Ici C'est Paris!

Lots going on over here, and there's even more to come so I actually will make this brief.

Thursday (5/8 [Euro Style]): I went to the Pantheon after arriving in Paris. Ate my first Parisian crepe, drank my first Parisian café, and nearly melted with my first Parisian crème brûlée (which reminds me that I still haven't eaten Parisian escargot, what's wrong with me!). I met my temporary roommate Javiera, who is from Bilbao of the Basque country (not part of Spain [but it kinda is]). Discovered the bar L'Antidote and befriended the bartender William from Monaco.

Friday (6/8): I wake up early for the last time, it's much more fun to stay out until 5 than it is to wake up at 8. Jav is a fine arts major, so we head to the Louvre, where we act like tourists, get ridiculously lost, make fun of the Mona Lisa, etc. After spending 45 minutes recovering in a cafe, we get lost trying to find a flea market that doesn't actually exist out in the suburbs. We go back to L'Antidote and party la nuit away.

Saturday (7/8): Jav leaves for London, I act like I live here. I spend a couple hours in a cafe before heading to an artists apartment that Jav and I passed by on the way to the Louvre. Seriously, David, if you're reading this check out some of the photos on the side. If your apartment in Berkeley is anything like this (painted walls and art coming out of the woodwork) then please take some pictures and I'll definitely come over after China - living with an artist would be a fantastic experience.

I went to the inside out building and bought a Paris St. Germaine kit before heading to the game. I could write a million words about this experience. The fans are crazy, there are two rival sections, the fascists and the socialists who used to fight after games - even though they root for the same team! Last year was a brutal year for PSG who finished 10th, so the fans cared less about the soccer and more about the fighting. It escalated until one fanatic got killed. To get into the stadium, I had to pass by security guards with machine guns (I still get chills thinking about it). The game was alright, but much lower quality than the HSV-Chelsea match. I got along well with Pierre and Isabella who sat next to me and spoke enough English to commentate on the game. Pierre rooted for both teams, growing up rooting for Sainte Ettiene who were a powerhouse in his youth and now living in Paris. Like the rest of our section, they hated the fascists and just loved the game. The atmosphere was pretty intense, the crowd did little whistles every time they didn't like something or to mock the other team and at times was as ambient as vuvuzelas. The crowd had dozens of chants (which you can hear here), most of which are simple like "Ici C'est Paris" ("This is Paris"). I could go on forever. There was a bicycle kick for a goal, ridiculous. I probably will write more on this later.

Sunday (8/8): I finally visited the Eiffel Tower, which is essentially a tourist trap (trés bourgeois haha); I fulfilled my required attendance and headed to Sacre Coeur... another tourist trap. I came back exhausted, but went to L'Antidote and met up with Will and his friends. I asked them about what French music is best and had a great ongoing conversation that lasted the whole night. Also this was the first time I did the kiss on both cheeks thing as a goodbye (basically they're converting me, I'll probably arrive in Barcelona wearing a beret - which I haven't actually seen yet).

Today (9/8): Whoa, that's now. Last night at 5:30AM I came back to the hostel and chilled with Olivier, one of the guys working the desk. We got off well right off the bat (on the first day) as he is from Paris and loves PSG. He added a few bands to the music list and we started talking about basketball - which he also loves - and told me the location of a bunch of the courts around town. A couple are in shady areas, which I may stay away from, and one for elite players (you can only play if you have a strong reputation), which I may stop by just to watch. There is one that is safe to be at, which is where I'll play this afternoon if the players there are legit. Afterwards, I'll head to Musee D'Orsay (if it's open today, Mondays can be off days for museums).

I love Paris. The people here have been so helpful and nice; the opposite of the stereotypes in my experience. There are enough tourist activities to occupy me for decades, but I've had more fun conversing with locals and chilling at cafes. I could write a bajillion words about the culture here and the differences/hidden similarities with America, which I may yet do. But for now, I've got to get back out there. I only have two days before set off for Barcelona!