Day 16

It was my first day of my class Paris Collage where we will be learning about Paris through its architecture and art. For our first outing, we went to the Latin Quarter and saw the remains of an ancient Roman bath dating far back into the 200 C.E. when Paris was named Lutetia. Next we went to the museum right next door which was a house for abbots (by house I mean a small palace or a mansion basically) during medieval times, but was originally part of the Roman forum. La Sorbonne (university) was right across the street! Would've missed it if the professor hadn't pointed it out. This too was part of the Roman forum and rests on what were once shops. Next door is the also famous College de France. We walked to the Pantheon where the infamous catacombs lie below (but which we will explore at a later date.) Our last stop was the site of an old Roman arena set during 200 C.E. The arena was discovered in the 18th or 19th century, demolished in order to make a parking lot (despite the efforts of famous artists and intellectuals) and later recreated (not to its original size) to what we see today. I sadly have no photos because I forgot my camera :( but I'll probably return and take some.

I plan on volunteering in an after school program helping some French students (ages 13-19) with their English and their homework. This is in the 18th district near the Sacre Coeur church. I couldn't get a really good shot, but this is the tip of the church with the moon. It was breathtaking: