Last days in France

Saturday, July 25th
In the evening, the city of Le Mans put on a brilliant light show. For hours, they shined different combinations of lights and images using computers and advanced projectors. It was truly spectacular.

Sunday, July 26th
The next morning, we drove to our final stop before our group-scheduled break. We stayed at an enormous, newly reconstructed chateau. We sang a concert and, in a scene from a Fitzgerald novel, ate dinner with the audience under the stars.

Monday, July 27th
We drove to Paris and began our break. While some members traveled to Germany and Holland, Jay K., Julian and I stayed in Paris the entire time. When we arrived in the city that evening, we walked to the Louvre and rode a ferris wheel, which gave us a chance to see the city illumniated. Later, we hung out with some English-speakers on a nearby bridge.

Tuesday, July 28th
Our hardcore tourism began on this day. We essentially followed my good friend Elizabeth's guide to the city. First, we visited the Musee de l'Orangerie, which includes two of Monet's 360-degree whole-room paintings.

After that, we spent several hours in the Louvre. We focused our attention its famous paintings and statues (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo) and also spent a considerable amount of time exploring its anthropologic exhibits. After walking around the enormous museum, we drank some hot chocolate at Angelina's and then walked to the Notre Dame.

Wednesday, July 29th
We continued our touristy ventures by visiting the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

Thursday, July 30th
While Jay, Julian and Brian, who had just gotten back from his short trip to Germany, checked out the catacombs in the city, I visited the Le Centre Pompidou. I loved its Kandinsky exhibit, which featured many of his finest paintings and manuscripts.

I met up with Jay, Julian and Brian at the Louvre's park. There, we drank wine and ate cheese for an hour or two. We went out for drinks around town to celebrate Brian's birthday.

Friday, July 31st
All the Whiffs returned from their break to perform a few songs for a wedding at the American Church in Paris. The lovely ceremony was followed by a reception at a golf course about a half an hour outside the city.

Picture explanations
3rd picture-- reading in the chateau's library
Last picture-- Jay examining the Notre Dame