A Monday in Montmartre.

Monday, we journeyed to Montmartre. I love Montmartre, let it be know.

We zoomed over via Metro, and as we exited the train, all the Parisians were lining up for the elevator. We looked at them, looked at each other, looked at the stairs and said, "We're young and spritely! Let's take the stairs!"

Bad idea, my friends, bad idea. Apparently, unbeknownst to us, the Montmartre stop is 6 flights of stairs underground. This would be why the Parisians were all taking the elevator. As we begin climbing, it's fun and there are beautiful murals on the wall. But then we keep climbing. And keep climbing. And keep climbing. And start laughing. And are dizzy (because they're spiral stairs). And are sure we're never going to make it out a live. And keep climbing. And finally reach the top of the stairs in hysterics of laughter. Do you know how hard it is to climb stairs whilst laughing your guts out?

We headed up to Sacre Coeur, and climbed the steps to the basilica, and then Jared and I decided to climbed the 300 steps to the top. Which was worth it, but took our stair count for the day to about 1,000. Guess it was the workout of the day!

              

       

We left the tourist trap that is Sacre Coeur to go out an explore where we found the oldest cabaret in Paris, after finding one of the oldest churches in Paris, because ya know, you gotta balance out your religious and sexual sides when in Montmarte. Rachel and I were big fans of the name of the cabaret: The agile bunny. We decided that's where the idea of the play boy bunnies originated from. Don't you think?

We wandered around Montmartre, found Renoir's house, found Van Gogh's house (with a blue door that made me really really happy), found the Moulin Rouge, walked up and down lots of hills, saw lots of tourists and also lots of gypsies, and then decided to go to ghetto-ville: Saint Denis.

Here's the real quick version of the story of Saint Denis. Saint Denis was preaching to all the Parisians about what sinners they are and some dude whacked off his head mid-preaching. Not to be phased by a whacked off head, Saint Denis picked up his head, continued to walk and preach, and walked to the area of the Basilica where he died. I love the saints. They are so incredibly awesome! Sometimes I wonder why we don't have cool saints like that in mormonism... 

This is Marie-Antoinette and her Husband

Anyway, now Saint Denis is home to all the tombs of the kings of France. So Jared, our French major, was in heaven. Apparently, it is also the first example of gothic architecture, so Alex, our art-history major, was also in heaven. I just asked a lot of questions. Fun fact of the day: Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty is based off of Philip le bel. So yup. I loved it all. I especially love that my nerdy friends were so incredibly excited to be somewhere. Nerds make life better.

Oh, also in this same day, Jared had to go buy some random things at the grocery store. So Alex and I accompanied him. However, he didn't have anything to put his goods in. I happened to have my very nifty expandable bag that Christine kindly bought me before I left to Paris, so he rocked it like a man. I made him stop for a picture after FHE because it just made my day that he kept walking around with this bag. What a man, what a man, what a man, what  a mighty good man. 

Aimer toujours,
Ems

In Which our House is Nonexistent.

My friends, I will tell you this:
When in Paris, there is hardly time to blog.

And so begins our first story from a week+one day ago.

Kate and I were all ready to go- we even had flowers for our host family. We were the last of our shuttle to get dropped off, and as the cabbie took off, we looked around and thought, "Hm... this isn't what it looked like on google maps..."

With three suitcases, a duffle bag, and our giant backpacks, we were stranded on a street, outside of Paris, with the ominous skies brewing above us. We were at 9 Bis and we need 9- just 9, no bis. After a lot of walking around, we decided to try the creepy alleyway in between 9 bis and 11.   We dragged out suitcases as far as we could down the pebbled street, left them there, and continued onto the house behind 9 Bis.

The shutters clearly bolted, all lights seemingly off, we decided to knock anyway. I get to the door and see a sign warning of a mean dog; I immediately think, "We are about to get mauled by a dog. We will no longer be able to study in Paris. This is the worst way to go."

Lucky for us, like the rest of France, the mean dog and the mean dog's owners were on vacation.

As the thought of the dog subsided, the rain reentered the picture as I felt the first droplets assault me.

By then, an hour and a half have passed, and we are no closer to knowing where the house that we're supposed to live in for the next three months is. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We phone Dr. Hodson, our study abroad director, and after five+ phone calls with him, he calls our host dad who comes to save our sorry souls. He even brought his car down the alleyway so we didn't have to keep dragging those ridiculously heavy things through the pebbles. We like him.

Best part? Our house is at the end of the creepy alleyway- aka the third house to share the number 9 on our street. Because clearly, that's how addresses work. Who would want only one #9 when you can have 3? The more the merrier, right?

Also, I realize the alleyway doesn't look creepy. However, when it's night, and you've just gotten off the metro with some very funky people, and it's pitch-black, it's dang scary to walk all the way down to #9.

Love always,
Ems

The end of the Pre-Adventure.

My travels with my parents came to an end yesterday. But let me recap the rest of our journey.
We had a lovely time in the countryside of the Netherlands and stumbled upon some perfectly Dutch windmills.

We discovered the most fantastic yarn bombing in Hoorn, which was wonderfully cheerful. Who doesn't like a good yarn bombing? My favorite was these little statues who were very kindly knitted sweaters.

We returned to Amsterdam that night; I kicked myself, again, for not going out with Mr. Dutch man, and then went to sleep so that we could depart very early in the morning for Belgium. In the morning, I mourned the fact that we were leaving Amsterdam because I love it so much and want to move there, and then we were off.

In Antwerp, Belgium, I took a grand total of one picture. #gome. But it was a beautiful city with the most delicious waffles. Belgian waffles are real and they are so good. That's all I have to say on the matter of Belgium. Wait. No, it's not. I also have to say that they are a very confused country. They speak 3 languages: German, French, and Dutch. I think we should maybe just split Belgium up between those three countries and call it good. Hopefully I'm not offending any Belgians by saying that... Anyway.

The last day, we headed to France via Luxembourg and Germany. It was lovely and Luxembourg is picturesque.

We stopped by Strasbourg, France to check out the Notre Dame Cathedral of Strasbourg and to see La Petite France. Both were beautiful.

And then... we drove to Paris. I said goodbye to my parents and joined my study abroad friends, and the adventure of my life began.

There are stories to come of our first night in Paris and our first day with our host family. And oh boy, our journey to our host family a story to share.

À bientôt!

Love always,
Ems

A Little Video from the Weekend.

We made a very good life decision and left snowy Utah behind

 to spend President's Day weekend in sunny California. 

It was a really good life decision. 

I'll make sure to tell you more later, but for now, enjoy this little video I made.

 We've already watched it multiple times in this apartment. 

Love always, 

Ems

Mud.

This one time, the Adventure Gang {yes, we have a name} took a trip to the mud caves.
Becca and I led the way through the caves....
but the boys had never been there so we gave them a break on not being able to be manly.
Here; let me share the joy because boy,
it was joyful.

 Clean!

Dirty!

 Sign?

 After three attempts, we finally got the real Adam and Becca pose.

 This is my prom date... It's a good thing I love him.

 Classic Becca and Emma pose.

Yes. These are my friends.

And I love them.

One whole heck of a lot.

At least they protect Becca and I from the creepy drunk smokers in the caves...

Love Always,

Ems

Yippee for Videos!

Here is another video! This one is from our fabulous Ostrich Farm Frenzy. Enjoy! :)

Ostrich Fever-March 5th, 2011 from Emma Barton on Vimeo.

Love Always,

Ems

A Trip to Tuc-sun. (Almost)

Here's the story.

I'm laying on the ground cleaning underneath the couches when I faintly her my phone ringing above the Valentine's Day Soundtrack that I was jamming to.

Joey Calling.
Yes.
I love when Joey calls, he always has fun things to do.

Emma: "Hey Joey! What's up?!"
Joey: "Oh, hey Emma.... um... what are you doing?"
E: "Uh... cleaning my floor. Why?"
J: "Do you want to um.. go to the Ostrich Farm in 10 to 15 minutes?"
E: "Well.... let me ask!"

Asking parentals ensues whereupon I respond, delightfully, that I would love to join him. So, Zack, Adam and Joey pull up to my house in 5 minutes (no, not 10-15 like he said) and I hop in and we drive to Tuc-sun (almost).

It was a blast.

To prove that point, enjoy these pictures.

 The Gang next to the Monster Tractor.

 (Thank goodness for Self-Timer)

 The Ostrich Egg! 

(I feel like it deserves it's own theme song)

 yes, there were deer there too.

 Joey and the Ostriches

And Zack likes to take really attractive pictures of himself 

 Adam feeding me?

Just... don't ask

Zack Really liked the birds.... 

I was more of a goat fan, myself. 

 Except I'm pretty sure PETA would die if they saw this...

Oh, and the Birds liked Zack...

 And Joey...

 And Adam only loved his lunch pail....

The End.

Love Always,

Ems