Shopping and I suppose some sight seeing.

So... day 4 I guess this would be. Yesterday was filled with shopping. Lots of shopping. Everything is on sale here. I went back to a few shops I had seen the previous day, and then to a large underground shopping centre that was amazingly awesome. I may have bought two dresses and a cardigan and a belt and stuff. I like stuff. I also found mums favourite store ever, she and the girls will be very happy to know that Desigual exists in Paris.

There are some really amazing clothing stores around. One I liked in particular had a mix of fashion and southpark. This dress was amazing, but slightly out of my price range, so I bought a shirt instead. Its pretty :)

My dessert for the night was this humble donut. Little did I know it was filled with a chocolate ganache! YUM. Pretty awesome way to end the shopping day.

So today, after sleeping the morning away, I decided to try the walk to where my uni is. It turns out to be a very short walk. You just go through the lourve, across the Seine and turn the corner and you are there. Its a lovely walk, even in the brisk wind chill. Here is the first part of the lourve, the building itself is massive, the architecture is amazing.

This bird has found a lovely place to stop.

The buildings are amazing around here, they have so much history.

Here is the street side of the university. It looks to be quite a large campus that is soley dedicated to the arts. Imagine that. I hope the people are friendly, and get my quirky food art :P

This is the universities cafe. De Beaux Arts. How cute is that. I look forward to many chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) here.

There are so many galleries on this strip. Its amazing. And each are filled with some fantastic works. I have no idea who did this piece but it made me smile. Puppies!

The mixture of sculpture and paintings is great to see, the works compliment each other well. Also.... MONKEY! heh.

Here is the courtyard of the university, I was too afraid to walk much further in, but I'm sure once I start there, you will see much more of it. A bit of a change from Curtins lovely cement and red bricks no?

Valentines fever looks like its already started... Damn. The patisseries look so cute filled with red and pink macaroons. Stuff the lovey-dovey shit, give me the pastries! :D

I'm still more excited by patisserie windows than I am of the architecture, but when your photo skills are as bad/awesome as mine, you can get both at the same time!

A few more choice shots from my walking around the left bank.

I just love the little window boxes with flowers in them. It reminds me of Madeline.

My first Anish Kapoor work. SO SHINY.

Another historical building that has some importance...

The overpass from the right to left bank is covered in these padlocks. They look amazing. Couples from all over the world write there names on a padlock, lock it to the fence and throw the keys into the seine. Don't worry lovers, there are always bolt cutters!

I much prefered the old style locks. Though the combination locks were quite funny.

Did I mention there are puppies?

So here is my apartment door, you are one step closer to getting photos of the apartment. They are coming soon, I promise!

I also got suckered in by a nice man at the lourve for the polaroids... I know pathetic. But I was happy to be able to talk to him for awhile in English, and he liked me so much he gave me two.

My uncle is coming with his wife from amsterdam tonight! It will be great to see them again, and have them help me with the trains, and get a bit more confidence to actually go inside restaurants. They are staying with me til Sunday so this little place will be a bit cramped but it will be great. I hope I can go visit them at some point to, Amersterdam would be an amazing place to visit!

Hope you are surviving that killer weather. And the killer storm that is coming, watch out for mega shark and giant octopus!

Day 2.

After the fairly dismal day before, I was determinded to have a good day. So I started off with pain au chocolat.

I spoke to mum and dad on skype, admittedly for a few hours, but its so good to have a friendly english speaking face to talk to. I can not believe what they did to my poor car. Damn closet bogans. Being Austalia day I fished out some cling-on Koalas to wear. At about 11am once I knew shops would be open I headed out to wander the local area.

It was wet and rainy, but there is so much to see, that everything still looks pretty, I'd love to see it all in spring.

The pattiseries are so pretty, everything is so colourful and neat, I found a few places I couldnt resist going into and oggling the foods.

Puppies! Or Chiots! They are so cute, and they are everywhere, in their little designer jackets. I walked along the seine and the shops were only plant shops and pet stores... And there are so many puppies in each store, but the cages are small, so I didnt like to look too much. Can I bring one home mum? :D

Shopppping. Okay, so its raining, not heavy but constant, and the market stalls and shops are still bringing their goods out to display... in the rain. I almost cried when I saw a man roll out a whole rack of Dr Martins into the rain. Be strong Bonnie, be strong.

As I was walking around I found this place and though it was hilarious. That night I went back seeing as it was Australia day and all and drank too much. The place was filled with Aussies which was nice, and one bar tender was so happy for our special day he kept giving us shots... of Sambucca and Jager. I of course only had 2 and a cocktail but was fairly drunk. I dont think its a good idea to do this again when I then have to walk home by myself...

My first view of the Seine. The buildings are all amazing. You just dont see this in Australia.

Speaking of buildings, this is the door to my apartment complex.  Its so pretttty. All the doors around here are, with amazing knobs. Love those knobs.

I found a packed pattiserie for lunch, taking the people to mean the place was amazing. Which it was. I saw this and was like I have to have it, I still have no idea exactly what it was, but it was yummy. There was bacon and cheese and cheesey potato and so much in it. Drool.

And the pastry of the day was this tartlette de citron. So pretty. Its sitting next to me, waiting to be eaten.

Today I am off to find some warmer clothes, and go back to a few shops I saw yesterday. I found my first vintage shop and it was amazing.... Fur hats! Sorry but if its second hand the cruelty doesnt count because I'm saving it from going to waste. :P The weather yesterday was 5C and not too bad, today will be 3C and then next week seems to be averaging 1C so the thermals will be broken out.

Once I finish unpacking I will show you the appartment. Hope your Australia day was swell!

Finally in Paris

So here I am, sitting up against the wall with my laptop plugged in, a can of coca cola light and some pain au chocolat. The last 24 hours have been hell. But before I get to that, a re-cap of the weekend.

So longest week ever trying to catch up with as many people as I could before I left saw me at movie nights, dinners, friends places, birthday parties and other things. My theory was if I go out tuesday wednesday thursday friday night, have my party on saturday and go out sunday night, I'll be so exhausted that by monday I would just sleep the plane rides away. Cunning as my plan was, it didnt work to well, and ended with me being quite tired, but it was worth it. The party was a success with still much food and drink left over, many very clever moustaches were seen, a notable mention to my sisters moustache, which was praised as one of the best ever! It was also nice to not have to scoop out dead drunken drowned bodies from the pool. We just left them there to float around ;)

Christine, my second mum from Whyalla came as a big surprise on friday and helped out oh so much with the cooking and on the night slaving in the kitchen, and regaling all who would hear of stories from when I was 5. I also have the most generous friends in the world, not only did you spoil me with your gifts, but with your words on my 21st board. (except for you dad. Good riddance is not very nice stupid!)

After a lazy sunday-day and dancing the night away at loft, the dreaded monday finally came. I was an emotional wreck for most of it, good thing I have the best mum in the world. Jess, Sarah and Elise came to surprise see me off at the airport which was the best. :)

My flight from Perth left at 10:30pm and I was lucky enough to have a seat free next to me. I got a few hours shuteye but the 11 hour flight is very long. Dubia airport is very strange... and not that exciting. Lots of toy camels though... The next flight ended up being only about 7 hours long which was better, but still long. I will have a flat bum for weeks. My phone isnt working here, so that makes life hard.
After getting through customs in Paris I discovered I was in the wrong part of the terminal to get my shuttle bus, and managed to get lost finding the damn place. I still made it early for the time of the shuttle departure time, just there was no shuttle there... or for the half hour after that time, I finally found the phone number and gave them a call. So the drive was good cause I got to see some stuff, and he lets me out here, and then I realise I dont have the combination to get into the complex... so I just waited around laughing til someone let me in, in which I waited around stupidly for the landlord to come find me. The appartment is very small, but clean. The entrance way is the kitchen, and the rest is all bedroom/livingroom/study. Everything is red and white. I will post some photos when I have unpacked.

Then the next problem, the internet didnt work. So it took my landlord and I two hours to get it fixed, with neither of us speaking the others language. I was freaking out, but it works now, thank god. So if you would like to talk to me I am on skype. look for bonnie.boogaard.
Once I had calmed down, I finally set foot out the appartment to find some long needed food. I found a little grocercy store that has lots of booze in it, so I will be fine. I have diet coke, chocolate and chips. What more could I neeed? I then went back and found the pattiserie and bought quiche lorraine and pain au chocolat.
Hoorah for food.
So its 7am here, and pitch black outside, so I may try unpack something before heading out for the day. Lets hope today goes better.

Next post will be with pictures I promise. and less long winded.

First post. 9 days to go.

Welcome to the blog of the century. 

9 days to go, no packing done, and nervous as hell. Whats more important though? The party of course, and this party will combine both my farewell and 21st for the year.

 

The theme is moustache and it is set to be of epic proportions.  

So just a short blog to make sure this works well. Expect a few updates before I leave and the excitement begins.