Paris

Once back in Paris, Jon acted as my personal tour guide. I saw Notre Dame with its 'flying buttresses' (arched eterior supports) next to the Seine River,

and the Eifel Tower- the fog made it look particularly cool, and I liked these pictures,

and Sacre Coeur Basilica on the summit of Mountmarte, the highest point in the city.

We went to the Rodin museum (artist of 'The Thinker'), which I very much enjoyed. Here's Jon, thinking,

and saw the nearby Les Invalides, originally built as a retirement home for war vetrans, and more commonly used as a museaum of the French military.

I saw the Louvre, but didn't go in, mainly because its size was too intimidating. You could spend an entire trip to Paris in the Louvre.

This is the Seine river, and the bridge on the left, Pont Neuf, is the oldest bridge in Paris

Next, Jon, his roommate Zach, Zach's wife Holly, and I took a daytrip to Mont San Michel in Normandy, France. It is a tidal island about 1km off of France's north coast and is topped by a famous Gothic abbey. It was built in the 13th century and withstood reapeated assaults throughout the 100 years war. It was really cool to be driving along and watch this appear out of nowhere!

On one of my last days in Paris, we visited Pere Lachaise cemetary, which was very cool to walk through. I saw the graves of Louis Gay-Lussac (physicist), Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and a few others.

And finally, I spent New Years Eve with Jon, Zach, and Holly up at Sacre Couer.

Happy New Year!

The holidays were great fun, but I definitely missed spending it with my family!