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{sorry, wrote this yesterday and forgot to post it...whoops!}

Yesterday was one of my favorite days in Paris so far. For one of my classes, we have to take walks in certain areas of Paris. (i have to record each walk here on my blog...sorry to bore some of you!) So, after class, Darian, Olivia, Melissa, and I made our way over to Notre Dame. I feel so lucky to walk past this cathedral everyday. It never grows less impressive. Every time I struggle to look away, and when the bells chime, I get the chills. My other favorite part of this walk was visiting the Conciergerie which housed Marie Antoinette just before her execution. While we stood in the room, Darian, a history major, told us how Marie Antoinette fainted there when she heard the trumpets sounding the death of her husband. That story really touched me and I'm glad to say that they've turned the jail cell into a beautiful chapel in her honor.

After, Darian and I wandered in hopes of stumbling upon Saint Sulpice, the cathedral from the DaVinci Code (Darian and I are both film fans. We even met in a film class!). I love spending time with Darian in Paris. Her way of exploring the city is oh-so Parisian. We don't look at any maps, instead letting serendipity lead us off the beaten path. We found ourselves in a part of the city with various specialized shops including matroyshka dolls, embroidered fabrics, perfume, miniature toy soldiers, and shoes in every color of the rainbow. We also happened upon Hemingway and Fitzgerald's favorite cafe where they spent much time writing. At last we found Saint Sulpice where we spent  time watching French art students sketching.

We made our way back to the institute building for family home evening. Darian and I slipped out early to take the metro to the Eifel tower. It was Darian's first time, and we finished climbing up the stairs on the hill across right when it began to twinkle. It was raining, and the twinkle lights sparkled off of the wet streets below. We couldn't help but hum "La Vie en Rose" underneath our breaths and we felt like we had finally arrived in the City of Light. 

We found a cafe in a chic neighborhood overlooking the Eifel Tower and ordered hot chocolate. It was my first Paris cafe experience, and it did not disappoint. It was one of those moments of simple splendor, one of those moments when it is the nothing that seems perfectly significant. 

boy lighting prayer candle at Saint Sulpice