Montpellier!

SUN, BEACH AND THE FIRST DIP OF THE YEAR! 

I have a tan, believe it or not!!

The hostel is cheap, breakfast included and we have our own room, it's awesome! At least when we get in to the room that is..... It just needs a gentle touch followed by great force to open the door, we got it down now.

We get along great as long as we're not hungry. We all get cranky when we're hungry which we found out yesterday in the search for a restaurant.... S'all good though!

Helena: We're having a great time in Montpellier! The sun is always shining, we're eating great food and we're all getting a tan! Since we are Swedes we are not really used to the sun, but all I can tell you is that we're enjoying every minute of it. Hasta Lavista/bisous from Montpellier.

Julia: Correction; everybody's getting a tan except for me, I'm getting freckles. The good thing is that I'm so white the sun is reflecting off me, so Helena and Madde are getting even more tanned, haha. 

Today we're going to the beach, hopefully we'll find ourself a volleyboll, so we can get even more bruses on our arms. We are kicking the guys asses allright!  

Peace out!

Chartre

Yesterday some of us went for fondue, il faut try fondue when in France. I took a salade though. I've been ignoring my cold for a week at least now, I'm still of the belief that if I keep ignoring it it will eventually go away. Like annoying children; ignore them long enough and they'll stop harassing you. Anyway, it was a very pleasant night, I'm not a fan of raclette and fondue though. Unless the fondue is melted chocolate and the pieces you dip is fruit. Now that's tasty!

It was an early night though because the morning after, that is today, we were going to meet at Gare de Montparnasse at... wait for it... 7.20 a.m. No I'm not kidding. Ambitious! I made it. I'm proud. However, once we got there the tickets to Tours, France were not as cheap as expected. 90 e is not in the student budget so highly disappointed Helena and I made our way to the ticket office for trains within Île de France (that is area around Paris) to see if we could find a place to go for less money. I mean we were already there with pic-nic ready for a field trip. So we asked the man in the ticket office if he knew of a nice castles not too expensive away. Versailles? No, it's an obvious one. Fountainbleau? Already done. Château Gilles? Ohh, that sounds good, where is that? It's my château he answers... Oh come on. Louvre? Seriously... Then he mentioned a cathedral in Chartre. Score, we'll take it! No idea where it is, what it is or how far away it is we grab a coffee and get on the train, single journey if we feel like going somewhere else after it. It felt pretty good to just not stress, care or worry about literally anything. Turned out to be one of the best decisions made since I came to Paris. The day just kept getting better and the ridiculous tiredness of both of us just made it a very giggly day.

We began with the Notre Dame of Chartre. 

It was me, Helen and the pensioners. We found a map and saw that there was a big park, and we love our parks so after a brave attempt at showing some interest towards the cathedral we made our way to the nature instead. And you know! As soon as you get outside Paris people are so much nicer to you... The town was absolutely adorable, felt like walking through a 18th century picturesque village.

And as you can see the weather was goooorgeous! Summer heat, not a cloud in sight and just fantastic! The further we went the more beautiful it became...

Fun fact 1: Helena came home at 3ish, and just went to bed without undressing, washing of her make-up or any preparations. Helena wakes up at 6.30 (we are meeting at 7), rolls out of bed, dressed and ready. I would never have known though...

Fun fact 2: Helena, a little tired, packs her baguette, ham, a tomato and because she doesn't want to "wake up her room mate" she takes a knife with butter on it and doesn't smear it on her sandwich but puts it in directly in her bag... When she later wants to butter her baguette the butter has fallen off the knife. What a surprise... Helena, you crack me up!

Fun fact 3: Madeleine is half asleep when suddenly she is woken up by someone throwing water on her legs. But no, it wasn't water. It was bird shit... And the frickin bird manages to hit my right calf and left thigh. That's it, not on the ground or anywhere around me, just my legs. It's like it was aiming for me and bulls-eye! Got me. Later that day I also managed to walk it dog poo. Lucky day. Didn't get me down though!

Honestly, the tranquility of coming out of the big city is so relaxing, the fresh air, the quiet, the animals and wild nature (as opposed to the planted perfection of Paris' gardens). I need it, I may be a city girl but I need my countryside trips and experiences.

An ice-cream, a vintage dress, a long walk later we stumble upon a car show of some kind, extremely cool cars, Rasmus you would have been in heaven with all the Porsche and Ferrari there!

I particularly liked this, proper summer car

What a day Helena! What a great great great day.....

The girls' got skills!

Elin on the rap, Madeleine on the beatbox, Helena stands for the hand movements and Julia is on commentary: Fast Food Freestyle

Musée d'Orsay and karaoke

So I began the day with studying in the park, well done Madeleine, an entire hour of mediocre concentration. Good enough... I then felt good enough to meet up with Julia and visit musée d'Orsay for the second time.
First time I barely made the right side. I love the impressionist and post impressionist art. I was particularly blown away by Renoir, my favourite piece was: danse à la ville.

This picture really doesn't do the piece justice. The colours are amazing in reality, the blues, greens and light pink creates a warmth in a romantic spring evening by which it's easy to get swept away. I'm such a "fleur-bleue" and this painting enabled me to enter a different world of where nothing but the current moment exists, no stress, worry or pain. But. If you look closer at the eyes of the girl, her look reveals a feeling of absence or fleeing happiness. I guess every great moment has its ending, but that ending can be the beginning of another great moment. 

Because there were beaucoup du monde, I walked through the museum with a notepad listening to Mozart to drown out the busy environment surrounding me and I could write an novel if I would develop all my thoughts. So I won't. It's better if you see the paintings for yourselves.

I will just say something about Van Gogh though! Since I read his biography by Irving Stone (thank you Carl!) I've been very interested in his history and his art. I never really liked his art, too abstract and obscene, I didn't understand it. Until now. Reading the biography and now seeing some of his pieces, the amount of colour he uses, his technique, you can almost see that each painting looks like a stroke of inspiration, the lines gives each painting life and movement and the almost look three dimensional. The colour palette is striking and you see straight away if it's the work of Van Gogh. Oh, I could go on forever! I will just say that I recommend Lust for life by Irving Stone whether you are interested in art or not. He was a very interesting person.

On to something completely different! KARAOKE! oj oj oj....

We went to a really cool bar called the Cavern on rue Dauphine in Saint Germain des Pres, which has karaoke night every Wednesday. When we arrived there was a live band playing but after the band the karaoke was on! We found ourselves a table and started reading the song choices. A guy went up first. Let the laughing begin we thought. But oh no, this guy knew how to sing! So another girl goes up, we're hopeful of her lack of singing skills, but let down as a sweet sounding jazz voice strokes our auditory canals. Merde! Is this a karaoke bar for professionals?! Apparently so, because it didn't get worse... Until! Enrique and I went up and sang Robbie Williams Angel. How about that huh?! 

The best duet of Angel ever!

Two other girls also gathered the courage (or rather enough alcohol in their blood=P) to get on the stage. Singing their heart out to Hotel California; Cary and Helena!

Helena you are just hilarious! 

I don't think they appreciated out performances but honestly, THIS is what karaoke is all about, just singing your heart out whether you know how to sing or not! Well go back and show them how it's done again! Whether they like it or not....

Update!

Better late than never right?!

The past week has been mostly relaxing in different parks, enjoying the sun and pic-nics followed by calm nights at Jen's and my place with the girls. It's been a really good week!

After père lachaise we went out a big group, some old members and some new. Pre-party at our place before we headed for Mix club in Montparnasse (again). It was as good this time as last time, but it always is a good night when you are out with a big group of awesome people! Lots of dancing, laughing and fun.

Compliment of the week: "You have really cute teeth" (said with a bad french accent)

Friday wasn't too rough, essay in school, easy topic: What's your favourite activity? Dancing, what else?!
Which brings us to the night, I went out with a friend, tried the supposedly best crêpe place in Paris (rue Moufftard), took a walk and then headed to a salsa club! Hell yeah, dancing to 4.30 in the morning!

Saturday I must admit I was a little tired and worn out from two nights out with little sleep, after all I'm not 18 anymore! We managed to get out though, sat in the Luxembourg park for a while and then went home to a calm night of watching Avatar. I hadn't seen it before and I must say that even though it was predictable I loved it! I really like the idea of a world where everything is connected and lives in harmony with each other. Until us humans ruin it all that is... I believe in one sense that the earth and all its creatures are connected but, again, technology, capitalism and consumerism among other factors have contributed to the loss of interaction between the earth and its living inhabitants, mainly humans. In any case, I like the film.

Sunday me and Julia tried the best falafel in Paris, namely "some place with a massive queue" in Le Marais. We ate it in a little cute courtyard enjoying the warm weather, before we went and visited Place des Vosges. This is where you can visit Victor Hugo's house, which we didn't do unfortunately, but I'm here for a while so I think I'll have time to swing by... In the evening, I watched I love you, man! with Helena, Jenna and Julia. Cute film, rather funny actually.

Monday I went with Julia to try to book a train ticket to Barcelona since flying obviously isn't working at the moment. There are so many people stuck in Paris, I feel sorry for them, well not really, the city has compensated with giving them gorgeous weather! We finished that and decided to climb Notre Dame. 400 stairs! 400. It was the exercise of the day.

 The view was beautiful, but you realise how polluted the city is. No wonder why I feel like I constantly have a bit of a sore throat... I'm totally a city girl but I really miss the fresh air, the forest, the mountains in Åre, the ocean......

In the backgound you can see Tour Saint-Jacques in Châtelet and far back you have Sacre-Coeur.

        We then met up with Helena and took a promenade to Parc des Plantes, where they had animals! You had to pay to see them though.... Which we didn't. There are so many nice parks in Paris! We met up with Madeleine, Jenna, Mika, Joseph and two other girls and, again, just enjoyed the sunshine. Thank you Paris for the wonderful weather!

Yesterday we went to the exhibition of Yves Saint Laurant and it was amazing. Definitely worth seeing, lots of beautiful dresses and history of fashion. 

"Chanel gave women freedom, Saint Laurant gave them power."

Petit Palais

True that! The smokings, jumpsuits and masculine cuts were very fashion forward and emancipating for women and fashion is still inspired by his creations and his creativity today. Go and see it, but be there early, as in 9.30 early if you want to limit the waiting time to about 30 min. Be there after 11 and be prepared to wait two hours. While you are in though, the exhibition isn't too crowded which makes the experience oh so much more enjoyable. We followed the exhibition with a stroll down Champs Elysée, tanning in the park, I got burnt(!) and a shopping spree in the area around Reaumur-Sébastopol, which is supposedly the hooker streets in Paris and I can surely vow for that! Honestly, me and Madeleine thought that we had found all these little cute boutiques when we one night were walking to the show of Gaultier, so we wanted to check them out when they were open. The shops were not boutiques, they were cheap market clothes in a storage massively overpriced. 50 year old nasty hookers were spread out every 10 metres and disgusting old men staring at you as you walk by. EW EW EW, don't ever go there!! I cannot believe those hookers make a living because they were nasty, or as we say in swedish, så jävla skabbiga!!! So to comfort ourselves we went to Châtelet instead. I just don't have the envie to buy things anymore. I don't know whats happened to me, I'm just not myself, I see something I want and I don't want it. Doesn't make sense? I know... 

Time to do some studying before my second visit to musée d'Orsay! Love it!

Père Lachaise

Yesterday I visited the graveyard Père Lachaise with Mika. I think cemeteries are serene and calm but I can't really ignore the feeling of discomfort. It feels a little wrong to visit a graveyard for a tourist purpose. It was a nice day though, we saw the graves of:

Oscar Wilde

Edith Piaf

Chopin, Jim Morrison and Balzac among others.

I don't want to be buried but if ever I would be I'd want an angel watching over me...

We left the cemetery to meet Björn, Enrique and Anton, who we haven't seen for ages! We stopped for a falafel before going home to Julia for wine and cheese. Always a good evening!

(I've missed you guys!)

Random thoughts

As Jennifer has her mother, all the way from Canada and her aunt from Greece, here I have been staying with Helena and now with Julia. I've noticed that I'm calling all places I stay "home". I'm "home" at Helena's, I have to go "home" to Bezons to pick up my stuff before going "home" (Jennifer's), Julia's place is "home", honestly I think  the entire world is my home. Unconsciously I think I feel at home wherever I am because in the end we are inhabitants of planet Earth. It feels good to feel safe and at home in so many places, as soon as they become familiar they in one way become "home" because I feel safe there. Before, I longed for my home in Eskilstuna, where I was raised but now that I've travelled a bit and kept moving around, it has become a lot easier to settle. I will want a proper home, where I will live for more then a few months or even years, but it's nice to know that I don't need a firm spot to call home... I think because I'm trying to become less attached to material things it's so much easier to refer to any place familiar where you feel safe becomes a "home". In the end home represents a place which you are familiar with and feel the most safe.
To return to materialism, we are so wasteful with our resources and consumption has become such a major part of all of our lives without we really even notice it. I didn't think it was strange that I couldn't go past a shoe shop without wanting to buy something, but as I'm becoming increasingly aware of the effects of consumerism I'm trying to detach myself from the want to shop and put my needs and wants in perspective. I'm not saying that it's wrong to want, but we all really need to put our wants and consuming in perspective. Honestly, do I need my 40 different pairs of shoes? No, I really don't, but I want them, and more pairs, but I can now go past a shoe shop without even noticing that there are lots of beautiful shoes inside. If this remotely interest you (which I really think it should!) have a look at this: The Century of Self. It's incredible and very enlightening.

We went to Truskel friday night. It's an intimate rather cheap pub/club which has hosted artists like Pete Doherty, The Kooks, Justice and many others. Really like it, the atmosphere and the interior, but I'll probably go back a weekday because it's seriously crowded during the weekend!

This morning Julia and I went for a walk in the park in Porte d'Orléans, and it's so beautiful! The sun was shining, it was warm and nice, people were happy and smiling (not common in Paris) and the flowers are blooming, it's wonderful! So we decided that we were going to go home and get ready, make a massive fruit salad and go into another park called Buttes-Chaumont in the 19th. First time there, but I absolutely loved this park! Definitely worth visiting. Oh, and when we were walking around, there's a high point with a little monument, it's beautiful and when we came up we were welcomed by music from violins playing for a newly married couple. I know, I'm a sucker for romance... 

"Those of us who are lost and 'lone, I know how it feels, I know it's not right, but it's real"

Laura Marling's new song from the concert.

She's brilliant.

Laura Marling

Laura Marling's concert. Fantastic. Amazing. Serene. Personal. She sang straight into my heart.

We had the chance to listen to a French band called Erevantusk. Really good band, kind of indie rock, with a semi-Swedish singer! Way out west guys!

The second band was an entirely Swedish one called First Aid Kit. If you like Laura Marling you should definitely Spotify these young Swedish girls!

Remember this?

Lovely memory, seems so far away, yet it was not even three months ago.

I just must say that I adore Paris when she offers weather like this! We had our first little pic-nic, Celine, Cary and I. It was absolutely brilliant, the first of many! We have to wait 10 more days before we can sit on the grass, but it's worth it! It's just so hard to focus on school and go to class when the weather is great and there are so many more fun things to do.....

Fontainebleau

Sunday some of us managed to get out of bed despite Saturday's festivities (erhmnot Jen erhm) to go to the château de Fontainebleau about 30 min with train outside Paris. It's a grand castle which has hosted many royalties such as François I, Henri IV, Louis XIV, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and also Napoleon.  


On the way to the castle, to which you can go by bus or walk (walk!), you cross a beautiful forest, or more like a huge garden with a river. The feeling of freedom and the contrast from big, loud Paris was just amazing.

The castle is beautiful, we even got a private guided tour through the small apartments in which the children usually lived. The luxury, the riches, the lifestyle... The history, it's very interesting and one of the best things is that there weren't many tourists! No stress, just sunny weather, beautiful sights and great company!

Ikea and swedish easter dinner!

Sometimes I wonder why things can't ever just be easy? Maybe it's just not meant to be if you have to work for it too hard, or maybe it just makes it more worth it...? All I know is that I'm tired of it. I have always taken pride in my independence. I've always said that I would never do anything for the sake of a man whether it's moving, putting your dreams on hold or you know any sort of life-changing decision. I've seen my friends getting hurt and promised myself I wouldn't make the same mistake, but I've never been able to speak out of my own experience, solely because I've never felt strongly enough for anyone to even consider putting myself out there. Even though there's a bit of a hole in my stomach I can now proudly say that I really wouldn't change my plans for anyone. I put myself, my will and my future first. It's a comforting feeling...

On to another subject! This is the third time I've visited IKEA since living in Paris. Not only have a managed to go three times in three months but I've also been to three different ones! So if anyone needs any Ikea-in-Paris related tips, I'm your girl!
So Jenna, Jules and I started off a little tired and hungover but managed to get out of the apartment at 11am, well done on us! Took the RER and bus to Thaisas all for free, I've learnt how to jump it now and it's good fun. The best part is when the information desk actually helps you to cheat the system! At Ikea we found a bed for 20 euros! I just woke up from sleeping in it and I dare say that it is a good bed, bargain! We found lots of things for very little money but we realised we'd have a bit of a problem trying to get it all home. So we stole the Ikea trolley and went out on the street and called a taxi. It took ages so we decided to just try the bus so while crossing the street two guys in a mini truck look at us with pity so I said ironically that maybe we should ask them for a lift. Before I know it Jen is asking the guys to drive us to the RER! And the guys laughed and agreed, so we get in the back of the truck sitting on a cardbord box and praying that they'll drive us to the station and not somewhere else! One of the guys (mind you they were not good-looking!) asked Jen for her number and yeah, what choice did she have, we were already in their car, definitely not a good time to piss them off haha. His name is DONT ANSWER on her phone!

Later that evening Madeleine came and saw the apartment and we went to Julia's in Alésia for a Swedish easter dinner! We were about nine people and six Swedes out of that crowd so it was really fun to have sill and snaps. Poor Jenna didn't want to try the sill first as she thought we were saying seal, so she's like 'I don't know how I feel about eating seal, it's not baby seal is it?' Bless her! We weren't many but hell we made it loud! Definitely a night to do over maybe not the jumping the metro, holding the doors of the last one for all of us to make it, meeting interesting guys smoking away on the train, nearly missing to get out, poor Celine literally falling out of the doors and walking for ages to find a working vélo station (the bikes) when surprise there's one right outside Jen's apartment!

Jennifer in her new gorgeous hair!

Time to get the party started before Jen hits me with the wine bottle! 

Dancing!

All the little things...

One thing I love about my life in Paris is that it never gets boring. The daily routine is very satisfying in the sense that we are always doing something, whether it's going to the cinema, drinking a glass at a café, girls night with wine and snacks, night out, museum, there's always something going on.
Tuesday we went to Alice au pays des merveilles, great film! I haven't always been a fan of Tim Burton's twisted world but this was definitely in Edward Scissorhands category! Loved it! We ventilated the film and general life at a café before going home to bed.
Wednesday we had a bit of  swedish dinner, and a proper girls night.
Thursday I managed to get lots of things done, running in the morning, cleaning and sorting out packing, copy insurance card, Marc by Marc Jacobs, school, studying and lunch/dinner with Julia before Jen came home. The three of us then decided to take a walk to Alésia where Julia dwells at night for a film night with wine and fresh pineapple. We watched Tim's film for the Nottingham Council called 'Trust me', a short film used for sexual education and it made for some interesting conversations which quickly turned into a long discussion about society, history and politics. Turns out Jenna is also a fan of Zeitgeist... 
Friday I went to get my bank card in La Defense, the french banks uh!, then I met up with Julia and Jenna in Marais just to discover that her favourite falafel place had closed down... So instead we had gyros in Saint Michel before school. The teacher seemed to want to get out of class as much as the rest of us so we finished a bit early. Julia and I sat with some coffee watching a documentary about Niko Tesla, who discovered the AC, very interesting doc about a man nearly forgotten by history. When Helena finally (you are so slow!!) answered I went to her place with wine and chips and we started looking up travels for the spring break! Yaay! Marseille and Montpellier here we come! I think.... We decided to think about it until today seeing as our judgement was a bit blurry by that time... 

Weeii!

Thumbs up for that!

A little bit of Burberry obsession

I pimped Helena to make some extra cash... Day and night, she's always open ;) haha sorry that's horrible.

We picked up Julia and Elin and went to an underground Czech jazz club, had a great time, spoke a lot of French, Julia flirted a bit but never got the chance to actually speak to the guy soo, when we left the club we see the guy and his friend walk towards Odéon. Me and Julia were going home anyway so Julia the crazy person runs across Blvd Saint Germain without hesitation despite all the cars. So, what could I do but run after and we actually stalked these guys so that Julia could continue flirting... What girls will do for a cute guy! And what friends will do for a good friend! 

Bye bye Bezons!

So, I haven't told you this but I have moved. To Jardin du Luxembourg. With Jennifer. I'm so happy! I love Jennifer, I love this apartment, I love the location, I love the fact that I can go running in the Jardin in the morning (which I did this morning), I love that I can walk to school in 5 minutes, I love that I don't have to worry about how to get home to the banlieue anymore and I love that I'm so lucky to have found Jennifer. She's my sole-mate! (I didn't misspell it, it's because we both love shoes, so sole mates, höhö, clever I know, Jennifer made it up...)

So bye bye Bezons, no more bus rides alone, no more reasons to moan, I'm in a good zone, I'm even rhyming a poem =P

Today we moved my last stuff, had a Swedish meatball dinner, went to mine and Jennifer's apartment (love it!) to have some more wine and enjoy strawberry's and chocolate for dessert. We managed to smash three of six wine glasses, spill half the couscous and lentals on the metro on the way here haha, poor Julia tried to pick it up it's such a typical thing that would happen to me! (and to you Amanda...)

Perfect girls night in!