Perusing in Paris

Mmmm...

That's what I'll think when I think back to my weekend in Paris. It was blissful. The weather was beautiful. And I finally felt like a part of Paris instead of just a tourist.

We (Megan and I) arrived in Paris around 9 pm on Friday. We were greeted by a friend from home named Nico, who is actually from Paris, taken to the apartment in which we were going to be staying (just 3 blocks away from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees), and escorted to a quaint bistro for a Parisian-Italian dinner.

After dinner, Megan wasn't feeling well so she went home to sleep. Nico and I decided to attend a going away party for one of his friends, with the promise that we were just going to drop by so he could say goodbye. Three hours later, we were walking back to where we were staying...

I was so grateful for the experience of a Parisian party. Everyone I met was so fantastic and so excited to practice their English (far superior to my French). One of my favorite parts of the night was meeting people with kisses on the cheek. One of the guys I met said "You can practice your French kissing" and then restated "I mean our French kissing, not your French kissing." We had some good laughs, drank some cheap wine, danced to French music, and then left after repeating the whole "French" french kissing system again to say goodbye. I had a great time.

Sunday after returning from Marseille, Megan, Nico and I spent the whole day just walking around Paris, soaking in the sun, seeing (but not waiting in line for) some sights, drinking coffee at French cafes, and eating delicious French food. We got to take a boat tour down the Seine, explored the Latin Quarter and its many cute shops and cafes, and ended our evening near the Sacre Coeur, my favorite spot from Paris last year. All in all...the perfect visit. No lines, just Paris.