Quite the Weekend!

Wow it feels like forever since I've blogged, so much has happened! The Eiffel Tower picnic was awesome! The best picnic I've ever had--fresh baguettes, cheese, ham, fruit, and dessert from little shops along the Rue Cler. Food tastes a hundred times better when it's that fresh!!

Fruit stand. The fruit here is to die for.

Fromagerie. We spent 76 euro on cheese for 26 people

This street is awesome.

After eating delicious food, we just basked in the sun and talked for a couple of hours in front of the Eiffel Tower. no big. It was so nice to have a day where I didn't have to be anywhere or do anything.

Friday:
Versailles. Me and Erin were supposed to meet up with a group of our friends but we were late and the place is huge, so even though we were all there the whole day, we never ran into them. But that was ok, we still had fun! It was a beautiful day so we wandered around the gardens for hours. The downside was that there were tourists EVERWHERE. But once we got out of the palace it wasn't bad. My favorite part was Marie Antoinette's little working farm. It's like a 1800's Disneyland. So cute.

Hall of Mirrors

Throne of the President of the Republic. It was interesting how opposite it is from the others

Battle of Yorktown. America is represented in the Hall depicting France's battles!

The French love their geometric gardens

I love trees

Petit Trianon

One of the cottages in Marie Antoinette's village

Saturday:
Belgium

Wow this day was crazy. Some really stressful moments and some really fun ones. Definitely unexpected, and so eventful.

Here's the rundown:

• I was supposed to meet Rachel at the train station at 6 am, an hour before our train left. But she slept through her alarm--got to the train at 6:58. The train left at 7:01. Both of us were totally freaking out. I don't think I've prayed so hard in my life--I really didn't want to go to a foreign country by myself!! But it all worked out somehow, so we were off!

• We wandered around La Grande Place, the main city square in Brussels. It was only 9 am and nothing opened until 10, so we got to see it before all of the tourists got there. 

• We saw the famous statue Manneken-Pis, it's of a little boy peeing. So kind of weird haha. They dress him up every holiday. 

• The Atomium--the Eiffel Tower of Brussels. We went into all 7 of the spheres open to the public, and there was a little museum and restaurant in a couple of them. Unfortunately they were kind of lame. But the view was nice!

• Best lunch ever: Quiche with spinach, tomato and brie cheese. 
• Musées des Beaux-Arts de Belgique. I was actually disappointed because half of the exhibits were closed because of renovation. 
• Rachel's bank closed her account because of "suspicious activity" when she tried to withdraw money. So she had to call her parents and the bank and sort it out--not the best day for her.

Rollerskating police!

• So we went back to the Grand Place, expecting for the day to calm down, and we ran into this: a huge gay pride parade and party. Complete with a rollerskating police escort, people in Wizard of Oz costumes, pirates, fairies...you name it and we probably saw it. Oh yeah and there were also the drunk tourists, drunk (and most likely high) party-ers, a nun and the natives. It was definitely interesting. We sat down in a cathedral for a rest and heard Rihanna blasting from the street--that was a little surreal. (They only listen to American music here, it's kind of funny)
• Just as we were saying how nothing could possibly surprise us anymore....a guy peed in the street right in front of us. Eww!

So after all that, we caught the next train home, we were wiped out! But we successfully navigated Brussels, the metro and train station all by ourselves! Even with all of the fiascos it was still pretty fun. And I pretty much feel like I could do anything now. Yay for being independent, with all of the ensuing chaos!

P.S. I went to mass tonight at Sacre-Coeur, it was pretty cool! The inside is even cooler, but you aren't allowed to take pictures.