désolé

Today hasn't been fascinating, but I've learned a lot about myself and my new life and experienced something new. I'd call it a successful day.

I got out of bed the second I woke up because I had planned to go to Notre Dame; planned. I studied one of the two chapters that I was planning on reviewing today and then got ready for my trip. I don't know why I'm so fixated on going to Notre Dame, but I guess it's my white whale at this point. I re-googled the directions and it seemed more complicated than I originally guess that it would be. My confidence was shaken so I decided to find somewhere to go that would be closer to my apartment, and consulted my list. Turns out that I had accomplished things on the list without realizing it, like going to the Marche d'Aligre and seeing the raised garden. I googled a few locations, but I was scared to go anywhere far from home.

I decided to fulfill my dreams of sitting in a cafe all day and eating a crepe au sucre-beurre. I left through the back gate and thought that I'd try something different and walk towards the cafe that we visited for class yesterday. Everyone in Paris does their grocery and other shopping on Saturday, and the streets were packed with people. I made it way past yesterday's cafe, almost into another neighborhood, and then crossed to street to go back towards home. Now I know that there's nothing that I want on that side of town unless I'm looking for cheap clothing.

My next idea was to go to one of the cafes along the side street with all of the international  restaurants. that we visited yesterday. Most of the cafes that would sell crepes were closed. As I turned to go towards the Bastille, I saw a corner shop that sold crepes. Bingo! I order a crepe avec sucre-beurre. It was more sucre than beurre, but it was warm and a nice snack for my walk back home.

I was still slightly upset about my foiled plans when I got home so I decided to try googling some more things on my list. It turns out that the Tuileries is only one metro ride away, and the metro drops you off right in front of it! Inside of the garden is the Musee de l'Orangerie. I reviewed the website for prices, and it turns out that it's free tomorrow because it's the first Sunday of the month; most museums in Paris are free on the first Sunday of the month, or during certain first Sundays of the month during certain months like the Louvre. In addition to this good news, I also remembered that the Musee d'Orsay is a nine minute walk from the Tuileries and is also going to be free tomorrow. I plan on spending the entire day (9am-5pm) going to these three locations. I'm looking forward to my first real Parisian adventure.

After my discovery, I started on the second half of my studying. While on a study break I finished the last of my vanilla cookies (langues de chat), and couldn't bear the idea of living without my delicious little cookies. I also wanted to pick up a baguette, some more soup (of which I was down to my last packet), and something for breakfast. I finished my episode of Judge Judy and went to the store. Here's the part where I learned new things.

When my mother gave me the euros that she had gotten out of the ATM, they were all 50s. In Paris, merchants don't like for you to use large bills. They much prefer coins, and want you to give them exact change. If you can't give them exact change, they don't want bills that are that much larger than your total. I knew that I would have to break a 50 on way less than 50 euros worth of groceries. I put on my brave face, and practiced saying "bonjour, madame" with a big smile, and headed to the store.

I grumbled on my way to the store because I would be forced to buy my baguette from Monoprix for the exorbitant price of 1,20. Before I even reached the store I knew it would be hectic because there were lots of people waiting to cross the street to Monoprix and all of them were carrying grocery bags. *In France, you are expected to bring your shopping bag with you (did I already tell you this?). Most people have rolling bags that look like suitcases simply for the task of shopping. Also, while you're in the store, it is perfectly okay to put the groceries you are going to buy into the bag that you brought with you. No one thinks you're stealing!

I got to the store and went straight to the soup section. I got three boxes of soup: my usual cream of mushroom, French onion, and a box that says something about the forest and promises crutons. I also got my baguette, a bag of mini pain au chocolat for breakfast, and the Monoprix brand of my cat's tongues cookies before heading to the check out. While in line I noticed something that doesn't happen in America. In order to ensure that people don't steal carts, they are locked together with a series of chains (one of each cart that locks them to each other) and you have to ask the desk for a key to get a cart. Strange!

Then came my moment of truth. The cashier rung up my groceries, and I was forced to hand her my 50 for the 9,27 euros worth of groceries. She looked at me and asked if I had anything smaller. I told her that I had 27 cents, which she literally counted for me out of the palm of my hand, while casting so much shade at me I thought she would leap across the counter and physically attack me. What really got me was that, when she opened the drawer, there was at least a few hundred dollars in change in the drawer!

I walked home with my head hung low. I then finished studying and have spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. I'm writing this post early (7:10 pm here) because I am going to get up at 7 to study before going on my big adventure. I better not chicken out.

See you tomorrow!




On a side note, I have just found out that my blog has been viewed in Poland and the Netherlands (and France, but I think that's just me accessing my own blog). If you're in one of those two countries and reading my blog, I'd love to hear from you!




***Addendum! I decided to save half the baguette that I bought today to eat tomorrow during my journey (okay, I know; day old baguettes suck, but I didn't want to have to bother to buy one tomorrow). I've been craving bread with butter and jam ever since I saw it as a breakfast option yesterday. So, tonight for dinner I decided to make a small portion of my baguette with butter and some of my Bonne Maman apricot jam. It was just okay. I was still craving jam after this disappointment so I decided to heat up some of my Breton with butter and jam. It was delicious! I will be buying another Breton very soon.