Monday, February 2nd

I am on my way home. After a wonderful weekend in Paris with Ashley Reiner, I am on my flight back home to Missoula, Montana. My nine hour flight from Frankfurt to Cincinnati was uneventful and surprisingly empty, a state which I took advantage of after a suggestion from a flight attendant, resulting in my residing in the middle of three empty seats. I was able to sprawl out and sleep, lay down a table to one side of me to eat, one in front of me to read or use my computer, and another for my things! While that much space was certainly unnecessary, it was certainly comfortable and many people throughout the plane did the same thing. It made for a very comfortable, albeit long, nine hours.

Now, backtracking a bit, information on my time in Paris. It was quite the trip, as Ashley and I worked hard to hit as many of the major historical and/or tourist spots as possible in one weekend and also leave time for some fun dinning, evening outings, and of course shopping. That first full day, Friday, we spent time at the Louvre (and had a nearly exclusive viewing of the Mona Lisa, only two other people in the room!), climbed all 700+ stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower (as high as they will let you climb at least, then took the shuttle to the very top), walked down the Champs d’Elysee, saw the Arc du Triomphe, and also strolled through the gardens outside of the Louvre. That night, compliments of my supervising teacher Tom, Ashley and I enjoyed a very nice dinner out, having lamb and duck with wonderful side dishes, and a glass of wine. It was quite the decadent evening, topped off by a little late night browsing in Parisian stores, and making a few small purchases : )

Saturday was equally busy, first hitting the Musee d’Orsay and taking in a number of Monet, Manet, Pissaro, and Vango paintings, and even a few Picasso pieces. We then went to an open-air market, followed by a stroll through the Latin Quarter and a stop outside and inside the Notre-Dame cathedral. We also made a quick stop by the Centre Pompidou, exiting the subway to find a small parade going on in celebration of the Chinese New Year! It was very fun, full of colorful Chinese dragon costumes, flags, and of course fire crackers. We then took a brief rest before hitting one more evening of shopping, something I had not the entire trip so I enjoyed greatly that evening.

The next morning we enjoyed a late start with an 8 AM wake-up call, breakfast at the hostel, and then a Gregorian mass at Notre-Dame. What a treat. With pamphlets providing the readings in French, English, Italian, and Spanish, people of many nationalities could enjoy the service. The organ music was hauntingly beautiful and the male choir was stunning. To get to take part in a service at one of the most famed Cathedrals is something I will relish for the rest of my life. It was time then to retrieve our bags from the hostel and make our way to my train station. Ashley accompanied me, we said our goodbyes, and I boarded my train with a happy heart. To have gotten the opportunity to share such a trip with a childhood friend was more than I could have asked for, and I will have happy memories to look back on for all my life. I returned to Sandy and John’s, had a wonderful dinner, and packed everything away for my departure the next day.

That brings us to today, and the culmination of my wonderful month abroad. I had more wonderful experiences than anyone has a right to dream of in a lifetime, let alone a short month. I was blessed with kind hosts in Sandy, John, and their children, a wonderful mentor in Tom, and the opportunity to travel the country, meeting new and old friends alike. I would like to thank you one last time for following me throughout my journey. The opportunity to record this all and have you experience it with me has been great. I will post pictures of my time in Paris and keep this site active, as it is a wonderful memento of my time abroad. I thank you all for being a part of it.

Sincerely,
Katie

An update - albeit breif - from Paris

Bonjour mon amis I am in Paris! I arrived safely, decided to splurge a bit and pay a Euro for little internet time (and now have a little less than 4 minutes to go), and thought I'd write a brief update. I arrived in Paris this afternoon, after a whole two and a half hours on a train (I LOVE traveling in Europe. Quick and affordable), and am now going to head out and meet Ashely at the train station. We will enjoy two and a half days here before I head back to Sandy and John's for one night, and then home. The trip has gone by all too fast, but I look forward to returning home.

I went on an all-too-quick walking tour, getting the feel of life in Paris, and taking in the architecture during a sunny afternoon at the Louver, Notre Damne, and a few otehr places. It was beautiful. Well, I am down to one minute, and suppose I will end here. I will certainly reflect on this experience when my days are done here, but it may be two days. Hope all is well back home and thanks for reading!

~Katie

Photos!

Photo Album was updated - Take a look!  Pictures of Berlin, more of Salzburg, some of Fussen.  I had to pick and choose, but some good ones made the cut.  Take a gander if you have a minute (click on the photo of the castle - it is a link to the album)