On top of the world

whew had a free day! So off we went around the city. We first went to the Zaha Hadid exhibit. It was fantastic! Her work is so different and very cool. I like it a lot. Then we go to see Notre Dame. Very awesome. Then we got to do one of the coolest things! We actually got to go up in the Eiffel Tower! oh ya. All the way to the very top. It was incredible! It wasn't as romantic as I thought it was going to be though. I don't know how anyone would get proposed to up there. It is packed!! And so high and it is scary! haha! boo. But it was still so fun to see. We werer up there till like 1 a.m. too and we were some of the last people up there so then it was awesome when everyone left. haha good times!

Wow what a stressful morning! We wanted to go to church but didnt know about it till 30 mins before. So we hurried to get ready then had to call a cab and find this crazy place! its was just a whole in the wall in the middle of no where. so scary! but the members were so incredibly nice. there were even some americans! and then a super nice member gave us a ride home. awesome!

then we went to the Arc de Triomphe. so freakin fantastic! and our museum pass let us go all the way to the top. there are some incredible views! then we walked around and checked out paris. then we had a chocolate party! what a way to end the day :)

When you are from Russia, you are Russia

Today was one of the most exciting days! Well nights I guess, Because!-We actually got to sleep in this morning and it was so nice. We didn't even meet up until around 2 and then we all piled on a huge coach bus. We first stopped at Fontainbleu. Amazing! It was this huge house that the kings of France and Napoleon used as their Hunting house. It was so cool to see. It is all decked out and amazing.
Then we all went to a grocery store and got everything we could in 20 minutes to get stuff we needed for our picnic dinner. We then went to Vaux le Vicomte and had our lunch in a pavilion across the road from the mansion. Then we got to tour the fantastic gardens and then the house itself. I wish that I had a house like this! It was so incredible. Then we got to have a firework show just out over the gardens. It was so awesome! It was just the way to end an incredible day!
Awesome French word! - "Au revoir" - Goodbye

Fontainbleu

Fontainbleu Chapel

Vaux le Vicomte

Caboosey Corbusier

Today was great!  We walked all over Paris. My feet hate me, but my brain is bursting with knowledge! haha I have a feeling this is going to be a weird blog....I'm so tired!  but anywho.....
We got to see a living wall. Its where they plant plants all over the wall to make up for the ground that the building took over. It's Green and it's awesome! We then went to the Musée d'Orsay. It is in an old train station and it is fantastic. There are so many amazing things to see. We got to see works by Van Gogh and Monet and so many other incredible artists. My favorite was the Art Nouveau section. I have learned about almost all of those designers in my history class (thank you Darrin!!), and then to see the works for real was amazing! We even had time to sit down and sketch a little bit so to be there in front of the real pieces was such an awesome experience. It was a great museum. 
Then we were off to Villa Savoy. Again it was incredible! It is by Le Corbusier around the 1930's and it is so modern. I have loved learning about it and then getting to see it for real was just such a fantastic thing to do! I loved everything about it. It is an amazing place to go.
Awesome French word!- "Bonjour" - Hello

Eiffel Tower

Living Wall

Musée d'Orsay

Banana and Nutella Crepe :D

Sexy Staircase at Villa Savoy

Villa Savoy

Love the Louvre

What a busy day!!! We went all over the place. It was so much fun though. We got to go all over Paris. We first went to the Sainte Chapelle Cathedral. It looks like it is built more of stained glass than of stone. It is very beautiful. Then we went to the Pompidou! I love the architecture. It is by Piano. It almost looks like it isn't finished, but I think that is what makes it interesting. It is just a museum. There are sculptures and paintings. There are a lot of great things to see there. And the escalator is on the outside of the building up a tube, so you get the most incredible views of Paris. Then we went to the Louvre! So fantastic! The architecture is by I.M. Pei. I love the modern architecture in the middle of the historic buildings. The main things that we got to see were the Mona Lisa, The Venus, and the Napoleon Apartments. It was all pretty fantastic.
Later Mary and I went out for dinner. It is very interesting to try to get dinner here.... So we went to this Crepe Restaurant at 6:45 and they weren't open till 7. So ok we sit down to wait. And then all the workers come outside to have a smoke break. And this one guy thats a chef starts talking to us and it is way to hard to understand him. but we finally can go in and the chef guy says he will make us amazing crepes. And he did! They were very good. And we didn't even know what we were getting, because it was all in french. haha! but that made it so fun. Then the chef gives us his number and his address for his new restaurant that he is opening in 2 months. haha so funny!
Then we went back to this place we had gotten pizza at the night before and we got a dessert. It was our fun little date! Night on the town ;)
Awesome French word! - "Merci" -Thank you

The outside of the cathedral

The beautiful stained glass

The Pompidou 

The Louvre

Venus de Milo

It makes me want to cry!

Today was a busy day. We got up and had a pretty chill morning and then we took the Chunnel.  It is the tunnel for the train that goes under the channel between London and Paris. So that was nice. Then we got to Paris! It was such a change coming here. especially since I don't speak french. But the best part was that we went at like 10 to see the Eiffel Tower at night all lit up. INCREDIBLE! Definitely my favorite thing so far. It was just amazing to see and I loved it.

Eiffel Tower

I could be the next princess

Today was our last day in London! Sad! But I am actually ready for something new. I love London but the city is just so crazy. We will be in a lot more cities, but I guess I can just get even more crazy in those. haha!
Well today we went to Kensington Palace. It is just a short walk from our flat on Gloucester Road. But it was very pretty on the outside. It really just looked more like a huge mansion instead of a palace. But I guess this is where Will and Kate just moved to. It is too bad we couldn't see that part of the palace!! The part that is open for people to see is all of these dark dark rooms where you can't even see the murals on the walls and they have all of this really creepy stuff inside. They made it feel like it was halloween and we were walking through a haunted mansion. No joke! It was not what I was expecting at all. So that really threw me off. But a lot of princesses have lived there. And it was cool to hear a little about each one. Like Queen Anne, Victoria, and Princess Diana.
Then we rode the underground to get to more of down town to go on a little city tour. But instead we got an underground tour. haha! I think we had to change subways at least 5 different times. It was nuts! Definitely an interesting way to get there. To get home we just did it with one change. So now we know what a lot of the underground stations look like!
But we then got to the National Theater and we got to see the pattern displays. It was good inspiration because we have to make 5 patterns from each country we have been too. So it was fun.
Then we got some sandwiches and headed home. We got home nice and early so we could pack. Tomorrow we are going on the train under the channel through a tunnel (so the chunnel) and we will be in Paris! So it will be an all new adventure.

Kensington Palace

Helicopter!

too much fun on the underground

London!

Bridge!