So, except for the week just gone, nothing really exciting happened because I was preparing for exams. Buttt Sunday the 21st was Fete de la Musique, which is a festival in Paris to celebrate the first day of summer. Basically all the musicians take to the streets, play outside bars and retaurants, and everything is free. So at about 6pm Steph and I threw in the towel on study, met up with our friends Jess and Marcella, who did an exchange in Lyon but were in Paris (not staying with us because we were too busy studying) and decided we'd just walk out of our building and follow the music. So on the first little side street running off my street we hear some music and decide to walk down. There we find what is without question the best dj set I've ever heard in my entire life, being played on the street. So we grabbed mojitos from the bar next door, and sat around drinking on the street and listening to the music. It was very chilled, and I absolutely loved it.
Then we just wandered along, headed up to Republique through the Marais to grab some dinner. By this stage we were a bit tipsy, and so sat around eating while Jess and Marcella told us hilarious stories about donkey farming. So the waiter took quite a shine to us, and brought us out free glasses of champagne. Then, when I broke a glass, as 'punishment' he brought around another round of drinks. Epic. So headed off to meet Steph's boyfriend, the two of them headed home (it's about 2am by this stage) and Jess, Marcella and I head off to one of the gay clubs in the Marais. We dance the night away until 6.30 in the morning, and as we're walking home I turned to the other two and said "You realise I have an exam in 26 hours". So freaked out a little bit, but it was definitely one of the best nights/days I've had in Paris.
Exams didn't go at all well, but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I've at least passed. So I had my last one on Friday morning, Brooke was staying with Steph and I, so we went back to the apartment, dumped out stuff, met my friend Damian for lunch, and then hit the sales. It was a pretty epic day, and I managed to pick up a number of bargains - the most beautiful linen jacket that I'm in love with, a pair of chambray high-waisted pants, denim shorts, and a beautiful floral dress. Unfortunately that night I had to work, but I was so overtired that I was mostly just hyperactive and ran around singing to everyone.
So the next day, had the first sleep in for quite awhile. Got up and went to my friend Olga's house for drinks before we went out to dinner for her 21st birthday! So dinner was delicious, and the people were great. After we finished we went to Pont des Arts (a pedestrian bridge kind of near the Louvre) and sat there drinking until about 3am, when I headed out on the town with a couple of the guys until about 6am. We were actually at a club that closed at 5am, and when it closed Igor and I thought it would be a good idea to move onto one that closed at 6am. So we did. It was a pretty big night...
Sunday caught up with the same group of people, and we went up to the hill that Sacre Coeur is on and sat around drinking. They were all staying the night, but about 3am I realised I wasn't going to last the distance and jumped in a cab. Passed out the minute my head hit the pillow.
Monday night Olga and I headed off for a picnic on Champ de Mars, the stretch of grass in front of the Eiffel Tower. It was lovely, but I had to leave pretty early because Rob was coming to my place to drop off his bag that he's leaving in my apartment over the summer. Anyway, I was also keen to get an early night because Stacey and Michael (Ken-z) were both arriving the next day. As it turns out, Rob and I finished off a couple of bottles of wine and I didn't get to bed until 3.
So the next day I go to meet Stace at the train station at around 11am. Between that time and 6pm when we got back to my apartment before Ken-z arrived I think we must have walked about 10km, and seen every monument in Paris. It was epic. Anyway, Ken-z showed up fresh off the plane from Brisbane, we let him have a shower, and then headed back to Pont des Arts for a picnic. Igor (who is a Kiwi) and some of his friends came and met us, we also had Steph, Jess and another UQ girl Suzannah with us. So, once again, at about 1am we leave Pont des Arts to go out. The Kiwis bailed, but Stace, Ken-z and I powered on until about 6.30am. Then woke up at midday to try and tourist it up. Needless to say we didn't do particularly well, got to lunch and Notre Dame before we decided to go home and have a nap.
That night we went to Champ de Mars for a picnic, and to watch sunset over the Eiffel Tower. We also climbed it, and went right up the top (which I'd never done before, every other time I've gone it's been closed) which was a great idea given I'm petrified of heights. So spent most of the time clinging to the walls, and then sitting with my head between my legs because I got vertigo. Managed to get home at about 2am (although Stace and I did make a brief detour to a nightclub).
Woke up the next day, went up to Sacre Coeur, Moulin Rouge, then did a bit of shopping before taking Stace back home and then to the train station so she could head back to London... Igor and his friend came to my place, Ken-z and I drank to much, and we all went out to this place called Social Club. Got home at a reasonable hours (3.30am) as we were having lunch with one of my Mum's oldest friends the next day who was in Paris for business.
So caught up with him, and he'd bought me vegemite and milo! Which was so so exciting for me! Had a nice, free lunch, and then went to meet up with my friend Suzannah and her family, as we'd established Ken-z knew her brother from waterpolo. Small world... He also knew my Mum's friend - turns out his family had holidayed at the place where Ken-z's family goes every year for a couple of years, and they stayed in the units beside each other...
So Ken-z headed off on his tour, and my house was empty! Not really, because we still have Jess and Steph's Mum with us. But my houseguests are gone. So I had a bit of a rest before heading off to work. And now am catching on the emails and whatnot that I've been neglecting!
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