Climbing the Cathédrale Notre Dame

So, this really isn't intended to be a blog on which I write a lot. I am mostly using it as a place to post pictures and keep family and friends updated. That being said, the English major in me just can't resist typing down a few words with each post. I'll keep it brief, don't worry.

Last night, the IES Staff members treated all the students in the program to a nice dinner in the city. We ate at a restaurant called the Café Louis Phillipe. All I can say is that the food was delicious and the dining room was lovely! The French really know how to to give a really great culinary experience. As an appetizer, I had a goat cheese stuffed tomato on a small bed of greens topped with a creamy vinaigrette. For the main course, I had grilled salmon, steamed potatoes, and some roasted veggies. Finally, for dessert, we had this delicious chocolate mousse, cake thing. My hat's off to the chef. C'était délicieux!

Good job, Louis Phillipe, good job.

After dinner, some friends and I went down to the Eiffel Tower to see it all lit up and sparkly. It was truly amazing. Admittedly, after the first time you see the Eiffel Tower in person, it's daytime appearance seems less grand. However, the tower's underwhelming appearance during the daylight is more than made up for by the magnificent glow of the tower lights at night, especially when all the lights start to twinkle at the beginning of each hour. It's truly an amazing sight.

Today, I sacrificed my weekend morning z's, woke up early and hopped on the metro towards the Notre Dame. A couple of friends and I had planned on getting to the cathedral before it opened to avoid the long line of people waiting to enter and climb to the top of the towers. Our plan was very successful as upon arrival we noticed that the line was practically non-existent. We waited for about an hour for the tower tours to start so we could begin our ascent. Let me tell ya, 422 steps are not easy on the calves...or the butt. It was a rewarding climb, though; the view from the top was stunning. I felt like I could see over the entire city, although I know that that's not true because it was super overcast this morning. Anyways, to avoid making this post any longer than it already is, I will share some pictures now. Never trust a writer when they say they'll be brief.

This is me trying to be artsy....oops