Hello! I am a little bit tired today. Yesterday I went out to celebrate my first week here in Paris. We went to a cosy bar named "Chez Jeanette" and afterwards someone took us to a dance club called "La Machine" , next to the famous Moulin Rouge. A lot of people were dancing, there was a good vibe. The people here are so friendly! I got home at 6 in the morning, but it was worth it.

- The 16th Arrondissement -

I randomly took the metro to the 16th arrondissement, which is in the West of Paris, close to my home. It is described as the most expensive and chic neighbourhood, but also as the dullest one. I went to see another side of the district: the pre-war buildings. They look like the simple but inventive Bauhaus buildings that were built in the same era.

Architecture from the 20s - 30s

There is a combination of classic and modern (pre-war) in the 16th arr.

 This is the classic Parisian streetview in the 16th arr.: big, pretty houses and a lot of green.

Musée Marmottan (16th) has a beautiful collection of Monet paintings and a big garden.

CLOUDY DAY

Wednesday is Country Club day! Which is totally awesome; it is a beautiful castle with swimming pool, tennis courts, gym, bar, spa, cinema, horseriding fields, golf court etc etc... Just the usual? The kids - and me! And me! -  get to go there every wednesday from now on. Wow.

Also, I had a everything-seems-to-fail-feeling, where it took me about an hour to find a photomachine. Then it took me half an hour to find someone with change for a 20E billet. Then the photo sucked. Then I found out my school was closed today. Which means I have to go again tomorrow.

I took some pictures in Neuilly-Sur-Seine, the little suburb I live in (which is practically next to Paris).

- I was very moody so they turned out a bit fickle. -

 Villa de Madrid, an old, empty villa that is next to my usual route to the metrostation. Gorgeous but also very frightening in the dark.

 An alley along the old cemetery of Neuilly. Including a list of "famous" people that are buried here.

The beautiful hallway in our house (oldskool elevator on the right).

ART AND APPLEPIE

Tour d'Eiffel et Les Tuilleries

Yesterday, the kids and I baked an applepie to "celebrate" the start of the new school year. I also went to see a movie with Jacomine at Ciné Cité Les Halles: Un Jour (starring a very handsome actor!).

4 SEPTEMBER

Today was a very active day for me! I lifted all boxes from my room, went to the other side of Paris by bike, walked back to my side while looking for a bike, lifted things again. Jacomine, who lives here too, and me have had a nice lunch together and we've strolled through the city afterwards.

 Another glimpse of my room.

With the Pont de Neuilly

We had lunch at Bar du Marche (6th arr): touristic but not too expensive.

Jacomine; walking down the street.

 Very romantic: every lock represents the love between the couple that has written their names on it.

Comfy chairs at Jardin des Tuilleries.

WONDERFUL

Hello, everything is going fine here. My new room is perfect; it is nice weather today and I have established all my stuff very neatly (obviously a temporary state of being). The internet connection is a little poor, so sites like facebook don't seem to work... Maybe that's  a good thing; not to get too distracted from la vie à Paris.