Catacombs.

The catacombs run under paris for a few kilometers. They are dark, cold and creepy, not to mention, filled with dead people. Someone though it would be an awesome idea to dig up 8000 graves, and used their bones to decorate this tomb. Once there were mummies down here, that people used to come and change their clothes. Its a very strange but fascinating place.

A well of water, that was so blue.

Entering the area where they once had mass.

Walls are stacked with leg bones, and lined with skulls, everything else was thrown behind.

Where mass was held.

How someone ever thought it was an ethical idea, I will never know.

People still feel the need to leave their mark of course. But it looks more like an insane persons prison cell wall.

Bell Jar, to stop it from caving in.

It is a bit of a wait to get into, but if you are coming to Paris and want an experience different to the usual Eiffel tower stuff, then its a very eye opening walk.

Just some of the many many stairs I took on this week. My poor legs.

A Wedding in Paris.

On Saturday the 7th of  May I was invited to my friends wedding here in Paris.

Erin and JC. An American and a Frenchman. This was the first of their two weddings, the next of which is in New Orleans next week. This one was small, but very quaint. A morning service at the City Hall which was a 20 or so minute walk from their house. The lovely couple and most of the wedding party walked with them to City hall. It was a beautiful sunny day, and they looked wonderful. Erins dress was one her mother was married in, as well as her aunt. She had it altered from its 1970s style, and it really suited her.

City Hall is of course, one of the prettiest buildings around.

The room was fabulous, ornate painted ceilings and walls, high ceilings, large windows and beautiful light fixtures. More than you would get anywhere else. 

The ceremony was all in French, there was no "I do"'s but some "oui"'s instead. Erins family will be filled in later as to watch actually happened during the 10 minute ceremony.

Signing those important papers, for the first time.

Newly married couple descends.

And of course, they pose for a few hundred photographs. Good practice for the next wedding, which will be much larger.

On the walk home we picked up food from local stores the Erin and JC had ordered.

An amazing selection of cheeses.

Meats adorned with apple swans.

And the most delicious cakes paris can provide.

The chocolate ones were seriously amazing.

It was a beautiful wedding and day, I'm so glad I got to witness it. The next reception was held in Strasbourg where JC's family lives. I wasnt able to make it to this part of the day, but I'm sure it was equally amazing. 

Felicitations!

Wood carving. Its not a penis.

I know its been ages since I updated my blog, my interenet has only recently decided that it likes me enough to let me upload photos. 

Anyway.

The last few weeks I've been working on a woodcarving of a baguette. Its really cool to learn the skills, maybe I'll be a master one day, but for now, it looks like a giant wooden penis.

But it wont be for long.

The ends of the baguette are always more round, hopefully once I start getting detail on it, it will stop looking so much like a penis and more probably like a mutilated one. haha. 

To keep my spirits high, I ate this cake. Fraisers. Om. Nom nom.

Its really hard work. But I've definately improved, especially since the first time I tried I got 20 minutes in before I fainted and had to stop, and now I work for two full days a week on it. 

But I have been getting blisters on my blisters. Ouchies.

This is my last class. I decided to finish my mosaics class so I can get more done in Paris before I leave. I passed my french test! And my studio professor has signed off my sheet to say i met the credit requirements. I'm this one unit away from finishing. Technically only two weeks left. Woah, how times flown.

Queens Day weekend in Amsterdam.

Last Friday I headed back to Amsterdam, this time with Abby for a fun filled weekend.

The 30th of April is Queens day and its celebrated by wearing lots of orange, drinking lots of beer, and piling as many people as possible onto a boat and dancing around. It also has something to do with the royal family... and from what I saw, public urination...

Anyway, the parties had already started when we got in on friday.

We walked the streets and found lots of music playing outside, including this attractive couple outside a gay club.

The next morning we got into our orange and headed out for the celebrations. Because its a tax free day, everyone sets up stalls outside, everywhere, and fills them with their crap, or cute dogs...

He looked happy to be there.

D'uncle and Carol watching the mini fair.

Everyone brings out the orange, no holding back, even these two old men.

Stange games are around the place, even this one for take the bras off the queen.

Kids did cute entertainment on the streets.

And the canals were full of boats.

And balloons, and everything. They just kept on coming.

Packed with as many people as they could fit on a boat.

This, technically cant be called a boat, since its more a plank with a motor, but they certainly filled it.

Abby and I watching the festivities. My awesome giant glasses.

It was a beautiful day for it.

I dont know what was with these guys... maybe they just wanted to be different.

But everyone was in a great mood, and very nice. It was a full on day of fun. And eating... of course.

The next day Abby and I headed off to do some shopping, finding some vintage shops and wandering through the canals, there was so much rubbish left over from the previous days parties. It was a nice day.

Sunday we headed out early to go to Anne Frank house, and then had lunch by a canal. Beautiful as it was, we didnt manage to get a sunny spot, and the wind froze us. But it was too pretty to move.

We then walked down through the canals to the gallery area.

One of the canals had cute little baby water chickens and ducklings in it.

We saw the amsterdam sign with a crown, and a photo of the queen on the museum behind it. Once again another lovely day.

After that we went to the Van Gogh museum and back through the redlight district for some last minute gifts. Uncle John cooked a lovely dinner and then we headed out for a canal ride.

Up ridiculously early to catch the 6:16am train back to paris was the only dampener on the weekend. That and the french exam I had today, but Amsterdam was wonderful.

Thanks again to Uncle John and Carol for having me!