The weather did not cooperate today, and we had to postpone our trips to the heights of Paris for another day with sun. Instead, we took a walking tour of the Latin Quarter. We saw such famous sights at the hotel where Oscar Wilde died, the former home of Richard Wagner, the composer, and the Jardin du Luxembourg. The Jardin is one of the largest gardens in all of Paris, and it is located adjacent to the Palais du Luxembourg, the home of the French Senat.
After a relaxing day with a little bit of clouds and rain, we prepared ourselves for a grand French feast. The class had a 3 hour lecture of French cuisine and table arts, and we learned about the foods of the different regions of France and the customs at the dinner table. We were then taken to a restaurant that is housed in the school for a 4 hour, 8 course meal. The servers and chefs are students of the culinary division of the Parisian school, and this restaurant is a way for them to learn and practice their service skills. Although I did not like everything I ate, it was quite an experience. Some of the courses included: (1) aperitif (starting drink), (2) amuse bouche (small starter appetizer), (3) crab or escargot appetizer, (4) fish, (5) steak or lamb, (6) 4 types of cheese, (7) desert of mocha or strawberries, (8) coffee and sweets, and last but not least (9) red and white wines during different courses. It was certainly an experience, but we were all very tired by the end of the 4 hour eating extravaganza.
Tomorrow, we have one more language class before we visit the international headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. According to Wikipedia: "The organization is based in Paris, with over 50 field offices and many specialized institutes and centres throughout the world. Most of the field offices are "cluster" offices covering three or more countries; there are also national and regional offices. UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information."
I will be sure to update on our visit to UNESCO tomorrow. Then it's off to Nice and the French Riveria for the weekend with at least 10 other Georgetown students!
PS - If you have anything to add or say, please leave a comment on one (or more) of my posts! I would love to get feedback/know if anyone besides my mother is out there reading my blog.
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ReplyDeleteyou look adorable in the bottom picture. see you soonish.
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