Today was our free day, so I enjoyed sleeping in before a long run along the river and exploring Paris on my own. I did a little bit of shopping on my way to the Pantheon, which was extraordinary. My favorite part of the Pantheon was the Foucault Pendulum, the first experiment to demonstrate Earth’s rotation. I headed toward St. Chappelle and stumbled upon what I think was a farmer’s market. I spent a bit of time there before visiting the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company. I walked along the river to a train station to go to the Picasso Museum. I ran into John there, so we got coffee and cake at a nearby café afterwards. Then, I went to the umbrella tunnel near the Louvre, and from there I went to the Musee D’Orsay. The most direct path was barricaded by police due to the protests, so I had to go a bit out of the way to get there. I enjoyed seeing original Van Gogh and Monet pieces. When I left the museums, there were still sirens droning almost non-stop, so I bought a crepe and went down to the river to find some quiet while I reflected and journaled. I couldn’t believe that this trip was nearly over. I met up with a big group for our last dinner in the city, and we recapped our favorite parts from the week. To conclude our spring break, a group of us went out to the bar across from the hotel.
Devon,
I enjoyed reading your journal and hearing about your travels through England and France. It struck me in reading your journal how each individual in the class seeks out their own unique experiences even in the context of the larger group. I too, remember, how running in a new city allows you to see more than what most people experience, including how it improves your ability to navigate and learn a city’s layout.
It was nice to hear in your presentation that the Picasso Museum was your favorite in Paris. Although I did not visit any other art museums this year, I really appreciated the manageable size as well and the simplicity of the display of two artists side by side. I find it interesting that every year, students find things to do that students in previous years have not. For instance, we have not had any students go to Camden Market before this year. For our group, it turned out to be very popular.
It was great having you in class and on the trip this year. Your personality fit in with so many in our group and it was great to see you maximize your time in the travel portion of the class.