BACK AND FORTH

Semester two at Sciences Po is off with a bang!  With visits, and a few trips, planned for the second half of the semester, I planned all my presentations for February.  Initially this seemed a good idea; now with the prospect of three 15 minute oral presentations, in french, to french people, on Napoleonic caricatures, homosexuality in Plato's works, and an obscure french architect next week, I'm thinking perhaps it wasn't the best of plans.. Consequently, the photo-ops have been limited, and mostly unexciting.  (unless you'd like to see the stack of empty chocolate packages, and hot-chocolate boxes that's growing alarmingly quickly)

Despite my lack of excursions, however, I've taken some photos of my (pretty spectacular) walk between school and my apartment.  

Not a clue why these lanterns were up, but they were hung all along a side street one day.

Tulips starting to pop up in all the markets, and on the sidewalks.

The Dr. T.J. Eckleburg of Blvd Saint-Germain

Bit less cute, and more political, up close..

French movie snacks (a big outdoor candy kiosk near all the big theaters)

An Austrian pastry shop nearby.  I've heard they have very good, very strong, very bitter, hot chocolate.  A stop in might be in order for this weekend.

Rubbing Montaigne's toe is said to be good luck for exams.  I've been stopping by often.

Rickety stairs leading up to my apartment!

A neighbor's lion-head door knocker.  I'm quite jealous.

TODAY IN THE FIFTH

Back in Paris, and living on my own for the first time (!!).  Hard to believe.  To be fair, though, my apartment is smaller than my half of any dorm room I've lived in.  Nonetheless, for the next four months, home is the 5eme arrondisement.  Since I spent yesterday losing my battle to jetlag, I'm calling today my first official day on the ground.  I got myself out of bed, and into the new 'hood.  

The new street!

Just down the road: l'école Sainte-Barbe.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola was here.  

The Pantheon (which can be seen from my window), is currently under construction.  I, however, don't hate the bird cage look.  Spices things up a bit.  

L'Église Saint Geneviève just up the hill

Purple doors are the new red.  

Amazing stained glass windows in that place!

Little old ladies in big fur coats, out for a Sunday afternoon stroll.

Inside the window of a Lebanese restaurant.. (poster sized)

First time I've actually seen "cuises de grenouilles" (frog legs) on a menu

Making meringues in the window of a bakery

The end for now.  Welcome to the fifth!!