Lo-Lo-Lausanne!

Immense gratitude goes out to Anonymous for funding our 'To The End Of The World' documentary! I'm so thankful for the support... If you haven't already, please check out www.indiegogo.com/caminodoc and instruct your friends and family to do the same! Receive a a special blog mention or even a film credit ;-)

I made it in one piece to Lausanne, Switzerland. The biggest challenge I am facing at this very moment is the keyboard. The 'z' is in a funky place, and so is the '@' sign, and the exclamation point! I had to ask for help to find it...

Before leaving Montreal, I was able to meet up with my fantabulous friend, April Passi! She is such a great friend, and such a brave woman... working full-time at a high school teaching French, and a variety of other subjects (I forget which ones). She met up with my parents and me for just over 30 minutes, and we were able to enjoy a coffee and sammie before we had to zip to the airport. April, i will be thinking of you constantly as I venture through Switzerland! Bern is next!

Anyhow, the flight to Paris was an overnighter, and my plan was to sleep the whole way so I could be fresh and spunky when I arrived. Well, this was impossible, as the plane was packed and there were 2 babies in the row behind me that cried and screamed the WHOLE way! I didn't know who to feel bad for... the parents, the kids (who hopefully had some sort of ear issue or some good reason to be so miserable), or everyone who was kept awake by the baby banshees.

Regardless, the plane food was hilarious. Paté chinois, greek salad, tea and a classic... mystery tar brownie. No plane ride is complete without one of those crazy looking sticky, black brownies. Oh, and a white wine! (P.s. you don't even understand how fast I'm typing right now... 5 euros for just over an hour on the computer... good Lord!)

Laurene met me bright and early at the Charles de Gaulle airport, and off we went back to her fiance's place near the Porte de Bagnolet metro. She noticed right away that I had transformed into a zombie, and so when we got to the apartment I took a much needed 3 hour nap! Not to waste too much time, she woke me up and off we went to meet up for a coffee with her friend Claire-Lise. From there we walked to the Eiffel Tower (we didn't climb it... but I'm honestly okay with that!), admired the military academy, then to Les Champs Elysées, L'Arc de Triomphe, le Pont Alexandre III, le Sacré Coeur (we did climb all the steps there, but not on our knees).

The following day I set off early on my own and visited le Chateau Versailles. I got to the Chateau around 9:45 a.m., and wasn't done looking around until approximately 1 p.m.! I made sure to grab an audioguide at the entrance so I could soak in the whole experience... Getting there early is truly the trick for success. When I arrived the crowd hadn't amassed yet, I got the chance to really poke around and not be pushed or squished by the masses. On the way out the Chateau and the gardens where extremely crowded, as school groups had begun to take the place over. That afternoon Laurene and I met up at la Cathedrale Notre Dame, visited the inside, and then proceeded to galivant around the neighborhood. We walked to le Palais du Louvre, but on Tuesdays museums are closed... That's okay! Another expresso nearby! We got caught in the rain for a little while, but once again, expresso to the rescue!

That evening I was invited to join in on a couscous dinner party hosted by Max's (Laurene's fiancé) friends. Lots of wine, munchies, and dinner was exceptional... authentic morroccan cooking, so amazing! Yesterday was my last full day in Paris. Laurene and I met up at 10 a.m. and walked to Père Lachaise cemetary and tried to find Edith Piaf... to no avail, she is well hidden. However, we did find Molière, Jean de la Fontaine (he wrote all the fables!), Oscar Wilde, and a few French celebrities that Laurene was aware of. Such a spooky place, and it is HUGE! After our cemetary walk, we took the metro to entre the neighborhood named le 'Sentier'. This area is full of cheap, cool clothes! I cannot wait to come back beginning of June and get some camel coloured, gypsy\Indiana Jones pants... I am wearing those babies on the plane ride home, I promise!

Also, we took a guided tour of the Paris Opera AKA Palais Garnier. The tour was totally worth it, there are so many details that you can easily overlook when visiting the Opera. It's so ornate, ultra barocque, and done in what's called 'Napoleon III style'. We never stopped walking the whole time I was in Paris. My calves are ridiculous right now.

I only have 4 minutes left on the internet timer... AH!

Okay, so today, woke up, went to McDonald's for the wifi, and packed my things for Lausanne. Only 1 minute left... posting this, and will update as soon as I can!