I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life. ~Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes

SO today was exhausting! I went to the Montparnasse 56 in the morning and admired the view of Paris. I really think it's one of my favorite places to go. I just love it up there. I could probably spend hours just sitting and admiring the scene. I might do that one day (as if I have any free time anymore!) and just bring a book and sit and read at the top of Paris. It's just such a relaxing sort of place.

After that I went back to the Cite and had lunch in a beautiful park across the street. it was just so calming to sit in the grass by the lake and watch the birds and the fish. The temperature has finally dropped so it's tolerable again, which is great since we only have a few days left at this point. I want to enjoy it and not have to worry about baking in the sun. But lunch was great, just sitting and talking and thinking and admiring the world all around me.

From lunch it was back to the Metro and to Saint Denis Basilique where much of Paris' royal family is buried, including Marie Antionette. It was quite a long metro ride, but I've actually come to enjoy just sitting on the metro and watching the people come and go. And it was worth it when we made it to the church. A lovely place with gorgeous windows and the unusual perk of having the remains of royalty.

With our student cards we got in free and examined the crypts where one of the most memorable things was the heart of Louis the 13th preserved in a little glass jar down in the crypt. It was really creepy actually being able to see this shriveled up thing and know it was a heart! But my favorite thing was the statue of Marie Antionette. I think it's perfect to do today since I am going to Versaille tomorrow!!

I tried to go to a Cinema Museum but was really sad to find out they have closed for the month of August, so not making it to there... but because I couldn't go there I got to go to the Louvre which is always amazing! It's free for students on Friday evenings so we headed in, made a a plan and took off. Getting to the Mona Lisa first. It was such a weird experience standing so close to something so famous and being able to take pictures of it. There was a huge crowd.

After that we headed into the Egyptian Art Exhibit which was such a thrill. I've always loved Egyptian Art and to be able to explore such a collection of it was really great! I wish there would have been more large items, but getting to see the more 'dainty' art was really interesting. Things I wasn't as familiar with.

Then it was on to the Medieval art! I was really excited about it. It's really amazing how glamourous all the religious relics are. They're all gold and jewels, Medieval art is just so interesting to me since the time period was so turbulent and corrupted. My favorite piece in that collection was a glass and crystal chess set. it was so gorgeous, amazingly preserved.

Then to Napoleon's Apartment which is full of artifacts and a set up of Napoleon's home. It was so ornate! Red, and gold everywhere! All sorts of rich lush fabrics, velvet, silk (well that's what looked like, Lord knows I couldn't touch it). It was really neat, but about that time was when the Louvre workers began ushering us out the door. So we left, grabbed some gelato...and it was so amazing! I got a cream cherry, cream caramel, and nutella flavored gelato in a cup and it was so great. The gelato here is like nothing back home. I will miss it tons!

Well I'm going to bed, I'm heading to Versaille tomorrow so I need to get some rest!!

Bon soir! (which means Good Night basically by the way)