Mieux Vaut Tard que Jamais

Do you want to hear about my life, or just see pictures of  L'Arc de Triomphe and La Tour Eiffel?

Rhetorical question. I'm telling you a little bit about my life.

I've decided I can only handle one French cultural thing per day. Otherwise I'll be like the person that has to read the directions on a box of Pop Tarts.

Today I decided it was time to figure out what size I wear in France. Let me tell you why French women are not fat. Their size numbers are horrific. Actually the fact that there really don't seem to be fat women in France is counter-intuitive since these people eat pain, fromage, and nutella and speculoos and all manner of pastries all the live long day.  By the way, every package I mail back to the states is going to have a jar of speculoos in it. It is so good.

Anyway, I needed to buy a jacket, because although I'm certain I packed three, I only have one sweatshirt here. I looked up a conversion chart online last night. It said that a US size 4 was the same as a France size 34 and a size 6 in the UK. Well I decided I'd start with that at the store today and see how it went. I found some jeans that were size 8/36 (so they should be a size six in the US) but that was a lie. A size 34 = -4 I am certain of it. So I had a wonderfully humbling experience of telling some guy that I had no idea what size I was supposed to wear in France. Then he asked me was size I wear in the US. So I told him and he told me a 4 or a 6 = a 40 or 42. Now I need to go work out. Especially since the bread and cheese is going to be the death of me.

I had my first Criminal Law and Procedure class yesterday. In case you didn't know, criminal law is kind of my thing. Two internships at County Attorney offices, 3 Criminal Law Classes in Vermont, a paper on the correlation between pornography and sex crimes. I'm kind of totally into it. I'm also pretty pro prosecution. I love putting people in jail. (I kid I kid. nobutseriously.)

Here is a piece of my notes from my French Crim Law class yesterday:
"When arrested if the prosecution has no doubt regarding involvement a defendant can be sent to trial and tried in two days. The trial will last 12 minutes altogether. If assigned to the Commis D'Office, the commis will meet client five minutes before trial."
I'm serious guys. Talk about judicial efficiency... sounds a little 1984 ish to me, but I'm going to go to the Cour d'Assise to watch a trial day. We'll see if I feel appalled by the system.

Anyway, I went to Paris this weekend and walked to the top of L'Arc de Triomphe and then went to La Tour Eiffel. I took a million pictures. I let Liam get some picture action as well, since I'm sure he was sick of sitting in my purse. So, enjoy the photos.

 Dear future husband. After we get married, lets go to Paris and take wedding pictures.

 I thought this was odd, but funny.

 A statue at La Defense

 Man, I want to go so bad.

 I would not eat a fish someone caught in La Seine. I just wouldn't.

 I do want to get in on that kayaking action though.

 Liam loves L'Arc de Triomphe

 She is passionate, just like all the French.

 La tour Eiffel from the top of L'Arc de Triomphe.

 Je me balade sur l'avenue... (I hope that song is stuck in your head now)

 Liam in front of La Tour Eiffel

I AM IN FRANCE. I can't get over it.

I did go to Versailles this past weekend. But I couldn't go into the palace for many reasons. One being that it was free to get in. While on one hand that would be a total plus, there was a huge queue outside the entrance.... I couldn't wait that long. However, it is why I got to go to the top of L'Arc for free. You walk up and up and up and up the stairs and get to a terrace. Then you go up some more to another terrace with a bookshop. Then you go up more stairs to the top. It is a lot of up. The view is totally awesome though.

Finally, while you are walking the streets of Paris, I highly recommend listening to Sondre Lerche. You will probably dance down the street a little.