Holy Flying Buttresses, I'm Mad as Hell!

Yes, Yes, I know you are all shocked, but before you all assume I have picked up a potty mouth just read, read along and you will laugh too. I hope.
So, life. What have I been up to? Oh yes, France. Yep, I was there last week. It was fun. (Secretly this page has been up on my computer screen for a few hours. okay, maybe 3 days-  I am at a loss of words as to how to begin my experience there.) I guess the easiest way for me will just be taking it day by day.


Monday
Drove in a coach for 12 hours, but got a stamp in my passport. Totally worth the coach ride, and getting sick on the ferry crossing the English Channel.
Vimy Memorial (Go Canada!) 

Armistice Clearing (where the WW1 armistice was signed, thence the name)
Walked around Paris for a few hours, and of course got my first Crepe. Mmmmm. 

Tuesday

Chartres Cathedral- My favorite town in France, because I have been to so many. 

Versailles Palace: Just a whole different story. Anime. Your minds can fill in the rest, with the help of my picture. 

Arc de Triomphe 

Avenue des Champs Elysees

River Cruise

Wednesday- Museum o' Marathon

Notre Dame

La Madeleine

Notre Dame

Sainte Chapelle

Musee d'Orsay

Musee de l'Orangerie

The Louvre

The Biggest Haagen Daaz of my life

Thursday

Sacre'-Couer Basilica

Paris Opera Gernier

The Pompidou

The Jewish & Gay district (best ice cream & Pita, OF MY LIFE)

Drive to Amiens, Amiens Cathedral statue tour

Buy one get one free pizza, and handicapped room

Friday

Amiens Cathedral

Shopping

WW1 sites

HOME!

Overall, France was incredible! I was a little bit surprised when I got to Paris. It was much different than I would have expected. The overwhelming stench of urine and dirt may have overshadowed the whole fairy tale romantic scene for me. But I also blame that partially to running off 3 hours of sleep. I can't really say my favorite thing about france overall, but I most definitely have favorite daily memories.

On Monday I loved talking a 12 mile walk along the river. Partially because we may have been lost, and we couldn't use our Metro card more than twice that night. (To get there and back). We had an awesome roommate picture competition between Meegan and Laruen and Jani and I in front of the Eiffel Tower.  It was a sad day when I was walking around Paris and I looked up at the Eiffel Tower for the first time and immediately thought I was back in vegas looking at the Paris Casino. Sad, such a sad day. 

Tuesday I loved going to Chartes.   We had a Cathedral Window Club where a group of us each took a stained glass window and told the story. I have taken quite a liking to stained glass. I had the stained glass window about the correlation between The Fall and The Good Samaritan. I feel like I have become the BIGGEST nerd, ever. I have come here and all the sudden love going to cathedrals and listening to Gregorian Chants. Dad would be proud. We can have cathedral exploring parties dad, it's fun. 

. 

Oh! I love the French countryside. I would move there in a heart beat. It blows Paris out of the water. The town Chartes was just too good to be true. We saw a pair of Elders there and just got so thrilled to see them! It was fun. 

On Wednesday we had our absolutely ridiculous museum marathon. We woke up in the morning a ran to Notre Dame to see it, and then went back later in the day so we could hike to the top. When we were on the top you could see the view of the whole city. It was incredible. I just loved it. When I was at the top I looked over and saw three cathedrals and just kinda spilled out "HOLY FLYING BUTTRESSES". They were everywhere! It kinda turned into a joke the rest of the trip. But really, they were everywhere. 

Thursday rolled around, and I just wanted to weep because we got to sit on a bus! After Wednesday my feet were just begging me to stop killing them. We got to Amiens and we all had the happiest day of our lives. We practically stayed in a five star hotel, for college students standards at least. The bathroom was bigger than 4 * 4. And, to make it even cooler, it was a handicapped bathroom. Anyway, that night we were supposed to watch the Lights and Sounds show where they light up the Amiens Cathedral and it is just supposed to be totally gnarly. So Jani and I go out to talk to Brother Seely about said light show and it was cancelled! I said something like oh, I'm sad, I was kinda excited to see this one. And he got this look on his face and he said "No! Don't be sad! I am mad, mad as hell!". Yes Brother Seely, Yes. I am mad as hell. 

Friday! This was actually a really good day. We covered a few of the world war one memorial sites on our way back to London.  It was just incredible. I love learning about the war and it is just so real to see it all in person. A lot of France is still rugged from the shelling and bombing which I wasn't expecting at all. We stopped at one grave site and we all got a poppy seed cross to stick in the grave of our choice. We spent about an hour looking through the tomb stones and just reading and just soaking it all in. I stunk mine in a 16 year old boys. He died a few days before the war ended. It was just heart wrenching. I also found a Gresham in the war memorial we went to. It has sent a little desire to start doing family history. But I can't confess that to my dear mothers face yet. 

Over all, it was a wonderful trip. My favorite food is a curry chicken pita, and favorite dessert was this flower shaped gelato. Golly Gee, and the chocolate croissants. I will never be the same. That is a happy ending.