A fun Sunday followed by school, school, and more school

Wow...it has been a long time since I've posted anything. Although this week was filled with school this and school that, and I really had no social life at all until Friday, the week started off with a bang.

On Sunday I met my friends Quynh and Allen for lunch at the Paris Mosque. Very good food, very beautiful mosque. Afterward we walked around a bit and tried to go to an exhibit at the Jeu de Paume, but the line was ridiculous. Quynh was meeting some friends who were visiting from the US for dinner, so Allen and I decided to go to the Palais de Tokyo to see what was going on there. We were richly rewarded because the exhibits were fabulous...in a hilarious sort of way. There were four exhibits based on the HAARP scientific research program, a program that is apparently shrouded in mystery and is based in Gakona, Alaska. HAARP stands for High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, and the program is funded by the military, adding to the air of mystery, bien sur. The works were interesting to say the least. There was one "piece" that consisted of a taped off square of floor; inside the square sat 15 metal chairs and an automatic lawnmower (like the vacuum cleaners that run themselves). The mower would stop at the tape & turn around (apparently there was wiring under the tape), but it didn't recognize the chairs, so it moved them around. Hmmh. It was sort of funny to watch, and we made some rather irreverant jokes about it, of course. Anyway, there was another piece which I'll include a picture of that we thought was hilarious. At the bottom was something (a generator? I don't know...you decide), and at the top were two umbrellas with their tips facing each other. Every ten minutes or so a loud horn would sound, and a blue electric current would run through the two tips of the umbrellas. Unfortunately, I didn't catch a picture with the blue streak of current, but you can use your imagination.

Anyway, laughter ensued, jokes were made, and we decided it was time to have a glass of wine or two in the bar that's part of the Palais. Afterward we popped down to the nearby Trocadero for the view of the Eiffel Tower. Talk about being richly rewarded...see for yourself.


Beautiful...

By the time we had dinner and headed home, it was 1:00 a.m.! So I got my social life in for the week a little early, I guess, knowing that the school week would be too busy for too much fun because...this was week two of school, and it was the first week of phonetics lab and conferences. I really did nothing all week except go to class, go to phonetics lab, rush to get to my conference while eating a sandwich on the run, spend lots of time on the metro, do some homework, and finally, take a test on Friday. Nothing social at all until dinner with Quynh on Friday, but we were both pretty exhausted, so even though there was a party starting at 11:30, we had both turned into pumpkins by then. Now, I know what you're thinking, and as I said, I'm not here to NOT do things, but don't worry...there'll be other (many other) parties to attend, so missing one is nothing to sweat over. Besides, yawning isn't my best look.

I'd have to say that the highlight of the school week was studying on Thursday while sitting in front of Notre Dame. I mean, if a girl's gotta study, she might as well have a spectacular view! It was cold but bearable in the sun, the sky was blue, the tourists (and gypsies trying to con them) were everywhere, and there I sat, studying French in front of this beautiful cathedral by the Seine. Life is good indeed.