April

I know I should make more of an effort with this blog, but time has honestly FLOWN by I didn't realise how long it had been since I last posted! Apologies to anyone who actually enjoys my ramblings...

It still doesn't seem like I am really here, living the 'metro boulot dodo' (metro, work, sleep) routine as my days are just jam packed with studying, travelling and trying to see my friends who are visiting from Germany, the south of France, etc (all Erasmus students!)

Last weekend, I went to visit a friend in Biarritz and it was amazing. Such a contrast from Paris, I asked him "where are all the people?" as we ate tapas on one of the main streets, late on a Friday night. Plus, anywhere that has a mix of the forest, sea and mountains (and only being 15 minutes away from Spain!) has got to be a winner in my book! I am a true believer that the good, fresh sea air helped get rid of my cold that was hanging around for the last month or so! Thank goodness!

Over the last few days, I played the tour guide (I don't know how, as I have no sense of direction whatsoever! Luckily maps are my friend!) to more friends visiting. I hadn't been inside Notre Dame before, so that was something new, however we couldn't climb to the top as we arrived there in the late afternoon. Let me just add in a quick note that two of us stopped for a quick (and cheap!) coffee at the very quaint Au Bougnat (26, rue Chanoinesse) which was just off one of the side streets nearby so we could relax and avoid the tourist crush! A very small shop though, so not good if you are in a huge group.

We also visited the Catacombs at Denfert-Rochereau, which host the bones of more than 6 million Parisians. Fascinating at first, but then I just felt very sad towards the end of the 45 minute walk underground. There were also some plaques on the walls in French, explaining that in the morning you should think you might not make it to the end of the day, and at the end of the day, you might not make it to the morning. I don't know if the sense behind it was supposed to be positive (a sort of 'Carpe Diem?!) but it just left me feeling very sad.

Well I better get back to uni work! I would say I am glad of the 2 week holiday I have coming up, but I know I have to do a lot of work during that period despite wanting to enjoy my time in England then..no rest for the wicked!