OMGWTFBBQ?!

That title pretty much sums up my initial reaction to returning to France. Twas epic.

So the flight was...a flight.  Seemed shorter than usual and food was more terrible than usual.  Struck up a conversation with the person sitting next to me on the plane.  Turns out she's in the same college-student-travelling-to-Paris-for-school-stuff boat.  She had a couple French friends meet her at the airport.  Low and behold, I was able to strike up a semi-intelligent conversation in French with one who didn't speak English.  High point for the day.

Hotel is quite decent (sans price, but it makes up for that in location).  I can practically see the Louvre from my window.  The desk chair is so reminiscent of the one in Vincent Van Gogh's Bedroom...so fitting.  I'm only here for two nights, so pleasant accommodations during the get-used-to-French-time phase of the trip.

So I can't just get to Paris and just rot in my hotel, despite the large amount of jetlag (which is hitting me full force as I write this...imma go to bed at 6:30).  So I donned my NU t-shirt, white shorts, Chucks, messenger bag, and token camera and started trotting around.  I couldn't look anymore like a tourist if I tried...and for some reason it's beginning to bother me less and less.

I was attempting to find the Bibliotheque Nationale as I'm going to be researching there later, but kinda botched my direction.  I went by a very convincing fake Armani and Versace store.  They would have had me if it weren't for the matching price tags in the window from both.  And besides, since when do they advertise prices?  Isn't that the dirty little secret?

Despite it being August when the entire city of Paris goes on vacation, the tourists at the Louvre clearly didn't get the memo (notes hypocrisy of own statement).  And yes, I did have a quasi-religious moment walking around the Louvre courtyard like I do.  So I'm le-tired and the line at the Louvre is le-long so I headed to the Museum of Decorative Arts ever so conveniently jutting off of the north wing of the Louvre.  Solid collection.  And it relates to my thesis...interesting to see what these Cubist artists were reacting to.

After that, I did more trotting (now fighting the extreme urge to fall prone to narcolepsy).  Made a mental note of the McDonald's nearest to my hotel as super fail backup dinner...if I even eat dinner tonite.  Caught an epic glimpse of the Opera Garnier...beaucoup d'or.

Ah Monoprix.  It's like Whole Foods meets Trader Joe's with Walmart's prices.  Bliss.  Got my 6-pack of Coke (I'm an addict, I know), huge bottle  of water, bread roll, and my first bottle of French wine: a Riesling from Alsace.  All that for 7,60 euros.  Life is good.

Also, I saw an American Apparel on my walk back.  Sigh *facepalm

Ok, my body is going into emergency shutdown...later y'all