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Glamorama: London
Ah, our last day in Paris. I woke up early to pack and with mixed feelings about leaving Paris. I was excited to get back to London, where people are polite and speak English, but Paris is beautiful and suits me better in many ways.
Basia took us to the Catacombes. A few of the girls decided to skip out, but I was very excited to see the tunnels. After what seemed like a never ending spiral staircase, we emerged into a dark, dank tunnel with dirt floors and stone walls. It's a self-guided path through a section of the Catacombes; the rest are blocked off. I was kinda hoping it would be less touristy, and more like wandering the tunnels of the dead, but I think that would get dangerous.
After walking for ten minutes it's like "Where are the skulls?" and then they appear. You come to a sign which says, "Arrete! C'est ici l'empire de la mort" (Stop! Here is the empire of the dead) and then the skulls and bones are everywhere, stacked neatly in piles, and sometimes arranged in shapes like hearts and crosses.
We took some pictures with them, and I touched one of the skulls. The ceiling was dripping on us, and after awhile the bones got boring. There are just so many! It's freaky to think that they were once living people, but it really wasnt a scary place.
We were then free for a few hours, but there were accidents on the metro and it took forever to get anywhere. By the time I decided to go back to Le Marais, I only had an hour. I browsed in a few of the shops and found an adorable handbag shop owned by an older couple.
We met Basia in Montmarte, an artsy area where Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso once lived. It looks like the Paris everyone imagines, with narrow, cobblestoned streets and beautiful architecture. She took us up to Sacre-Coeur first. Since this is the highest point in Paris, there is a wonderful view over the whole city. Then, we walked through the streets of Montmarte...I was too tired and upset to enjoy it, and I wish I had more time there. It was so peaceful, and probably where I would choose to live in Paris. I think I already said that about the Marais, but, Montmarte is better for focusing on one's work.
We then walked down to Moulin Rouge to take pictures, and saw the cafe that was featured in "Amelie." After that, we met at the hotel to get on the train and come home. Everyone was so tired, and it was good to get back. I loved most of what I saw in Paris, and hopefully I can go back on a more relaxing trip sometime soon.
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