Backtracking to Paris...

Ok, so even though I'm back in Dallas, I am going to re-trace my steps and start up my blog again. This is partly my way of re-living my time in Paris, but also because I promised my mom I would blog and I can't break my promise. Better late than never, right?

So here we go... I left off last in Prague, my trip with Miranda and Lindsey. Once I got back, my three roommates, Meredith, Paige, and Kristen (who also happen to be my three best friends) flew to Paris for their spring break vacation. Nothing I write can even come close to describing how much fun that week was, I don't know where to begin!

They rented a studio apartment for the week which happened to be just right down the street from where I lived. It couldn't have worked out better! I met them at the apartment, of course I was an hour early just to make sure I was there to welcome them when the taxi dropped them off. That was one, very long hour of waiting. I was so happy when I saw that taxi finally turn the corner and come down the street, they were in Paris at last! Bienvenue!

Kristen and me in front of the apartment, right after they arrived!

The apartment was perfect, super cute and super "French". After settling in, we set out to find lunch. I took them to a cafe near the Beaubourg that I'd been to several times before, and we enjoyed our first French meal together! They were doing a good job fighting through their jet lag, but after our big lunch it was hard to stay awake. But I was too excited to finally have them in Paris, so I made sure that we didn't waste any time. We walked down rue Beaubourg to Hotel de Ville, then crossed the Seine to Notre-Dame. 

Meredith, Kristen and me in front of Hotel de Ville

We went inside Notre-Dame and around the back to the garden, then crossed over the river to go to Shakespeare & Co. After Shakespeare and Co., our energy was running low so we all decided a good crepe would be the best idea. So, we headed to the Latin Quarter to visit my favorite Creperie. Sadly, my friend Jimmy wasn't there (he only works at nighttime), but we still had some pretty delicious crepes. We stopped to eat them on the bridge. 

Paige and me with our crepes!

Next, we headed to the Marais. It was time for some shopping. The Marais is one of my favorite places because of the narrow, cobblestone streets and of course all the great little boutiques and trendy cafes. We had a fun time here wandering through the area and stopping in different little shops. It was late afternoon, and since we had been walking almost all day, my three friends were about to collapse. But I had to take them to one more place, the Place des Vosges. I told them this would be a great place to stop and rest, and it was- it ended up being a great place to stop and fall asleep!

Meredith, Paige and me sitting in the Place des Vosges

We started to make our way back to the apartment, and stopped at a market and bakery to pick up dinner. We had a very full first day - I was very impressed with how much we walked on their first day off the plane! We needed a night to sit and relax, and that's exactly what we did. A good dinner with lots of laughs, then we were off to bed (not quite as early as we had planned). Of course I packed my things to stay with them in their apartment, so two of us slept upstairs in the loft and two were on the pullout downstairs- quite "cozy" as Paige would say. It was the beginning of a great week in Paris!