favorites of the trip, the

Tate Museum of Modern Art

This museum was unlike anything I've seen with so many varying forms of modern art within it's walls. One favorite, Light Music, by Lis Rhodes, was SO entertaining. Basically I got to play between two flashing lights that projected onto opposite walls creating all the viewers' shadows. Talk about live version of hand-shadow pac-man or sweet body contortions of statue poses. I could've been entertained for hours...

Check out the link to see more!

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern-tanks/display/lis-rhodes-light-music

A second favorite was a movement piece conducted by about 30 volunteers.

Yes, I'm going to copy and paste this description but only because - well I'm lazy. Here's a good summation.

 Tate Modern has unveiled the first live commission in The Unilever Series - These associations, created by Anglo-German artist Tino Sehgal. Tino Sehgal has risen to prominence for his innovative works which consist purely of live encounters between people, including work at the 2005 Venice Biennale and solo shows at the Guggenheim and London’s ICA. Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall is inhabited by an assembly of participants whose choreographed actions use movement, sound, and conversation. The Turbine Hall is occupied by the physical and vocal energy of the participants and visitors. 

Basically there was this big open room that seemed like it was just a transition room between different wings of the building BUT if you stuck around long enough to notice what was going on around, you noticed a little something extra. About 30 or so people were involved in a synchronized piece in which the moves changed at least every 10 minutes or so. The group went from walking extremely abnormally slow in one big mass from one end of the football field-sized room, then to walking in a circle, then to power walking from end to end etc. Throughout the minutes, occasional single persons would break off from the group and begin a story-telling to a group of viewers. We experienced this when a woman walked over and just began talking in what seemed like conversational form but she didn't really leave room for actual conversation. She told a story that displayed a time when she felt like she was the black sheep of the group (Without actually spelling it out so clearly). The viewers were the black sheep of the group in this exhibit, unaware of the exactly purpose and meaning of what the people were doing.