Bonne promenade

Lazy Sunday afternoons are best spent walking aimlessly around the city. My roommate and I left our house this afternoon with no plans in mind, other than to explore our arrondisement a bit more. Two hours later, we found ourselves somewhere on the other side of Paris. It was raining when we left, but it cleared up into a beautiful afternoon just a few minutes into our walk.

I had become a bit skeptical about Paris being this big beautiful city that I was supposed to fall in love with, but this afternoon, I was reassured. To be frank, the city can be quite drab sometimes, especially when it is rainy and gray and damp. Granted, it is winter, and I have been here for only one week. But still, I was expecting Paris, not Seattle (no offense).

After today, I can see why Paris is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. My roommate and I started in the 16th, and walked around some parks in our area. We passed several elderly couples taking strolls along the pathways that circle the arrondisement. I decided that when I am old, I want to take lazy strolls on Sunday afternoons with my boo. :-) We worked our way north (ish) to Trocadéro, which is, in my opinion, one of the best places from which to view the Eiffel Tower. After that, we followed the Seine along the Right Bank until we reached the end (or beginning, depending on your perspective) of the Champs Elysées, opposite l'Arc de Triomphe.

We walked a bit further, and found a café on the border of the 6th and 7th arrondisements, and warmed up with some café au lait before heading home. It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, and a great way to get to know the neighborhood.

Tomorrow, classes! I have class from 9 to 5:30 with only half hour breaks in between each class.

However, I only have a full day of class twice a week, with one two-hour class on Thursday, so I guess I shouldn't complain.