It's Christmas time in the city!

Hi everyone. It's Tuesday evening here and I just returned from Paris (I had the afternoon off work). I got off the metro at Hotel de Ville, where there is a big ice skating rink just in front of the beautiful building! It was soo pretty, and I arrived after it turned dark so it was great. Raining, yes, but just fine for taking pictures and seeing all the lights and some people skating. I went there to find out the deal w/skating, and it looks like I can go for 5 Euro! So, that is on my to-do list before Christmas. Then I just walked down the block to see Notre Dame all lit up. It was sooo pretty! The cathedral at night is pretty anyways when it's lit up, but there is now a BIG Christmas tree in the front w/gold lights and red ornament balls. I arrived just as the bells were ringing too. I got great pictures, and even more of the Seine River w/pretty lights on the surrounding buildings. I was only in the city for about 2 hours, but it was a nice evening just to get out of Bougival.

Kirsty left last Thursday :( We saw each other Wednesday to say bye and hang out for a bit...it was nice, and I'm going to miss her! I spent Saturday being productive in my studio, and then got kind of fancied up and went into Paris with Ashley and Mathieu. He had a 'crepe party' at his new little studio apartment next to the Bastille with just a few friends. Then we went out to a couple bars and ended up at dance club with TECHNO music. THAT WAS A FIRST....let's just say that is NOT dance-able music for me...haha. But we were out til almost 3...then crashed at his apartment and I caught the 6:30 a.m. train back to Bougival. That was my first time staying out in Paris all night...it was fun, but not like a huge BLAST, but that's okay. So I spent most of my Sunday sleeping and being totally lazy.

My friend from San Diego, Courtney, arrives on Thursday! We've been emailing plans back and forth...and as long as THE NEW TRANSPORTATION STRIKE ends on time, we've made plans to take a train to Bordeaux for the weekend to wine taste. So let's just hope the trains will go. How lame. Otherwise we are going to just hang out in Paris. Definitely ice skating I think. It's supposed to get pretty cold this week, but as long as it's not raining I can handle it.

I've gotten 4 boxes of christmas gifts! Thanks to everyone! I've found out that the family here does not do Christmas at all like I'm used to, so it looks as though I will be opening some of my gifts on my own before we leave for the holiday, and maybe some after too. But I'll try to get Ashley to watch a Christmas movie with me and open my gifts with me or something. I'm sure I'll cry a little on the big day, just because it's hard not having a traditional Christmas with my own family...but I'll survive. It WILL be my first time back on the ski slopes in probably almost 5 years! So I can't complain about that...and on the Alps!

One last thing....I am going to see "The Nutcracker" ballet at the Paris Opera de Bastille!!!!! Yep, this little "mouse" and "party girl" is finally going to see it professionally and in PARIS!! New Years Eve exactly...I'll go to the opera to start my evening, then off to the Champs Elysees to party and see the fireworks from the Eiffel tower. (apparently I'm their first au pair that doesn't have to work on New Years Eve, so I get to benefit from the big night in the city!)