Anyway, I'm back in Paris after a very adventurous Christmas vacation. I went to London for Christmas with Matt's family, which was absolutely amazing in spite of my travel difficulties (my flight to London got cancelled, I couldn't get another one so I took a 10 hour bus ride instead, then my taxi was late getting to the airport in London so I missed my flight out of London, stayed for an extra day, and only then made it to the Alps). After London, I stayed for a week in Val d'Isere, a gorgeous ski resort in the French Alps. I skied two days. The first one was an absolute disaster, possibly because the dad took me down a red slope as my first run of the day after I hadn't skied in 3 years. But the second day I stuck to the blues and cruised along quite nicely. By the way, I have discovered where you can find the nicest people in France. They all live in the Alps, and often work in fromageries that sell farm fresh, handmade cheeses. Val d'Isere was totally gorgeous, and I really enjoyed myself. I ate some pretty divine things there, too. Let's start with the beaufort and rebouchon cheeses that are made in the area. So. Good. I bought a pretty serious block of beaufort to bring back to Paris with me, and I've been snacking on it a tiny bit at a time so I don't run out any time soon. And then there's the croute. Apparently in the Alps, everything is basically a variation on warm bread and cheese. The croute is like the best croque-monsieur you ever had in your life, smothered in cheese and baked in a small casserole dish. Oh, and did I mention that the bread is soaked in white wine first? Never have I ever eaten anything that so deserved the term "hearty."
Speaking of food, I have found a way to justify breaking my diet. I just tell myself I have to try something because it's a cultural experience, and then I can eat all sorts of things. One of these things that I've justified to myself is the perrenniel French favorite, the gallette du roi. This pastry is a traditional new year's treat, and always has a little tiny toy hidden inside. It's basically a really light, buttery, delicious pastry filled with almond paste. It's too good to be allowed.
In other news, my new year's resolution is to get out more (that means watch less internet t.v. and play less farmville). To that end, Kay and I went to the Pompidou last Sunday and saw a great exhibit of disgruntled female artists. It wasn't like anything I'd seen there before, which was cool. I really liked how so many of them used light installations in their paintings and sculptures. Totally interesting and totally worth standing in line to get in for free on the first Sunday of the month. Then today, Taryn and I went to the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle. What they don't tell you about the Conciergerie is that it's actually scary. They have Revolutionary-era prison cells with creepy fake men inside, and then there's a room with plaques all along the walls listing every person killed during the Terror. Interestingly enough, they list Louis XVI as Louis Capet, last king of France. It's really kind of a bummer for everyone who invested so much in the Revolution that his brother ended up back on the throne a mere twenty years later. Sainte-Chapelle is gorgeous, but I would recommend budgeting time for it given that you have to wait in line to go through security that might be more rigorous than what you find in the airport because to get to the church you have to go onto the property of the Palais de Justice, which is where the Supreme Court of France resides. The thing about Sainte-Chapelle is that the entrance to the church is actually the worst set-up I've ever seen for access to a tourist attraction. Good thing it's gorgeous inside, because it's also not heated. Indeed, I would say it was a good 5 degrees colder inside the church than it was outside. Regardless, the detailed painting on the walls and the intricate stained glass windows (that date back to the 13th century!) were definitely worth the visit.
I have decided to try to get to know every arrondissement in Paris. There are 20, so this may take a while. I am starting with the first, which is why I went to the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chappelle. I will keep you updated if I find anything interesting. I'm sure I will, has anyone else realized that this city is freaking enormous?
