Plusieurs photos

     So my description for now is going to be brief because I am still exhausted and I am meeting Devan at the Musee d'Orsay early tomorrow, but I will have more to say soon.
 
     Yesterday, we met with some other students from the program for an optional tour of Notre Dame and the surrounding area, known as l'Ile de la Cite (forgive the missing accent marks too, for now). Devan, Jamie and I decided to meet early to explore the area and grab lunch. I meant to take along notes from a guidebook I have because it explains a lot of what is to see in the area, but I forgot it so we wandered. The thing about Paris is that there is something to see everywhere. If it looks like something is missing in the middle of the road, it is a monument. Plant a giant arch in the intersection? Why not?

     The first two pictures are actually from Saturday night, when we were in the suburb of Lavallois. L'Hotel de Ville and chocolate ice cream like you have never had (the ice cream we ordered were supposed to be drinks - another funny story for later).

     Next are pictures of various monuments (we were actually north, across the river from l'Ile de la Cite at this point); a dog I wanted to take home with me; the Seine; and Notre Dame. Grand in every sense of the word. I am still playing around with my camera and trying to figure out adjustments and flash and whatnot and so some of the pictures are kind of blurry. We plan on going back when it is warmer to climb the tours of Notre Dame; at 25 degrees, it was just too cold.

     The last few pictures are of the Holocaust Memorial, which is located right behind Notre Dame. It is, or was, somewhat controversial when founded because it was dedicated to all the "undesirables" of the Nazi regime rather than just the Jews. It is designed to make you feel isolated, as the undesirables felt under the Nazis. inside, there is a hallway who's walls are lined with 200,000 beads symbolizing those deported during the Nazi occupation of Paris. It is a simple but moving site.
 
     More to come soon - bon soir!