Montmarte

Whelp. My time here is almost done. It is so strange to think that I'll be home in such a short amount of time. I'm not freaking out yet, but that is likely to change in the next two days. I have some chocolate on hand so I should be okay when the emotional/mental breakdown occurs.

So the past few days have consisted of shopping, packing, NO SLEEP, crêpe eating and touristing. I'm trying to visit some of my favorite places one more time and today I went to Montmartre. Oh the Sacré Coeur. It never ceases to make my heart happy!

Hey there little man.

Love love love

Have you seen the Sabrina remake? This is the café she sits at as she writes her last letter home and talks about La Vie en Rose. While I was there, someone was playing that beautiful Parisian anthem on their accordion. Magic!

These are the stairs just in front of the café.

I've always wanted to buy one of these and I finally found one! It has little hand painted flowers on it and comes from this utterly fantastic antique perfume store at the base of the Sacré Coeur. Now I just need some eau de toilette to put inside!

-M

Yes.

Guess who I got to see perform again?

He will do great things.

-M

Why I love Paris:

-M

7 DAYS!

Whatever if posting videos about coming home is cheesy. I'M COMING HOME!!!

-M

8 DAYS!

I've started to say my goodbyes to my favorite Parisian places. I visited the Latin Quarter, probably my favorite area in Paris.

Because I've not posted a picture of me with food for a while, here I am with my delicious lemon and sugar crêpe.

This guy was killing me. He was all by himself, spinning on this big disk like turning apparatus. Probably meant for children. I thought it was the neatest thing I've seen. Just a grown man doing his thing.

This is for Jacqueline. Please note the name of the café behind me. It's located just next to Notre Dame. Aaaaaaand that's why I love Paris.

The back of Notre Dame. Breath-taking, non?

Orange bike! Orange bike!

This was in a small side street. I think it's the back of a restaurant and I love how they had all of their ingredients displayed like this.

I LOVE PARIS!!!

-M

There's been a slight change of plans.

If everything works out, I'll be in the States next week.

Oh. My.

I cannot begin to express what I'm feeling. I have so many thoughts and emotions fluttering about that it's hard to put into words. It's absolutely bittersweet that this experience is ending.

I'll never forget the moment I made my final decision to come.

Or going to San Fran with my brother to get my visa.

Or saying goodbye to my loved ones at my going away party.

Or packing. Although, I wish I could forget that.

Or driving to the airport with my dad on September 21st at 4:30 am.

Or calling my family and friends from my hostel, crying because I'd only been there 2 days and hadn't found a place to live yet {oh, how naive}.

Oh my heart. This is going to be much, much harder than I thought.

I will never really be ready to leave Paris, but I feel like it's time to come back. I cannot wait to see all of my family and friends. It's been long enough!

Also, this is my current theme song:

I'M COMING HOME!!!

-M

Guess where I get to go?

Thanks to my soul-sister Jacqueline, I get to visit the happiest place on earth: DISNEYLAND PARIS!!!!!

Disneyland Paris - Tilt Shift from Céranne Gantzer on Vimeo.

YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!

-M

And so it begins.

Things are already ending and I am having heart palpitations/teary eyes/increased chocolate consumption.

Today was my last night teaching my adult English class. Has it really been 12 weeks? It will be nice to have my Friday evenings open, but I'll miss my students very much.

The sweetest thing happened after class tonight. One of my students, who wasn't in attendance, ran up to me as I was exiting the school. She came all the way to my school to thank me for the class and to say goodbye. I didn't even think she liked me that much!

Of my students, she was the most shy and nervous to talk or read aloud in English. But, towards the end she became more comfortable and relaxed. I really got to see her personality and I think she actually improved in her speaking and reading skills. It meant the world to me for her to say all that she did and that she made it a point to say goodbye to me.

My heart.

I can't even think about saying goodbye to my little French students. Or Paris. Or MC and her crazy antics {I came home today and she was holding the phone out the front door to have her friend listen to a bird singing. Love that purple-haired lady}. I love it here too much.

In other news, I may have something exciting to tell you all in the next few weeks. I'm not sure if it's going to work, but I will let you know once I find out! Hm hm hmm!

-M

Stop it!

Okay okay okay!! I was dying when I saw this!!! I was scrolling through tumblr today and came across this pictures. Isn't that too funny? Good thing I ride my bike like this too!

Ha it makes me laugh too much!

-M

I Want to Ride My Bicycle!

Today was the most perfect day I've yet to have in Paris. It started with lovely weather and a trip to the Palais Royale garden with a baguette and my book. After enjoying my novel, I took a little stroll through the streets.

As I was walking along, "do something everyday that scares you" randomly popped into my mind. Right as I was mind-scoffing it, I looked up and saw a bike renting station. I've wanted to rent one since I've been here, but guess what? I've been too scared to {Fate?}. I don't know what was so scary about it. I think I never really wanted to get lost or you know, die. French drivers are terribly crazy.

But, I decided to just do it and it was the most fantastic decision I've made! I rode around the city for a few hours and almost died from the shear enjoyment. I wanted to document my adventure but when I went to take some photos, my camera was dead. So, seeing as I hold such superior artistic qualities, I thought I'd make my own picture of what it was like.

So there it is. And yes, that is how I ride my bike. I am going to do it again this weekend it was so fantastic! Hm hm hmm!

-M

Too Cool to Fool

I've been feeling slightly blue, {most likely my body is getting ready for my pre-leaving break downs} so I made {made... I know} myself go into Paris. Because, "Paris is always a good idea."

I started at the Louvre, walked along the Seine, explored the Latin Quarter, visited a book shop and took photographs along the way.

I love the bicycle!

Ladurée!

I stumbled upon this quiet little square that was occupied by student artists, using the Parisian street as their inspiration.

As I take a photograph, I always feel like I'm perfectly capturing what I see, but my pictures can never really render what I see the moment I press the shutter release. It's just too beautiful!

More student artists.

This man was just sitting on one of these street barrier type things, just reading. How quaint is that?

Ah it's so perfect! The sun, bright colors from flowers and awnings, cafés filled to occupancy and a street-side ice cream cart!

Too cool to fool...?

This is the most beautiful entrance I've seen here. I've walked by it multiple times, but today was the first time I noticed it. It made me catch my breath. The rest of the building is white, save this door and window. Such beautiful stone and look at the door! Ah it's completely fantastic. I would also like to somehow be made into an outfit.

I love it. So much. Notice the business man, on his way home from work just buying a few treats. Good for you.

So of course I had to buy a few little treats myself. I also purchased a novel at one of my favorite used English book shops, The San Francisco Book Co. Have you read The Book Thief? I follow a few English/literary inspired blogs, and this novel is discussed quite regularly, so I purchased it. I've been trying not to buy more books while I'm here, but nothing makes me happier than browsing a used book shops and coming home with a new friend.

I love Paris.

-M

New Favorite!

Boo!

Today, some lady on the bus (my new FAVORITE form of transportation) told me I need to learn French and that I should carry a dictionary around. Thank you?

I was at the park yesterday and a pigeon was walking around my bench, sneezing. Truth.

Also, interesting fact, my room is haunted. Yeah, no big deal. We {my parents and I} have decided that it is MC's sons who have passed away. Things in my room tend to move. On their own accord. At first, I thought I had some form of rodent infestation. Then I thought that gravity was being uncommonly forceful, in one concentrated spot. But tonight, with the help of my parents, we've decided that my room, and possibly the house, is inhabited by the lingering spirits of MC's sons, who both tragically passed away.

I know, I know. But I'm really not crazy.

I have a little night stand/drawers next to my bed {pictured above} and for some reason, things inside of it adjust and move without any visible influence. This is where I hear things moving the most. It has been happening for the past few months and I don't appreciate it. I'll also hear things on my shelf move and plastic bags crinkle. Yeah...

So if that weren't enough, I was talking with my parents and I mentioned that things in my room move. My mom, who stayed here for two weeks, told me that one night she woke up, wide awake, and heard something moving. IN MY BEDSIDE TABLE. Scared yet? Because I am. Then my parents started making scary faces and noises and saying "Madison! What's behind you!" So now I'll never sleep again. Awesome.

-M

I'm scared.

Giverny!

Bonjour mes bijoux! I'm back from my trip to Giverny. Caroline Raffard {one of the teachers I work with} took me and her sons to see Monet's house and gardens. I have been wanting to visit since I was in Paris last, 3 years ago. It was the most lovely trip! We left Saturday for Northern France and came back Sunday afternoon. It was simply wonderful.

We first visited Deauville, which is in Normandy.

How fun would this be in the summer time!

All I wanted to do was put on a big hat, some movie star sunglasses and laze under the shade of a private umbrella at the beach.

There were all of these famous names by the little cabins you can rent for a day. We didn't really know why.

After going to the beach, we went to a city called Honfleur. It reminded me of Seattle, it was so green and and beautiful. Love!

A French motorcycle gang. Nice.

A market!

Next, we went to Roeun where we stayed over night.

This is where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. They built a church in honor of her. That is a church. Does it look like a helmet to you? Maybe that is what they were going for?

A peeing fountain.

This is a courtyard in a building where they kept those that had the plague. I know that it is safe to be there now, but I wanted to leave the whole time we were visiting. I kept getting the shivers and my skin was crawling. Ugh.

Yeah. Um, hi carved wooden death signs all over the buildings. Why is this a tourist destination!

You probably can't tell what this is because of the reflection. But if you look closely, you can see that it is a mummified cat. In a glass case. In the DEATH COURTYARD. My only thoughts were "Get me out of here."

Giverny!

On our way to Monet's house! Also, prepare yourself for a deluge of garden pictures. It was too stunning not to show you!

It just went on and on. So many flowers!

The house! We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but I loved it! The kitchen and dining room were amazing.

This is the view from his bedroom. No wonder he created such beautiful artwork.

Me, Gabriel and Alexi, who was really happy to be there. I just want to pinch Gaberiel's cheeks he is so adorable. And yes I did wear a shirt with flowers on it to see Monet's gardens. That's just how I do.

I hope he had many tea parties in his garden!

The bridge! The famous bridge!

Monet's boat. No big deal.

This flower had the single most wonderful smell that has ever reached my senses. It smelt like honey. And a hint of butter milk. And sunshine and happiness.

I want this to somehow be made into clothing form. Don't you just want to wear this and dance about?

After visiting the house, we had a picnic in a field with the most fantastic scenery. Northern France has become a new favorite. I would definitely live there. It is like the European version of Seattle. Plus it's only about an hour and a half away from Paris. It's perfect!

-M